“It’s all right,” John reassuredhim. “Take it easy. Don’t pass out on me.”
“My head –”
“I know. Can you get yourselfback to my chair?”
“I’ll try.”
“Good man,” John smiled. “Findsomething to focus on and stay awake.”
Giacomo did as he was told.
John took his place at the helm. He winked at McReidy. “Think you can keep up with me?” he teased.
“Any time.” She dared him to trysomething she couldn’t match.
He grinned. “Hang on, Giacomo.”
It was a warning to all of themas he threw the ship around like a fighter. A lot of his moves wereunorthodox, almost suicidal. He couldn’t match the cruiser’s firepower, but hecould certainly outfly her. If she didn’t have a weakness, they were going tohave to make one.
McReidy only fired when she had areasonable chance of doing some damage. She couldn’t anticipate his moves likeshe could with Giacomo and a lot of early shots missed completely. The cruiserwas having the same problem and couldn’t target Bismarck with any accuracy.
When the starboard engine kickedin, the immediate increase in power brought with it a breath of fresh air. John was enjoying himself; McReidy’s aim was improving. They found the cruiser’sweakness and homed in on it. Shields were almost back at full strength – notmuch else was working.
It was more sheer determinationand relentless onslaught that finally made the cruiser turn and run. Whatshould have been an easy victory for the three ships was being thwarted by anenemy that refused to admit defeat. Any number of hits should have destroyedBismarck, but she kept coming back for more. Giving as good as she got untilshe found a way through the cruiser’s defences and started doing real damage.
When the cruiser ran, John triedto follow. He soon gave up. It would take both engines at full power to evenmatch speed. With Gillespie’s confirmation that they were in clear space, withnothing in sensor range but the rapidly departing cruiser, he reduced speed.
His hands relaxed as he eased offon the controls. He sighed heavily and felt himself unwind, momentarilyforgetting he was weightless until he began to rise from his seat. He quicklydragged himself back down.
Giacomo was groaning heavily. Atleast he was still conscious.
“Engineering, I’d like gravityand life support back on as soon as you can organise it.” All the anxiety wasgone from John’s voice. They were safe from the Andromedans, but there wasstill a lot of work to be done before they were out of danger. “Steve, go downand help them… Can you drop Giacomo off in sick bay on your way?”
“No problem.” Gillespie propelledhimself from his console to Giacomo.
“No, leave me alone. I don’twant to go,” Giacomo cried as Gillespie grabbed hold of him, and he clungtighter to the chair.
“Giacomo, go.”
Given as an order, the pilotwould not disobey.
John looked across at McReidy. He hoped her head didn’t feel as bad as his. There was a persistent ringing inhis ears that he hadn’t noticed before. He dreaded to think what state therest of the crew were in.
Shipwide communications were outand Dunlop refused to answer his communicator. Gillespie was more forthcomingwith news from sick bay.
“Doc’s not very happy with you atthe moment. Casualties are pretty high.”
“What did he say?”
“Well,” Gillespie was a littlereluctant. “That depends on whether insulting a superior officer is a courtmartial offence.”
“Noted, Mister Gillespie.” Avoiding the good doctor for a while might be a good idea. “Continue down toengineering… Mister Tan.”
“Sir?”
Tan looked dazed, he wastrembling slightly.
“Stay on those sensors as long asyou can. We don’t want anyone else sneaking up on us.”
Things were not going to get muchbetter until gravity was restored. The internal functions of the human bodycould not operate properly for an extended period of weightlessness. Eachindividual was affected differently. Combined with injuries sustained and thecombat conditions they had been subjected to, the affects were greatlyaccelerated.
Kowalski was relativelyunaffected: it was a condition in which he thrived. He loved the freedom itallowed. It was almost a disappointment to him when gravity came back on. Aloud thud announced the fact, as though everyone and everything hit the floorat the same time.
Tan was unaware of it, he stillclung tightly to his seat. He was exhausted, but he stayed at his post.
It didn’t get past John. “MisterTan, switch your console through the helm and get yourself checked out.”
Tan obeyed. When he rose to hisfeet, his legs were unable to take his weight and collapsed underneath him. Hefell back into his seat.
A glance to McReidy, and John andfigured their own systems probably weren’t in much better condition. Ascirculation returned to normal, the prickling sensation of pins and needles ranriot through their arms and legs.
Tan made a second attempt. Thistime he stood, a little uneasy, and made his way from the bridge.
John’s communicator activated. “Sir, Humphries here, if you need... Aggh! My dominoes!”
The man’s anguish caused John togrin and he relaxed back into his seat. “The bridge is fine, Mister Humphries,thank you. Head to engineering if you’re looking for something to do.”
“Yes, sir.”
The communicator switched offamid Humphries’ soft mutterings.
John let out a breath, rubbed hisforehead with one hand then folded his arms across his chest.
“You can’t run the whole ship onyour own,” McReidy told him.
“I’ve pushed them far enough. They’re at breaking point. You know as well as I do that space sickness takesweeks to reach this level.”
“You did throw the ship aroundpretty hard.”
“How about you?”
“I’m fine,” she lied.
“Remember when we had to jumpstart Magellan? When you got out of that shuttle you were still spinning.”
“I didn’t think you noticed.”
“I noticed. I had a lot of otherthings on my mind, but I noticed.” He was a million miles away. “Anyway,” hebrought himself back to the present. “If you want to go –”
“Unless you have any objections,I’ll stay.”
A warm smile lit up his facebriefly.
“I could do with a coffee,” shesuggested.
“Actually I’d prefer rum.”
“On duty!”
“At the moment, I couldn’t careless. My desk,” he pointed towards his office. “Bottom right hand drawer.”
She was a little uneasy on herfeet. He watched her until she disappeared into his office, then turned backto the console.
She returned to find him layingin a course. “Bachaan?”
He shook his head. “We justdumped a shipload
