Starship Alchemon by Christopher Hinz

Author:Christopher Hinz
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857668189
Publisher: Watkins Media
Published: 2019-12-16T16:00:00+00:00

The bridge seemed inordinately crowded when Ericho arrived. Alexei was on the treadmill in the bulky link suit. Rigel stood nearby, ready to help him don the clamshell helmet. Jonomy was in his usual chair, umbilically linked. June paced in orbit around the HOD, her arms crossed tightly, her expression grim.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“LeaMarsa suffered some sort of breakdown in the nutriment bath,” June said. “And I did something unethical. I gave her a high-dose injection of Loopaline B4.”

“You vegetated her?”

“Good for you,” Rigel said.

But guilt marred June’s face. “I didn’t tell her what I was doing. I told her it was a sedative to help her sleep.”

“So, she’ll be out like a baby for nine months,” Rigel said. “Don’t worry, if it comes down to having to justify your actions to some dickhead Pannis investigating committee, we’ll all testify you had no choice.” He smacked the top of Alexei’s clamshell helmet as he snapped it into place. “Ain’t that right?”

A hearty “Yes sir” came from the trainee’s suit speakers.

June grimaced. “There’s a bigger problem. The drug didn’t work. She woke up ten minutes later.”

“I didn’t think that was possible,” Ericho said.

“It’s not supposed to be.”

“What did she say when she awakened?”

“I didn’t get a chance to talk to her. I’d stepped out for a few minutes and she left. Apparently, she ran into Hardy. He persuaded her to don an isolator hood to assist with some experiment.”

“Get down there,” Ericho ordered. “Tell LeaMarsa she has to return to medcenter.”

“I tried. Hardy wouldn’t let me into the lab.”

“Asshole,” Rigel grunted.

Ericho balled his fists, trying to hold back a wave of anger. He’d had just about enough of their intractable science rep.

“As soon as the containment’s vacuumed, I’ll deal with Hardy.”

“Sir, are you going to tell him we’re dumping Baby Blue?” Alexei asked.

No one answered. Rigel tapped the trainee’s helmet. “Concentrate on your task. You ready in there?”

“All green.”

“Remember, take your time walking. Keep one boot in contact with the hull at all times.”

“No problem. Even if I do step off the hull, I’ve got the emergency jets for maneuvering.”

“Yeah, but don’t count on those. These robots aren’t designed for external environments. They can be tricky in zero-g so stay on the hull.”

“Got it.”

Ericho would have been more comfortable having Rigel do the link EVA. But the tech officer felt the trainee was up to the task. More importantly, Rigel believed he could better function as a coordinator of the virtual spacewalk, monitor any unforeseen obstacles and adjust Alexei’s mission parameters accordingly.

The task was simple. The linked robot would do what Ericho in retrospect should have authorized immediately after the melt: depressurizing the containment and venting the entire hot mass into the void.

Alexei would stay as far away from the containment as possible, which hopefully would prevent Baby Blue from taking control of the robot. He would walk the virtual machine only as far as the outer lock. After opening that hatch, he would fire the robot’s Higgs cutter at the inner hatch until it was weakened enough for the containment’s internal pressure to blow it open.

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