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At the same instant, the Marauder’s plasma cannon spit out another blast. The superheated gas hit the Kashtan, knocking out its targeting camera.
“Weapon is down and ammo is gone,” Sylvia said.
If the plasma cannon was still functioning, their only play now was to back out of the channel and try to turn before they were blown apart. She reversed course and brought the engines to full power, bracing herself for the next impact.
It never came.
“The Marauder is turning tail and running,” Hali said. “Sylvia must have disabled the plasma cannon with her shot.”
On-screen, the trimaran swung around and shot forward, rising onto hydrofoils as it sped away at a velocity even the Oregon couldn’t match.
“The rail gun,” Murph said. “Before she is out of range.”
The rail gun could fire much farther than the Kashtans, but the fleeing trimaran was no longer Linda’s priority.
She switched the camera view to the Thai Navigator, which was closing on Adolphus Island.
“That cargo ship won’t stop before she hits something,” Linda said. “Not when her crew is suffering the effects of that gas.
”
“They won’t be able to evacuate if she starts sinking,” Hali said.
As the Oregon cleared the channel, Linda turned the ship toward the Thai Navigator and set them on a rendezvous course at top speed.
“Hali,” she said, “call Eddie and tell him to get ready to jump ship.”
FORTY-SEVEN
A minute after getting the urgent call from Hali, Eddie rushed up to the starboard side of the Oregon, where a gangway was emerging straight up out of the deck. When they were beside the Thai Navigator, the gangway would rotate to a horizontal position and extend out over the ore carrier. Eddie would then traverse over. That was the plan anyway.
The problem was that the gangway was intended to be used for boarding a ship that was stationary, not one traveling at ten knots in an increasingly narrow gulf. The Oregon would have to get within fifteen feet to make it work, overcoming the wakes both ships were producing.
Adolphus Island loomed ahead. Eddie could make out the rocky shoals that would tear the hull wide open. There would be no time to evacuate all the paralyzed crew before it sank.
Eddie had no experience operating a large cargo ship, but he was the only person available for this mission. The Chairman and his team were still in Nomad on the Ord River. The ore carrier would be at the bottom of the gulf long before they could return. Eric Stone, who was a skilled sailor, would talk him through the procedure for stopping the ship. He put in his earpiece.
“I’m topside,” he said. “You there, Eric?”
“I’m online,” Eric said. “Let me know when you’re on the bridge.”
“Roger that. Linda, I’m ready to go over.”
“Not yet. We’ve done a quick calculation here. You’ll have to wait.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s too late for the ship to avoid a collision, even at full reverse.”
“Then what are we going to do?” Eddie asked.
“We’ll get between the island and the Thai Navigator and give her a little nudge,” Linda said. “Brace yourself. This is going to get rough.”
Eddie understood what was about to happen and backed away from the railing to grab hold of a lashing chain. Linda was going to use the Oregon herself to push the Thai Navigator off its current course like a tugboat.
But with two ships over 500 feet in length, it was a hazardous maneuver at best. If Linda came in at the wrong angle, the Oregon’s armored hull could cave in the steel of the ore carrier, causing as much damage as the rocks. And she was running out of time. They had only minutes before both ships ran aground. It was like they were playing a futile game of chicken with Adolphus Island, and the winner was already decided.
The Oregon came alongside the Thai Navigator, matching her speed. Slowly but steadily, the Oregon eased over until the ship lurched, accompanied by the piercing shriek of grinding metal. The noise continued unabated as the two ships rubbed against each other.
