BooksBarbecue
Back Adrift Save as PDF
Chapters (102)
  1. Cover
  2. DAW BOOKS PROUDLY PRESENTS THE SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS OF W. MICHAEL GEAR:
  3. Dedication
  4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. 84
  89. 85
  90. 86
  91. 87
  92. 88
  93. 89
  94. 90
  95. 91
  96. 92
  97. 93
  98. 94
  99. 95
  100. 96
  101. EPILOGUE
  102. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Maybe not,” she told them. “But for the moment, I think it’s the best option. We have the explosives, can make the delivery technology to either kill or dissuade any creature that might want to attack the sub. My people and Lawson will work with you on that. If we can keep the big stuff away until we figure out if it’s hostile, or how to discourage it from getting close, can I assume you can keep the little stuff like jellyfish away?”

“Hey, Supervisor,” Jaim told her, “I can use the arms to wave them off. Slice a couple of them up with the knives or saws, discharge a load of bubbles their way, you name it.”

“Director?” Kalico asked, turning to get the woman’s take.

“Let’s go with a weapon instead of a cage,” Michaela agreed, stepping over to stare at the sub. “Once we get the countermeasures built, we start slow, follow transects, stay close to the Pod as we map the reef and the drop off. Nothing big until we have an understanding of the risks and what works.”

Kel was fingering his chin again. “I really don’t like the idea of setting off explosives underwater close to the sub. Water doesn’t compress. We’re going to have to do the math. Tailor these charges for a specific distance. The bigger the blast, the farther it has to be from the sub. As it is, there’s no telling what that kind of detonation is going to do to the hydrophones and some of the sensors. We’re going to have to engineer a couple of levels of fail-safe. If one of those things goes off while it’s strapped to the hull . . . ?” He winced.

Kalico told him, “I’ll have my explosives people work with you. We’re to the point that we’re tailoring charges for shot holes in the Number Three. Maybe, if we’re lucky, all it will take is a small bang and whatever might look nasty will swim away.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Jaim asked, walking over with a cloth to scrub at the smears of algae on the sub’s side. The stuff didn’t seem to rub off.

“You get to be an old-time sub commander,” Kel told Jaim with a smile. “Just like back in the twenty-first century. You’ll have to figure targeting solutions, and we’ll give you torpedoes. I’ll find some paint and letter it really nicely.” He pointed to the rounded protrusion of the hatch on top. “Das U Boot!”

“Yeah?” Jaim jammed the rag into her pocket and stuck her thumbs in the belt at her waist. “I like that.”

28