Space Rescue One (47 page)

***

Isaac watched as the last of the survivors entered the life pod. He secured the airlock to it and then disabled it so they wouldn't wander off while he and Ceriga searched for more survivors.

      "Why did you do that?" she asked.

      Isaac answered, "They can't launch as long as it's disabled. The life pod designers took this into account when they designed them. They anticipated that not everyone might be able to reach it at the same time. The people inside are safe even if the rest of the ship goes to hell. They just can't launch for now while we search for more survivors. I'm glad they designed the life pods this way. Now I can relax just a tiny bit knowing that it will still be here if we find more survivors and lead them back here."

      "Okay, thanks for explaining that."

      Isaac replied, "No problem. You would have learned that soon enough in your training. I think we should search over there."

***

Irving and Shelly found a scene of violence in front of them as they entered the inner hatch. A few space-suited personnel floated about among the bodies.

      "They fought over the suits," Shelly said.

      "What do we do now?" Irving asked.

      She said, "Check for life signs. You hook up the Air Link hose while I bring back anyone who's still alive to you. Stay here."

      "Are you going to be all right?" he asked.

      "I don't think any of them will give me any trouble just yet," Shelly answered.

***

      Irving replaced the air in the last of the victims in their immediate vicinity. He looked at the three people they found still alive as Shelly glided to a halt beside him.

      She said, "We'll lead them to the outside from here. I just checked the passageways. They're blocked with massive debris. They're going to have to leap from the ship and wait for a space tug to retrieve them. As soon as we see them safely aboard tugs, we'll find another entrance instead of fighting our way through the debris."

      "What if someone's under the debris?" Irving asked.

      She answered, "Then their chances aren't as good as those of the other passengers to begin with. Right now, we have to get as many survivors out of here as we can. Then we'll search for anyone who's trapped.

      Irving said, "Finished," as he removed the Air Link hose from the third survivor Shelly gave him.

      Shelly said, "Opening airlock," as she pressed the switch. "Get them in the airlock and tether them together on my line."

      Irving assisted the survivors into the airlock tethering them together as they entered. He reported, "All tethered."

      "Shut the hatch," she ordered from the other side of the airlock.

      Irving moved inside and closed the inner hatch. The light changed to green.

      "Opening the outer hatch!" Shelly said. The light changed to red after the air cycled out. Then it changed to double red as Shelly opened the outer hatch. She stepped out forcing the tethered survivors to follow her. She glanced around for the nearest space tug before activating her radio. "Chief Laumer to
Tug 310."

      "Tug
310
here. Go ahead."

      Shelly flashed a light in the tug's direction. "Three survivors to be picked up. Do you see us standing on the hull?"

      "Affirmative. Will proceed in your direction immediately. Hold on until we get in close."

      "Roger."

***

Shelly watched as a crewman from the tug grabbed hold of the tether line between two of the three survivors and braced himself for the recoil. Then he reeled them in until they were in his grasp. She sighed with relief as she saw them enter the tug as the crewman signaled success. A moment later on her suit radio, she heard the count of rescued survivors go up by three.

      "Come on, Irving. We've got more work to do," Shelly said.

***

Amanda looked at the crew members who were shivering in a corner. Beside her, Bruno was getting a count.

      "We're going to need suits for them. I count twenty. Do a verification count," Bruno said.

      "Right. What if my count is different?" Amanda asked.

      "Then we'll each have to recount until we agree. I'm not leaving anyone behind because I can't count right," Bruno answered.

      ". . . I count twenty."

      "Okay. I'm going to speak with them so they'll know what's happening." Bruno switched on an outer speaker. "Attention, we're going to get you suits and evacuate you from here to safety. We're from
Space Rescue One.
Just remain calm and patient. We will get you out alive."

      "They're crying!" Amanda said.

      "Wouldn't you if you were in their position and just found out that we made it in time to save you?"

      "I never thought of it like that."

      Bruno said, "Opening the inner hatch. Follow me, Amanda. We have to get outside to radio. There's too much shielding here to get through."

      "Shouldn't one of us stay with them?" she asked.

      Bruno said, "All right, stay here then. Do not go anywhere else until I return."

***

Amanda stared at the survivors as she wondered why she wanted to remain behind with them. She could overhear pieces of other radio conversations inside the ship from the other rescuers as they talked about the conditions they encountered. Some of them were horrible with accounts of dead people floating about who died fighting for a space suit. She hoped that Bruno hurried back inside as she contemplated whether the twenty survivors in front of her might panic and attack her before fighting among themselves for her suit.

***

The hatch opened behind her. Afraid to take her eyes off the survivors as they shifted their gazes to it, Amanda continued to stare at them in fear.

      Bruno said, "Draw your weapon, Amanda."

      Awkwardly, Amanda drew her laser sidearm and held it pointing at the survivors who took note of it along with the one already in Bruno's hand.

      Bruno switched on his speaker and said, "You first three are to come over here and put on these suits. As soon as you have them on, you're to exit the airlock and bring in the other suits. I don't want anyone getting antsy and trying to take a suit before I instruct you to do so."

      The men in front of the group of survivors glanced about them a moment before they realized they were the lucky first survivors of their group to get a suit. They drifted over to take possession of them, removing their outer clothes as they did.

      Bruno said on his radio, "I should have instructed them to remove their clothes first and secure those out of the way. If anyone appears to be rushing us, use your own judgment on whether to fire."

      "I'm scared, Bruno," Amanda said.

      "So am I. No one said this job was easy or nothing to be afraid of. Just remain calm and you'll do fine. I'm right here beside you."

***

Amanda shakily placed her weapon back in its holster as the last of the survivors dressed themselves in space suits and the danger of panic disappeared. Moments later, she and Bruno led them out of their refuge through debris to a life pod where they were launched to safety.

***

Jimmy and Alex entered through the gap in the hull. Both men removed their tether as soon as their feet were on the deck.

      "Well, they got it instantly. The nearest airlock should be over there," Jimmy said.

      "Right behind you."

***

The two men passed through the inner airlock after taking all the necessary precautions. The scene in front of them was horrible. A few dead bodies floated about, two still grasping the remains of a torn space suit they had fought over. Other people huddled in the corners in fear over their fate as the room suffered constant assault from the sounds of tortured metal reaching near the state of collapse. They looked up as the two men entered.

      "We're going to need suits for these people," Jimmy said.

      "I can see that. I'm getting a count now," Alex said.

      "Hold off on the count! I've got an idea!" Jimmy exclaimed.

      "What?" asked Alex.

      "Well, they're cut off all around from the other decks by vacuum, but they've got an outer airlock of their own," Jimmy answered.

      "I noticed that. I figured that we could bring the suits in that way if it still works."

      "I'm thinking that we don't need suits at all if it works," Jimmy said.

      "How? I don't see how that's possible," Alex replied.

      "Okay, follow my thinking. The outer airlock is standard-sized. Right?"

      Alex answered, "Right. That doesn't do us any good."

      "Yes, it does. It means we can lock onto it," Jimmy said.

      "There's too much damage for the SRO to sneak up and lock onto their airlock," Alex said.

      "True, but there isn't enough damage to prevent us from having a life pod towed over and locked into place to evacuate them. We can get all these people out in one shot!"

      "It could work if we can get a life pod out."

      "We don't have to. One of the freighters already recovered one. They can jettison it. Then a space tug can shove it into place for us," Jimmy replied.

      "You're right!" Alex exclaimed.

      "Then what are we waiting for? Let's check out that airlock and send a message."\

***

"Nice idea, but the airlock doesn't work," Alex said.

      "It's got to be the power. Head for the lock we came in and we'll try this anyway," Jimmy said.

      "What if you're wrong?" asked Alex.

      "I'm not, but we'll ask for suits to be sent over at the same time. If we can't power the airlock open with the life pod power supply, then we can still give them suits and take them out the other locks," Jimmy answered.

      "Okay, I'll sign on then."

      "Good!" Jimmy exclaimed.

***

Alex watched the space tugs approach the liner. One towed the life pod beside it. The other had numerous suited figures on its hull. In their arms were suits donated by crew members from other ships that surrounded the stricken liner. He watched as Jimmy jetted toward the life pod and glided to a stop beside its built-in airlock. Jimmy entered the airlock and waited for the pod to be locked against the liner.

      Alex waved for the suited figures on the other tug to wait as he watched to see if Jimmy was right. The pod inched its way until it came into contact with the liner. He moved in close and drew a power cable from the pod and plugged it into the airlock. Then Alex said a silent prayer that the idea worked. He moved back to a portal and watched through it.

      Jimmy radioed, "It's working! The airlock is opening!"

      "Yahoo!" Alex screamed into his radio, forgetting radio etiquette completely for the moment in his excitement.

      "Calm down, Alex! You nearly busted my eardrum. I'll close up as soon as they're all inside. Stand by to break the connection when I call you," Jimmy said.

      "Understood, Jimmy!"

***

Jimmy ordered, "Break the power connection!"

      Alex moved in close and yanked the cable from the airlock. He radioed, "Cable free!" as he jetted himself out of the way to land some distance away on the hull. "I'm clear!"

      Jimmy radioed, "Pod disengaged! She's all yours,
Tug 312!"

      "Affirmative, Space Rescue.
Tug 312
taking over now."

      Jimmy opened the airlock outer hatch as the pod came free from the liner. He stepped out and closed the outer hatch to protect the people inside as much as possible. He never knew what hit him when the cabin ruptured outward behind him from which he and Alex had saved so many people only minutes before.

      "Jimmy! No, God, no! It's not right! It's not right!" Alex cried out as he saw the debris burst outward and crush his friend. "Jimmy, speak to me! Are you all right?"

      Alex broke away from the section of hull he stood on and jetted toward the pod. He used his powered, armored arms to pull away the debris tangled about his friend's body. Finally reaching Jimmy, he saw that the suit was broken open. There was no need to check the life sign gauge on the suit. He knew without question that Jimmy was dead. Taking him in his arms, Alex gently jetted away from the pod while tears streamed down his cheeks inside his helmet. Clear of the pod and debris, Alex shifted about until he spotted
Space Rescue One.
He aimed himself at her and gently triggered his jet pack as he radioed, "Technician Alex Knight returning to ship with one crew fatality."

      The FO responded, "This is
Space Rescue One
receiving you, Alex. Is it Jimmy?"

      "Affirmative. Jimmy is dead."

***

Sheila gagged as she saw the dead bodies floating around her.

      "Are you all right?" Ashika asked.

      "Give me a moment. I didn't expect to see this here," Sheila answered.

      "They panicked. It happens when the victims are trapped with nowhere to go. They lose their common sense and grasp at illogical solutions. There's nothing you can do about it except know why it happens and then prepare yourself as best as you can beforehand. Remember, it's not your fault that they panicked. There's no way you could have made it here any faster. The panic that took hold of them usually takes place as soon as they realize what their situation is. We're usually just then learning of their situation so there's no way for us to stop or prevent it. If you've composed yourself now, then we should begin checking on their life signs. We might find some of them are still alive. If so, we'll get them suits," Ashika said.