“I'll try, Oscar. Send help as soon as possible!!”
Lone Warrior
Puntshó ran down the hallway with difficulty, as artificial gravity didn't behave as it did due to a planet's natural attraction; if he jumped too much he could hit the ceiling and fall flat on his face. So he dragged his feet, taking small leaps, trying to run without separating from the ground. He felt ridiculous but needed to reach communications as soon as possible. If engineer Stingray was manipulating the equipment to cause some kind of overload effect, he could try to activate the experiment at the station; which could lead to deadly implosion.
He hurried to the spaceport and searched around for someone who could help him; he saw several crewmen moving quickly towards the security zone on the other side of the station. Between them he recognized Campbell and without thinking it twice he began calling out to him.
“Hey! Campbell! Campbell!” He shouted the crewman's name in a huff due to the effort of running with that strange artificial gravity.
The technician raised his head when he heard his name and he saw the chief about 20 meters away, waving his arms and yelling at him. He approached him with a worried face and asked.
“What's the matter, chief? Is the station in danger?”
“That's what I'm trying to figure out. But I need help; can you come with me and cover me in case I need it?”
“My help? What exactly do you need?”
“I need to make an arrest. And with the entire station in a state of emergency, I won't get any backup for several hours.”
“You're going to arrest someone in the middle of this mess? Can't you wait until after the emergency?”
“There's no time. I think we've identified our killer and it's he who's trying to sabotage the station.”
“Oh no. Don't get me into this mess… I'm a civilian! I don't have any combat training.”
"I'm not asking you to be a hero; I only need your technical expertise and for you to watch my back for a few minutes.”
“What do we need to do?”
“First I need your help to isolate the communications area from the rest of the station before this asshole blows a hole on the hull and we fly into Saturn's skies.”
"All right, I'll go with you and check the main screens. But I don't like this at all.”
“First let's go to hallway A5, we need to put on emergency manoeuvre suits.”
“Oh! Did you say emergency suit? I'm starting to regret going with you.”
“And I still haven't told you about the weapons...”
“Weapons?”
“Good God, Rick! Are you coming or not?”
“Yes! Yes! I'm only voicing my concerns.”
Puntshó and Campbell ran down the hallways toward the communications area. They didn't run into any other crew member as the station still didn't have its entire crew and most had already locked themselves in the decompression emergency areas. A neat and trouble-free procedure. The automated alarm voice kept going on, still urging anyone in the hallways to head towards the safety areas.
They reached the corridor that communicated with the communications sector and stopped at the A5 node, which was a cabinet built into the wall at the sector entrance and which contained the emergency equipment.
They dressed quickly, and in less than a minute had put on the entire suit, and were even ready to go into space if necessary. These suits were the most advanced in space miniaturization, with Kevlar-reinforced intelligent fabric in the main sections and equipped with a super-technological backpack that could provide breathable air and water for several hours. The emergency pressurization system automatically closed a three-part hull over the user's head if he was suddenly exposed to decompression or space vacuum. It had a tear repair system and a filter that could prolong the life of a lost crew member by disintegrating moisture from their perspiration, other bodily fluids, and even their water canteens, into oxygen and hydrogen, filtering the second and giving them a little extra time to be rescued. In any case, the suit-armour attached to the user's body like a mesh and was no impediment to perform any of the movements required in normal gravity.
Puntshó noted that his partner struggled with the suit's front zipper and helped him finish getting dressed. The alarms were still ringing persistently, but the message had changed.
"Imminent decompression in this area. Exit this corridor urgently and head to the nearest shelter. Imminent decompression."
Campbell looked at Puntshó with a face that said “what have I've gotten myself into." Puntshó, on the other hand, watched attentively and seemed to assess whether his friend's suit was well-wrapped, which made Campbell begin to look at himself nervously until he asked in a worried tone:
“What's happening? Is there a problem with the suit, Chief?”
“No, everything is in order. You're just missing something.”
Puntshó reached up to a number panel inside the wall cabinet and a small door opened at the top, where no one would ever look if they didn't know where to look. From inside the small safe, Puntshó extracted two of the new power-guns, those of which the entire station's crew members had heard of, but which were only available to members of the space security corps. These new powerful pulse or "particle ray" weapons, developed from "the spark" technology; were compulsory among the spacecraft officers, as they didn't pierce the hull with a first shot, although the consequences for the person getting a direct shot were horrific.
He sheathed one of the weapons in a special pocket in his suit, around his thigh, and gave the other to Campbell, who seemed extremely surprised.
"I don't know how to use these, Chief”, said Campbell sincerely. "It looks like a drill”.
“Well, it's a much more dangerous instrument. Have you ever practiced shooting, Mr Campbell?”
“I haven't shot in a long time. I've become a pacifist," he said wryly as he looked at Puntshó with sneer.
"These things are never completely forgotten. This is just like an old Taser, if this switch is in position one: it knocks down, in position two: it kills. There won't be a recoil; just point and press the red button.
Not two minutes had gone by, but they knew they wouldn't have much time.
“Now walk behind me, close all of the emergency hatches as you pass them and don't enter the communications area with me; I just need you to watch out in case someone comes down the aisles. No one should come in while I'm negotiating with Stingray. One more thing, if this madman blows up the whole sector, don't try to rescue me, go to the bridge and report everything you see and hear.”
“Ok, I'll do my best.”
“I trust you, Rick. Thank you very much for being here.”
Campbell looked directly at Puntshó in disbelief; but saw sincerity in the chief's eyes and a smile lit his face.
“Don't worry, Chief. You play Lone Ranger, I'll be Bull. No one will be able to take us.”
“Campbell, you're worse than a cowbell! But I appreciate your help. Come on.”
As they walked the twenty yards that separated the emergency cabinet, at the beginning of the hallway, from the entrance arch to the communications area, Puntshó touched his communicator and spoke with the bridge.
“Pachacuti, do you hear me?”
“Yes Chief. I am also receiving the video feed from your suit's mini-camera. Are you still on your way to the communications area?”
“Yes, I'm trying to stop Stingray.”
“Not a good idea, the antenna's generator overload will produce an explosion in about five minutes. We have isolated the areas of the rest of the station and decompressed all of the empty sectors but we have no control over the communications area or the access hallways, which are still pressurized.”
"That's where we are, Oscar.”
“Well, that's a bad idea, Chief. If that device explodes, the decompression will open a tremendous hole in the hull and pull the entire station area into space.”
"Is Stingray still in his post?"
“Good, Oscar. I'll leave the channel open and will take a look inside Communications. I have one of the technicians with me and if I can I'll try to stop the reaction before it explodes.”
“Good luck, Chief. I'll be listening.”
Puntshó looked at Campbell over his shoulder as they walked, he was sealing the transparent double hatches they passed as they approached communications. They were already a couple of meters away from the entrance.
“Stay here and don't try to intervene; just listen and stay alert in case I need your help to open any hatches or disable a device. Understood?”
“Whatever you say, Chief.”
Puntshó noticed that Campbell's attitude had become positive. As long as he didn't think to do something stupid and end up in pieces due to the explosion or a pulse weapon. He took a deep breath and tried to normalize his breathing enough to not make Stingray suspicious when he saw him.
“All right, let's go.”
Battle of the wills
Puntshó approached the door and entered naturally, trying to locate Stingray inside the huge cathedral reminiscent section. He had his back to the door, and was looking through the transparent bulkhead that opened into deep space; hands in his pockets and a calm attitude. If he could overpower him quickly, the repair teams could arrive and repair the fault before the overload created a hole in the station's hull. He tried to speak naturally and without conveying his emotions.
"Mr Stingray." He turned slowly and looked intensely at Puntshó. “Can you accompany me, please? I need to ask you more questions about these containers.”
Stingray took his hands out of his pockets; he was holding a small apparatus in his left hand. It looked like the weapon Puntshó had in its sheath, but without the dark projection that marked the particle beam exit. It was like a hand grenade, powerful and deadly.
The engineer reached out towards Puntshó so he could see he had his thumb on the detonator; if he removed it, the grenade would explode at the set time. One second, five, fifteen max. It was a dangerous situation. He took a step toward the center of the room and Puntshó drew his weapon aiming it at him without moving too far away from the entrance, in case he had to run from the explosion.
"You don't need to point that weapon at me, Chief. I'm just a Messenger… I have a mission. I'm not trying to hurt anyone.”
"That's not what Mr McAffie would think."
“Was that his name? Believe me, I'm very sorry for having acted like that. If you could understand the importance of this moment. She's alone… Full of energy and alone...”
“Who? Please tell me, who's alone?”
"The stone!” Stingray looked at Puntshó in disbelief. "Don't you understand? She was separated a long time ago and is searching for her connection. She's alone and he's also alone, but he knows and is looking for her.”
Puntshó assumed that Stingray was suffering from some sort of space delirium, he had to play along, calm him down and try to take control of the situation, or he'd be forced to use violence to stop him.
“Who is he? What does he know?”
“No no no! I can't explain everything right now, chief. He now knows where the stone is… She contains its energy; and as soon as Zuul connects the memory and the energy…” Stingray looked at the ceiling, though he seemed to be looking somewhere else due to the wildness in his eyes. “As soon as the old parts join again, which were once separated by treachery… He'll again elevate the light of wisdom in the inhabitants of the ancient home!”
Puntshó didn't know what to do, but he kept pointing his weapon at the technician who stood in the centre of the room with his hands up in the air. Stingray was suffering from some sort of psychotic space delirium, which could be due to being poisoned by that chemical that the doctor had discovered. He needed to think quickly.
“But… If you don't deactivate that detonator you'll die.” Puntshó tried finding a loophole to reason with Stingray “Don't you want to witness the moment when the parts connect?”
With exorbitant eyes and an exhilarated face, the technician answered smiling
“Ah! But I've seen it, chief. I've seen the insides of the stone and the trip I made in those few hours, in which I connected with that pulsating heart of energy, could've lasted several lives. I saw everything, the history, the evolution, the end of the Mother Earth and the life in the new gardens. The escape and separation. The stone has recorded it all and revealed it to me, to become its Messenger. The stone awaits. It waits, now that contact is possible. The stone knows that he's already preparing to return and re-connect. And as soon as the conscience and energy unite, those who imprisoned it will humble to his feet...”
Stingray's expression turned peaceful and went back to normal. Then he spoke calmly.
“It's time for you to leave, chief. I know he'll be waiting for me in the hallway, and as you can see, I didn't have the time to dress properly to go out… Out there.” He said, pointing at the windows that looked out into the gaseous giant. “I'll have to leave this body for the trip. But I repeat, I don't want to hurt you.”
In his ear, he heard Pachacuti's voice speaking to him from the bridge, nervous and contained.
“Listen, Puntshó; you need to get out of there right now. From what we see on the monitor, Stingray is holding a small fusion detonator. If he releases it, he'll blow up the entire section. Step back slowly and leave the section. Now!”
Puntshó couldn't leave, he could see remnants of another face in this man's hairless face. He was again staring into the blue depths of Engineer Stingray's eyes, a living will, a tenacious fire, and the thoughtless youth of a man who was willing to die for what he believed.
This time he couldn't shoot. This time he had to save him. This time he'd die if necessary, but he couldn't ignore the expression of a soul spilling through the fanatical basins of eyes that had surrendered to an empty creed or a heavenly delirium.
He lowered his weapon and put it in the holster on his thigh, before Stingray's amused look, who smiled surprised.
“Look, boy”, said Puntshó in a fatherly tone. “I've seen hundreds of young people die in my career. I've ended many lives myself and can't bear to see a life wasted. I can't… Give me what you're holding and let's get out of here in one piece. We can solve problem. Let me help you, don't waste your time and life in a belief.”
“You wouldn't understand, chief. It isn't doctrines that push me into this crusade. There's something very real preparing right now on the other side of the cosmos. And it will come without delay as soon as we open the door. My joyful mission has been fulfilled and the door on this side has been instructed. My mission as a messenger is now over and although I won't be awarded with crossing the threshold, my joy couldn't be greater. What am I holding, you ask?” And then the technician extended his arm to Puntshó, showing him a small device that pulsed with a bluish light, while his thumb pressed down on what looked like a detonator. “This is a way to prevent you or anyone at this station from interrupting the end of the process. As soon as I release this, the entire section will disappear and I with it. And the station will undergo a temporary blackout. I hope I won't harm any of the crew in the process.”
“But you'll die, you won't be able to see the end of your work.”
“That's the least of my worries, I'm a link and this body is merely a vehicle, my conscience will go on.” He looked at Puntshó and his expression turned serious. “We've talked too much, Chief and I won't wait for your reinforcements to try to stun me with one of those sonic guns I'm sure they're bringing here right now.”
Stingray raised his hands over his head as if in prayer, holding the device in his left hand. Puntshó raised
his gun again and aimed it at the engineer's chest, although firing it wouldn't prevent the detonator from exploding. The situation stopped in an eternal moment and suddenly he seemed to hear a slight sound to his right, behind the containers. Immediately, he heard Campbell approaching and shouting from behind. Everything happened within a couple of seconds.
“Careful, Chief! There's another one hiding to your right!” shouted Campbell as he entered the room, shooting repeatedly as the bins exploded, blowing up pieces. Puntshó managed to kneel, tensed up his muscles instinctively and looked for a moment towards where Campbell was firing, but still aiming at Stingray.
As soon as he looked back at the engineer, half a second later, he noticed he was looking at him with a stare full of horror and disbelief. A smoking hole was piercing through his chest, from which dark blood began to flow. Puntshó had tensed up at the sound of Campbell's shots, and his instinct went in action, and he pressed the trigger without thinking it twice. He couldn't even remember pulling the trigger, though he knew it was he who shot Stingray.
The engineer didn't fly back, he didn't even move an inch. The particle beam pierced his solar plexus neatly, leaving a twenty centimetres hole and cauterizing the tissues to some extent. Without pain, though it did disturb his vital functions gradually. He stood with his hands still up, his mouth and eyes open for a second. And then he closed his eyes and began to crumble, though still squeezing the detonator, now because of his muscles' nervous contraction upon receiving the shot.
For Punsthó, who watched him in dismay, time seemed to expand. His combat instinct activated and in a single leap he was standing next to Campbell who had frozen as soon as he'd seen Stingray and his broken chest. He gripped Campbell by one of his suit's shoulder folds and pushed him, running awkwardly out of the archway that wasn't even ten feet away. The detonator hit the ground and Puntshó heard a long beep and even though he didn't see it, he knew it was now armed. A meter away from the exit the beeping ceased. He didn't have time to think, he gave Campbell a strong push to break through the exit, and immediately felt a scorching heat and shock wave on his back, also pushing him out of the entrance just a moment before the double security screens closed shut upon detecting the abrupt pressure change in that enormous compartment, leaving Puntshó and Campbell in the corridor safe from a violent decompression. The emergency space, flame-retardant and sturdy suit protected his body from the intense heat he'd experienced for a second, while he flew, until the screens closed shut. His body ached from the fall but he was alive.
Singularity_The Labours of Iktis_Book 1_A Space Opera begin Page 6