Terminus (Fringe Worlds #1) Read Free

that they all understood. Traveling via hyperspace jumps was a lot like trying to walk along a straight line for ten miles while blindfolded: if you tried to go the entire distance unable to see anything, you were likely to find yourself way off the mark at the end of your journey (with little or no idea of where you were). It would be helpful if, every so often, you could uncover your eyes and take a look around in order to get oriented. That, in essence, is what dropping out of hyperspace allowed for; it was an opportunity to recalibrate your position and plot the next jump.
    “We were probably a minute away from going back into hyperspace when we picked up a distress signal – one that our instruments identified as human in origin,” Maker said. “I was in charge, so it was my decision whether to ignore it or investigate.”
    “I thought you Marines were taught to respond to distress calls,” Browing said. “Not brush them aside like bothersome houseflies.”
    “My mission parameters gave me discretion,” Maker replied, “and I would have been well within the confines of my mandate if I’d turned a deaf ear to that beacon.”
    “But you didn’t, did you?” Dr. Chantrey noted, her eyes narrowing as she studied Maker. “You made the call to respond. Why?”
    Maker gave her an appraising stare. “Ma’am, there are worlds within the Mezzo that you wouldn’t want to be stuck on. The indigenous wildlife, carnivorous flora and fauna, unstable weather conditions…that and more make a lot of planets within the civilized regions of human space somewhat inhospitable. But that’s nothing compared to what’s in the Beyond. Believe me, that’s the last place you want to be stranded, and I’m speaking from experience.”
    Maker’s eyes involuntarily darted to Erlen, then back again. Dr. Chantrey noted it, recalling that the man’s psych profile revealed an unhealthy and illogical emotional attachment to the beast. According to the stories she’d heard, he had illegally smuggled it aboard a ship and back to his home base several years prior to departing the service. From the records she’d come across, the animal had never passed the necessary health and regulatory inspections – no one even knew exactly what it was or how to classify it – but Maker had somehow been allowed to keep it.
    “As far as the distress signal goes,” Maker continued, “we were their last and only hope. That far into the Beyond, there was no other help coming. It was us or nothing. So I made the decision to investigate.”
    “And what did you find?” Browing asked.
    Maker frowned slightly before responding, not caring for the interruption – especially when they already knew what had happened. “We followed the signal for a few hours, which is when we came across a large ship. It appeared derelict, adrift. The outer hull bore signs of significant damage – including a couple of crater-sized holes – and there was a lot of debris floating around it.
    “We tried hailing them but didn’t get a response. Given the condition of the ship, however, it wouldn’t have surprised anyone if their comm system was down, or if they were directing all power and other resources towards sending the distress signal. We also weren’t picking up any life signs, but the readings weren’t conclusive. Someone could have sealed themselves into a chamber or bulkhead that our scanners couldn’t penetrate. Bearing all that in mind, I decided to take a contingent of Marines with me, via shuttle, to investigate.
    “As it happened, the bay doors were open on the derelict, so we were able to land the shuttle inside. There were seven of us, fully decked out in our Class A uniforms.”
    “Did you think you were heading into danger?” Dr. Chantrey asked. Her question meant that she obviously knew something about military engagement. Marines typically only wore their Class As – the full, head-to-toe metallic body armor – when they were expecting