Zero Limit by Jeremy K. Brown

Author:Jeremy K. Brown [Brown, Jeremy K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781503946651
Publisher: 47North
Published: 2018-03-05T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Caitlin?”

Back in the PDCO office, Sara continued trying to hail the Alley Oop, hoping to hear something back from the team, something that would assuage her growing fear. She and Alex had been listening as the event unfolded, sitting helplessly as they listened to the panicked cries of Caitlin and Diaz. Sara had been trying to reach Caitlin ever since, but all she had been getting in reply was static. Then finally, Caitlin’s voice, thin and reedy, came over the airwaves and confirmed the worst.

“He’s gone.”

The line went dead, and Sara was left to process the news on her own. She hurled down her headset and put her face in her hands. Then, as quickly as the rage and frustration came, it was gone, replaced by steely resolve.

It can’t end like this.

She looked over at Alex, who was busy scanning the numbers on the asteroid’s trajectory, trying to discern whether Diaz’s efforts had made any difference. He looked back at her, and his face wore an expression that matched her own. He was upset and saddened as well, but he also knew that there was much more that needed to be done, that the story couldn’t end here for any of them.

“What the hell happened up there?” Sara asked.

“I don’t know,” Alex said.

“Gas pocket,” said Ned, coming into the room and walking over to them. “Water ice on the surface of the asteroid sublimated as it drew in the Sun’s heat. It created a gas jet. Without anything to hold them down, there was nothing to keep them on the ground. It all comes down to basic physics.”

“Jesus Christ,” Patricia said, tossing a pencil onto the table and leaning back, her hand over her eyes. “What was water ice doing on the surface of an asteroid? Aren’t they usually found on comets?”

“We’ve been seeing it more and more,” said Sara. “The sheets aren’t usually thick, less than a micron in most cases. But they’re out there.”

“But we didn’t lose them both, right?” said Alex. “Diaz and Taggart?”

“No, we’ve still got Taggart,” Ned said. “But Diaz . . .”

Before he could proceed, Alex looked up from the screen, wearing a lopsided, vaguely optimistic expression that Sara assumed was his attempt at being encouraging.

“Good news?” she asked.

“A little of both,” Alex said. “Which do you want first?”

“Give me the bad news,” Sara said. “It’s that kind of day.”

“There was more than one gas pocket,” he said. “The sail has been damaged. How badly I’m not sure, but it’s definitely going to affect its ability to push the asteroid out of the way.”

Sara closed her eyes and sighed, placing her head in her arms.

“The good news?” she asked, head down.

“It’s too early to tell for sure,” he said, “but it looks like the sail may have made a slight difference. I don’t think we’re out of danger yet, but it might have helped, even just a little bit.”

“Great,” said Sara, feeling the helplessness swell up inside her. “So we all might die on Saturday instead of Tuesday?”

“Come on, Sara,” said Alex.

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