Zero-G by Shatner William & Rovin Jeff

Author:Shatner, William & Rovin, Jeff [Shatner, William & Rovin, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Mystery, thriller, Fantasy
ISBN: 9781501111570
Amazon: 1501111574
Goodreads: 27221487
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2016-05-17T07:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

WE’RE ALIVE!”

Saranya May was not just impressed. She was incredulous.

Lord had activated his helmet comm before collapsing back in his seat. He ached everywhere from the hard landing, bones having been thrust up hard in sockets, spinal discs compressed, the hip joint of his metal leg having given his pelvis a good knocking. He also felt pain growing in his left temple, then his right. He pushed his chin back, helping his nostrils remain clear. He raised his visor and shut off his air. Saranya did the same. The tanks were nearly as tapped out as the cabin air, but if help arrived, they would need whatever was left. Otherwise the cockpit door couldn’t be opened.

“Are you all right?” Saranya asked.

“Headache,” he said. “Vision blurry.”

“We took some lumps,” Saranya said.

“It may be carbon dioxide,” they heard Landry say.

Lord was not relieved to hear it. It would only take about seven percent CO2 to kill them.

“But we’re on oxygen,” Saranya said, trying to understand the immediate problem. “Where is it coming from?”

“There are stress points where the tanks meet the suits, on the neck seam, and also around the visor,” the copilot said. “There may be hairline cracks.”

“First Officer—how’s the captain?” Lord asked.

“Unconscious,” Landry said, a catch in his voice. “The scrubber started to leak, shorted avionics circuits back here. A thermal apron caught fire and he hit his head putting it out. I can’t tell how badly.”

“How about the cabin?”

“It’ll need more than new enameling,” Landry said. “Stay where you are.”

Lord acknowledged, then turned back to the cockpit window.

The moon was spread before him—he had no idea exactly how far it was, but it was strange to see such stark grandeur that simultaneously appeared so dead. Everywhere, ejecta from collisions and ancient upheavals. There were mounds so smooth they looked like melted ice cream, and boulders so edgy they looked like granite lightning. No, it wasn’t desolate; it was unfinished.

Lord felt Saranya take his hand in both of hers. He turned his head toward her, and her expression was different from any he had seen so far. There was appreciation flavored with a newfound respect. Together, they bordered on tenderness.

Lord smiled softly. They just sat there, conserving oxygen by not moving, not speaking. There was nothing to talk about: they were sure Armstrong Base had seen them come in, and either they would get some kind of team there to help in time . . . or they wouldn’t. Lord and the others had done all they could.

The tanks were draining and the air was thinning noticeably before they heard a hatch opening behind them, in the cabin. There was no air back there, no talking, not even Landry.

Two loud bangs sounded on the door behind them, followed after a pause by a third. Lord recognized it as the okay-to-enter signal used before accessing airlocks. In this case, the new arrival was making sure the occupants were secure before blundering in and letting out all the air.

The cockpit occupants lowered their visors, turned the oxygen back on, and then Saranya replied in kind.

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