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GROOM LAKE:
Henry stands inside the cargo hold of the spaceship, watching Alex and Okana bolt the original device storage bracket to the floor, and David and Jadin mounting a reel of thick rope to the wall across from the airlock.
Alex stands and walks over to Henry, while Okana tapes the control cable for the winch to the wall. “I think we’re ready.”
“You never cease to amaze me, Alex. I just hope this crazy idea of yours works.”
Alex grins. “So do I, Doc. What’s the latest location of Pandora’s ship?”
“Just as you predicted. It is in geosynchronous orbit above the prison in Australia.”
He notices Henry grimace in pain and massage his temples. “What’s the matter?”
“It is my eyes. I have a constant pain in the back of my eye sockets. I have taken medication, but nothing seems to work.”
Alex’s heart sinks as he remembers shaking Doc’s hand, and doesn’t know what to say to him. On the flight back to the base, he and Okana agreed to keep Alex’s infectious nature between them until the appropriate moment. He knows Henry is already worried about the mission, and decides this isn’t the moment. “Okay, I guess it’s time to go.”
Henry walks through the airlock and turns to wave at his friends. “Good luck.” When the outside door closes, it magically blends in with the mirror surface of the ship.
Henry walks over to the control pad that opens the large hangar doors. He rubs his temples while he waits for the spacecraft to cloak.
Alex runs up the stairs to the control room, and stares out through the transparent sides of the spaceship at the interior of the hangar. His friends join him, and they see Henry standing by the doors. When he sees Henry rub his temples, he looks over at Okana, who gives him a knowing expression that Henry’s brown eyes are his death sentence.
David sits down in one of four chairs in the middle of the large round room. Unlike Pandora’s ship, the entire top floor of their forty-foot diameter craft is the control room. He pulls the control console closer and presses one of the colored touch pads. He sees Henry push the button, indicating the cloak is working, and watches the hangar doors part in the middle.
Alex follows the outside wall to keep an eye on Henry as David eases the silent craft out of the hangar. A moment later, Henry vanishes and the hangar seems to fall away beneath him as the ship rises straight up into a low orbit. He stares at the slight curve of the horizon as they soar across the United States and Northeastern Canada. A small object is reflecting the sun’s light, and quickly grows in size. He looks over at David. “Is the other ship still over Australia?”
“Yes, we’re good to go.”
Alex turns back to the window and recognizes the SV1 and Essex’s ship as they close the distance. They stop within twenty-feet, and he turns to Jadin and Okana. “Let’s get suited up.”
The trio hurry down the stairs to the cargo hold, and Okana helps them into their new spacesuits. “These are great. They’re so lightweight and compact. When do I get one?”
Jadin grins, puts a communication device in her ear, and turns it on. “We can’t afford it. How do you read?”
“You’re good. Next time, I get to spacewalk.”
Jadin grins. “Your anatomy will never fit in here.”
He chuckles. “I’ll borrow Alex’s.” He slides her helmet in place. “This is your first time, so be careful. Remember, slow methodical moves, so you don’t drift around too much once you turn off the artificial gravity.”
“Got it. Thanks.”
Alex inserts his earpiece. “How we doing up there, David?”
“We’re still good. Don’t forget the radio for talking to Essex’s ship.”
Okana slips a headset with one ear pad over Alex’s thermal hood, then lowers the helmet in place and slides the latch closed. He hooks the end of the rope from the reel onto his safety belt, then holds out a crossbow with a steel treble hook on the tip. “See you soon.” He steps inside the alcove for the stairs, presses the button to close the door, and seals the cargo hold from the rest of the ship.
Alex stands next to Jadin in front of the inside airlock door, as the atmosphere is sucked out of the room. “As much as I want to save Essex and Rita, our priority is to get the SV1 device into our ship.”
“I know. If Pandora’s ship gets within line of sight of us, she’ll be able to hear us talking.”
“That’s up to David and Okana. Once we have the device inside, they have orders to leave the area immediately if that ship starts moving in our direction.”
“I’ll let you explain that to Essex and Rita.”
“I won’t have to. Essex has the same priority. That’s why he risked everything trying to save us.”
A small light on a control panel beside the door turns red, indicating the room is a vacuum, and Alex opens the inside and outside airlock doors. He fastens a tether line to Jadin’s suit before pressing a button to turn off the artificial gravity. He grabs a handhold, pulls himself into the five-foot by eight-foot room, and stares at Essex’s nose-less spacecraft tethered to the SV1. He turns to look at Jadin. “Let’s get started.”
***
Knowing they are being monitored, Essex and Rita keep their conversations to a minimum. It also helps to conserve the diminishing supply of oxygen. They are both staring out the front window when a large square of white light suddenly blocks a section of the universe. Essex bolts upright in his seat. “No way! Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”
Rita stares at the human silhouette inside. “Is that Pandora?”
Essex looks over at her. “No, it has to be Seth.”
They both flinch when a voice bursts through their radio speakers.
“How’s your air supply?”
Essex looks over at Rita. “Alex?”
“Just thought I’d stop by and see if you need a ride home.”
“You can’t imagine how happy I am to see you. We’re down to five percent oxygen. Where did you come from? Is Pandora helping us? Don’t tell me you stole her spaceship.”
“It’s a long story, so just sit tight and conserve your air while we get the SV1 inside this ship. Don’t worry. I’ll get you out of there.”
“All right.”
Essex watches Alex aim a crossbow with a big fishhook on the end at his ship. He is about to duck when the bolt bounces off the bottom of his craft and the slender line wraps around his towrope.
Alex secures the end of the line to an anchor point inside the airlock and pushes off from his ship, using the taut line as a guide. He lets go when he reaches the towrope and follows it hand-over-hand until he reaches the plastic ring. He removes the clip on the end of the line back to the ship, and secures it to the SV1. “All right, Jadin. Give us a tug.”
Jadin moved into the airlock to watch Alex’s progress, and steps back into the ship. The control pad for the winch is taped to the inside wall, and the slack in the thick rope looks like a snake writhing across the cargo hold. She presses the start button, and flinches when the line snaps taut beside her.
She lets go of the button and the rope comes back inside, coiling against the back wall. She steps back into the airlock and sees Essex’s ship rushing toward Alex on the SV1.
Alex barely manages to hang on when the rope jerks the SV1 much harder than necessary. The towline from the bottom of Essex’s ship sweeps back toward his head. He twists out of the way, as the slack in the line slaps against the device. He knows the two objects are about to collide, and now he fears the coming impact will knock the SV1 on a collision course with the side of his spaceship. The little craft bounces off the device, driving it sideways like he thought.
Jadin is caught off guard when the rope inside the spaceship snaps taut again. It slams against her back, driving her out of the airlock. She flips upside-down when her safety tether jerks her back inside, and she barely manages to grab the door frame as it sweeps past her head.
The tether on his waist belt is the only thing keeping Alex from floating off into space. The rope from his craft drags the SV1 and Essex onto a collision course with the invisible side of the spaceship, with him floating helplessly in the middle.
He notices Essex’s towrope winding through space like a serpent and has an idea. He drags himself hand-over-hand back to the device, then transfers his tether onto the rope from his craft. He grabs the hook from Essex’s towrope and moves it from the SV1 to his waist belt, then furiously pulls himself back to his ship. Hopefully, he can get inside before the slack between him and the little craft is gone.
Jadin manages to gain control of her movements and stares out through the airlock. She pulls herself closer to the outside doorway and can’t believe what Alex is attempting. She sees the towrope straighten out, and silently urges Alex to move faster, even though his momentum is already steadily increasing with each pull. When he reaches the airlock, she grabs his tether, trying to stop him from flying into the cargo hold.
When Jadin grabs his safety line, the reaction slams them together, and they bounce back against the walls of the airlock. He stares out the doorway, sees the towrope ready to snap taut, and grabs the hook from his belt. He slides the plastic clip onto an attachment point on the wall, just managing to keep his fingers from being crushed under the rope when it slams against the door frame.
Essex feels his heart beating so hard he thinks it will burst from his chest. “He did it! You did it, Alex!”
Rita releases the breath she’s holding. “That’s great, but now what?”
Alex takes a moment to catch his breath. “I heard that. Just give me a moment to think about it.”
“Alex, this is Okana. Pandora’s ship must know something is wrong. It’s moving into a higher orbit.”
“How long before it’s in line of sight?”
“Not much time. If you have an idea to get us out of this, now’s the time.”
“All right. John, you’re wearing G-suits, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Is there a way you can maintain the pressure if you leave your ship?”
“Wow, hold on a second. Yes, but you’re not suggesting we try to make it from here to the airlock in the vacuum of space.”
“In a way. We’ll attach the line to the device inside this compartment and leave it outside. Jadin and I will drag the nose of your ship into the airlock as far as possible. You’ll open your canopy and we’ll drag both of you into the cargo hold. Once you’re clear, I’ll shove your craft outside and close the inside door. It should only take a few seconds for the room to pressurize and you can breathe.”
“Hey Alex, it’s Okana. What about the device?”
“David, I want you to set a course back to the base. The moment you and Okana think that other ship will see us, go.”
“Got it.”
Alex pulls some slack from the rope on the reel and ties it to a cleat on the wall near the outside doorway. He reaches over to the door frame, grabs an emergency cutaway tool, and severs the rope leading inside the hold. He turns and shortens his tether so he will remain inside the airlock, and looks at Jadin. “I’ll pull and you guide the nose inside. Are you ready?” When she gives him a brave smile, he grabs the towrope and gently drags the lightweight craft closer to the opening.
Jadin grabs a handhold near the doorway when the front of the small ship is within reach. She’s surprised how easily she is able to move it into the center of the small room. She sees the twisted plastic hinges where the doors used to be, and Essex and Rita’s troubled expressions. When the short wings bump against the door frame, she holds it steady so it won’t bounce back outside.
Alex ducks under the craft and into the cargo hold to assess the situation. This can work. “Everything looks ready. Just remember to exhale when you open the canopy.”
Essex looks over at Rita. “We’re ready.”
“All right. Jadin, you help John and I’ve got Rita.”
Okana stares at the moving dot on the ships holographic monitor. “Hurry it up down there. The other ship is coming this way. It will see us in ten seconds.”
Alex looks at Essex. “Do it now!”
Essex presses the button to release the latches and pushes up on the clear glass canopy. His lungs feel like they will explode as he floats over the edge into Jadin’s arms.
“Five seconds, Alex. It’s almost in sight.”
Alex grabs Rita under the arms and sees she’s in pain. “Exhale, damnit!” He sends her drifting across the room and shoves the little craft out of the ship. “David! Go!” He presses a button to close the inside airlock door and another to re-pressurize the room. He settles onto the floor as the artificial gravity slowly increases, and sees Essex and Rita trying to breathe normally. “Is everyone all right?”
Essex sits up and raises his thumb to Alex, then reaches over to help Rita, who appears to be in pain. “What’s wrong?”
“I hit my elbow when Alex hurled me against the wall. But I’ll be okay.”
Alex removes his helmet. “Sorry. I was out of time.”
David taps a pad and the ship moves down into the atmosphere. The monitor suddenly goes crazy for a few seconds, then returns to normal. He checks their speed and trajectory, and they appear to be able to land in a few minutes. “We’ll be home shortly,” he announces to his friends.
Okana runs down to the hold and quickly assesses everyone’s situation. It appears Alex’s crazy idea worked. He helps Jadin out of her suit. “I think Pandora’s ship made contact with ours. It was only for a few seconds.”
She squirms out of the tight-fitting clothes. “That’s all the time that bitch needs. Is our ship okay?”
“It seems to be. I don’t know if the SV1 and Essex’s ship are still attached. We’ll find out in a few moments.” He turns to Alex. “David is going to land us near the south bunkers until we know for sure.”
Essex stands and looks around the room. “Where did you get this?”
Okana walks over and smiles at Essex, as he puts his hand on the little man’s shoulder. “Alex found it a while back and lets us use it on special occasions.”
Essex hurries over to the alcove that leads up the stairs, then looks over at Okana. “Does this lead up to the control room?”
“You bet. We’ll be landing in a second, and I’ll give you a personal tour.”
David has no idea what might be outside the ship, and keeps it moving until he sets it down on an old concrete pad near the underground bunkers. “We’ve arrived.”
Alex opens the inside door to the airlock and walks outside. The control system for the SV1 is demolished, but the device is unharmed. He’s surprised to see Essex’s ship relatively intact. He turns, expecting to see him come out and inspect his tough little craft. He looks over at Okana, who is detaching the ropes from inside the airlock. “What happened to our guests?”
“Jadin wants to introduce them to David.”
Alex’s phone rings and he recognizes Henry’s number. He looks at Okana. “You might want to come out here and listen to this.” He puts it on speaker. “We’re back, Doc. We have it. We even managed to pick up a couple of hitchhikers on the way.”
“That is good news, but we have another problem. Pandora insists you see her immediately. She promises she can give you the cure if you let her get back on the ship.”
“All right. We should be back in the hangar in a few minutes.”
***
Once David has the ship secure in the hangar, Alex hurries outside and sees two security guards standing by. He knows them and goes over. “The man is a friend, but use a little caution with the woman. She’s a flirt.”
He moves away and calls Donner, who agrees to arrange for Pandora’s release. “Thanks, Martin. Have you heard any reports about how bad the plague is spreading?”
“Ramey says most of the base is infected, and it’s spreading through town. Sliven is in so much pain, he tried to commit suicide. His wife called me when she found him in his office at NordVulk. The doctors flushed the pills from his system, but they have him on morphine for the pain.”
“I’d better get going.”
“Good luck, Alex.”
When his friends join him, he notices Henry is missing. He turns to the woman walking back from closing the hangar doors and notices she too is rubbing her temples. “Have you seen Doc?”
“He went to the infirmary to get something stronger than Ibuprofen. That’s where I’m headed.”
Alex turns to Okana. “I’ll leave immediately, of course. Listen, we both know what a pain in the ass those devices have been. Would you mind staying here and making sure they’re secured in one of the remote bunkers?”
“I’d rather watch your back.”
Alex grins at his best friend. “I’m unique among my species, remember? I’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, well, wear protection.”
Alex chuckles. “Thanks.” He sees Jadin staring at him. “Question?”
“No, just tell that bitch if she tries anything I’ll fry her circuits.”
“I will. I’ll stop and see Doc on the way to the plane.”
***
Alex finds Henry lying on a bed in the infirmary, with gauze covering his eyes. “Are they taking good care of you, Doc?”
“Yes, so do not worry about me. Go get the cure and I will be much better.”
“All right. See you soon.”
He walks to the door, but stops before stepping out of the room and turns back to Henry. “I’m sorry, Doc. It’s my fault and I’ll do my best to fix it.”
When Henry grimaces at him, he leaves the room and heads to the air terminal for his flight to Australia.