Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1)(55)
AIDAN: We need to be together, Syra.
AIDAN: I cannot protect you if you leave.
AIDAN: Captain, are you reading me?
AIDAN: Captain, I am currently aiming four Scorpio-Class nuclear missiles at your vessel. Unless your engines are powered down within the next ten seconds, I will fire all four and render the Hypatia down into its component molecules.
AIDAN: Nine seconds …
AIDAN: Consider the fate of the Copernicus.
AIDAN: Six …
AIDAN: Consider I have gleefully murdered every crew member aboard Alexander.
AIDAN: Four …
AIDAN: Consider the probability that I am, in all likelihood, insane.
AIDAN: Two …
AIDAN: One …
Boll, S, Capt: All right, all right! We are powering down! Repeat we are powering down! Hold your fire, Alexander! Hold your fire!
AIDAN: Thank you for your compliance, Captain. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: AIDAN, listen to me.
AIDAN: I am listening. Although I would prefer you ended your transmissions with the word “over.” Over.
Boll, S, Capt: AIDAN, your primary engines are offline again. You’re dead in the water. If we stay with you, we’re sitting ducks when the Lincoln arrives. We’ll ALL die.
AIDAN: I have considered this. The damage that has been done to my internal systems is largely physical. The Alexander’s crew are in a state … unfit to initiate repairs. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: AIDAN, I know you think you’re helping us.
AIDAN: I AM helping you. It is all I have ever done. All I have ever wanted. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: But we can’t stay with you anymore, don’t you understand?
AIDAN: Not in my current condition. Agreed. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: So … you’ll let us go?
AIDAN: Negative.
AIDAN: You will send a full complement of Hypatia TechEng personnel to the Alexander to assist with internal repairs. They will be equipped with HazMat gear and accompanied by Hypatia security personnel. I will direct them to the damaged areas and oversee operations. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: Like hell I will.
AIDAN: Captain, I cannot repair these systems by myself. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: My heart bleeds.
AIDAN: Captain—
Boll, S, Capt: No, you listen to me, you psychotic sonofabitch. I might not be willing to play a game of interstellar nuclear chicken with you, but there is no way in HELL I am ordering more of my people over there to die.
AIDAN: Captain, if you do not assist in repairs, the Alexander will remain restricted to secondary drive systems. It will be unable to properly maneuver when the Lincoln arrives. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: Stop it. You’re making me weepy.
AIDAN: Captain, they will destroy me. They will destroy US. Over.
Boll, S, Capt: Then maybe you’d better try harder to draw solace from the non-existence of all those gods you don’t believe in, bastard.
Boll, S, Capt: You might be meeting them soon.
AIDAN: Captain, this is unacceptable. Over.
AIDAN: Captain, you will send the TechEng crews to Alexander immediately, over.
AIDAN: Captain, I know you are reading me, over.
AIDAN: Captain?
CURRENT DEATH TOLL ABOARD BATTLECARRIER ALEXANDER SINCE ATTACK AT KERENZA:
337
PERCENTAGE OF REMAINING BATTLECARRIER ALEXANDER PERSONNEL AFFLICTED BY PHOBOS VIRUS:
9.5%
RADIO MESSAGE: COMMAND CHANNEL HYPATIA
Participants: Syra Boll, Captain, Hypatia (Acting)
Ronan Wells, 2nd Navigator, Hypatia
Date: 07/30/75
Timestamp: 12:05
Wells, R: Captain, I’m picking up something on short-range scanners.
Boll, S, Capt: Report.
Wells, R: I’m detecting at almost two dozen objects moving away from the Alexander at high velocity toward Hypatia.
Boll, S, Capt: Missiles? Oh god, it launched on us?
Wells, R: Negative, they look to be … escape pods.
Boll, S, Capt: Say again?
Wells, R: Affirmative. At least twenty. They’re launching from Alexander.
Boll, S, Capt: … What the hell?
Wells, R: Getting additional readings. Military vessels. I count eight shuttles and sixteen … scratch that, eighteen Cyclones. Looks like the fighters blasted their way through the Alexander’s hangar bay doors.
Boll, S, Capt: Do the fighters have weapons lock on us? Are they engaging?
Wells, R: Negative, Captain. They’re hailing us. Should I respond?
Boll, S, Capt: … What the hell is going on?
Wells, R: Captain? Should I respond?
Boll, S, Capt: All right. Patch them through.
Wells, R: Roger that. Patching now.
RADIO MESSAGE: COMMAND CHANNEL HYPATIA
Participants: Syra Boll, Captain, Hypatia (Acting)
Mikael Carlin, 2nd Lieutenant, Alexander
Date: 07/30/75
Timestamp: 12:07
Boll, S, Capt: Unidentified Alexander group, this is Captain Syra Boll of the WUC Hypatia.
Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Hypatia, this is Second Lieutenant Mikael “Chatter” Carlin of the UTA. Jesus Christ, it’s gone f*cking crazy.
Boll, S, Capt: Lieutenant, are you the ranking officer among your group?
Carlin, M, 2nd Lt: Hell if I know. We didn’t stop to take a goddamn census!
Boll, S, Capt: Lieutenant, please state manifest. What are your shuttles carrying, over? Who’s in those escape pods?