The Cyber Chronicles VI - Warrior Breed Read Online Free

him a puzzled look.
    "Why do we
keep drifting to this wall?"
    "Do we?" He
frowned, looking confused. "Yeah, I guess we have been. It can only
be a gravity well."
    "What's
that?"
    "It means
we're close to something big. A planet or star."
    Her heart
leapt. "Isn't that good?"
    "Not if it's a
star. We may just be passing it, though, the chances of us -"
    "Is there
anything you can do?"
    He looked
vague, and turned to the wrecked panel, flicking a switch. "I guess
I could switch on the autopilot."
    "What will
that do?"
    "Well, if
we're close enough, and if it's not a star, it will... should be
able to get us on an entry vector..."
    The pod
lurched, and it seemed as if it spun, although it was hard to tell,
since Tassin was floating in the middle of it. The floor rushed
towards her, and she would have hit it hard if Sabre had not
fielded her in time and imposed himself, cushioning the impact. She
ended up lying on top of him, her ribs aching as he supported her
shoulders. A muted roaring filled the pod, which vibrated.
    "What's
happening?" she asked.
    He eased her
onto the floor beside him and sat up. "The retro rockets have
fired. Evidently whatever's out there is a suitable landing place.
Doesn't mean it's suitable to live on, though."
    "This
autopilot thing, is it like the cyber?"
    He snorted.
"Hell no. It's little more than an overgrown calculator."
    "But it's
going to land us?"
    "It's going to
try."
    "How does it
know it's safe?"
    "It doesn't.
It has primitive scanners, little better than old-fashioned radar,
and it's weighed and measured its target, using a set of parameters
to determine that it's a planet, not a sun, and it's solid. Other
than that, it's pretty ignorant. We could land in a volcano for all
it cares." He rubbed his brow. "No, I'm exaggerating. It wouldn't
do that. It can identify large formations and detect whether it's
an ice planet or a molten one, but not if there's food available or
if the atmosphere's breathable. It can only determine that once
it's entered the atmosphere."
    "What about
the cyber?"
    "By the time
we're within two kilometres, it will be far too late."
    "But there's a
chance?"
    "Yeah."
    Joy washed
through her. "That's wonderful! Now you can share the helmet."
    "No. It's
going to take at least five hours of braking to bring us to
re-entry speed, and another hour or so to get down. You'll be lucky
if you make it."
    "What about
you?"
    "I'll be
fine," he said.
    "Tell me the
truth."
    "I am. What
difference does it make, anyway? You might make it."
    "How long do
you think I'll survive on a strange planet without you? If there
are animals, they might be dangerous, and if there aren't there
might be no food that I can find, or identify. I need you to
survive."
    "I'll do my
best, okay? But if I share your air, you won't, so drop it."
    Tassin
slumped, unable to argue with his logic. "I wonder how Tarl and
Kernan are doing."
    "Hopefully
better than us."
    "Do you think
they'll land on the same planet?"
    "Maybe, if
their pod was also hit by debris. We were very close to the ship
when it blew up, so it’s possible."
    "How will we
land? Does this thing have... whatever makes air-cars float?"
    "Repulsors.
No. That technology wasn't invented a hundred and thirty years ago.
It has retro-revolution antigravity."
    "What's
that?"
    “ I’d rather not explain it now, talking uses air,” he
said.
    Sabre looked
irritable, and she realised that he suffered from the same thing
she had earlier, which made him aggressive. His chest heaved, and
he clearly found talking difficult. Considering how bad she had
felt after being in the pod’s toxic atmosphere for just a few
moments, she could not imagine how much he must be suffering, after
breathing it for so many hours. After several minutes he took her
hand, and she moved closer to slip her arms around him.
     
     
    Tassin raised
her head to study Sabre's face, her concern for him growing acute.
His eyes were closed and he breathed in deep gasps through blue
lips. The