Parallax
by John F Main

Free Excerpt (Part I)

15 Mar 3052

   “Sir, realspace in thirty seconds,” Nathan’s helmsman said dutifully.
    They believe we’re already dead. I don’t know if I should blame them or not. “Thank you Mister Yassel. Inform the rest of the crew to prepare for,” Nathan paused uncharacteristically, “for landing.” The comment didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the bridge crew, who began fidgeting at their consoles. Well, if our luck is any better than it has been, we can land, Nathan thought as he stared gloomily at the flashing red lights on the armrest of his captain’s chair. Nathan’s SPACER corvette, Tax Collector, jolted from hyperspace with a sickly lurch, and more warning lights flared to life.
   “Captain!” the head engineer’s voice screeched over the bridge speakers. “The reactor is going to blow in two minutes!”
   “Typical,” Nathan muttered under his breath, “Shut it down right before it goes critical, and we’ll land her somehow.” The entire crew was now staring at him expectantly. “Well, get us to Charnus!” he bellowed. “We don’t have much time.” Nathan shifted in his chair, while the crew hastened Tax Collector to the planet that seemed so far away.
   “Captain, the ship is moving at only half speed and I have no control over the starboard maneuvering thrusters,” Yassel warned. The helmsman struggled with the controls, only to give up and stare ahead at the growing planet.
    Nathan groaned when he studied his tactical readout. Four corvettes lost over Praetus’ worthless moon. The Vr’amil’een never once fired a shot at the mockups until the real threat was neutralized, and aside from the Tax Collector, the freighters that once posed as warships were all that was left of Nathan’s task force. The disk in Nathan’s pocket was suddenly so heavy he had to remove it from his jacket. He stared blankly at the tiny disc for several seconds, and realizing his duty, he stashed it in a small compartment under the left armrest of his chair. We will crash on the planet, and we will die, but Isaac will find it and pay my family. He always pays.
   “Sir, the Long Haul says it just lost all engine power and is requesting instructions.”
    Nathan slowly turned his head to face his comm officer. What was his name?  It was always so difficult to remember when crews are thrown together so fast. Nathan continued to stare at his comm officer, and heard what sounded like voices yelling down a long tunnel.
   “Sir!” Nathan snapped out of his trance and looked the man in his eyes. “Sir, the Vr’amil’een have entered the system and have destroyed Long Haul and Suffrage.”
   “Good work,” Nathan said with authority. “Hail the Freedomand,” but the comm officer cut him off.
   “Sir! The Freedom never came out of hyperspace!” the comm officer shouted, hysterical.
   “No need to get jumpy,” Nathan soothed.  What was his name?  “We’ll be at the planet soon. Then it’ll be alright.” Nathan turned to the helmsman, “Put us down just outside Tirot.”
    Yassel stared, horrified, at Nathan. “I have no control over any of the landing or maneuvering thrusters now. Didn’t you hear me? We are going to crash inside Jefferson’s city limits.”
    Nathan sat back down in the captain’s chair and watched the planet grow larger.

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