by B. C. James
He pulled himself inside the elevator and slid the door shut. Scanning the controls, he found the button for the propulsion magazine. He pressed it, and the lift jerked downward. Unprepared for the sudden jolt, he frantically reached for a handhold. His hand closed on a metal handle just before he slammed into the top of the lift. One side of the handle tore free from the wall as it arrested his inertia.
“Damn zero-G,” he cursed to himself. He was used to working on the outside of ships in zero gravity, but usually, the ships held still.
Remembering he was still wearing his magnetic boots from when they’d first boarded the Endurance, he switched them on. The boots clunked to the floor, planting him firmly to the metal as the lift continued its descent.
The lift slowed to a halt, and he pulled open the door, stepping into the nuclear propulsion magazine. The room was massive. Huge racks lined the curved walls, rising at least ten meters over his head. Rows of round metallic balls about half a meter in diameter were neatly stacked on the racks. There must be thousands of nuclear charges here, he thought as he gazed up in wonder, pondering the enormous amount of power surrounding him.
Toward the center of the room, a tubular structure ran down from the ceiling and halted just above the floor. Its interior was filled with the round metal balls. Halfway along its length, a horizontal tube reached out toward the racks. This must be the loading mechanism, he thought as he gazed up at the queued charges. Each one of these tiny spheres could destroy a small city, but when their destructive force was harnessed, they could propel the Endurance faster than any other technology at the time it was built.
He moved to the center of the room. The tube hovered above the floor, leaving a gap between it and a round hatch sunk into the deck plating. Next to the hatch, a console stood on the floor. He searched the controls for a way to reprogram the detonation timer on the next charge but came up empty-handed.
“Looks like I’ll have to do it manually,” he said to himself. After putting the system into maintenance mode, he pressed a button and a short warning buzzer sounded. There was a series of clicks and a charge dropped from the end of the tube. It popped out, hitting the closed hatch and bouncing around wildly. Shit, he thought as the charge clanged against the metal hatch. He grit his teeth as it bounced up, striking the end of the tube before finally settling down. He felt like he was playing pinball with nuclear bombs.
When the charge came to a rest, he found an access panel on its curved exterior. He popped it open and located the detonation timer controls. Estimating the distance to the edge of the warp field and the speed at which the charges were shot out the magnetic rail, he calculated the necessary delay in his head. The pressure weighed on him. He would only get one shot at this. He froze, second-guessing himself, thinking of the lives that depended on him. He had to get this right, or they were all dead.
“Briggs, It’s getting a little toasty up here,” Sharp’s voice called over the comm. “You almost ready with that nuke?”
The noise jolted him from his mental stupor, and with renewed confidence, he set the fuse to his original estimate. He had to trust his instincts.
“Just about,” he replied as he closed the access panel. He stood and opened the hatch in the floor. The metal ball didn’t move, instead, it hovered just above the hole. “Shit,” he whispered as he lurched toward the charge. He grabbed hold of its girth, clumsily struggling to hold its smooth surface in his grasp. Anchoring his magnetic boots to the floor, he heaved the ball down into the hole. The hatch automatically slid shut behind it.
Locked and loaded, he thought as he moved back to the control console. “Ready to fire, Captain,” he said into his comm.
“Do it,” was all Sharp replied.
“Hold onto your butts,” he said as he pushed the button. The floor vibrated as the huge capacitors feeding the electromagnetic cannon released their energy. The cannon twanged as it forced the metal encased nuclear charge through its length at supersonic speed and shot it out the end.
Briggs held onto the console, bracing himself as he waited for the blast.
15
EVA
Sharp cinched down the straps holding him to the bridge chair as tight as they would go. Morales did the same beside him, keeping one hand on the stick to hold the ship steady. Behind, Arnold found a jump seat that folded out from the wall. He strapped himself in and gripped the handles running along the bottom cushion.
Sharp dug his fingers into the armrests, anticipating the blast. This is insane, he thought. Why was he so determined to get back to his ship? Should they just stay on the Endurance and let the Rojo go? That would definitely be safer than firing a nuke at a warp field. They could relax and take it easy while waiting for the rescue ship Pierce had promised to send.
The thought of Pierce made him realize why he had to act, why he had to retake his ship, even at the great risk they were taking. He couldn’t let Pierce escape. He couldn’t let him hurt anyone else. He had to stop him here and now. If he disappeared into the population of Alpha Centauri, it would be near impossible to find him again.
A flash illuminated the bridge, filling it with blinding light as the explosion erupted behind them. Sharp clenched his jaw as he waited for the shock wave. The blast slammed into the Endurance, sending the ship lurching forward. His arms flailed wildly, smacking into his own face. A warm trickle of blood formed in his nose. Tiny red droplets escaped and floated in zero gravity, splattering back in his face as the ship heaved from the shock wave. He wiped the blood from his eyes and looked out the viewport. The ship careened toward the Pescado Rojo’s central hull. “Morales,” he yelled.
She ignored him as she fought with the stick, pulling back hard trying to stop their advance while adjusting to the turbulence of the shock wave. The ship slowed, but not enough, and the groan of metal on metal rang out as the nose of the Endurance dug into the Rojo. The nose deflected off the hull and the ship’s back end swung down toward another collision. Morales let out a grunt as she tried to counter the rotation. The ship clanged like a bell as the rear end gently tapped the Rojo and bounced off.
Morales finally got them leveled out. With one hand still vigilant on the stick, she sat back with a huff. Smiling, she wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Sorry for the bumpy ride,” she joked.
Sharp smiled back then looked out the viewport. The stars around them were still. They’d done it. The blast had dropped them out of warp, and the dark hulk of the Pescado Rojo loomed before them. Her running lights were offline. The only illumination came from small showers of sparks floating out from the hull in half a dozen spots, drifting off into the void before snuffing out from the cold. She must’ve lost main power. He hoped the damage wasn’t too severe. “You scratched my ship, Ensign,” he teased.
“Sorry, Sir, I did my best. I think we lost about half the maneuvering thrusters back there. Maybe you should take the controls next time,” she shot back.
Sharp chuckled as he unfastened his harness, freeing himself from the chair. He glanced at Arnold, making sure he’d survived. Arnold gave him a half-hearted nod and a thumbs up. Nodding back in acknowledgment, he clicked on his comm. “You did it, Briggs. Good work.” Only static came back over the speaker. “Briggs?” he said again. “You okay down there?” Still no answer. His heart sank. He hoped Briggs was alright, and that the silence was due to the comm system being damaged by the blast. “Arnold, you’re with me. Morales, hold our position,” he said as he moved to the exit and pulled himself down the ladder.
He raced through the darkened ship, trying to keep his mind from imagining the worst case scenario. As much as he hoped Briggs was unhurt as his friend and colleague, there was also the nagging concern over losing another engineer. Franklin had already been killed, and if the Rojo was badly damaged Sharp would need Briggs to fix it. Otherwise, they would be stranded. Pierce had taken them off course. They were no longer near any shipping lanes. It was unlikely anyone would stumble upon them out here in the
empty void. If Briggs was dead, then so were the rest of them.
Feeling his anxiety rising, he pushed the dark thoughts to the back of his mind. He reached engineering and floated down next to the elevator. He pushed the control panel to call the lift back to their level. Nothing happened. Either the power was out to the lift, or something was blocking it. He tried the exterior door, but it was locked. Arnold floated down next to him and moved him out of the way. “Let me try,” he said as he smashed his boot into the latch. The door buckled and popped open slightly. Sharp looked at him with a questioning look. Arnold shrugged his shoulders and yanked the door open. Its deformed frame only allowed it to open halfway, but there was enough room for them to squeeze through into the empty lift tube.
The two of them pushed off and glided down the cylinder. They passed by the doors for the cargo section and Sharp found himself reminded of the disagreement over the embryos which had set this chain of events into motion. That was Pierce’s weakness, he thought. He had to find a way to use the embryos against him. But first, he had to make sure Briggs was safe then get back to the Rojo.
When they reached the propulsion level, they found the elevator car blocking their path. Sharp studied the top of the car. There had to be a way in. He reached down and brushed his fingers over the smooth metal surface. As he neared the side, a cover slid back revealing a lever. He pulled it and a round hatch popped open, exposing the interior of the car.
Down inside, Briggs’ limp body floated face up, halfway in the lift. His mag boots anchored him to the floor of the propulsion room. His torso straddled the threshold, blocking the lift door from closing.
Sharp’s heart sank, but he put on a brave face and squirmed through the narrow access hatch, trying not to assume the worst. He moved down to Briggs. With one hand, he cradled him and checked for a pulse with the other. Relief washed over him as a faint rhythm pulsed beneath his fingers. Briggs was alive. Barely able to contain his joy, Sharp slapped him hard across the face in an attempt to rouse him. The sound of smacking skin echoed in the confines of the lift car, but Briggs remained unresponsive. Sharp’s stomach knotted, and his despair returned.
Arnold floated down beside him and jabbed his knuckles against Briggs’ chest, grinding them into his sternum unmercifully. His protective instincts kicking in, Sharp tried to push him away. Arnold pushed back and continued. Briggs stirred from the pain. His eyes squinted open, and he looked up at Sharp.
“Did it work, Cap,” he asked slowly.
“Yeah, it worked,” Sharp laughed and pulled him into a hug.
“Good,” Briggs replied, looking around groggily, trying to get his bearings. “I was on my way back to the elevator.”
“Almost made it,” Arnold said sarcastically. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
Arnold pushed off and pulled himself through the access hatch. Sharp reached over to Briggs’ wrist and switched off his magnetic boots. He hoisted him toward the ceiling, and Arnold caught Briggs by the arms, helping him through the narrow hole.
Sharp moved to follow, but as soon as he was clear of the lift door it thunked shut, startling him. He turned his attention back to the access hatch just in time to see it slide closed as well, cutting him off from his companions. As soon as the hatch was sealed, the lift jerked to life and began moving up the shaft. Briggs unconscious body had been blocking the door from closing, and now that he was out of the way, the lift was on its way to the engineering level with Briggs and Arnold trapped on top of it.
Sharp jumped to the access hatch and yanked the release lever, desperately trying to get it open. It wouldn’t budge. He looked up through the small window in the hatch. The passageway ended at engineering, and there was no space above the lift when it was at the top. The two of them would be crushed. Sharp knew the door to engineering was still half-open, but he doubted there would be enough time for the two of them to squeeze through before the advancing elevator squashed them into jelly. He had to think fast. “Arnold,” he yelled into his comm. “Get up to engineering and get Briggs through the door. I’ll try to stop the lift from in here.”
Arnold nodded and after placing Briggs’ arm around his shoulder pushed off the rising platform. The force of his jump combined with the speed of the elevator sent the pair zooming up through the tube.
Sharp searched the control panel, hoping for some kind of emergency stop. The level selection buttons were all he found. He repeatedly stabbed the propulsion section button to no avail. The top of the tube was drawing near. Sharp looked up to see Arnold frantically attempting to shove Briggs through the broken doorway with little success.
His eyes returned to the lift controls, searching for anything that might help. He mashed the buttons desperately hoping one would halt their ascent, but the lift continued to rise. Out of sheer frustration, he braced himself against the wall and smashed his heel into the control panel. The panel crunched under the force and limply swung open. Inside was a thick bundle of wires. Reaching in, he grabbed the bundle and pulled as hard as he could. The connections broke free, sending him crashing to the floor, the severed wires still clutched in his palm. The lift continued upward without so much as a hiccup.
Sharp grasped at the walls, trying to get back up. His fingers closed around a long metal handle. It wobbled under his weight. It had broken free from its top mounting point and slanted inward as he pulled himself up. It gave him an idea. Putting one foot up on the side of the lift, he bent the bar down with all his might. The bar broke free and sent him stumbling into the wall.
He winced and pushed himself to his feet. A quick glance up told him he was nearly out of time. His two crewmates were still in the shaft with the elevator drawing ever closer.
Reacting quickly, he stabbed the bar through the door as the lift passed the level before engineering. The bar pierced the glass like a spear and caught the edge of the ceiling. Ripping out of his hands, the bar jumped up at an angle, lodged between the lift floor and the wall of the tube. The elevator ground to a halt, and after a few jerking attempts to restart, came to a rest in the cylinder.
Sharp moved away from his impromptu emergency brake and looked up. The lift had stopped halfway between levels, and Briggs and Arnold were squeezed into the tiny space remaining above it. Sharp reached up and released the emergency hatch.
“A little sooner would’ve been nice,” Arnold quipped.
“Better late than never,” Sharp replied.
Arnold contorted his way past Briggs and wiggled out the door. Reaching back, he pulled Briggs through while Sharp helped push from behind. Sharp plopped out of the door after him and looked back at the mangled elevator.
“I hope we don’t need to get back down to propulsion any time soon,” he joked.
The three battered men leaned against the elevator, laughing while they tried to catch their breath.
***
Sharp gazed out the viewport at his darkened ship. It seemed close enough to reach out and touch. He wanted off this ship. He’d had just about enough of the Endurance trying to kill him, and wanted to get back to his ship as soon as possible, but a barrier of cold vacuum stood in his way.
“We need to get back to the Rojo,” he said, turning to address his remaining crewmates assembled on the bridge.
They looked around at one another, waiting for someone to offer up an idea.
“There’s still one lander module,” Morales spoke up, breaking the silence. “If it has thrusters, I can fly us over to the Rojo.”
“Yeah, but then how do we get inside?” Arnold criticized.
Briggs cleared his throat behind them. He’d found a seat against the back wall, and when they turned to look at him, he held up an EVA suit they’d left on the ship during their first visit. “I can go over ahead of you and try to jimmy open a cargo bay from the outside.”
Sharp considered the plan for a moment. If Briggs was up for it, it just might work. He could use the EVA suit to get a door open while the rest of them rode ov
er in the lander. The cargo bay door was more than big enough for the small landing craft to fly through. But it was a dangerous mission. He would rather send himself or Arnold out into the void. They’d just finished rescuing Briggs from the propulsion room, and Sharp didn’t like the thought of putting his only engineer back into harm’s way. On the other hand, Briggs had the most spacewalk experience, and the necessary expertise to release the bay door, plus he was the only one still wearing a compression suit. For the plan to work, it would have to be Briggs out there.
“Alright, Briggs,” Sharp said reluctantly. “You sure you’re well enough for a walk?”
“Sure, Cap,” Briggs replied. “I’m feeling better. Not quite a hundred percent, but I think I can handle it.”
“Okay, suit up,” Sharp ordered. He turned to the others. “Arnold, transfer the O2 from the other modules over to Briggs’ tanks. That’ll give him a little more time out there if he needs it. Morales, get down to the lander and prep it for launch. Arnold and I will be down as soon as we get Briggs out the airlock, and I want it ready to fly. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.” She gave him a quick salute and darted off the bridge.
As Sharp turned back to the viewport, the lights on the control consoles caught his eye and made him stop to think. He turned to Arnold who was helping Briggs with the oxygen transfer. “Arnold, I’ll finish that,” he said as he took over the procedure. “I want you to get down to engineering and cut main power. Sabotage the main relays so if Pierce somehow makes it back here, he won’t be able to use the Endurance against us.”
Arnold frowned. “Shouldn’t you send the engineer?” he said, looking over to Briggs.
“Our engineer is a little busy right now,” Sharp replied. “I’m sure you can figure it out. After you’re done, meet me at the lander.”
“Alright, whatever you say,” Arnold said, shaking his head.
Sharp turned to Briggs. “Ensign, can you instruct the Lieutenant what to do down there. I don’t want him cutting the wrong wire and electrocuting himself.”
