North again, his face showing total bewilderment.
"We ARE headed directly into the signal, sir. It's narrow beam sent
along the shipping lanes. If we'd been on our original course, we'd
have never picked it up!"
60 North just shook his head and continued to work with the controls.
Thundering River emerged from the scout's back section, rubbing his
eyes. "What's going on?" he enquired.
61 "We've got an emergency signal," explained North. "I'm working on
it. Run a quick check of the Navigational computer. Find out why it put
us on our present course."
62 "Yes, sir!" snapped Thundering River, and went to work.
63 The message they were receiving was the same, one broadcast over and over again. By piecing the hearable parts
together, North was finally able to hear the entire message. "This is
the freighter High River, Engineer Half Moon in control. We've lost a
pod under star drive. Sixteen survivors left. Rest of crew unaccounted for. Twenty hours of air left in emergency systems.
Broadcasting on emergency power. Will listen for response every
twenty-five minutes."
64 North checked the clock on the Communications panel. He had five
minutes before the signal would stop, and they would be listening.
Thundering River came over. "Sir," he explained, "the Navigational
computer is functioning perfectly. The orders for the present course
were programmed into it from the command chair. They bear your
authorization, sir."
65 Now it was North's turn to look bewildered. He had no memory of
altering the course, but if the computer said he had done so, he MUST
have had. He'd work all that out later. Right now he had to find out
where that ship was, and get help to it.
66 He flipped on 'broadcast' and began to speak.