The Engines of Dawn Read Free Page B

fate.
    Cleddman, sometimes called the Cloudman by the students, was a stocky tree stump of a human being with massive arms, muscular legs, and no neck. He had played Australian-rules football in college, and the rough and tumble of the game had seemingly driven his head into his shoulders by several inches. He stood five feet five, compact and solid like a BennettCorp data bullet.
    Cleddman placed a hand on Holcombe's shoulder, meaning to be sympathetic. "I never thought the Haven would go up. I've ridden her myself. I thought she was invincible."
    "We all think we're invincible every now and then."
    "I'll make sure you get the full report on the accident as soon as it's decompressed at the next port," the Cloudman said.
    "I appreciate it," Holcombe said. "Thanks."
    A junior member of the mathematics department in the back of the Council hall stood up and looked around. "Excuse me, Captain. Shouldn't one of the Auditors be present at this meeting? It's written in the faculty bylaws. It's part of our charter."
    "I notified them," Cleddman said, turning. "But they're preparing for Friday-night services."
    "Then perhaps we can wait until tomorrow or Monday," said the faculty member. Like the Ainge priests and the university administration personnel, this young man wore a gray tunic. Holcombe despised gray….
    Captain Cleddman cut off the faculty member a with slight gesture. "I understand your concern, Dr. DeGroot, but we are letting the Kuulo stand in for High Auditor Nethercott. Will you allow that?"
    Off to the left of the podium stood a hologram projection stage. A 3D image hovered there, that of the ranking Enamorati, the Kuulo Kuumottoomaa. The Kuulo was actually somewhere deep inside the Enamorati compound at the far end of the giant ship. It was easier for him to be present this way and to speak without being locked in his e-suit.
    The alien looked in the direction of Dr. DeGroot. His Standard English was flawless as he spoke. "I will advise Mr. Nethercott on the content of the meeting as soon as he is available. Our Ainge brothers will be fully informed."
    "That's acceptable," Dr. DeGroot said.
    Holcombe thought he could detect a note of disappointment in DeGroot's acquiescence. Everybody knew there were factions on the ship that were itching to catch their pilot, who was not of the Ainge religion, in a lapse of protocol. But Cleddman would never give them the chance. Hooray for Cleddman.
    The alien's next words, surprisingly, were for him. "Albert Holcombe, we, too, share your loss. Many of our own perished on the HCSV Annette Haven. The loss is no less meaningful to us. I can assure you that our engineers will do what they can to make certain that a similar accident doesn't happen to us."
    The pilot cleared his throat. "That's why I called this meeting. This is as good a time as any to bring the matter up, but in light of what's just happened to the Haven, I think it's time we took up the proposal Physics and Mechanical Engineering made last year when the Aurora Lee was lost in transit to Beta Draconis 5."
    The Council hall fell absolutely silent. Even Holcombe hadn't expected something like this.
    "No offense, Kuulo," the Cloudman said, "but humans feel better if they're working on their own problems instead of waiting around for someone else to deal with them."
    "What are you saying, Mr. Cleddman?" someone asked in the rear.
    "Physics and Engineering have three different stardrive systems in development that could rival the capacities of an Onesci Engine. The math is there and I've seen the schematics. I think we should consider shifting all of our technical resources over to Physics and Engineering to see if we can get one of the stardrive systems up and running. For real."
    The forty-member Council started rumbling and shifting about in their seats. Holcombe noticed that the 3D image of the Kuulo Kuumottoomaa remained impassive.
    "You're thinking about going your own way, aren't you," someone else said.
    "Our