| Author: | Michael Finlay | ISBN: | 9781466138018 |
| Publisher: | Michael Finlay | Publication: | January 14, 2012 |
| Imprint: | Smashwords Edition | Language: | English |
| Author: | Michael Finlay |
| ISBN: | 9781466138018 |
| Publisher: | Michael Finlay |
| Publication: | January 14, 2012 |
| Imprint: | Smashwords Edition |
| Language: | English |
Spoiler alert
Mining ship Goliath is transporting asteroids and a valuable cargo back to Earth. Senior Mechanic McManus, an ex-marine suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, is feeling particularly stressed due to an incompetent junior and suffering hallucinations from an earlier US-Chinese skirmish on Phobos.
Part-way through the trip an explosion rocks the ship. The bridge officers are killed, Goliath is partially de-pressurised and loses communications. McManus rallies the surviving crew to try and get the engines on-line so they don't coast past Earth and off into deep space. Meanwhile the Chinese government, the biggest presence in space, detects Goliath “going dark” and is curious. They dispatch a warship to investigate and offer aid if required. Back in Earth orbit, Goliath's owners wonder what has happened to their ship and start debating scenarios and solutions.
The surviving crew suspect a meteorite caused the damage. Tensions rise as the seriousness of their situation becomes apparent, and McManus and the chief engineer fight. McManus and his junior, Brown, go outside to investigate the damage. On their return they investigate the remains of the bridge and discover evidence that the explosion was caused by a bomb. They keep it secret to avoid damaging morale.
The computer performs an unannounced course-correction by firing the main engines itself. The crew realise the computer is damaged – it is course-correcting to ensure they rendezvous with Earth but is not decelerating. They must start the engines manually or hit the Earth.
The computer expert tries to shut down the damaged computer but due to his exhaustion accidentally shuts down the wrong part. The Chinese ship arrives and attaches itself for boarding. Goliath’s now-worse computer identifies it as hostile and uses its mining tool to attack the unsuspecting Chinese ship. The Chinese ship is destroyed, during which Brown suffers a fatal radiation dose.
Brown is taken to sickbay. As a last request McManus breaks his silence about his part in the “Phobos Incident” which led to his mental trauma.
The crew finally manage to contact their company and ask for help. The company tries but the computer is now in anti-piracy mode, refusing to acknowledge external commands. Tensions rise still further and fights break out. The Company tells them that no one can intercept in time and in a few hours Earth’s asteroid defence network will be forced to vaporise them.
McManus suggests they cut Goliath free of its cargo, and use their air supply as a thruster. This should provide just enough thrust to miss Earth. They realise they'll need to sabotage the computer's control of the thrusters and so go outside. The computer realises they are saboteurs and fires a thruster module into McManus’s face, blinding him. The chief engineer uses the opportunity to attack him to settle a score but McManus survives, albeit with fatal wounds.
The crew broadcast the bomb discovery to the world. An over-zealous Company executive is responsible as part of an insurance scam. The Chinese take custody of him.
The thrusters fire, saving the ship. McManus manages to trick his murder's accomplice into a public confession before quietly dying.
Spoiler alert
Mining ship Goliath is transporting asteroids and a valuable cargo back to Earth. Senior Mechanic McManus, an ex-marine suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, is feeling particularly stressed due to an incompetent junior and suffering hallucinations from an earlier US-Chinese skirmish on Phobos.
Part-way through the trip an explosion rocks the ship. The bridge officers are killed, Goliath is partially de-pressurised and loses communications. McManus rallies the surviving crew to try and get the engines on-line so they don't coast past Earth and off into deep space. Meanwhile the Chinese government, the biggest presence in space, detects Goliath “going dark” and is curious. They dispatch a warship to investigate and offer aid if required. Back in Earth orbit, Goliath's owners wonder what has happened to their ship and start debating scenarios and solutions.
The surviving crew suspect a meteorite caused the damage. Tensions rise as the seriousness of their situation becomes apparent, and McManus and the chief engineer fight. McManus and his junior, Brown, go outside to investigate the damage. On their return they investigate the remains of the bridge and discover evidence that the explosion was caused by a bomb. They keep it secret to avoid damaging morale.
The computer performs an unannounced course-correction by firing the main engines itself. The crew realise the computer is damaged – it is course-correcting to ensure they rendezvous with Earth but is not decelerating. They must start the engines manually or hit the Earth.
The computer expert tries to shut down the damaged computer but due to his exhaustion accidentally shuts down the wrong part. The Chinese ship arrives and attaches itself for boarding. Goliath’s now-worse computer identifies it as hostile and uses its mining tool to attack the unsuspecting Chinese ship. The Chinese ship is destroyed, during which Brown suffers a fatal radiation dose.
Brown is taken to sickbay. As a last request McManus breaks his silence about his part in the “Phobos Incident” which led to his mental trauma.
The crew finally manage to contact their company and ask for help. The company tries but the computer is now in anti-piracy mode, refusing to acknowledge external commands. Tensions rise still further and fights break out. The Company tells them that no one can intercept in time and in a few hours Earth’s asteroid defence network will be forced to vaporise them.
McManus suggests they cut Goliath free of its cargo, and use their air supply as a thruster. This should provide just enough thrust to miss Earth. They realise they'll need to sabotage the computer's control of the thrusters and so go outside. The computer realises they are saboteurs and fires a thruster module into McManus’s face, blinding him. The chief engineer uses the opportunity to attack him to settle a score but McManus survives, albeit with fatal wounds.
The crew broadcast the bomb discovery to the world. An over-zealous Company executive is responsible as part of an insurance scam. The Chinese take custody of him.
The thrusters fire, saving the ship. McManus manages to trick his murder's accomplice into a public confession before quietly dying.
