Isaac moved to the bulkhead with the modified chamber. Isaac pulled out some Quik-Seal from another utility pocket of his armored suit. He looped a sufficient length of the Quik-Seal coil around the edge of the chamber. He placed the open-ended chamber against the bulkhead with the slot nearest to the bulkhead. A moment later, he ignited the Quik-Seal. There was a blinding flash that the filters in his helmet compensated for. He pushed on the chamber. It felt securely attached. He opened the chamber's normal entrance. Reaching in, he placed a circle of Quik-Cut against the bulkhead just a few centimeters from the inside edge of the chamber. Moving back to the small opening he made earlier, he slipped in his detonation wire far enough that he could reach it from the normal entrance. He pulled himself back to the entrance, grabbed hold of the wire and guided it to the Quik-Cut. Seeing it firmly in place, he closed the chamber entrance and moved over to Tim and the communication link with the trapped man.
Isaac motioned Tim to unplug his suit so Isaac could plug in his own suit.
"This is Chief Dickson, again, Joe. I want you to get ready now. I suppose that Tim's been telling you that we're going to try to get you out alive."
"Yes, Chief, he has. What do I have to do?" Joe replied.
"You'll have to brace yourself somewhere inside the cabin so you won't get tossed about. There's going to be a slight decompression. Then you'll have only a short time to get to the opening we're going to make and enter the chamber that's attached to your cabin. As soon as I see you inside it, I'm going to seal it off and cut it free. I know this is risky for you, but it's the only chance I can see for getting you out alive," Isaac answered.
"I guess I'm willing to take that chance if you think it'll work, Chief."
"Joe, I really don't know if this will work. In theory, it should. What's going to happen is that the hole I cut in the bulkhead is going to slam down into the bottom of the chamber and air pressure is going to hold it there. I have a slot already prepared that I'll slip another end into once you're inside. When you're in, I'll seal it. You won't have much air, but this is the only way that we'll be able to get to the ship with you alive. I hope," Isaac said.
Joe said, "I hope so, too. It's awful dark in here. How will I know where the opening is?"
Isaac answered, "You'll see a flash of Quik-Cut. The opening you want to head for is there. Be careful going through. The edges will still be hot. They'll probably still be glowing. Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'm going to be, Chief. I'm holding onto the bed. Fire away."
Tim radioed, "The ship looks awful far away. Can he last inside this that long?"
Chief Dickson glanced out of the wreckage to his ship. He estimated the distance, then said, "You're right. It's too far to chance. Go out and radio them. Tell them what we're going to do. Ask them if they can shorten the distance for us. I'll wait as long as I can."
Tim replied, "Right, Chief."
Joe said, "I could hear you talking to Tim. I guess it's going to be a few more minutes, huh?"
"That's right, Joe. Just remain where you are for now. We'll get you out. I'm sure of it," Isaac said.
"Well, since I can't exactly go anywhere, I guess I'll do what you say for now," Joe said.
Chief Dickson wished he could wipe the perspiration from his brow while hearing Joe manage a weak chuckle over his slight joke.
***
"Chief Brunner. Can you delay transporting your next evacuees for a few minutes while we return to Chief Dickson. He needs the ship extra close for his evacuation attempt," Richard said.
"He's got the man out?" asked Chief Brunner.
Richard answered, "Not yet. He's holding on his next action until we're close enough to help."
Chief Brunner glanced around, then said, "Sure, go ahead. We can hold off here for a while. Respond to Chief Dickson with my blessings, sir."
Richard replied, "Thank you, Chief. We'll return shortly. Helm, set course for Chief Dickson's location. Proceed when ready."
***
Tim watched as the ship neared. He called inside to the Chief as it did.
Chief Dickson waited until the ship was as near as possible. "Okay, Tim. Come over here to help me with this now. We're going to have to slip this plate into the slot as soon as Joe gets inside the chamber. Joe, if you can hear me, be sure you knock on the chamber or say something as soon as you get inside it. We don't want to seal it when you're not inside it."
Joe replied, "I read you loud and clear, Chief. Are you doing it now?"
"In just a moment Joe. The ship is just outside now. We're just doublechecking our procedure so you don't die," Isaac said.
"Right, Chief. I'm ready. Just do it when you are," Joe replied.
Isaac said, "Okay, Tim. Once we get the chamber sealed with this plate, we have to Quik-Seal it and then Quik-Cut around the bulkhead to separate it again. Once it's free, we can move with it out of the wreck and over to our ship. When we jet over, each of us holds onto the chamber. You ready?"
Tim answered, "Sure, Chief."
Isaac said, "Fire in the hole!"
There was just a glimpse of the Quik-Cut as it flared through the small opening of the end of the chamber where the detonation wire went through. There was a quick whooshing sound followed by a loud clank as the freed piece of bulkhead was shoved into the chamber to come to a sudden stop at the other end.
The whooshing sound became more of a whistling sound as air continued to rush into the chamber to exit through the slot.
Isaac shouted, "Now, Joe!"
"I'm making for it!" Joe replied. "Oh, what a beautiful sight! I'm entering the chamber now. I'm inside! Seal it, guys!"
Isaac said, "Now, Tim. Shove this piece in and get ready to seal."
The two men shoved the cut off end of the chamber into the slot. The air pressure forced against it, but deflected as it shoved it down against part of the chamber while widening the slot some as the chamber bent slightly. Then the plate went into place. Air pressure continued to assist them as they quickly placed Quik-Seal around the end piece in the slot.
"Fire in the hole!" shouted Isaac into his radio as he ignited the Quik-Seal.
Tim was already placing Quik-Cut around the outer edge of the chamber end sealed to the bulkhead. A moment later, he shouted, "Fire in the hole!"
Isaac pulled on the chamber. It floated freely. "It's working! We've got him out! Help me get him to the ship fast!"
"Right with you," said Tim.
The two men pushed and shoved the modified evacuation chamber through openings in the wreck into the void of space. Seeing the ship in front of them with the outer airlock hatch already open, they jetted directly for it with the chamber held between them.
Tim said, "I'm going to hit the edge. I'm letting go."
"Understood," said the Chief as he gripped the chamber tighter and steered it into the airlock on his own.
A moment later, Tim corrected his course to enter the airlock. He slapped at the hatch switch to close it after making sure that nothing was in the way to jam it open.
Tim said, "Hatch secured."
"Adding air pressure," said the Chief as he pressed a switch.
The two men watched readouts as the air pressure inside the airlock went up to the normal range for human life.
Isaac reached down and opened the chamber entrance. He stared into Joe's eyes as Joe blinked to focus them for a moment.
Joe said, "We made it? I'm not dreaming this?"
"You're alive," said Isaac as he pulled his helmet free.
Tim pressed the intercom switch. "We're on board and Joe is alive and well. Mission accomplished, sir."
Richard replied over the intercom, "We're returning now to pick up the others. Evacuate the airlock as quickly as possible, gentlemen. Well done. Helm, set course and make way for Chief Brunner's location."
***
Richard carefully studied the modified evacuation chamber. It didn't look like it could do the job, yet it had. "Well, Chief, what are
you going to call this invention of yours? After all, you're the inventor, so you ought to get to name it."
Isaac answered, "Well, Captain, I was only out there trying to think of some way that I could make the air pressure work for us. The only picture that came to me was of a pneumatic pump. That's when the whole thing struck me. I began viewing the chamber as if it was part of a pneumatic pump instead. Once I got that picture of a tube in my mind, it all came fairly easy to me. It was just a matter of making the modifications with what we had on hand. I'm just glad that there was only one person inside that room. Anymore and I would have been condemning the others to die."
"Well, it gave me a new lease on life. I feel like a new man after being sucked into that tube," said Joe.
Chief Dickson said, "I think that's what I'll call it. The Pneuman Tube. Probably it could use some more modifications such as a plexi-slab port. I don't like being unsure about whether the person is inside or not. The edges need to be smoother. I think there needs to be some cushioning at the bottom opening to soften the blow of the plate that's shot into the chamber."
"That sounds fine, Chief. Go ahead and get those specifications in a computer. Perhaps we can get one or both sides to manufacture some of these for us despite the war going on. Anyway, you did a fantastic job," Richard said.
Isaac responded, "Thank you, sir."
"You're welcome, Chief. You're very welcome," Richard said while fighting off some tears and a lump in his throat.
Chief Dickson stood there unsure of what more to say. He was astounded that Richard was actually being sociable.
***
Richard stood in the station communications center as the second message from the warring parties came through.
" . . . be proud to make some of these, uh, Pneuman Tubes for rescue use. Admiral Thurman passes on his sincere thanks for your rescue of five personnel from one of his disabled ships. He further states that his forces will continue to honor your neutrality as requested and might request your assistance more often now that we see you are truly dedicated strictly to rescue. United States forces will not interfere with your actions, regardless of who you are assisting at the time."
Richard replied, "Chief Dickson will be proud to hear that you are willing to produce some of his Pneuman Tubes. I'm sure that the VMA will respond kindly to letting you ship some of them to the other space stations for use there. I've already been in contact with Mars. Their Council indicated that they believe the Pneuman Tube is a great step forward. Their only regret is that they don't have enough industry in place to produce them for us."
"Yes, we monitored that conversation. Uh, uh, oh, okay, Admiral Thurman. Uh, Admiral Thurman just told me that we are willing to send some of these to the other stations as soon as they're made."
"Very good. We'll be looking forward to receiving them. Captain Saber, out."
***
"In the latest news, Admiral Thurman's forces beat off another attempt by VMA forces to attack the Earth. Losses on both sides were heavy, though specific numbers aren't being released. It is known, however, that Space Rescue One met with considerable success in performing rescues even while the fighting raged around them. At least six lives were saved due to their fine efforts. An interesting note to this battle is that a new invention for saving lives in space was created. Usually war creates more fearful weapons. This reporter thinks it's nice for a change to see something good come out of bloodshed. Accordingly, I salute Space Rescue One's dedicated men and women for their heroic performance and for demonstrating that not everyone has to be kill crazy."
"Captain, have you a moment?" Chief Dickson asked.
Richard replied, "Sure. Computer command, volume down. Go ahead, Chief. What's on your mind?"
Isaac said, "Well, I wanted to apologize for getting on your case before when you were a team technician."
"You did what you saw then as the best course of action. You don't need to apologize to me," Richard said.
Isaac said, "Well, you gave me more leeway than I expected on our last mission. Now my behavior and attitude back then is making me feel guilty."
"There's no need to worry about what happened between us. You saw the situation the right way and I was an asshole. I think that covers it."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far in describing you, sir."
"I would. I think that Captain Shortner was correct in labeling me as one before."
"Me too, I guess. You're looking better lately. I guess you missed being in the command structure."
Richard replied, "Truthfully, no, I really didn't miss it. My work as a technician was more fulfilling and satisfying to me."
"But you looked awful most of the time."
Richard replied, "I felt awful, too. I wasn't getting enough sleep. It's not so bad now thanks to you on the last mission."
"Me, sir?" asked Isaac.
Richard answered, "Yes, because of you. You created something that will save people who we couldn't save before. If your invention was around before, it wouldn't have mattered much where the crew was at when rescuers arrived. You see, I've been haunted by the faces and voices of the men and women I couldn't save."
"You were?" asked Isaac.
Richard answered, "I still am, but it's a much easier burden to bear while I know that we're out here doing some good."
"So, you drank to drown out their faces and voices?" asked Isaac.
Richard answered, "No, I drank to pass out so I could get some sleep. Yeah, well, I guess I did do it for the reason you just stated. I can bear the guilt for not saving them. In fact, I welcome their accusations as part of my punishment. It was just that I had to have some sleep if I was to do my proper penance by saving lives."
"But, that accident wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault, either, that they died. After all, sir, you were holding a beam out of the way for their escape. You did everything humanly possible to save them."
Richard replied, "It's not that, Chief. It's because I didn't gain their confidence soon enough. I failed to convince them that I had their best interests at heart. The crew we had before the union strike difficulty believed in me. They would have followed my instructions. I failed the men and women who died because I wasn't enough of a leader for them. I didn't do everything humanly possible. It's my fault they died."
"No way, sir. It's not your fault. Have you considered psychiatric help for this feeling you have?"
Richard answered, "Chief, I don't want psychiatric help. All I want to do is save lives. I don't want to see anymore men and women die than necessary. I wish I could have thought up something as useful as your Pneuman Tube. I respect you for that. No matter what you do, you'll always have my respect for that."
"Thank you, sir. Well, I appreciate being permitted to get some things off my mind. I hope that you get to save lives as long as possible."
Richard said, "Thank you, Isaac," while extending his hand in friendship.
***
"No, gentlemen and ladies, an attack on Mars is counter-productive. If we're to win this war, it's going to be in a decisive battle in space. If you can convince the other nations to assign their forces to my command, I can give you that decisive battle. Otherwise, the best I can do is hold them at bay for now," Admiral Thurman said.
"Admiral Thurman, the people are clamoring to the politicians for our forces to strike out at Mars for their attacks," one UN Representative said.
"The people might very well be doing so, but they're not military-minded. If you want to win this war, you're going to have to do it my way. Hitting Mars won't end the war. It will prolong it since we'll be wasting valuable resources to hit targets not worth either the effort or losses we'll suffer. They're not producing any ships and won't be for several years. Hitting their factories will only kill civilians creating a unity of spirit that will refuse to surrender. That's already been learned in past wars. We dare not repeat that mistake. Our only option is to defeat the enemy in decisive combat in space," Thurman said.
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"But Admiral, Earth's population is tired of air raid alarms."
"Have we let the Earth actually suffer an attack yet? Well, gentlemen, ladies?" Thurman asked.
"No, Admiral Thurman, but that's beside the point."
"It is the point I'm making. The VMA isn't trying to actually attack Earth. They're seeking combat with our military for the same reasons I elucidated to you. They know that if they kill one civilian on Earth, they can expect nothing less than their total extermination. They have deliberately let our forces find them when they approach the Earth. Now, unless you're going to relieve me of my command, I suggest you give me the support and forces I want and need while letting me run the war," Thurman said.
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