From the floor, and seemingly in slow motion, Puntshó saw through the double screen how huge pieces of equipment bounced within the cavity that had once been the communications area and flew towards him hitting the first security screen.
The glass of the first door stood the blows which sounded in the hallway as if someone was firing an old machine gun at a wall.
As soon as the noise ceased, Puntshó watched in horror as the glass slowly chipped into thousands of fragments now joined only by a transparent protective film. For a moment his vision of the communications area was interrupted, but another large piece of machinery struck the splintered glass and again the frame broke off and floated weightlessly on the other side. Only the strength of the second screen prevented the decompression of the communications area from affecting that corridor and sucking Puntshó and Campbell into the interplanetary void.
“I'll have to send a Christmas card to the manufacturer...” he thought equanimous.
The large room which moments before had been the communications area, was now nothing more than a rough open hole in the hull, looking into space. Puntshó could see clearly through the screen glass and looked carefully through the rubble but couldn't find a trace of Stingray or his buddy. He assumed they had been vaporized by the explosion.
As he stared agitated from the ground, he watched in disbelief as the silhouette of a large green ship shaped like a cigar strolled nearby and slowly before a starry background now visible through the large hole that the explosion had opened in the station's hull.
It was one of the supply and cargo ships, which had arrived at the station with the first team; but he couldn't identify its name. The ship projected a powerful light beam for several seconds illuminating the floating debris. Puntshó had a feeling. He focused on his fallen companion.
“Rick! Are you okay?”
“Yes, chief. I think my arm is broken, and I was hit on the leg by one of those futuristic beams, although I think it's superficial.” said the crewman quite hurt as he looked at his suit which had a hole on his right butt-cheek “It burns and hurts, but I don't see blood.”
Puntshó took out his emergency kit and inspected the wound.
“You were lucky, Rick. A couple of inches to the left and you would have had to sit like a lady for the rest of your life. It's only superficial burns. Rub on this ointment and let me tend to your arm.”
“Thank you very much, Chief. It's my first shootout.”
“Well, it was a bit rash, but you saved my life. I appreciate it… 'Bull'.” Puntshó winked at him after saying that.”
“It was a pleasure, 'Kemosabe'”, Puntshó was surprised that someone as young as Campbell had seen the Lone Ranger and smiled contentedly.
Damage assessment
The voice he heard in his helmet's earpiece was that of the station commander and reflected an immense tension.
Puntshó was focused on tying Campbell's broken arm with a bandage from his own emergency kit. It had only been a minute since the explosion.
“Chief! Chief Blade! Are you there?” and then he heard Pachacuti speaking in the background. “I'm not sure the emergency communications work within that sector, Commander.”
Puntshó finished attending a pained Campbell and returned to reality. He listened to the last part of the conversation on the bridge through his earpiece and immediately tapped the communicator button on his sleeve, which had been turned off after landing in the hallway as a result of the explosion.
“Commander, Chief Blade here. We are alive and safe in entrance hallway A5.”
“For God's sake! Who is with you? Have you been able to stop Stingray?”
“Unfortunately not. Stingray had an activated fusion micro-detonator and had an accomplice who tried to shoot me. Crewman Campbell saved my life.”
“Campbell?” asked the commander in disbelief. “Very well. Do you need help?”
“Yes, I should send the doctor to node A5 as soon as pressures are restored, to check Campbell, he has some injuries but they aren't serious. I'm fine, but I need information.”
“I'm sorry to say we don't have any communication or access to the surveillance cameras. We don't know what's happened. At this time only the short-range emergency system works at the station. I need to know the extent of the damage in the communications area. Can you direct your suit camera at it?”
“Right away, sir.”
Puntshó stood up and faced the screen to get a direct shot of the consequences of the explosion. He heard the commander talking, but understood that he was talking to the people on the station's bridge.
“Oh my God! Pachacuti! Look at what they've done to my station! Record this and I want a damage assessment before we send the repair brigades. We'll need plenty of extra-vehicular work to patch that up.”
“It looks like it only affected the sector, I don't see any damage to the floor and ceiling. That's good, sir.” It was Pachacuti's voice which sounded far away.
“Good, Oscar? Look at the gap that psycho left in the hull... And I don't see we'll be able to recover any of the communication equipment. It's a disaster!”
“We could use the long-distance communications from any of the ships that arrive today... We'll work it out, Commander.”
“Well, for now I need to re-establish the pressures and get the staff going; we have a lot to do gentlemen, let's get to work.”
Then he went back to Puntshó.
“Chief, are you still there?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good, well at least we've solved this crisis and only the murderers died. Wait there until there's pressure again and I'll send a rescue team.”
“The case isn't solved, commander. We still don't know what they were up to.”
“We'll figure that out later, right now we need to seal up the station and regain normality, there are fifteen ships around the station with crews waiting to board. And I need this piece of junk running safely as soon as possible.”
“Fifteen ships?”
“Yes, three ships were arriving today with the rest of the permanent crew and we've had to launch the emergency decompression protocol in those that were stationed in the port. Even the 'refrigerator' freighter ships were expelled as a preventive measure. The traffic around the station is chaotic and we have no communication.”
“Could you tell me which cargo ship disconnected first?”
“Chief, the case is settled. Don't dwell on it!”
“I'd just like to know that, Commander. If you could please indulge me, I'll be very thankful”.
“All right, just a moment.” The commander gave a few quick orders to one of the crew members covering the microphone and then spoke to Puntshó again, “the first ship to uncouple, was the 'Dead Parrot', that's weird as it did it a couple of seconds after the alarm began, and before we gave the order. But perhaps a crew member was working inside and activated the emergency protocol. Does it matter, chief?”
“Yes, Commander. I believe so...”
Puntshó looked through the screen glass and saw the silhouette of the Dead Parrot which searched among the debris with its light beams. And then he understood what they were trying to find. There was no doubt in his mind, whatever Stingray did was only the first step. The real danger was aboard the ship which now floated gracefully in front of him on the other side of the glass. He knew what he had to do and drew up a plan within seconds.
“Commander! I'll need medical assistance for Campbell who'll wait in the Node A5 Access Hall. I have something to do.”
“Chief! Don't do anything crazy, the section isn't safe. Wait there!”
But Puntshó cut off communication. He looked at his injured colleague and spoke quickly.
“Ok… Give me your air bottle. And I think I'll need your retractable helmet, mine was shattered in the explosion. And the water canteen. Do you think you can get to the top of the aisle, Rick?”
“Sure, chief. But, what are you going to do?”
�
��See that ship out there? I think that was Stingray and his accomplice's escape plan. I need to board it...”
“Are you crazy, chief? How the hell do you plan on getting there without a flight suit?”
“I have an idea, but I need you to go back to the Node A5 corridor right now and seal all the pressure screens you pass on your way.”
“This is completely insane, are you going to Superman though all that rubble?”
“Look, Rick. Whatever these people are trying to do is on that ship and disabling the station was just the first step. Now move and take cover.”
“And if you can't reach the ship or pass it?”
“'Bull' will have to come to rescue me. Can I count on you?”
“You are completely insane, but I'll do what you say. Hi-yo Silver!” said Campbell as he stood up and activated the first screen.
A few seconds later Puntshó watched him pass the second screen in the hallway as he sealed the one behind him. The time had come. The Dead Parrot would soon abandon the search and move away from the station. He was sure that whatever they were trying to do would have to be done far away from the other ships so they wouldn't interrupt them and to keep whatever this experiment meant in secret. He remembered Farman's words clearly: 'They must not activate that device! Humanity’s future will change forever if they do.'
He pressed his suit's close button and prepared himself for what he was about to do.
Jumping into vacuum
It had only been a few minutes since the explosion and he was ready to do yet another crazy thing. Puntshó could feel his pulse quicken on his temples. The Dead Parrot was still there and he still hesitated. His arm stretched out with his hand extended and his finger on the opening button of the screen that separated him from the vacuum of space. On his other hand he was holding one of the little foam extinguishers he'd found on the corridor and with which he'd try to manoeuvre. He'd seen that in an old movie, but now he felt like it was complete madness. He doubted. Should he wait and try to reach the Dead Parrot with another ship? What if it was too late? Farman's words rumbled in his mind as he watched the light beams emanating from the nose of the now horrible green ship behind the glass.
The headlights suddenly turned off and Puntshó knew that was his moment. He gripped the extinguisher with its beak pointing down and pressed the opening button. The screen, instead of sliding, explosively released its safety anchors and detached, floating away due to the small decompression of that hall section. Puntshó waited for that little push and used it to run on what was left of the ground of the communications area, now in complete chaos, using his magnetic boots. The suit worked, he could see well and was breathing normally.
He took one step after another and gained enough speed until he reached the edge of the floor where a huge hole opened out to space and before him, the Dead Parrot was preparing to turn on its engines. He came swiftly to the edge and jumped with his right hand extended towards the dark green spot that was about forty meters away. He knew he didn't have much time and needed to move faster. He gripped the fire extinguisher firmly on his chest and with a rough motion activated the handle with his other hand. The result was immediate and crazy. He turned on himself a couple of times until he was able to control the propulsion. The foam pressure discharge didn't last more than thirty seconds, but Puntshó was already traveling fast enough to reach the ship within seconds.
He saw the green deck approach, and realized that he had no plan to stop. His pulse quickened even more when he was only a few yards away. If he hit the hull directly, he'd bounce back and wouldn't be able to board the ship. Luckily he was approaching the top of the ship and saw what looked like bundles of antennas or sensors.
He hit the ship's hull at a flat angle and tried to grab some of the wires coming out of what looked like an antenna. He bounced and almost let go of it but once he took a hold of it, he gripped it tightly and floated like a balloon over the structure. He appreciated the hours he'd spent practicing grips in his Judo class.
He turned his body and his boots clung to the ship's hull. He felt safe again and tried moving towards the upper pressurized hatch, which almost every ship had and which he believed to see in the distance. The Dead Parrot was big, about the size of two football pitches placed one after the other and from this perspective Puntshó knew that the effort to reach the hatch would be strenuous.
He walked a couple of paces when a tremor rose up his legs through the hull of the ship. The engines were on and it was accelerating.
“Fuck! Not now!” He managed to say before the ship began to move and he was dragged over the hull again.
He screamed and opened his arms but he was still glued to the ship as it was now rising on its axis and this movement glued Puntshó to the hull and dragged him backwards, straight towards the engines' blue fires. It wasn't a good prospect.
Halfway down he was able to grasp one of the upper handles and remained there, clinging to the hull by the inertia, struggling not to let go and be caught by the thrust rockets' purple flames.
The speed finally stabilized, he activated his boots again and stood up. He watched from that incredible outward perspective, as the station and the ships that danced around it moved away. He then turned on his transmitter and tried to communicate with someone at the station.
“Here Puntshó Blade. Can anyone hear me?” He repeated the message several times.
A couple of seconds passed and Pachacuti's voice sounded amidst a great interference.
“Chief! Where are you? I can barely hear you.”
“Oscar! I'm trying to board the Dead Parrot. Whatever they were trying to do is on this ship.”
“Chief! Don't do anything crazy! Stay where you are, I'll send someone in a flight suit to pick you up. If we lose communication there'll be no way to find you. Can you hear me?”
“Not well, Oscar. I'm very close to the upper hatch and I'll try to go in, if I succeed I'll send a message from the ship itself.”
“But we don't have long-range communication...”
“Oscar? Oscar? Answer...”
He'd surpassed the communicator's long-range reach and now Puntshó was all alone.
Through a lot of effort, he reached the upper access hatch, walking on the hull helped by his magnetic boots and went in just before they changed course and speed.
He was glued to the hatch wall for several seconds until the acceleration ended and he was able to stand up. The hatch was small and designed for a single individual. He pressed the large red button that activated the pressurization and checked his weapon. He knew they could be waiting for him so he had to act quickly.
He opened the inner hatch and waited for someone to shoot. Only then did he press the command to retract the hull and jumped into the ship without using the ladder. He fell in a strange way, almost without hitting the floor, like a pillow thrown from the ceiling. The Dead Parrot's artificial gravity was very primitive, at least in that hallway. He jumped to his feet and immediately walked to the wall. He looked both ways and only then did he realize that he didn't know what he was looking for.
He decided to head to the bridge, as he'd have access to the external and internal sensors there and would be able to find some clue about any high energy source active in the ship. That was everything he knew about the experiment. If he didn't find anything, he'd seal the ship and wait for reinforcements. By that time his people, with Farman at the head, would've reached the station.
Decompression
The Dead Parrot's bridge was empty. Puntshó closed the door behind him and entered cautiously. It was a small place, designed for a single pilot, with all the monitors and controls within reach. It reminded him of the cockpit of an old exo-orbital fighter he'd used long ago.
He began to check the ship's various sections and components, and noticed that the ship was moving on autopilot towards a point that seemed to be of gravitational equilibrium with respect to Saturn. There didn't seem to be anyone on the ship, even Pun
tshó hadn't been detected, so he assumed there were no on-board locators. He couldn’t tell if there was anyone else on the ship, waiting outside in some dark corner. He looked for the cargo manifests and they all corresponded to parts and spare parts for the station.
He wasn't getting anywhere. He tried the security cameras but could only see the hallway outside the bridge and the dining room. An idea occurred to him, and even though he thought it wouldn't lead to anything, he needed to try it. If the experiment was based on artificial gravity, then there would be a detectable fluctuation in the area where it was activated. He looked among the command menus and was petrified to find that this "refrigerator" had no artificial gravity.
It wasn't possible, Puntshó had felt a very mild pull when he jumped in from the pressurized hatch.
Energy that was the key. If there was a gravitational field there would be a considerable energy expenditure. He looked at the main reactor menu and checked which sections were consuming more energy.
Singularity: The Labours of Iktis - Book 1 - A Space Opera begin Page 7