* * * *
James and Daniel stretched out as they allowed the heat from the sauna to soak into their sore, tired muscles.
James groaned. “I never thought exercising in the absence of gravity would be harder than exercising on Earth.”
“Yeah, that’s some workout all right. You end up using different muscles than you do in gravity. I had a chance to practice zero-gee acrobatics when I was here before, but just for fun—never anything that intense. Murtagh made it look easy, though, didn’t he?”
“I’ll say. If I’m ever half that good I’ll figure I’m doing well.”
Daniel nodded. “Same here. Let’s just hope we never need to be that good.”
“You said it. Speaking of need, I need a beer.”
“I’m with you. An ice cold beer—or two—and then a nice soft bed. And the best part is,” Daniel paused for effect with a wolfish grin, “we get to do it all again tomorrow!”
James groaned again. “Oh-h-h-h. Don’t remind me.”
* * * *
0800, Day 2, Hangar Fourteen. The new hires stood on their marks, waiting for direction from Murtagh. He’d kept them there, in suspense for three minutes, without saying a word. Just staring. Beads of sweat had began to pop up on more than one forehead.
Murtagh opened his mouth, but before he could speak the deck trembled as if struck with a massive hammer. Then a klaxon sounded. WAH-WAH-WAH-WAH.
Those assembled looked at one another in confusion—except for Murtagh.
“That’s the containment alarm. There’s been a hull breach. This ain’t a drill, children. Y’all don’t have duty stations, so stay here while I check it out. Y’all’ll be safe here. The hangar’s air-tight.”
He raced out into the main passageway, shutting the hanger hatch behind him and leaving the new hires feeling alone and vulnerable in the huge, empty hangar. For a moment no one moved off their marks. Then they began to mill around and form small groups.
Daniel approached James and spoke softly. “As big as the ODF is, something serious had to happen for us to feel it.”
James nodded. “I was just thinking the same thing. Should we go and see if we can help?”
“I suspect a mob of newbies milling around aimlessly would be more of a nuisance than a help. I’m the only one here who knows his way around the station or knows any of the station procedures. Everyone else would just get in the way. I’d go myself, but Murtagh told us to stay here. He’d skin me alive if he came back and I was gone.”
“Yeah, I guess. So…what? We just stand around until he gets back?”
Daniel shrugged.
With nothing else for the new hires to do but speculate, the theories grew wilder and wilder, until finally Daniel stepped in to calm the others down.
“Look people, there’s no use guessing what happened. Murtagh will be back soon and then he’ll let us know. In the meantime, how about doing calisthenics to burn off some nervous energy?”
His suggestion was met with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, but at least the frantic mood was broken. After that, everyone stood around listlessly, waiting.
Then Daniel sucked in his breath and went pale.
“What’s the matter?” James asked, softly.
Daniel pointed above the hatch. The green light had turned red.
James frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means the hatch is sealed because there’s a vacuum on the other side.”
Now it was James’ turn to go pale. “What the hell happened out there?”
Daniel shook his head and shrugged. “Let’s keep it to ourselves for now. No sense panicking the others.”
“Good, because I’m panicking enough for all of us.”
That drew a smirk from Daniel that faded quickly. After that, there was nothing to do but wait and worry. Each minute seemed longer than the last. It didn’t take long for the speculation to begin again.
“I know what that red light means,” one young man whispered to another, pointing. “It means there’s no air outside.”
In the dead air of the chamber, the sibilance of his whisper was as audible as a shout, causing everyone to turn his way. Eyes widened in fear. Faces tightened. Several people swallowed.
“What if no one’s coming for us?” he continued. “What if everyone else is-is dead? What if we’re stuck in here until we all suffocate?”
“None of that, Andropov!” Daniel barked, hoping to keep the situation from getting out of control. “It’s probably just a minor malfunction. This is a big place, with lots of people and someone will be back to get us any time now. Just relax and try to stay calm.”
Andropov opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it and nodded. Some of the electricity faded from the air. The crowd that had gathered around Andropov began to disperse.
James winked at Daniel. The he turned back to the red light, willing it to turn green. He continued to stare at it. It stubbornly refused to change color.
Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen. James kept staring and sweating. Finally, after eighteen long minutes, the light turned green.
Then red. Then green. Then red again. Then green.
James looked to Daniel. “Does that mean it’s safe now?”
The other shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe the wiring’s shorting out. Or maybe the air’s being sucked out of other parts of the station and as it passes by the hangar it tricks the pressure sensor into thinking there’s air out there. Who knows?” He shrugged again.
“Thanks for the reassurance.” James resumed staring.
Three minutes later, the hangar hatch cycled and everyone tensed. Who would it be? Emergency personnel? Terrorists? An invading army?
James whispered to Daniel, “Are we about to be rescued or slaughtered?”
Daniel, face pale, swallowed and stared at the hatch.
Sunrise Destiny Page 33
