by Leon Castle
Chapter 62
Denise scans the monitor without really noticing anything when, with a jolt, she realized she can see another vessel on the asteroid close to quadrant 13. Checking coordinates, she realizes it is in one of the nearby hot zones. It’s PV 013 she’s found them! She thinks, then excitement gives way to fear, the hot zone is active and dangerous. She quickly opens communications with the Sobek. Mondok’s face fills the screen and Denise breathes a sigh of relief. ‘Mondok, I am so glad you are OK.’
He grins. ‘With a welcome like that, I should go in for a break more often.’
She shakes her head but doesn’t smile. He becomes serious. ‘What’s wrong, Denise?’
‘I’ve just caught sight of PV 013. They are now in a hot zone.’
‘Right, we’ll lock onto their coordinates, though I don’t know how that’s going to help. You will have a better idea of what’s going on over there.’
Denise nods. ‘I’ll keep watch.’
‘Tom told me what happened, Denise. Try not to worry. They could get back safely, and I don’t want you worrying yourself sick.’
Mondok’s anxious face warms Denise. ‘I’ll try not to,’ she promises
‘Oh, and I’d keep trying to contact them in case they get the communications running again. That Helena is really smart. he pauses, then laughs. ‘but not as smart as you.’
Denise gives a small smile, but she is pleased. Her attention returns, however, to the crisis. ‘I’d better go, Mondok, and try to contact them again.’
‘OK, I’ll catch you later.’
As PV 013 comes to a halt, Ben throws off his seatbelt and whoops. ‘Hey, we’re here.’
Drummer isn’t feeling any of the enthusiasm he expected he would. Enzot notices his apathy. ‘So, what’s wrong with you, sad sack?’
Drummer shakes his head. ‘Nothing. I just don’t see that there is anything to be excited about until we find ice.’
Enzot seems to consider his statement. ‘Hmm, maybe you’re right, He whistles, ‘Ben, save it for the ice.’
Ben stares at Drummer and then Enzot in disbelief. ‘You’re going to listen to him? I’m the team leader.’
Enzot smiles, ‘Wrong. I am.
Kenny and George had unhooked Davis’s stretcher, and Drummer ignores the power play going on between Enzot and Ben as he watches Davis being wheeled out by George, followed by Kenny and the females. Not one of them said a word, and Enzot and Ben haven’t noticed. They also didn’t notice how thin and emaciated Davis has become. He now lies quietly, unable to summon the energy to do anything. He is clearly dying. Drummer thinks of the remainder of the capsules. Perhaps they would give him enough life to keep going until they returned to the Sobek.
When he sees that Ben and Enzot are still busy arguing, He slips out of the room quietly and makes his way to the workshop where the capsules are hidden.
The air in Davis’s room is permeated with the odor of sickness, and Helena suggests they move Davis to her quarters. Kenny thinks her suggestion might have something to do with him being poisoned in the room but agrees it’s better for the health of them all not to be breathing in sickly odors all the time. Helena’s quarters are surprisingly cheerful for such a serious female. As Kenny retrieves water from her kitchen, his spirits are lifted by the canary colored walls, toned down only by the violet benchtops. Bekky has followed him in and grabs his waist from behind. He turns and kisses her. ‘We will get out of this Bekky, don’t worry.’
She smiles a brilliant smile. ‘Well, of course we will, silly.’
Helena enters the room and they draw apart, guiltily. She looks at them both.
‘Don’t stay apart on my account. Grab all the happiness you can.’ She grabs a bag. ‘I forgot something at Davis’s quarters.’
Kenny puts a hand on the bag. ‘Helena, take George with you. You’ve seen how crazy Enzot has become.’
She nods and goes into the lounge to ask George to escort her.
Drummer wonders how he was going to get the capsules to them now without being caught. Leaving them in the towels isn’t going to help now that Davis had no strength left to vomit, and with probably nothing left in his stomach, they won’t be using so many towels anyway. His hands shake as he considers his options. He approaches Davis’s quarters. They will be busy inside, perhaps he could leave the capsules outside the door, maybe nearer to the oasis so it looked like someone dropped them accidentally. He turns away from the door and walks straight into George, with Helena right behind him.
Drummer tries in vain to swallow his fear. ‘George, I was just coming to see how Davis is.’
George pins him against the wall by his neck and Drummer feels his grip tighten. ‘No, I’ve come to help.’ George makes no move to release him and Drummer feels the very real threat of death. ‘I have medicine?’ he squeaks, begging for his life.
George lets him go abruptly, and Drummer rubs his neck. ‘That’s quite a grip,’ he says shakily. ‘Can we talk in private? Enzot would kill me if he saw me here.’
Helena opens the door to Davis’s quarters and George shoves Drummer through the doorway, ahead of him. ‘OK, talk,’ he says when they are inside and the door closes.
Drummer brings out the capsules. He sees Helena’s eyes brighten and he passes them to her. She grabs them.
George glares at Drummer. ‘Tell me how you happen to have these capsules.’
Drummer sees that there is no way out of telling them what really happened. He hopes he isn’t going to die for it, but George is not going to be put off. He breaths deeply. ‘Before I tell you what happened, I want to help, but Enzot can’t know or he’ll kill me.’
‘He won’t be the only one if you don’t tell us now.’
‘Alright, I put the laxative in the cup.’ He sees the rage on George’s face. ‘But it was an accident,’ he adds quickly. ‘I didn’t mean to put that much in.’
‘Why?’ Helena asks. the pain on her face plainer to see than George’s anger.
‘I’m sorry,’ he says, in a small voice, ‘I was following Enzot’s orders.’
‘What are you, a Mazuban or a roach?’ George bellows. ‘you do have a mind of your own, don’t you?’
Helena grabs George’s arm. ‘George, don’t let the others know he’s here.’
Drummer only relaxes when George sits on a lounge chair and gestures for him to do the same. ‘Right, what you are going to do now is help us. In return, we will put in a good word for you when we get back to the Sobek.’
‘They’ll still charge me with attempted murder.’
George is unmoved. ‘OK, here’s your options. You help us and maybe get a reduced sentence, or Enzot knows you have just given us these capsules and told us everything. My guess is the sentence would be instant death from him.’
Drummer knows George is right, he has no other option. ‘Alright, what do you want me to do?’
‘Something really easy. When we get the communications link repaired, convince Chaze to fly us back to the Sobek.’
‘Chaze won’t do that!’
George shrugs. ‘It’s up to you to convince him and do it before you all go out drilling tomorrow.’
Drummer is incredulous. ‘Tonight?’
George shakes his head. ‘I suggest you start working on him right now.’ He strides to the door and opens it, looking to see if anyone is around. ‘Go quickly, now!’
After Drummer has left, George looks at Helena. ‘Tomorrow night we’ll know whether we celebrate or not.’
Helena holds out the capsules. ‘I think this warrants at least a dinner.’
George smiles. ‘Of course.’
When they return to Helena’s quarters, Kenny and Bekky listen to their news with growing excitement.
‘Do you think Drummer will convince Chaze?’ Kenny asks.
‘After George scaring the living daylights out of him, he’ll be jumping through hoops to get him to fly us back,’ laughs Helena. She becomes more somber. ‘I just hope t
hose capsules are going to help Davis.’
‘Well, they can’t hurt,’ says Bekky, softly.
Helena smiles at her and goes into the kitchen.
‘I’ll help you with dinner,’ says Bekky, following her.
As Drummer follows Enzot to the rig, the following morning he holds out new hope. Chaze had stunned him the day before by agreeing to fly them back. He, too, was becoming tired of Enzot throwing his weight around, but he said he would like to see what they find after a day out there, so he refused to fly back to the Sobek until the following evening, after they returned.
Drummer saw the obstinate look on Chaze’s face and knew he wouldn’t convince him to fly back earlier.
He was relieved that Kenny and George accepted the later time, though he knew they would be concerned, so is he each moment they stayed away from medical help, Davis was worsening and could die. With that thought on his mind he went out to the dock with Enzot. There has been no sight of George or Bekky on the dock and Drummer witnesses Enzot’s growing anger with concern. Finally, George appears but without his spacesuit or gear.
‘I’ve just come to tell you that I won’t be going out today or any other day, and neither will Bekky.’
Enzot glares at him. ‘So you are disobeying direct orders? Do you want to end up like Drummer, here?’
Drummer would normally have had a snide reply for that comment, but now his survival is at stake and he remains silent.
George seems to have no such fear. ‘Let me remind you that it was not us who declared mutiny and took possession of this vessel. We don’t want to be here, so we will not be part of the survey or drilling.’
Enzot glances at Ben who had just arrived. Drummer guesses his lateness is to annoy Enzot, who has taken his position as team leader.
‘What’s up?’ he asks, looking from George to Enzot.
Enzot smiles. ‘Absolutely nothing. I will be taking George’s rig and you and Drummer will take mine. We have two cowardly crew members who are backing out.’ He flashes a look of contempt at George. ‘Go back to the female, then, but don’t expect any of the bonus. I have witnesses here that you and your partners didn’t contribute.’
George shrugs and walks away without a word. Enzot looks at Drummer. ‘Well, what are you still doing here, get out and go with Ben.’
Drummer clambers back out onto the dock and Enzot sets the rig in motion. ‘First one to find ice gets half of the bonus!’ he yells at them.
Ben slips into his suit quickly. ‘Come on, Drummer. We’re not going to let that crazy mongrel beat us.’
Drummer reluctantly joins Ben and they bump over rocks in the race to be first to find ice.
After the drill rigs were well out of the way, Kenny gives the OK for Helena to start on repairing the communications systems with George’s help.
Chaze watches without comment. George glances at him a few times, wondering if he really can be trusted, but he knows they have no choice.
They’ve given him plenty of reason to help them. Chaze would also have a good word put in for him, plus he would have the knowledge that this time, this sole flight was to help save Davis, which would place him in a much better position than he is now.
Helena puts the last of the wires in place after a grueling two hours of checking all of the panels and the circuits. Enzot had deliberately tangled the wires which made the job more arduous, but finally she reconnects them all. ‘OK, ‘she says, ‘Let’s test it, now.’
When lights begin blinking to life on the panels and they hear the familiar sounds of electrical systems starting up, Helena’s cheering along with George’s whistling brings Kenny running to the flight deck. He stands stunned at the sight of the monitor’s online, and notices Chaze standing by with a bemused smile on his face as if he isn’t really sure he was a part of it all.
‘Hey Chaze. Join us in a celebration afterward. You made this possible too.’
Chaze grins. ‘Sure.’
Silence had settled over PV 005 with the drill rigs out on the patterns. Denise tries communicating with PV 013 again. She stares, amazed, as the monitor opens and the smiling image of Kenny appears. ‘Oh Kenny, you’re alright. I’ve been so worried.’
‘It’s OK now, Denise. When they come back in from the drilling, George and I are going to make a civil arrest of Enzot. Ben, too, if he resists. Drummer and Chaze are helping us now so we’ll be back, soon.’
‘How’s Davis?’
‘Really sick, but Drummer gave us more capsules for him that Enzot had hidden.’
‘So Drummer knew Enzot poisoned Davis?’
‘Denise, it was Drummer who did the poisoning on Enzot’s orders, and he said he didn’t mean to put so much in, but he’s is helping us now, so I said I would put in a good word for him when we get back, and for Chaze, too.’ He glances at Chaze who is standing to the side of the monitor.
‘Kenny, do me a favor and leave communications open. I won’t be happy until you are out of there.’
Kenny smiles. ‘You’re such a worrier, Denise. OK then.’ He turns to the rest of the crew.
Bekky and George laugh and Chaze joins in. Helena is busy giving Davis a sip of water.
No one was paying any heed to the omnidirectional screen, which gives a clear view of the entire exterior of PV 013. No one on PV 013 notices the small peanut shaped rock spiraling end-over-end out of control, inexorable on its crazy path, growing larger and larger as it rapidly closes the distance between them.
‘Kenny, I’ve zoomed in on your PV to keep an eye on you and your drillers.’
Kenny turns back to the monitor. ‘Yeah good, thanks, Denise, we need all the help we can get.’
Bekky moves in behind Kenny and smiles at Denise. ‘Kenny and I are getting engaged, Denise.’
‘Oh, I am so happy for you.’ Denise isn’t really surprised. It was obvious that they would marry sooner or later.
Kenny smiles at Bekky then looks at Denise seriously. ‘We decided not to wait, after…’
Denise is distracted by a movement on the other monitor. ‘Hold on a minute, Kenny, she says. ‘I think I saw something.’ She stares at the approaching object, and her heartbeat quickens as her face turns ashen with growing fear.
As if off in the distance, she can hear Kenny’s anxious voice. ‘What is it?’
‘Kenny…I’ve just picked up movement about 100 clicks out from your position, its closing fast…I’ve got a visual. Kenny. It’s huge! About the same size as the one you’re on. I’ll triangulate its speed and trajectory,’
Then she gasps. ‘Get out now! It’s coming straight at you!’ she screams at him.
Shock strikes like a sledgehammer blow, bringing Kenny to his knees, his vision swims with everything taking on a surreal look. ‘Get a grip man!’ he thinks, shaking his head violently to clear his mind. Then he moves, his actions instinctive, automatic. Ignoring Bekky’s cries of fear and the emotional maelstrom around him, he goes into action.
‘Get Davis ready Bekky’ he commands, grabbing her by the shoulders.
Bekky scurries off, taking George with her.
‘Ben, Enzot get back here now. We have an incoming asteroid. Impact is imminent come on, move!’
Enzot’s voice growls back at him. ‘Blow it out your ear Kenny, I’ve found ice. There’s more than enough here to build 10 cities…you are so full of crap!’
‘It’s your funeral idiot!’ replies Kenny. ‘Ben, Drummer get in here now!’
Kenny has Chaze fire up the thrusters. ‘The second those drillers are onboard we’re out of here Chaze… No bugger them! They put us at risk, we leave now! Raise the ramp and seal the air locks, now Chaze!’
‘Nolack-1, record that I am taking over command of this vessel.’
‘On my mark start the countdown for lift off.’
‘But Kenny!’ whimpers Chaze, ‘what about them?’ pointing at the still distant drillers on the screen.
Nolack-1 interrupts. ‘Emergency. Emergency. Emergency. All cre
w to muster points, all crew to muster points. Emergency. Emergency…’
The look of Kenny’s thunderous rage fills Chaze with mortal fear. ‘Lift of in… five…four…three.
In slow motion Kenny looks up out of the overhead sky window. His stomach lurches, his open slack mouth tastes like ash. He doesn’t even have time to raise his arms to cover his face, then eternal blackness.
Chaze sees Kenny’s face as he looked up, He has just enough time to look up himself, and too late he is smashed into oblivion.
Mercifully the rest of the team were tending to Davis at the time of the impact. They never saw it coming, and died instantly.
Drummer heard Kenny yelling at them, ‘Get out! There’s a huge rock coming.’
He calls to Ben. ‘We have to get back. An asteroid is heading our way!’
As they reach the drill rig Ben glances back and screams, ‘My God…!’
Drummer, seeing his expression, swings around wildly. As his eyes lock onto the giant piece of rock bearing down on them, wet warmth runs down his leg. Unable to move his feet, he feels rooted to the ground, his mouth gapes open in a silent scream as the massive rock smashes into their drill rig a direct hit, catapulting them along with shattered rock into space and oblivion.
Enzot has his back to the unfolding drama. With his drill rod buried deep in the rock it acts as an anchor, locking the rig onto the rock. The impact smashes and drops the rock the rig is attached to, the slab of rock behind him folds back on itself with the force of the impact, slamming the two rock faces together. The rig with Enzot inside explodes as they met, his screams are never heard.
Denise watches in horror with the rest of the prospecting vessel crews and the Sobek. who are now all tuned in to the unfolding horror.
The peanut shaped asteroid accelerates rapidly. Using its end over end spinning momentum, it covers the distance in no time. PV 013 takes a direct hit from the point of the asteroid, completely pulverizing it like a giant sledgehammer, with all souls lost. The impact smashes the two asteroids into dozens of smaller pieces. The drill rigs are smashed and pulverized as the broken pieces of rock collide and smash against each other.
Shocked disbelief settles on the crews like a dark toxic fog. Some are physically ill, everyone is freaked out.