Impossible (Fuzed Trilogy Book 3)

by David E Stevens

  The station disappears under their feet. As it comes back into view over their heads, he says, “Three, two, one … now!”

  She turns the battery on and the control panel lights up.

  He pops the thrusters. He overshoots but brings it back quickly and lines them up. Then, he gives a long blast to get them moving back toward the station. “Kill the power!”

  Wendy flips the battery back off. She matches his drawl. “You done good.”

  “Thanks, but all I did was set us up on a collision course with the station. I’m hoping we have enough power left for a braking maneuver.”

  As they approach the station, he can see that all the other pods are still in their docks. No one’s coming after them.

  They’re both breathing heavily with a slight cough, and he feels Wendy’s body tense.

  She puts her hand on the battery switch and says, “We have to brake.”

  “Not yet.”

  “We’re going to hit the Garage Module!”

  “Just a little longer.”

  He hears her suck in a lungful of air and knows it isn’t just CO2. Finally, he says, “Now!”

  She turns the power on and he executes a braking burst. It slows them down but when he makes a final correction, the thrusters quit. A warning buzzer indicates they’re out of propellant. He flips the thruster control off to conserve power and shifts his arms up and into the mechanical arm control sleeves. The pod is moving slower but it’s obvious they’ll just clear the truss that connects the station’s spokes, then bounce off the garage and back into space.

  “What are you doing?”

  As he reaches the mechanical arms out, he says, “Ever play on the monkey bars?”

  “What?”

  One of the mechanical arms hit the edge of the truss. He closes the hand and pivots the pod. They gently strike the truss. He then uses the other arm to slide them along in an uncoordinated version of monkey bars.

  Between coughs, Wendy laughs. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

  He’s sweating and hyperventilating but manages to get the pod to the end of the Garage Module. Then, he gently pushes them along the skin of the module trying to keep them only a foot above it.

  Another warning tone goes off as the battery dies for the last time.

  Josh yanks his arms from the control sleeves. Then, squishing Wendy against the forward control panel, he rotates his right shoulder forward and is able to jam his right arm into the spacesuit sleeve. “Wendy, I can’t reach the other sleeve.”

  She already has her left arm in the other sleeve. “Lucky, I’m left handed.”

  As they approach the docked pods, they slide their suited hands along the surface and Wendy manages to catch a protruding antenna. He grabs it with her and they pivot their pod toward an empty docking bay. With one final twist and spin, their pod slides into the bay, automatically locking the pod in place.

  Wendy, hyperventilating, manages, “That … was … amazing!” Within seconds, they hear a metallic clang and then another. Their pod door swings open and they feel a cool breeze of breathable air. Looking “down” toward their feet, they see Katori peering up at them.

  He yells, “Thank God you guys are alive! You ok?”

  After coughing and a few deep breaths, Josh is able to say, “We’re good!”

  Katori turns and yells behind him, “They’re ok!” Then, looking back in at them, the engineer kicks in and he asks, “Josh, how on earth did you insert yourself in there?”

  With the slightest smile, Wendy says, “He didn’t have time.”

  “What?”

  Josh corrects, “Uh … she said we barely had time.”

  They slither out of the pod one at a time to find a small audience gathered in the module.

  In addition to Katori, floating in front is Colonel Dale and the station head physician, Dr. Ann Ward.

  Josh asks, “The fire?”

  Dale shakes his head. “Soon as the oxygen was exhausted, it went out. Looks like superficial damage.”

  With an Irish accent, Dr. Ward says, “How are you feeling?”

  They both nod and Wendy says, “Fine except for a splitting headache.”

  “Not surprising. Let’s get you both checked out.” She pulls a stethoscope out of her bag.

  Colonel Dale says to the surrounding audience, “Ok everyone, they’re safe. Let’s give them some room while the doctor checks them out.”

  As the crowd exits the module, they give Josh and Wendy pats and thumbs up.

  After their audience leaves, Dale looks puzzled. “We’re still trying to figure out what happened. All we know for sure is that one of the emergency oxygen tank valves ruptured and somehow ignited a magnesium strut.”

  Frowning, Katori shakes his head.

  As the doctor finishes up with Wendy and puts her stethoscope on Josh, he takes a small notebook from his pocket and writes, “Need to talk privately.” He holds it so Katori and Dale can see but makes sure it’s shielded from the module’s video cameras.

  Dale nods. “After the doc checks you out, meet me in my office.”

  16

  MOLE

  The doctor finishes her exam and smiles. “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” As she hands them each two pills, she adds, “It’s ibuprofen and no more work of any kind today. Get some rest and see me tomorrow. If you feel ok and check out, I can clear you back to work.”

  They head to the Commander’s office.

  “Office” is a generous term. Other than the sick bay, it’s the only private space that can hold more than two people. It’s a tight squeeze for four.

  Dale starts. “I’m glad you two are ok but we’ve got to figure out what happened?”

  Katori says, “I looked at—”

  “Is there a video or audio feed in here,” Josh interrupts.

  Dale points at a tiny box near the hatch.

  Josh unplugs the cable feeding it and then nods at Wendy. “Tell him what you told me.”

  Wendy takes a deep breath. “I was backing up data and doing software interface checks when I noticed several critical files had changed size.”

  Dale looks at her questioningly.

  She pauses. “It’s the laser’s aiming software. I extracted the new file and ran it on a virtual simulator.” She shakes her head. “The modifications are very sophisticated, but in a nutshell it allows the laser not only to accept celestial coordinates, but also terrestrial ones.” She pauses again. “It can now target and incinerate practically any object on the surface of the Earth.”

  Katori frowns. “There are safety systems built in to prevent the laser from ever firing toward the Earth.”

  “Yes, and the other modified program uses several clever tricks to fool the system into thinking it’s not pointed at Earth. It effectively overrides all the safety systems.”

  Frowning, Dale says, “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

  “I just confirmed it a few days ago. With all the audio and video feeds on the station, I was afraid if I told anyone up here, it might tip our hand and force them to do something drastic.” She nods toward Josh, “I also learned he was coming up to the station. No offense but most of us are engineers or scientists. Commander Fuze has a combat background.”

  Josh adds, “I think ‘something drastic’ is exactly what happened. Colonel Crowe was called to the Repair Module just before the fire broke out.”

  Katori exhales sharply. “I’m afraid that makes sense. As I was saying, I looked at where the valve ruptured. Can’t be sure since it was badly burned, but I think there was some type of device attached. It could have been triggered remotely.” He looks at Josh and Wendy. “Did you jettison the pod from the station?”

  They both shook their heads and Wendy says, “We couldn’t have. We didn’t have any power.”

  Katori says, “That confirms it. Whoever set the fire was also monitoring what was happening in the module.” He looks at Dale. “When they saw Josh and Wen
dy get into the pod, they had a second chance to kill them and must have remotely triggered the pod release.”

  Dale asks, “Who has access to the laser’s aiming software and the skills to modify it and eject the pod?”

  “We have a lot of brilliant software types up here with that ability, but only a few are supposed to be working in that area.” He turns on his tablet. “I’m accessing the schedules and the recorded video feeds.”

  They crowd around to watch his screen.

  Katori speeds the time up and points out the console in the Repair Module where the fire broke out. He shakes his head. “The recorded video feeds from the Repair and Communication Modules have been erased.”

  Wendy asks, “What about the laser software console? To modify it, they’d physically have to get inside the console and access the secure ports.”

  Katori nods. After running through the past several weeks at high speed, he says, “Not seeing anyone near it aside from you.”

  Wendy points at the screen. “Check the timestamps. We know they’re able to delete video. See if there’s a missing segment.”

  After a few seconds, he exclaims, “There! There’s a block of time missing.”

  Josh says, “We can use the process of elimination. See if you can locate everyone on the station on other video feeds during those missing time slots.”

  After a couple minutes, Katori nods. “Got ‘em. Found everyone but Harrison. He’s the only one that doesn’t appear anywhere else on the station during the missing time. Plus, you can see him approaching the module just before the blank spot on the next one.”

  Dale studies his tablet. “There’s nothing suspicious in his record or profile.” He glances at Katori, “He’s one of your engineers. What’s your assessment?”

  Katori shrugs. “He’s only been onboard for a couple months. He’s an extremely good engineer but a classic loaner. Polite, but keeps to himself.”

  With a wry smile, Wendy says, “Sounds like what you hear when the media interview the neighbor of a serial killer.”

  Dale didn’t smile. “Unfortunately, if what we believe is true, this man is a cold blooded killer.”

  She says, “It’s circumstantial.”

  “Can’t take a chance. He’s out of here. There’s a special procedure for removing a dangerous individual.” He pauses. “Even in the early days of the International Space Station, we had to assume someone might snap and need to be neutralized.”

  Wendy frowns. “What are you going to do?”

  “Don’t worry. We’re not going to throw him out an airlock.” He turns to Katori. “I’ll need you to call him and tell him you need his help with something. Select an empty module.”

  “Let’s use the Garage. There aren’t any pod EVAs scheduled and it does have software issues.”

  Dale calls Dr. Ann Ward on the station comm link.

  They hear her answer, “Sickbay.”

  “Ann, we have a Triple Tango situation. Please meet us in the Garage.”

  She asks, “This isn’t a drill?”

  “Correct, bring whatever you need.”

  “Ok, meet you there.”

  Wendy asks, “Triple Tango?”

  “Medical code for Tase, Tranquilize and Transport.”

  17

  CAPTURE

  Josh goes with Dale and Katori and they meet the doctor in the Garage Module.

  Dale says, “I disconnected the video and audio feed from the Garage so he can’t see us. Ken, you stay on the far end where Harrison can see you. The doctor and I will position ourselves out of site at the entrance. Josh, stay in the hub until you see him go through the Greenhouse Module, and then follow him at a safe distance … just in case. As Harrison enters the Garage, I’ll hit him with the Taser and the doctor will administer the sedative.”

  Josh nods.

  Dale looks at Katori. “Ok, call him.”

  Josh positions himself in the hub looking through a porthole at Earth. With his peripheral vision, he identifies Harrison from his picture. With unremarkable features and average size, but an athletic build, he reminds him of Tim. Harrison is carrying a large manual and a digital tablet.

  Josh waits a few seconds after Harrison passes. He watches him enter the Greenhouse Module and then follows. As Harrison propels himself around the central green jungle and approaches the hatch to the Garage, Josh slips into the Greenhouse behind him. Peering around the foliage, Josh sees Harrison hesitate at the hatch to the Garage and then poke his head through.

  Dale springs at him with the Taser arcing.

  Dodging, Harrison throws his manual and tablet at Dale and then hits the emergency hatch button.

  The impact pushes Dale backwards. The warning siren goes off and the hatch slides shut, sealing Dale, Katori and the doctor into the Garage.

  Josh hits the emergency hatch button behind him, sealing him in the Greenhouse with Harrison.

  On the far side of the module, Harrison spins around, peeks around the plants and sees Josh.

  Josh must subdue him until Dale can override the hatch, which takes 30 seconds. He’s feeling good about his decision until Harrison pulls out a makeshift knife.

  Harrison launches himself toward Josh, but instead of coming straight at him, Harrison follows a corkscrew path that takes him around the perimeter of the module. Looking like Spiderman running on all fours, Harrison uses centrifugal force to keep himself in contact with the walls.

  Too late, Josh realizes he has no idea how to fight in zero-g, and watching Harrison, suspects he does. Thirty seconds suddenly seems like an eternity. Once again, everything appears to move in slow motion as Josh’s body goes into hyper-drive.

  Picturing the trajectory, Josh knows where Harrison and his knife will be, and where Josh needs not to be. Making a sharp thrust with his right leg at the last second, Josh moves just outside the knife’s reach.

  Harrison responds by spinning and kicking Josh in the side as he passes. The kick hurts but doesn’t do damage. It does, however, push them apart, sending Josh crashing through some of the plants and Harrison bouncing off the opposite wall.

  Tumbling, Josh manages to grab a storage compartment door that’s partly open. His momentum rips one of the hinges out but stops his motion.

  Harrison pushes off the opposite side and is already inbound leading with the knife.

  Josh tears the small aluminum door out and uses it to block the knife, but catches another blow to the head from Harrison’s foot. He shoves Harrison with the door to push him out of knife range. Clearly, Harrison isn’t just an engineer. He’s fast, strong and very proficient in hand-to-hand combat. It’s like facing an astronaut version of Tim.

  Josh has his back against the hatch leading to the hub. Glancing over his shoulder, he sees Wendy peering through the porthole. Not only does Harrison have to go through Josh to get out, but Josh is shoehorned in with little room to dodge Harrison’s knife. He sees that Harrison knows this too. As Harrison’s calf muscles tense for another dive, Josh changes tactics. He lowers the aluminum door so it’s parallel to his right leg, giving Harrison a better torso target.

  Harrison explodes off the wall and tosses the knife to his other hand. At the last second, Josh pivots the door up like a Frisbee and catches Harrison under the jaw.

  The impact stuns Harrison and draws blood.

  Josh anchors his right leg and follows through with a left hook.

  It sends Harrison sprawling backwards and smashing through one of the glass tanks. Large undulating globs of water spill across the module.

  Josh is able to get away from the hatch so he has more maneuvering room.

  Regrouping, Harrison plants himself on the opposite wall as they face each other across the circumference of the module. Only a few broken plant stems separate them.

  Josh hears a mechanical noise and looks to his right. The hatch to the garage is finally opening.

  As Dale’s head pokes through, he yells, “Fuze! Watch out!”

  Jo
sh turns to see Harrison throwing his knife right at Josh’s head.

  At the last second, Harrison stops and doesn’t release it. Frowning, Harrison mouths, “Fuze?” Then, he lets go of the knife, pivots and heads for the hatch to the hub, which is opening.

  Dale throws Josh the Taser.

  Josh catches it, launches himself off the wall and tags Harrison’s leg just before he slides through the hatch.

  Harrison’s body contracts into a ball.

  Dale and the doctor come through the other hatch and along with Josh, hold Harrison while the doctor injects him with the sedative.

  As the Taser wears off, it’s clear Harrison isn’t struggling and has given up. The sedative is fast acting, but before Harrison loses consciousness, he says to Josh, “You don’t understand….”

  Dale says, “Let’s get him to sick bay, ASAP.”

  They carefully tow him out and across the hub. There are many curious eyes. Dale says aloud, “It’s ok. Harrison had an episode. The doc gave him a sedative and we’re taking him to sickbay. He’ll be fine.”

  Sickbay is the largest compartment on the station with a closable hatch. It has three sections, a pharmacy, a tiny two “bed” isolation ward and an operating suite. The operating suite is the largest because it contains the TELEMED robotics that will allow a surgeon on the ground to operate on the station. They tow Harrison in and strap him securely to the operating table. Ward attaches sensors to monitor his vital signs.

  Dale says, “We won’t be able to send him back for another 12 hours. How long will the sedative last?”

  “I had planned to keep him under until he’s back on the ground.”

  Dale frowns. “I really need to interrogate him. We need to know if he’s working alone.”

  Josh says, “I agree, but I suspect we won’t get much out of him.”

  “Ann, keep him tightly secured and the sickbay hatch locked. No one is to have access to him but us. If he wakes up, call Josh and me ASAP.”

  She nods.

  As they start to leave, one of the monitors alarms.