by A J Britnell
He knew what to do now. Reaching out, his gloved fingers hooked around the casing of the man’s life- support system and he managed to pull the man too him. A rugby tackle later, he was pinning the man to the ground, searching for the external controls on his life-support. On finding it, he adjusted the oxygen enough to render the man unconscious. John rolled him over and studied the drowsy face beneath the glass, he was very young. Reckoning he didn’t have much time before the lad took a turn for the worst, John bounced back to the buggy for something to restrain him. Feeling a little desperate now, he thrust his hand into the tool box and found a roll of insulation tape. He returned quickly, muttering as he went, “Come on John, you don’t want to kill him just yet.”
He hit the comms switch on his wrist, “Come in, Herman”
“Here, John. What’s up?”
“I’ve apprehended.... phew... Jesus...Christ...our little friend,” John’s voice broke occasionally as he hefted the unconscious man towards his buggy. “Oh crap!” He remembered that his buggy was buried in the dirt so he dropped the man to the ground and fetched a spade.
“Are you sure you're okay John?"
"Sure... Just don't think I thought this through; it's a two- man job even in this gravity."
Herman listened to his friend moan and imagined the man's arms and legs being folded into the cramped buggy. "We're headed for the second pylon – the first was fried.”
“Okay, I’m gonna take this guy back to the hotel before he wakes up in an even worse mood!"
“Come back and help us though, right.”
“Aghh, thought I’d have a nice cup of tea!”
“Don’t you dare!”
Herman was smiling. He felt braver, just hearing the man’s voice.
Chapter Thirteen
The foyer had become a situation room. Wheeled crates containing space suits and tools circled the area. Quickly the team readied themselves, taking it in turns to help each other with their new unfamiliar suits.
Stefan had gathered together two teams; a mix of EVAC and hotel staff to mount a rescue for the people trapped inside the Apollo Tunnel. They were not hopeful; two hours had passed since the lock-down and they had no way of monitoring the life support. Optimistically, a pair of medics sorted through a rucksack, lining up defibrillators and oxygen canisters for a potential resuscitation.
“Okay, we know what our jobs are. Claus, try and get some communications up and see if anyone's still alive in there. I'm going to take my team out to check the integrity of the glass - we might hopefully be able to see in - they could be unconscious or something.” His voice was tired and gravelly. Struggling to his feet, he rubbed his temples with callused fingers. “Let's get on with it then!” Stefan ordered and headed off for the nearest airlock.
Claus nodded and lead his group away to the east door where there was believed to be a family in the second section. When they arrived, they were met by a technician, squatting on his tool box trying to restore communications.
“How's it going?”
The man squinted up at Claus, with bloodshot eyes, “Oh, sorry sir - I think I'm there.” He pulled out a soldering pen and finished his alterations before replacing the board in the circuitry. “I had to bypass the computer because of the virus but it will work to and from this terminal if that's any help.”
“We'll done. Have you tested it?”
“No, not yet.”
Claus moved nearer the terminal, “We'll we'd better find out if anyone's alive before we risk any more lives.”
The technician pointed out the controls and Claus apprehensively spoke into the ether, “Ah - this is EVAC Rapid Response Team. Is there anyone trapped in the Apollo tunnel?”
Just static.
After a few seconds, the crackle started to break and a man's voice could be heard faintly, “Yes, we're here - there're four of us - two children.”
Claus looked to the heavens in relief, “That's fantastic! How are you holding up?”
"Not too bad, though the kids are pretty terrified.” The mother could be heard in the background reassuring their children that help was on its way. They whimpered softly and Claus could imagine them all huddled together, clinging on to hope. “Are you going to get us out now?”
“We'll- we've got a team on the outside checking out the situation and we're going to see if we can get the sensors working here so we can see what power you've got in there.”
“I can save you the job. The lights are out, it's freezing cold and we're starving.”
“Pretty grim then. Is the ventilation on?”
“Yes - it went off for a while but it came back on again thank god.”
“Okay, I'll see if they can raise the temperature for you,” Claus released the button and requested the technician to forward the information to the control room, “Okay they're gonna see if they can make it a little more comfortable - just try and hang on a little longer. Oh, by the way, did you see anyone else in there before the doors came down?”
A gentle voice replied, barely audible, “I can see them –Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright - across from us, through the window.”
Claus visualized the situation; the tunnel arced round in a semi-circle around the Apollo Lander staging. With the shutters up you could see across the middle and the visitors on the other side, all staring with their faces against the glass, taking in the historic site.
“Are they okay?”
“......No, I don't think so; they haven't moved in ages,” the father paused a moment, “We were waving at each other at the beginning, my wife tried to show messages on a piece of paper but we were too far apart. I’m not sure they’re still with us.”
Hearing the desperation in the man’s voice, Claus interrupted and tried to fill the family with hope and surmised that the couple was probably asleep from the cold.
Claus moved away from the console and pressed his ear-piece, “Where are you Stefan?”
There was an instant reply, “We've just got outside; we're heading for the west side.”
“Right, well let me fill you in; we have a family of four trapped, the side where you are now - about four sections in I think. They have kids so get in touch with your feminine side and don't freak them out more than necessary.”
Stefan smiled.
“There’s an elderly couple too but that’s not looking so good. The family can see them on the other side but they've been still for some time. I’m thinking hyperthermia…. or worse.”
Picking up speed, Stefan bobbed along with urgency until he reached the forth compartment. And there they were; a couple in their early thirties with two very small children. He touched the glass and his gloved hand and was joined by a tiny palm. The girl appeared to be around four to Stefan's untrained eye and thankfully wore a snow suit with the hood tight around her elf-like face. She was smiling.
Stepping back for a better look, Stefan analyzed the glass tube for damage, running his hand along the Lacecell glass. One of the technicians in his party gambled up and prodded Stefan on the shoulder, he was obviously concerned, “There's damage in compartment three. A hole about the size of a golf ball is on the inner window and the compartment’s lost pressure, so we can’t take them the way they came in….”
“even if we could get the bulk head door open,” Stefan finished the man’s sentence in exasperation and added, “Christ - can't we have any luck around here!”
His aid, frustrated, excused himself while the Captain considered his options, “I’ll go around the other side and check on the elderly couple?”
“Mm, sure.” Stefan composed himself, standing motionless for a moment searching his tired mind for a solution. He examined the structure. “I've, got it,” Stefan announced to anyone listening, “This is modular. It was constructed in sections.” He pointed at the metal frame that edged the glass tube and tapped a huge bolt that connected the two together.
Claus had been listening while he made the final adjustments to his suit; stretching hi
s neck up into the helmet he listened for the reassuring click as the clasps engaged.
Stefan addressed Claus directly, “Claus, are you joining us?”
“Just exiting the air-lock… have you thought how you are going to lift the thing?”
“I thought we'd use Healey's ship.”
Claus was making tutting noises, “What kind of mess do you think that will make of the Apollo site?”
“I don't give a damn about some historic site - we're talking about people's lives.”
“I'm with you there, buddy but if there's another way to do it, we need to consider it- we don't want to be the ones who destroyed the proudest American achievement - we might get assassinated for Christ's sake.”
“Don't be so flippant Claus. Just think of a way around it please.”
“I think I'm looking at it! There's a crane; it's not very big but I think it will do the job.”
Stefan felt irritated by yet more setbacks, he had no idea how much extra time this would take but conceded that Claus’s suggestion was probably the most practical under such conditions.
After contacting everyone concerned, including Ms. Yakovitch, the plan was set. The crane would lift the segments out of the ring and take them to the maintenance hangar. Once in the air - lock the doors could be forced open; but first the family would have to endure a bumpy ride.
On his way round the tunnel, Claus peered into every compartment, searching for survivors. The crane lumbered over the dusty surface and he had trouble seeing through the reflections on the curved glass. At the seventh compartment, he noticed a suited figure looking in; one of the technicians. He killed the engine to take a closer look. Climbing down, he felt a sense of dread flood over him; the elderly couple. He stood motionless alongside the man, absorbing the scene, studying the huddled figures for signs of life.
They were in each other's arms, the man's coat wrapped around their shoulders and their heads bent into their chests. Claus waited for a puff of warm breath or a heaving chest - but there was no movement. He then noticed the blue tint to their skin. He considered their clasped hands and imagined their story. Swearing under his breath, he turned to face the other man who shook his head in agreement.
Claus returned to the crane and reported the grisly discovery to the team before carrying on around to the family.
Stefan met Claus, “Come on Claus. We're lucky not to have lost a lot more under the circumstances.”
“We shouldn't have lost anyone. People come here for some.... wonderful experience....and look!” He gestured in a circle around him, “What kind of person does this?”
Stefan had wrestled with same question himself but right now they needed to focus on the rescue so he just rolled his shoulders in a defeatist shrug and climbed onto the back of the crane. But as he stood atop the crane with a clear view of the Sea of Tranquility the thoughts returned; the world had become a safer place but there were still pockets of fanatics trying to find any excuse for violence. It was probably that, but the fact that they were here at this precise moment played on Stefan mind. He thought he must be mad but the disturbing suspicions returned and he cautiously quizzed his friend, “Hey Claus, do you think Healey's could be involved with this?”
“Now I am worried, if you have to think about it.”
Five huge hexagonal bolts held the structure together, it was all that was necessary in the sterile frigid conditions and according to the building plans; extremely simple to assemble with limited tools. Hopefully it disassembled just as easily.
Stefan took the hydraulic wrench from the technician and attempted to unscrew one of the lower bolts. The technician steadied him from behind like a rugby prop, against the force of the device. Vibrations wriggled up his suited arms; a sickly tickle that crawled into his brain and made his teeth itch. It continued on its journey; down his spine until it passed through both men's bodies and finally escaped into the Luna soil.
Thankfully the bolt freed easily and they moved quickly on to the higher bolt; the one at the top of the tunnel could only be reached with the crane. With his assistant in tow, Stefan climbed aboard the crane and shimmied along the back, attaching himself to a platform at the far end of the arm where he could operate the grab hook. He radioed Claus, directing him inch by inch until the crane was perpendicular to the tunnel. Claus struggled to see through the dust caked windscreen so he used Stefan's eyes from above.
Once in position, Stefan wiggled the joystick, testing the controls before sending the crane arm out, over the tunnel so he could reach the highest bolt. He bent down to pick up the wrench and hauled it into his arms, attached the safety harness to his belt and leant out of the railed platform where he was precariously perched. It was taking a few attempts to attach the device due to the awkward angle and the necessity to dangle with a boot hooked around a railing, held tightly by his co-worker.
Eventually the wrench engaged; instantly Stefan switched the wrench on in reverse and loosened the bolt until he could remove it by hand. He threw it to the ground, hitting the dust with a silent thud.
The technician voiced a concern, “How are we going to reach the bolts on the inside of the circle?”
Stefan peered over the edge at the last two connections and then across at the Apollo 11 site. He marveled at the immaculate Luna surface, astonished at how the scene had been preserved just how Armstrong and Aldrin had left it; the footsteps a record of their achievement. Curious as to how the structure had been assembled in the first place, Stefan scrutinised the dust for clues and noticed what appeared to be rake marks...obviously to cover the workmen's tracks. Stefan turned to see the technician at his side, “Do we have a rake?”
The question seemed ridiculous in the circumstances but the technician had a simpler solution, “We could dangle you over on a rope?”
Stefan scoffed at first but then nodded in agreement, “Let's give it a go then, but we've got to speed this operation up.”
Moments later, Stefan swung like a piñata over the edge, his colleague twisting the rope while he desperately tried to co-ordinate his body in the right direction. A feeling of sweaty sickness spread from his neck to his brow as exhaustion and visual disturbance hampered his progress; reflections on his visor twinkled and spun in a nauseating light show. Inevitably, he crashed into the glass but at least he'd stopped spinning, he thought. He took a deep breath and managed to focus his eyes on the connection; it was just the same as the others. Beside him appeared the wrench, also dangling on a line and Stefan snatched at the air before grabbing it.
Thankfully the bolts were removed with ease and soon Stefan was being dragged unceremoniously up the side of the tunnel. He thought to himself that if this was on Earth, he would be making a squeaking sound like a character in a cartoon. He was losing his mind, he thought.
Now back on the crane, Stefan patched through to Claus, “Okay, I'm connecting the hook now.” Reaching up, he guided it forward, rocking it until it slid into place, “Taking up the slack!”
Vibrations travelled through the metal to the soles of his feet as the vehicle's motors restarted and the arm began to rise. Stefan imagined a creek of resisting steel but the compartment seemed to pop unencumbered in the silence and rose like a rediscovered wreck from the doldrums. It hung there, in the floodlit scene, rocking gently. The surrounding men gazed up, concerned for the occupants, but they were soon seen at the glass waving their relief.
Transporting the tunnel compartments to the hanger took another half an hour. They decide to bring both; it didn't seem right to leave the deceased in what had become a freezing transparent coffin and so with as much respect as possible, Mr. and Mrs. Wainwright were brought back to the hotel. Later they would be separated from their final embrace and carefully prepared for repatriation to Earth.
Chapter Fourteen
When John arrived back at the maintenance hangar, he was greeted by Haruka. Her investigating had led her there because of something she remembered from when she first arrived at t
he hotel.
The airlock slowly rose to reveal the battered buggy. Static attracted dust, so the vehicle appeared more grey than white as it whirred into the room.
“Oh, my god, John!” she remarked, astonished at seeing a thrashing man strapped to a handrail. She rushed over and released the catches to slide back the visor to reveal a bloated, red faced man who was apparently furious. Haruka thought about pulling it back down just so she couldn't hear the abuse that came from his mouth. She had no idea what he was saying, he spoke in an unfamiliar -maybe European language she didn't recognize.
John came to the rescue and gave the man a hefty thump on the back, “Hey calm down man, save your energy for the authorities that want your testicles on a plate.” He must have understood because he had begun to quieten down.
Haruka studied the saboteur. There was something familiar about him.
Before she could make any connections, two security officers entered the hanger to collect John's prisoner who reverted to incomprehensible swearing. John passed a knife over so they could cut him free from the tape that was wrapped several times around his wrists and then frog marched him out, still wearing his spacesuit.
“Any news on Healey?” John asked.
Haruka didn't reply, she was distracted by the Schaefer uniform that lay on the counter. “Where did you say you found this?”
“Oh, Herman found it in that storage locker over there,” and he pointed behind her.
Haruka followed his gesture with a puzzled expression; the cogs were working in her mind and slowly things seemed to be becoming clearer, or at least, it was a possibility. She decided to check out her theory. She grabbed the garment, made her excuses to John, who was getting ready to return to Herman, and disappeared after the security men.
Bemused, John just shook his head and set about preparing for the return trip. He studied the dented buggy and attempted to prise the creased mud guard enough to stop it from grating away the tyre. He took a moment to update Stefan on events.
