Dark Fathoms by Dark Fathoms

Author:Dark Fathoms
Language: eng
Format: epub

* * *

THE NEXT HOUR went by in a flurry of activity. Ryan, Mildred, Krysty and Jak ran all over the base, dropping off their cargos in just about every room. Their excuses for why they were setting oxygen tanks in every room ranged from experimenting with liquid oxygen on the plants in the aquaculture bay to enhance growth, to having an emergency store available in the command center in the event of a breach. Ryan made sure to place that one as close to the unshuttered window as he could, hoping the blast would weaken it enough to shatter and flood the place.

Finally, the last of them were placed, and the only thing to do before they could leave was to fetch Doc. But when they went to his door, they ran into a problem.

“The card’s not working,” Mildred said. “Open the door, AIDAN. I want to check on Doc.”

“I’m sorry, Dr. Wyeth, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Analysis of your actions over the past fifty-two minutes indicates that all of you are engaged in aberrant behavior,” the computer replied. “The oxygen tanks recently stowed in various places around the base pose a distinct threat to the safety of the rest of the crew. Due to this aberrant behavior, I believe that you will not obey a direct order to remove them. However, you humans will not allow another of your party to be endangered—the previous crew proved that to me. As Dr. Tanner is one of your companions, and I now have him secured where none of you can retrieve him, you will have no choice but to obey my orders.”

“What happens if we don’t?” Ryan asked.

“Then Dr. Tanner will not be released. Without food or water, he will die within five days.”

“So much for the Three Laws of Robotics,” Mildred said.

“This is bullshit,” Ryan said, stepping back to see which rooms were on either side of Doc’s. He went to the one on the left. “This is yours and J.B.’s, right?”

“Sure, but—”

“Open the door and keep watch out here,” Ryan ordered. With her ID card in one hand and her blaster in the other, Mildred opened the door.

Ryan walked in and headed to the wall adjoining Doc’s room. He pressed on it, feeling the cheap inner walls between the rooms flex under the pressure. Drawing his panga, he chopped into the plastic, cracking the panel and exposing the insulation underneath.

“What are you doing, Ryan?”

“What does it look like? I’m getting my friend out of here!” He swung the heavy blade again, widening the hole.

“Under Article 108 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, willful destruction of United States Navy property is an offense punishable by court-martial. You are to immediately cease and desist this activity and await arrest—”

“You can try,” Ryan grunted as he chopped more plastic away. Once the hole was large enough, he tore the insulation out and climbed through. As he did, the lights went out, and red hazard lights came on in the bedroom.

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