"Zach Hughes - Mother Lode" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hughes Zach)

Scanned by Highroller.

Proofed by the best elf proofer.

Made prettier by use of EBook Design Group Stylesheet.



Mother Lode by Zach
Hughes
CHAPTER ONE

The X&A ship U.P.S. Rimfire blinked into normal space a quarter of an
astronomical unit from the bustling spaceports of the administrative
planet Xanthos. The officer on the navigation bridge, Lieutenant Erin
Kenner, studied the scanners carefully and waited for clearance from
Xanthos Central before giving engineering the order to make the last of an
epic series of blinks. Rimfire disappeared instantaneously to reappear at a
two-hour, sub-light distance from her assigned orbit. Erin buzzed the
captain's quarters.

"We'll be ready to go to debarkation stations in two hours, Captain,"
Erin said, as she punched orders into the board to start the ship moving.
After over five years in space every man and woman on board was more
than ready to feel a planetary mass underfoot. An almost tangible current
of excitement was running through the ship.

Captain Julie Roberts, dark haired, almost spare in her service blues,
looked as if she'd spent the last two hours in front of a mirror instead of
having a quick nap in her cabin. When she came onto the bridge, she
checked the scanners and frowned. "Heavy traffic?" she asked.

Erin had never seen so many ships congregated in one area of space,
but she made no comment. Julie Roberts punched the communicator.
"Xanthos Central, Rimfire. "

"Rimfire, Xanthos Central, go ahead, please."
 "Xanthos Central, Rimfire. Concerning your assignment of position.
The designated area looks a bit crowded tome."

"Rimfire, Xanthos Central. Hold one."

There was a pause. The communicator speakers hissed the subliminal,
forlorn audio signature of limitless space.

"Look, Captain," Erin Kenner said.

The congregation of ships, large and small, was sorting itself out into
two long files curving off into the distance on either side of Rimfire's
assigned orbit. The communicator came to life.