by A J Britnell
By the time the astronaut returned Professor Browning was suited up and waiting by the airlock hatch. All the advice he had received through the ear- piece in his helmet was soon forgotten when the door opened to reveal his rescuer. The astronaut’s suit was very different to his own, less stiff. He wore a jet pack on his back that resembled an armchair; its arms concealed levers and controls that directed the jets, positioned at various points on the unit.
Browning tried to look down through his helmet at what the astronaut was doing but the angle was wrong; instead he decided to focus on the man’s voice in his earpiece that was giving a running commentary. Once clipped to the tether a firm jerk pulled him from the safety of the shuttle’s airlock and into the abyss.
He looked back at the same window he had viewed this very scene and felt extremely small. Many things passed through his mind, the most recurring was a question: Why was he in space at fifty-six? However, all thought deserted him when they emerged from the structure of the station and all he could see was blackness. There was no point of reference; no Earth or spaceship to give a sense of scale, just nothing. Then, as the two isolated men moved further around the edge of the station on route to the hatch on the higher level, the lights from the station were no longer dazzling their eyes and space came alive. The stars, the constellations became clear to him and the overwhelming insignificance he felt, looking upon such perfection, was too much....
The astronaut reacted immediately to the alarm sounding in his helmet. First, he checked his own systems for malfunctions and soon concluded the alarm was from the umbilical line between them that carried life support information from the professor’s suit. He twisted himself round delicately using the thrusters and reached out to grasp the tether to pull the man within reach. Peering at the display on the professor’s sleeve, he noted that the system was no longer picking up carbon dioxide. Instantly he called through to his team for advice, “I think he’s stopped breathing!” There was no response until an unknown voice issued orders. Eileen, the medical officer onboard the Caspian instructed the astronaut to turn his oxygen mix up and increase the pressure in his suit. The astronaut obeyed unquestioningly and then flicked his jets back to life.
They were only about fifteen metres from the hatch but the seconds seemed to drag on forever.
Eileen had been listening in to communications from the beginning and quickly patched through to the station to explain the situation and instruct them to muster the medical team.
Within minutes, the two men were inside the airlock. The astronaut clasped the man’s helmet and peered through the visor to see a lifeless face. Everyone waited impatiently for the lights to turn green that indicated equal pressure in the compartment. Finally, the medical crew opened the hatch door and hands appeared to drag the helpless man out of the tiny tubular compartment.
Three people worked on him; one carefully removed his helmet, put a mask over his face, and began puffing oxygen while the others started removing the torso of his suit. A Medic attached probes to his chest and connected them to monitoring machines before someone shouted, “CLEAR,” as an electric charge thumped into his chest. Everyone waited silently- the display showed no response. Again and again they shocked the poor man; hope fading.
All this time, David had been floating above, looking down helplessly at his new friend. He rubbed his hand over his face, trying to hold back the tears but then a reassuring ‘blip’ sounded from the machine. Everyone held their breath for a moment, studying the unconscious man for signs of life. “There we go…Take it easy now Professor …. You had us worried there …” the professor’s chest started to rise and fall.
Eileen was inconsolable. Her fears were realised – it was her uncle. Claus gently rubbed her back and tried to comfort his crying crewmate, “Come on Eileen, looks like you saved his life; you should be really proud of yourself.”
She turned to look at him, her eyes and lips blotchy and red. Sniffing loudly she gathered herself together, “I know he’s probably going to be fine, it’s just – I know how scared he was about making this trip. I persuaded him to do it because it was important for his research.” Eileen’s voice became high pitched and squeaky, her lip trembled as she continued speaking, “Also I wanted him to see how beautiful space is.” her last few words disintegrating into a gargle of tears.
Claus made a lame attempt at sympathy and patted her on the back saying there – there a lot. Tears were escaping from her eyes and Claus tapped them with the tip of his fingers making them spiral off into the air.
Their attention turned to Haruka who was tearing into Healey for his stubbornness. “Now will you help?” she yelled.
Healey’s face became serious, “Okay, give me a line to Schaefer, John; it’s time we offered are services.”
Schaefer and Healey went way back, to their teens in fact. They both attended a boarding school in Kent, England and were forced to spend even more time together in the holidays due to their fathers’ being business partners. At first glance, Schaefer appeared shy and weak but years of competitive cycling had sculpted his body into that of a lean athlete with a ruthless attitude to match. Unlike Healey he was not a great talker, preferring to watch his competitors in the background, waiting for the right time to strike and overpower.
Within minutes Healey and Schaefer faced each via their video monitors. Healey gave a warm greeting to his rival who wasted no time in condemning him on his interference.
“What’s this I hear about you wanting to take over the rescue operation of the shuttle passengers?”
“Calm down Michael, I only want what’s best for the passengers. Can’t we put aside old quarrels?” Healey retorted with a smile.
Schaefer was gritting his teeth with annoyance but being fully aware of the fact that their call was probably being listened in on he decided to be diplomatic, “What makes you think you can do a better job then?”
“Well my old friend, I’ve got a portable airlock.”
Michael Schaefer began to laugh, “Don’t tell me you actually built that thing. Wasn’t that your old, school science project?”
“Oh, you remember it then; I always was ahead of the times, wasn’t I!” Healey just stared back, waiting for a response. Schaefer looked thoughtful as he raked his fingers through his lank black hair. “I suppose you’ve already briefed the crew on the station.”
“You suppose rightly and they are all for it.”
In a monotone voice, Schaefer gave his approval, “Well you’d better get on with it then.” The man leant forward without making another comment and switched off the monitor.
Healey stared at his reflection in the dead screen; he preferred to have the last word.
Stefan sensed the tension, “What a charming man!”
Healey grimaced, “He was actually more pleasant than usual.”
They watched him think, waiting for his lead.
Healey returned to clarity and snapped his fingers at John, “Get the Space Station back on the line and arrange a face to face meeting.”
It was arranged, Healey, Stefan and Eileen would meet Schaefer and his team on board the station while Claus and Haruka readied the Portable Airlock Extraction Unit.
It only took a couple of minutes for the Bug to rendezvous with the station and security guards greeted them at the airlock. Eileen pushed past, desperate to see her uncle, and shouted at the nearest person for directions to the medical department. She dragged herself along using the railings that ran down the length of the corridors, looking left and right at every intersection. Finally, a sign caught her attention ahead and she forced herself forward until she came upon a large window with blinds behind. Peering through a tiny crack, she could just make out some doctors surrounding a patient strapped to a bed. Looking around for an entrance, she noticed an intercom and pressed the red button hard, which induced a piercing buzz.
“Hello, can I help you.”
“Yes, sorry – it’s Doctor Eileen Nash here. I thi
nk you’ve got my uncle with you – Professor Anthony Browning?”
“Oh yes, come on in – the entrance is at the next intersection to the right. Someone will be with you shortly to fit you with a clean suit.”
Eileen turned the corner and was buzzed through to an anti-room where she could get changed. The whole medical section was completely independent from the rest of the station to ensure the air was pure and to keep infections isolated. She slipped the thin yellow jumpsuit over her legs while floating ungainly in front of an amused nurse who caught her by the elbow and brought her close so she could hook Eileen’s feet into soft boots. When Eileen zipped her suit up to her chin, the room suddenly filled with a white cloud that stung her eyes and at this point, the nurse told her to spin herself so the disinfectant could reach everywhere. She was then told to pull herself down using the railings until her feet touched the floor. A magnetic force took over and anchored her boots to the ground with a clicking sound.
“Just walk normally, the boots will release as you walk,” the nurse explained.
“Oh, I’m familiar with these things. You can’t really have people floating around with scalpels in their hands, can you?”
“Sounds like you’ve had a bad experience,” the nurse commented.
“Indeed,” she replied, “Exposed organs and zero gravity don’t mix!”
The nurse nodded, knowingly and they both entered the ward.
The room gleamed white under the glowing panels in the ceiling. Sterile tools glistened beneath glass cases in vertical structured beside the beds. Medical facilities in Space, even when gravity was not possible, arranged the fixtures with an obvious up and down to avoid confusion.
Professor Browning sat up on a padded table at the far end of the ward and lifted his hand to greet his niece. Eileen moved as quickly as the magnetic boots would allow and took her uncle’s hand in hers.
He noticed the tears welling in her eyes and smiled, “I’m fine sweetheart, don’t cry now.”
“Are you sure – they say you had a heart attack.”
“Only a small one; they say I have you to thank for that.”
Eileen made a small gesture to throw off the compliment and half turned to look at the information displayed on his ECG monitor.
“Well you’re safe now, that’s all that matters,” she said as she looked upon his frail face and overgrown, silvery beard.
The Professor remained silent for a moment and then whispered, “It was the most incredible feeling.”
“The heart attack?” Eileen interrupted in astonishment.
“No – space...” he shifted slightly and a huge smile grew on his weathered face as he remembered. “It was so beautiful – just like you told me.” They hugged each other as the nursing staff looked on and Eileen felt the guilt she had been feeling, melt away.
The air within the Space station had turned stale; the ventilation system struggling to cope with the concentration of guests. Healey and Stefan followed their chaperone to the command hub, the only part of the craft that still had gravity. Normally clean and ordered, the quarters they were passing, resembled shanty towns, with families spilling into the corridors for respite.
Healey tutted.
The technician felt the need to explain, “We’ve realised it’s too much to expect the tourists to adapt to zero G, we have them up here in shifts, just to give them a break.”
“I’m surprised they’re still here,” Stefan said, “It’s hardly a holiday atmosphere.”
“Some of them left on a supply shuttle but most feel since they’ve paid for it – they’ll make the most of the situation.” Healey glanced into a side room, rammed full of people eating rehydrated food off lap trays.
Their guide opened the door to the flight deck. A darkly dressed figure rose as they entered. There was a strange atmosphere.
Healey simply nodded at Schaefer and crossed the room to shake hands with Captain Olivetti.
“Thank you for coming so swiftly, Mr. Healey. We thought you’d be a little longer so we accepted Mr. Schaefer’s offer.”
“Yes, seems that didn’t go so well,” Healey preened, looking sideways at his uncomfortable competitor.
“Well, needs must. We have to think about the safety of our passengers first and foremost so obviously, I’m keen to get your rescue in motion.”
Healey introduced Stefan who had been standing quietly in the corner. “This is Stefan Andersen, he will be coordinating the rescue and subsequent repairs.”
Stefan fumbled for a thumb drive in his pocket.
While Stefan busied himself relaying their strategy to the Captain and crew, Healey wandered over to Schaefer. “I must say I’m surprised to see you up here – you’re normally tucked up in your boardroom.”
Schaefer nonchalantly took a seat, “Wish I can say the same about you – but you’re more at home on the celebrity circuit aren’t you.”
Healey perched on the desk beside him and looked down, “Are we just going to trade insults?”
Schaefer smiled, “It’s hard to break old habits.” He lent forward and took a coffee from the table, holding it out like a peace offering. “I’m actually taking a leaf out of your book, being more active in the company. I took a place on our latest mission; satellite retrieval and a rendezvous with IS2. It’s good to keep your hand in, as they say.” His casual explanation did not fool Healey; it would have taken Schaefer months to get back in shape and familiarise himself with the ever-changing flight procedures.
“Well good on ya.” Healey chirped, clinking Schaefer’s paper cup.
They sipped silently.
Unable to curb his curiosity, Schaefer asked, “So who are these people?” He gestured towards Stefan, his voice carrying unabashed disapproval.
Healey was not ready to divulge his plans, especially not to him. “Oh, they’ve been with me for a while – they’ve just come back from a supply run I made to Mars.”
“….so, they are delivery drivers?”
Healey left the perspicacious statement hanging, enjoying Schaefer’s frustration at being left in the dark. He rose. “Well, I’d better be off, busy day ahead. It was great catching up.”
Schaefer hastily followed suit but Healey was already out of the door. He could only call after him, “I know what you’re up to Healey!” He reached the corridor but Healey was nowhere to be seen. “I have satellites everywhere!”
Chapter Six
The Portable Airlock Extraction Unit or ‘Tin Can’ as it was affectionately known was the strange red orb, deposited in the Caspian's hanger. Haruka and Claus squeezed themselves into the tight circular entrance and moved across to the seats at the control desk. The sphere comprised of two sections: the upper deck contained the flight deck and the lower housed the canister shaped airlock that emerged from the orb on a telescopic arm to connect onto the hatch of another craft. The airlock unit would then latch, airtight onto the shuttle and allow the passengers to pass through without spacesuits. Air lines travelled along the arm between the unit and the orb to keep the occupants pressurised and safe.
Haruka flicked switches to engage the thrusters, launched up the navigation computer, and studied the protocol Herman had installed. She opened a comm link to Herman back on the Caspian so he could guide her through the unfamiliar systems.
Claus tested the hydraulics on the airlock unit by sending it out into the hanger as far as the space would allow. It was working perfectly and Claus smiled to himself, enjoying the new toy.
As soon as its pilots were satisfied with the preparations the orb glided past the open hanger doors and turned in the direction of the station. Ahead, the shuttle became visible amongst a tangle of metal within the large gravity generation wheel. Only a dim light shone through the windows of the shuttle that was now running on emergency power. It looked like a ghost ship, Haruka thought.
Using information from the computer projections, Claus guided Haruka past the structure until they were near enough for an extract
ion. It took a few minutes for Haruka to position the orb correctly for the arm to reach the airlock at the correct angle. As soon as she achieved this, a bleep sounded from the guidance system and Haruka killed the thrusters.
Claus swiveled in his chair to face the controls for the portable airlock. In the section below a hatch opened and the portable airlock passed through, pushed outward by the thick, telescopic arm. They both watched its progress attentively until data appeared on a monitor to indicate the unit had touched the outer hatch of the shuttle. Claus entered the instructions for the locking mechanism, a series of clasps that hooked around the rim of the hatch. A message appeared on the monitor: UNIT ENGAGED.
The inner door on the PAEU automatically opened and two passengers waiting inside the shuttle’s airlock compartment received the order to open their outer hatch to reveal the claustrophobic canister. The passengers, a couple from California, wriggled around in the confined space until they could hang on to grab rails on the walls. Two windows on either side of the unit were a welcome addition and the couple distracted themselves from the cramped conditions by pressing their faces to the glass to view the station around them.
They both jumped when a cheery voice filled the canister, “Welcome to the ‘Tin Can’, I hope you enjoy your flight with us today, the journey will take approximately three minutes so unfortunately there will be no in- flight movie.” The young couple exchanged smiles, appreciating the humour in an otherwise tense situation.
A few clunks and hissing noises from the hydraulics were heard as the door behind them closed and the clamps released. Very slowly, the canister retracted back to the orb with its occupants safely stowed. The two barely had a chance to enjoy the scenery before a voice spoke again, “Welcome to the Orb, please remember all your luggage and ensure your seats are in the upright position.”