John Hemry: Burden of Proof

"Very well. Let me know when the ship can maneuver again."

"You can do that, now, Cap'n. We've got this pod snugged in."

"Thank you, Boats. Mr. Meadows, let's go."

"Aye, aye, ma'am." Carl motioned to Paul, who activated the next maneuver.

Once again thrusters fired, then main drive, then thrusters. Paul took a deep breath and tensed his abdominal muscles, trying to stretch his body where it had been jerked around. The next pod loomed only fifteen minutes away on their current intercept course and speed. "Boats, the next pick-up's coming up fast."

"Understood, sir. I'm tracking it."

The second catch went smoothly as well, followed by another maneuver to head for an intercept with the third pod. Despite having his body jerked around by the firing of the thrusters and drive, Paul couldn't help admiring the way the Michaelson moved smoothly along each trajectory before altering course to the next. I wonder why making the Michaelson dance feels so good? And these clean pick-ups feel good, too. At least these Greenspacers gave us an excuse for some fun.

On the third pick-up, as the Michaelson swung in less than two minutes from intercept, the escape pod suddenly fired its own thrusters, jinking off at an angle. "What the hell is that moron doing?" Carl seethed.

Captain Gonzalez made an angry face as well. "Being a pain in the butt. I guess they're trying to complicate our pick-ups just to screw up things a little longer."

Carl tapped his panel. "Boats, can you still get that pod?"

"Negative, sir. It's heading off too fast, now. Even if I managed to get latched on, the line'd part for sure under the strain."

"Understood. Captain, recommend launching the gig to recover this pod and continuing on ourselves to the fourth."

Gonzalez nodded. "Very well. Get the gig going. And work up a message to broadcast to the pods that if they keep playing games, we might not be able to get them all recovered before their life support gives out."

"Aye, aye, sir. Ensign Diego, launch the gig and recover the pod designated Contact Alpha Charlie Three."

Ensign Diego sounded startled when he replied. "Yes, sir."

Paul breathed a silent prayer that Diego had been smart enough to follow Carl's advice and remain aware of what was happening. If he's been buried in his training records, Diego might be dangerously disoriented until he gets himself up to speed. I hope there's a good helm driving that gig. "Do you want me to draft the warning to the pods, Carl?"

"No, I'll do that. Tell the ship to head to intercept the fourth pod."

"Head for the fourth pod, aye." Paul ordered the maneuver, wincing as the latest thruster firing pushed his straps against a bruise caused by an earlier firing. Okay, that particular part of sailing around nabbing these guys isn't fun.

The thrusters fired again briefly to counteract the launch of the ship's gig. A moment later, Carl pointed to his display. "What d'you think, Paul? Give me a sanity check on this statement before I run it by the Captain."

"Sure." Paul read quickly. To all escape pods. Be advised that you have limited life support. We are attempting to recover your pods, but if you maneuver away from us when we attempt recovery we may not be able to bring in all the pods before some suffer from life-support failure. I repeat, any measures you take to avoid or complicate recovery may result in the deaths of some individuals on some of the pods. "Can I suggest adding something?"

"That's why I asked you to read it."

"Sorry. Okay, I'd add something along the lines of 'Anyone who complicates and delays the recovery of their and other pods will be held criminally liable for any deaths which occur as a result.'"

Carl looked surprised. "We can do that?"

"We won't. Civilian law enforcement types can, though. And I'm betting the captain will want to threaten these people with more than guilty consciences."

"Okay. Thanks." Carl rapidly added the sentence, then transmitted the message to the captain's display. "Captain, I've got a draft warning for your approval."

"Thank you." Gonzalez read intently, then nodded. "Looks good. Go with it."

"Yes, ma'am. Sending message to the pods now." Carl keyed an emergency broadcast circuit reserved for search and rescue functions, one which he knew the escape pods would automatically monitor, and repeated the statement slowly, then set the communications system to retransmit the warning at ten minute intervals.

The fourth and fifth pods were nabbed and reeled in by the time the Michaelson 's gig had caught up with and snagged the third pod. The Michaelson 's thrusters and drive rolled and shoved the ship onto her intercept course with the sixth pod while the bridge watch began concentrating on keeping their breakfasts down. The fairly rapid series of accelerations, vector changes and abrupt returns to zero gravity had even the most veteran crew members feeling increasingly queasy. Paul made another unsuccessful attempt to adjust his harness straps so they'd hold him firmly and not aggravate any existing bruises, wondering once again why the Navy couldn't seem to design comfortable harness systems. Rumor had it that if aircraft aviators back on Earth rejected a harness as substandard it got sent to a spaceship.

" Michaelson, this is the gig. We have secured the pod. Request scheduled course and speed activity so we can plan an intercept."

Carl made a slapping forehead gesture, then quickly sent the requested data. "This is the Michaelson. Our current course and speed projections are attached to this transmission."

"Roger. We copy full transmission. Preparing intercept plan. Request advise disposition of pod."

Carl glanced at Captain Gonzalez. "Ma'am?"

Gonzalez gave him an arch look in reply. "When's the gig going to get back to us?"

"Uh, I'll find out, Captain." Carl checked with the gig, waiting with visible impatience until the reply came. "They project intercept in forty-five minutes, halfway between our pickup of pods eight and nine."

"Good. Ask the bosun where he'll want that pod at that time."

"Yes, ma'am." Carl looked cross as he called the bosun and got the reply, then sent the instructions on to the gig.

Paul leaned close to him and spoke in a whisper. "What's the matter?"

"What's the matter?" Carl muttered back. "I should've realized the bosun needed that information before the captain asked me for it. At least Gonzalez was nice about it, but she could've burned me and I wouldn't have had any grounds to complain."

Paul nodded. There's so many details to handle in such a short time. It's a good thing we've got multiple people watching everything. "Coming up on the sixth pod." The first couple of pod intercepts had been exciting, but by now the process was beginning to feel tedious. Paul's mind drifted a bit, as he imagined his upcoming reunion with Jen, but he jerked himself back to full attention. This is still dangerous. I've got to stay sharp.

Six, then seven, then eight. As the Michaelson was pushing over to her intercept with escape pod number nine, the ship's gig called in. "We are closing on you at this time. Request further instructions."

Paul glanced at Carl. "They had quite a stern chase to catch up with us."

"Yeah. I'm sure they burned a hunk of fuel doing it."

"Did Randy top off the gig before they launched?"

Carl indicated his read-outs with one extended finger. "Nope."

"Oh, man."

As the acceleration eased again, Carl pivoted his chair to face the captain. "Ma'am, the gig has the pod and requests further instructions."

"So I understand, Mr. Meadows." Captain Gonzalez pondered the question for a moment. "What's the gig's fuel state?"

Carl rechecked his remote read-outs on the gig. "I read 51 percent fuel remaining, ma'am."