"Michael McCollum - Gibraltar earth" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

energy was converted to velocity. The rapidly expanding cloud of debris that returned to normal space
moved at 0.6c. There was no time for the unknown warship to react. An instant after the cloud of debris
appeared, one or more of its particles struck the small warship, turning it into a star that rivaled the
system primary for a few seconds.

#

Lieutenant Harlan Frees had joined the Stellar Survey because he did not relish the thought of taking over
the family business in Woomera. The life suited him. To Frees, the opportunity to lead a party aboard the
surviving alien craft seemed too good to be true.

тАЬReport, Scout Two,тАЭ Landon ordered as FreesтАЩs command hovered just beyond range of the slowly
tumbling alien craft. Immediately afterMagellan had destroyed its tormentor, the large ship had put on a
burst of speed to escape the scene of the battle. It had apparently been too much for the craftтАЩs tortured
engines. Moments later, the squat cylinder had gone ballistic. After checking the point where Scout Three
had been destroyed,Magellan went in pursuit.

тАЬSheтАЩs not human, Captain. No orbital shipyard anywhere near Sol ever built this thing,тАЭ Frees reported.
He had ordered his vessel in as close as he dared. In front of him was a vast gash where one of the
warcraftтАЩs beams had struck a slashing blow. In the compartment beyond floated a body. It was badly
mutilated, but enough survived to know that the being had possessed two arms too many.

тАЬGet a shot of that,тАЭ he ordered Ensign Grimes, his copilot.

тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ

тАЬAfter you get the body, do a slow pan. Show them the extent of the damage.тАЭ

тАЬYes, sir.тАЭ

While Grimes took care to document the alien ship, Frees looked for a place to dock. The alien shipтАЩs
slow tumbling motion was a problem. They would have to latch on and use their own drive to halt it
before anyone could explore. Otherwise, there was too much risk of an accident.

Frees found what he was looking for and gently nudged the scout forward. He became conscious of a
strange stink in the helmet of his vacuum suit, and then realized it was his own fear producing the odor.
He wondered if Grimes smelled the same thing inside his own closed environment.

Scout Two made contact without incident. Two minutes later, they secured their ship to the derelict with
a cable. Five minutes after that, they had the tumbling motion halted.

тАЬYou have got the conn, Mister,тАЭ Frees ordered as he unstrapped. тАЬIf you see anything other than us
moving about in there, blow the explosive bolts and run like hell for the ship. Got that?тАЭ

тАЬWhat about you, Lieutenant?тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt mind me or anyone. Anything with four arms comes into view, you get out of here.тАЭ

тАЬAye aye, sir.тАЭ