Chapter TWENTY
The next two hours were given to rushing alongpassageways, climbing companionways and ladders,and crawling along narrow walkways. Several turretscould only be reached from the outside; Kumiko'sadvice to wear suits proved sound.
At each gun emplacement, Rimov, his guards andScarf watched Brad and Kumiko inspect sectorguides, range and directional interlocks and powerdrives.
Once satisfied that a gun emplacement was notbooby-trapped, Kumiko inserted random realignmentparameters into laser blocks, twirled trackingsequencers into disarray, and switched about chipsand connectors. When she was done with a turret,the gun had a zero firing potential, and would takehours to repair, calibrate and test.
Brad noted that Rimov, following Kumiko's workclosely, showed grudging admiration in his eyes.She was disabling the guns with gentle care, notdamaging them, and Rimov knew it.
Finally, they were at the ship's bow. The finalturret had been rendered inoperative.
Brad faced Rimov.
"We'll be on our way. Back to the air lock."
Brad was relieved. They would soon be in theutility, heading back to the Dragon, the job done.Even Scarf could not fault them. Scarf's reportmight even work to the Sentinel's advantage.
Rimov took the lead. The deckhands seemed lesstense. They sensed that Rimov was impressedby Kumiko's professionalism, and they, too, hadobserved the consideration that Kumiko had shownfor the ship's equipment. She was obviously nota crowbar techie.
They moved toward the air lock single file, Rimovin the lead, Brad, Kumiko and Scarf following, andthe four deckhands, two abreast, in the rear.
Rounding a corner, they stopped. Ahead, threemen crouched, laser-rifles at their shouldersaimed at them.
"Rimov, and you guys in the rear, outta the way.We're puttin' these bastards down."
The order came from a short, blond-haired buck,eyes glaring above his gunfight.
"Wait," Rimov screamed. "What's the hell's goin'on, Cordy? These guys got safe conduct from Bura."
"I don't buy that, Rimov. We got the word downbelow that the ship's bein' taken over by Narval'sgoons. We're gonna stop 'em. Come for'ard,I'm tellin' ya. They're goin' down, right now. Getready, Joe, Pete."
The two guards behind Scarf and Kumiko droppedto the deck and snaked back around the corner.They were not about to shoot at shipmates.
Rimov dashed toward Cordy, his arms waving.
"Don't fire. Back off," he shouted.
The men with the rifles were momentarily confused,uncertain; one began to lower his weapon. Rimovwas a ship's officer; they would be in deep troubleif they disobeyed.
Without warning, the decision was taken from them.
Scarf panicked.
Stepping back and behind Kumiko, using her ashis shield, he frantically jerked his heavy handweapon loose, at the same time crouching in firingposition. Gripping the weapon with both hands,he rammed the setting into max and fired aroundKumiko. Brad was out of his momentary line offire. Not so Rimov.
The burst hit Rimov between the shoulder blades.There was a sharp, crackling sound as cloth andRimov's flesh carbonized. He fell forward, deadbefore he struck the deck.
No one moved. Cordy and his men stared at theirfallen officer.
Brad didn't wait for them to recover.
"Back," he shouted to Kumiko and Scarf. "Aroundthe bend. Now."
Kumiko whirled and raced around the corner.Scarf rolled back on to his feet and dashed afterher. Brad followed.
Rimov's guards were nowhere in sight.
There was a roar of rage behind them.
Cordy.
"They shot Rimov. After 'em. Shoot to kill."
The passageway was long; they would be at thewrong end of a shooting gallery as soon as Cordyreached the bend. The only break was a narrowladder through a hatch in the overhead.
"Up," Brad commanded. "Fast."
Kumiko first, then Scarf. Brad followed.
As Brad drew his legs up through the hatchwaya searing blast struck the frame, missing himby centimeters. Brad twisted away as anotherbolt flashed up through the hatch, scorchingthe bulkhead from which he had just moved.
Brad shouted down. "First guy who shoves his headthrough the hatch gets it burned off." Turning toKumiko and Scarf he whispered, "That won't holdthem for long."
"Listen, about that shooting...", Scarf began.
Brad snapped him short with an impatient gesture."Not now. Let's get to the utility."
They looked around. The space was almost dark;the only light from widely spaced, low-powerneutro-lamps. They were standing on a narrowplatform, little more than a ledge, from which acatwalk bridged a complex of girders and cables.
Brad mentally reconstructed their route beforeCordy's challenge. The portal through which theyboarded should be within fifty meters of wherethey crouched. Their lives depended on the catwalkpassing close to it.
Studying the arrangement of the structures aroundthem and the coding on cable bundles, Brad peeredalong the catwalk, first in one direction, then theopposite.
He looked at the open hatch and shouted down. "Wedemand safe conduct to our ship. Do you hear me?"
Silence.
Scarf shoved his face close to Brad.
"Are you kiddin'?" he said, his tone expressing hisdisbelief. "I just killed one of their men. They'renot gonna give us safe conduct anywhere."
"I know that," Brad replied. "Even if they dopromise us safe conduct, it'll be just to get atus. I want them to think we're going to hole uphere until they give us an answer. Bura must knowby now. We've got to get off before he personallytakes charge of the search."
Brad again scrutinized the ship's stringers andcable insulation colors. He pointed.
"Stay close."
They crossed stretches where ledges and walkwaysnarrowed abruptly to barely enough for passage.Sharp projections along the way snagged and abradedtheir protective suits. They realized that theymight face serious seepage from their suits assoon as they entered the vacuum of space.
A sudden, raking fire erupted behind them. Metalframes around them darkened from the bolts ofenergy.
Scarf jerked his weapon and returned the shotsbefore Brad could stop him. The flash of his weaponprovided the ideal target, and brought concentratedfire in return.
Stooping and sliding, Brad and Kumiko stumbledforward. Scarf scrambled along behind, firinghaphazardly to the rear.
Scarf howled with sudden pain. Brad looked back. Inthe dim light, Scarf hung over a girder, motionless.Brad raced back to his side. A wide strip fromsleeve and shoulder was burned away; blood oozed.
Kumiko bent beside Brad. She yanked her gloveoff, reached in through the still smoking sleeveand felt for a pulse in Scarf's neck.
"Alive."
She stepped back. Brad, in the cramped space,hauled the unconscious Scarf upright, bent, andwith Kumiko's help, lifted him on to Brad's back.
Scarf's scream of pain had brought a pause tothe firing.
Grasping stanchions and cables for support,Brad staggered along the catwalk.
"Hatch up ahead."
"Might be it."
Brad gasped. Even in the light pseudo-gravity,Scarf's bulk was hard to maneuver.
"Take a peek."
Kumiko was gone and back in an instant.
"Looks clear."
"No choice. Down you go. I'll drop him through."
Kumiko dropped out of sight. Brad thrust Scarfthrough the hatch and followed. The drop was notdeep.
The number 4 air lock was less than ten metersahead. Brad heaved Scarf across his shoulders, andwith Kumiko leading the way, they rushed toward it.
The deck carried the slap of running feet, fast andclosing.
Cordy appeared at the end of the passage. Seeingthem, he crouched on one knee and raised his weapon.
Kumiko beat him; at the sound of running, she hadraised her sidearm. As Cordy took aim, she fired.Cordy fell back, stunned.
Brad had the door to the outer air lock open, Sca
rfon the deck inside. Kumiko rushed past Brad andhe slammed the door and clipped it sealed. Shesnatched an emergency space stretcher froma bulkhead rack and snapped it open. It took thetwo of them to roll Scarf's inert body into theenvelope, seal it around him and start an oxygenflow.
They snapped their faceplates closed. Brad hitswitches. The outer portals slid apart. The catwalkand other connections to the utility were still inplace. Carrying the stretcher between them, theycrossed over.