The chief problem about death, incidentally, is the fear that there is an afterlife but no one will know where it’s being held.
—Woody Allen
“Oh shit,” said Lewis, “she’s going. Let’s get out of here.”
They could see the little emergency boats scattering at full speed, running away from H9. The colony itself seemed to be pulsating. The hole had become a vast black gusher spewing out material like a volcano into space. Some three miles off, the Princess Di began to move away, rapidly gathering speed.
“What about the rescue crews?” said Alex as he watched a few small craft vainly pursuing the liner. Lewis shrugged grimly. “That thing’s going to implode any second,” he said. “It’s every man for himself.”
The physics were terrifyingly simple.
“I don’t get it, we’re out of there, we’re safe, right?”
“It’s achieved critical mass,” explained Carlton. “The hole has become so big it can no longer withstand the outside pressure. When that happens, the vacuum of space will rush in, it will collapse on itself, the matter inside it will contract, quickly becoming so compressed it will explode outwards, throwing debris in every direction.”
“Oh.”
“But that’s not the worst.”
“Please tell me the worst,” said Alex.
“The shock wave is worse,” said Carlton. “The electromagnetic shock wave of what is essentially a tiny collapsing star could take us out completely if we’re too close.”
“How close is too close?”
“Say anywhere within five hundred miles.”
“Lewis!!” yelled Alex.
“I’m on it,” said Lewis, opening her up. The Ray slid away from the stricken colony.
They accelerated fast, the G forces pulling at their faces. On the screen in front of them was a huge close-up of H9. It was pulsating visibly. They watched fascinated as the hole began to grow bigger. For a delicate moment the material gushing out seemed poised as if torn between two huge forces. Then, as they watched in horror, it reversed itself and rushed back in towards the hole from which it had emerged.
“She’s going,” yelled Lewis. “Hold tight.”
The debris was being sucked in like a vacuum cleaner. Several of the emergency boats had no chance and were immediately drawn back inside the maelstrom. They watched in disbelief the eerie reverse film effect of material pouring backwards into the heart of H9. They could see stabs of energy, like flashes of sheet lightning, illuminating the center of the colony.
“Oh shit, it’s igniting,” said Lewis. “Here we go.”
H9 rapidly shrank back inside itself and then like a vast firework exploded in all directions. A huge spherical shock wave came rushing outwards from the dying station. Moments later it hit them. The screen went dead and they were lifted up and slammed forward at great speed. Tay screamed. All they could hear was the sound of smashing equipment and the groaning of the ship’s hull as the magnetic shock wave tried to tear them apart. The shuddering was intense.
“Seven G,” said Carlton. “We can survive ten G. No more.”
“What’s happening?” asked Alex.
“We’re surfing,” said Carlton. “We’re right on the front of the shock wave and it’s pushing us along.”
The ship was shaking and bouncing under the strain.
“Eight G,” said Carlton quietly.
Alex looked across at Lewis. He watched him reach out and take Tay’s hand.
“Daddy,” she said.
“I know. Hang on.”
“Nine G,” said Carlton.
The force of the explosion had tripled their speed. They were being hammered away from the vicinity of H9 straight into the asteroid belt.
“Ten G,” said Carlton grimly. They were on the limit.
“We’ve got to find a way to slow down or we’re done for.”
“Reverse booster?” yelled Lewis.
“No power,” said Carlton, “everything’s out.”
“She’s got manual override,” said Alex proudly, “she’s an old beauty.”
“It’ll be bumpy.”
“Beats frying.”
He slamrned the handle on the reverse thrusters and for a second they heard the pop-pop-pop as they fired. Then an intense shuddering and they eased back in their seats. The big wave had swept over them and gone hurtling onward.
The bouncing and battering of the shock wave gave way to an eerie silence.
“Damage report,” said Lewis, unbuckling Tay and lifting her into his arms.
Carlton’s report was bad. The electromagnetic wave had taken out every computer on the ship. All communications were down. They had lost power, radio, navigation, and steering. The galley was knee deep in crockery, and there was broken glass everywhere, but it was the navigation system loss that was the most terrifying. Without that they were being hurled blindly through the asteroid belt.
“We’re dead without a nav. system,” said Carlton.
“Pas devant les enfants,” said Lewis.
Tay began to cry.
“Hey, guess what, Tay,” he said cheerfully, “we’re heading for Mars. I’m sure Mommy will be there.”
Carlton looked crestfallen. He wasn’t used to children. Humans had to do so much lying.
“Why don’t you help us clean up this mess?” said Lewis, surveying the wreckage. The sumptuous decor of the Johnnie Ray looked like it had been hit by an earthquake.
“I know who’ll be cleaning up the mess,” said the Washing Machine. “Oy vey, you should see the galley.” It went off muttering to itself in search of debris.
“Mayday, Mayday,” said Alex at the com. deck. “This is the Johnnie Ray. Mayday.”
Nothing. All frequencies. All directions. No response at all. They were for all intents and purposes alone in space.