The instrument panel stood in darkness. The steering handle loomed large. It had been locked since the engine failed. It wouldn’t give Fade the satisfaction of one last push. Jagged glass stuck around the edges of the broken view screen glistened with the faint rays of the emergency lights. The flickering Neimun on the holograph projector partially vanished, half the representation clear while the other half badly blurred.
The cigarette receptacle remained open, the remaining stock spread thinly. Fade removed his cap. He dropped it in the cigarette receptacle before closing it. Fade then placed a high memory disc into the central computer that stored Horace. The purple bubble appeared on its screen.
“You may not realize this, but it is impossible to separate my systems from this ship, Captain. I’m not your average computer system.
“Fine. I could care less, go get yourself destroyed.”
“I was created to fulfill a purpose. I don’t need air, food, water, or warmth to survive. I’ll remain capable until my purpose is served.”
“Horace. Why’d you choose me?”
“Because I fell in love.”
“Oh, I see. You must already be damaged beyond repair unless you’ve somehow acquired a sense of humor.”
“Captain, I have been perfectly capable of understanding and appropriating humor for my purposes since my creation.”
Fade leaned over his seat, looking at the floor, “I’m sorry. I failed you. And now I’m running.”
“We failed together captain. And you need to survive so we can meet again. I assure you that we will meet again and you will be my only captain.”
“I have to release the two spies properly,” Fade said.
“I’ve already taken care of their funeral arrangements. Concentrate on survival.”
The emergency lights faded away. The purple bubble, unable to communicate further, disappeared from its screen.
-----
“Don’t they open anywhere?” Destiny asked.
“You put the top on first, and then the bottom goes on like jeans,” Karen explained, “There’s a small panel near the belt that airlocks the two sections, and then a suction hose seals you up like so much freezer stored meat. I studied this. These are MRbasic models, one of the oldest Imperial designs still in use today. Very cheap, very ugly, and very uncomfortable.”
Destiny sat on the bed, she pulled the bottoms on and crossed her legs, examining the leathery indigo fabric. It wasn’t quite as bad as she thought it would be. She didn’t have trouble getting into the suit, but it wasn’t designed for the contours of a feminine body. It was saggy in some places and tight in others. Karen writhed, pulled, and stretched the manmade fabric past her skirt. The fit of her top was sloppy around the waist until Destiny helped her with the airlock. It tightened up, but left unseemly ridges.
“This makes me so mad,” Karen growled, “If this is one of the ape’s old uniforms I’ll probably stink for a week.”
A knock issued from the door, followed by Bert’s voice as it cracked open, “Hey, let’s get going. Hurry up and get your boots and gloves on, not the helmets though. All the breath recycling stuff is used up, so we have to go with the helmet’s two minute air supply.”
Bert hurried them to the hatch. When they arrived, he stuffed a yellow pod into an opening in the wall, closed everything up and typed a few commands in the computer panel. The pod’s lights flickered as it flew toward the Neimun and was caught by a grappling hook.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
“Why do we have to wear these ridiculously antiquated, out of shape suits?” Karen asked, “We should be conducting a hatch connection operation, or going via escape pod.”
Bert scratched his forehead, “All the escape pods were sold. We’ve been a bit short on cash lately.”
“How unprofessional,” Karen scoffed.
“Would you shut up. We gotta get off this ship, and you have to trust us, so shut up. Now, Fade and I are gonna escort you to the Neimun. Both of us have practiced ship jumps before. These suits have limited thrust capacity, so we’ll be jumping under our own power, then using the packs to steer us if needed. Newton’s law, once we jump we keep moving in the same direction until something catches us. That would be the Neimun.”
“I’ll jump with the captain,” Karen said.
“Everything’s arranged, you’re jumping with me, and we’re going first.”
Fade locked the inner hatch after entering. The emergency oxygen supplies released, so a slight rush of air filled the room. That’s when Fade noticed a hairline crack in the back Destiny’s helmet; it was too late to get her another one.
“Sergeant Payson, trade helmets with me.”
Destiny stared at the traded helmet suspiciously.
“When we’re ready Bert and Karen will be jumping together to the Neimun,” Fade explained, “Sergeant Payson, the thruster pack on your suit won’t work, so we’ll have to hold each other on the way out.”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind or anything,” Destiny blushed as she stared at the traded helmet, “I’m not scared.”
“We have no tanks. Conserve your breath, each helmet only holds two minutes’ worth of air. If we mess this up, we die.”
Fade checked the seals on the women’s suits. He checked the neck first, then the wrist connections, the torso and the boots. Karen’s suit was open at the back of the hips, he pressed the loosening button on the belt panel, repositioned it and reestablished it properly. She waited until he was finished to slap him. Fade returned to the hatch controls without responding.
“Do not speak from within the helmet,” he said, “No one will hear you. Conserve your motions, breath with your nose, and no waving of the legs or arms. Every extra second counts. Helmets on now.”
The hatch opened immediately after everyone’s helmet was secure. Its panels snapped off and floated away, revealing dents from enemy fire. The Neimun was now only fifty meters distance. It looked like space itself. The few lights reaching its surface represented the grace of the stars. They could barely see the vessel’s outline. Bert clamped Karen’s torso, then sent them away before she could resist. Destiny leaned back against Fade, who clasped her tightly in the same manner. After the first couple flew into the opposing hatch, Bert placed Karen’s fingers around the dock handles, then prepared himself to help the next couple. Fade went limp and released his grip on Destiny as they entered. Bert firmly gripped Fade’s shoulders and pinned him inside until the hatch closed. Once warm air filled the bay, Bert removed Fade’s helmet, shook his captain’s shoulders, and slapped his face.
“Come on, Fade. Wake up.”
Destiny felt Fade’s weak breath, then his heartbeat.
“He just passed out,” she said, “probably lack of pressure.”
Fade remained asleep as they drug him into the Neimun’s narrow halls. Karen’s arms folded around her chest as she paced back and forth over a half meter of panel. Destiny knelt, removed her gloves, and lightly tapped Defacto’s cheek. The outside of his suit was ice cold, but his cheek was still slightly warm. She couldn’t resist smiling.
“Hey, someone needs oxygen! Is there a doctor here?!” Karen yelled.
Corporal Ray Jackson entered. The medic in a gray uniform and a white overcoat examined Fade. A large red cross was displayed on the right shoulder of his overcoat. The young man had a pleasant but professional demeanor, but his hands shook slightly as he examined his new patient.
“We have no medical oxygen, but he’ll still recover. He’s suffering more from exhaustion than anything else. I’ll have someone get him to the infirmary to warm him up as well.”
“Exhausted, eh,” Bert sighed, “Wonder why?”
“I’m Corporal Jackson, medic for the 113th platoon of the First Imperial Infiltration Company.”
Bert threw off his gloves and shook the doctor’s hand enthusiastically.
“The Lieutenant has prepared separate quarters for the women. Are you the Captain or his crew?” Jackson asked of Bert.
“His crew,” Bert admitted, “I’m First Lieutenant Bert Slemgut. My Capin’ here, well he’s on the floor re-uh-re-shapin’ up.”
“You can go to the infirmary with your Captain, but first we should take the civilians to specially prepared quarters.”
Destiny approached the medic, “I’m a crew member. Sergeant Payson, engineering. I even have my uniform on under the suit.”
“Is she a crew member, Lieutenant Slemgut?”
“Her, no way! She’s a stowaway. The only reason she’s in a uniform is because she was wounded by a paralysis grenade and had to have special treatment.”
“That is such a lie!”
Karen smiled, she wasn’t going to be left alone, “He’s telling the truth officer. She just has a thing for the captain.”
“Well, I can’t defy the commander’s orders,” Corporal Jackson said, “You two are going to have to bunk together, at least until Captain Defacto wakes up and sorts things out.”