Dragonstar Destiny Read Free Page B

identified in terms of electromagnetic patterns. The final images of the Dragonstar do not fit this pattern. In fact, if anything, our scientists feel that we have witnessed implosion.”
    A distinguished-looking gentleman with silvery grey hair raised his hand and was acknowledged. “Al Tyler, BBC. What the bloody hell does that mean? Did the Dragonstar collapse in upon itself?”
    “We do not think so,” said Gregor. “From the initial analysis of our data, it appears that the space surrounding the vessel did the collapsing. Let me explain. You see, what we are talking about is all highly theoretical, but the observable evidence suggests that the Dragonstar entered that region of reality which has been referred to by various names—hyperspace, null-space, tau-space, or whatever. In other words, the vessel made the jump into the realm of faster-than-light travel, and the brilliant flash we saw was the impact of normal space rushing in to occupy the ... uh ... ‘gap,’ shall we say, left by the starship when it jumped.”
    Countless hands shot up now, and Gregor pointed to one at random. “Cho Su, Chinese Sat-Net. How can this be so? Did not all earlier studies conclude that the engines of the Dragonstar were inoperable?”
    “Yes, that is true,” said Gregor. “But I think it is safe to say that such findings reached the wrong conclusion.”
    A burst of tension-breaking laughter filled the room. Gregor waited till it subsided before speaking again.
    “Prior to the sudden on-board activity, our technical people had no indication that the engines could be fired. Having never seen a star-drive, our scientists did not know what to look for. In fact, we still have no conclusive proof that an FTL jump was accomplished. The Dragonstar may have been indeed destroyed in some kind of strange implosion. Please be warned that I am speaking hypothetically about all of this ... we simply do not know what actually happened.”
    Gregor pointed to a familiar face in the first row.
    “Wallace Michaels, ABC. If the ship did, as you suggest, enter hyperspace, do we have any means of tracking it or communicating with it?”
    “None whatsoever ...”
    “Do we have any idea where it was headed?”
    Gregor smiled. “Well, it was pointed toward the center of our galaxy, but this could be meaningless when applied to the ‘Wu Li physics’ of FTL theory. In hyperspace, direction, as we currently understand it, may have little or no meaning.”
    Buoyed by the vodka, Gregor Kolenkhov fielded their questions with a boundless energy and solid professionalism. The group asked some very intelligent questions in addition to the inevitable silly ones. And they kept it up for almost another two hours. When it was over he felt like an old dishrag squeezed dry. But overall, he believed that he had not alienated the media and had not given them any reason to believe that IASA was holding back any information. Granted, he had painted the picture a bit more cheerfully than his staff felt the situation indicated, but Gregor saw nothing wrong in giving the public the impression that there was probably more than a fifty-fifty chance that the occupants of the Dragonstar were still alive.
    “Good show, Gregor,” said Rheinhardt as they left the assembly hall and walked quickly back to the Joint Chiefs conference room.
    “I thank you. Although I must give credit where credit is due!” he said, holding up the empty flask and winking at his young aide, Fleisher. “As much as I love those wonderful California wines, they do not give a man the fortitude of a good slam of vodka!”
    Rheinhardt laughed and slapped his shoulder. Marcia Bertholde’s expression remained grim. Gregor had always thought the woman was a pain in the ass. A real anal-retentive personality. Ever since this business with the Dragonstar began, at the first appearance of each new complication, Marcia Bertholde played her cards closer and closer to her vest. She would only speak to