Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-C Space
The holoscreen displayed the open gash like a gaping maw in an otherwise smooth sphere surface. As they watched, a dark cloud rose from the western edge, heading toward Andromeda. It measured at least 1,000 kilometers long and 500 wide. As it moved, it changed to a spherical shape.
“What is the cloud’s distance?” Thorpe asked.
“About a million kilometers,” Mother answered.
“Is it accelerating or at constant velocity?”
“It accelerated for five minutes at about a tenth gee. It has coasted since.”
“How long till it gets here?”
“Just over thirty-nine days.”
“On that assumption, what is its velocity?”
“About a half kilometer per second.”
“What if the bots just continue accelerating at one-tenth gee?” Thorpe asked.
“I don’t think they can do tha
