The Splinter Alliance (Beyond the Impossible Book 2) by Frank Kennedy

Author:Frank Kennedy [Kennedy, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-09-27T16:00:00+00:00

25

K ARA FOUND IT. HOW THEY might use the design flaw against Scylla was a different concern. She needed Cando’s expertise to prepare this data for the transmission they planned to send Horn. He was returning from a wasteland where the factory once processed brontinium, claiming to have important news. She worked alone while the group, now assembled in the shadow of the lift, prepared for the worst.

“Kara, you need to put on your suit,” Shoan Gui said. “We’re not protected like the Talons.”

Shoan and Ryllen returned from an assignment to retrieve pressure suits for the Hokkis. She ignored them at first, directing their urgency to Myra Faun and Jai Zaan, who remained dazed from her brother’s death. Now, the attention turned to Kara.

Shoan was suited up and carried his helmet under his right arm. Kara flashed back to her eighth birthday, when she floated among the Kye-Do rings in a sleeker, less awkward suit. She hated the distraction from her work. Surely, they had enough time.

“It’s heavy,” said Shoan, whose wild red and violet mane contrasted with the dull green suit. “Hard to move around. But we need to test them and make sure the tanks work. They’ve been gathering dust for years. It’s why we brought extras. Please, Kara.”

She assessed her options. The Talons – Ryllen, Lin, Meena – were huddled around June Serrano, whose rants and moans did not portend well. Kara overheard discussion that June’s armor might have suffered fatal injuries, preventing her from using her autobreath or hydrofeed valves. Would they strip her of the armor or be forced to outfit a pressure suit on top?

Myra and Jai talked quietly, far apart from the Talons, as they fiddled with the externals of their suits.

“It’s important, Kara,” Shoan said, following her eyes. “The four of us need to make sure we’re ready for whatever’s coming.” He leaned close. “I have a feeling, if the worst goes down, the Talons won’t wait for us. Their suits do it all. Ryllen said they can breathe in a vacuum for thirty hours. But us? Not so lucky.”

“How much oxygen?”

“The primary tank gives us five hours, and that’s figuring on it to work at max efficiency.” He pointed to canisters on the rifter. “The backups have forty minutes, and we’ll have to carry them.”

The picture came together in a hurry.

“So, if it all goes bad, we’d best have an escape plan and a pickup. Anything less, and we’re in trouble.”

“Horn will come for us. You’ll see.”

“I hope we all see. Fine, Shoan. I’ll slip into a suit.”

She set aside her Tachtron and examined the cumbersome bodysuit. The fit was too tight to allow for the thermal coat that brought reasonable comfort to this frigid hole. Shoan took to the mechanics and helped her dress. He understood key connectors and how to look for possible defects.

“Did some utility work for Bwohang Station last year,” he explained. “Wasn’t my thing. Left after a month. But I learned plenty about pressure suits. These aren’t too different.

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