Lost in Space: Return to Yesterday by Kevin Emerson

Author:Kevin Emerson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Hachette UK
Published: 2019-11-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

So, if I’m hearing you correctly,” said Victor, “you’re saying that crashing your ship up in that glacier has doomed us all.”

“Hey!” Judy shouted. “It wasn’t our fault! The ship was on autopilot and damaged. There was nothing we could have done!”

“So you say,” said Victor.

“Yeah, we do!” Judy pointed at him. “You have a lot of nerve—”

“Judy!” Mom snapped. “That’s enough. Arguing won’t help us right now.” Her eyes narrowed at Victor. “Neither will placing blame.”

As I listened, it felt like my brain was splitting in two. I pictured our Jupiter tumbling out of sight into that crevasse, while at the same time I remembered Dad flying it out through the falling ice. Both things seemed real, even though that was impossible!

“Will?”

I blinked and found that I’d stumbled into Judy. My head ached, and there were spots of light in my vision.

“Sorry,” I said as she put her arm around me.

“Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second,” Don was saying. “We just risked our lives bringing back that whole tank of fuel, and you’re saying it doesn’t matter?”

“It will help,” said Mom, “but even if we spread it among the Jupiters we have, we can’t make the numbers work. At least, not yet. Hiroki and I have been running simulations on how to shed weight: what supplies and systems we can dump so that we can accommodate everyone and escape this planet’s gravity.…”

“That sounds like there’s a but,” said Don.

Mom shrugged. “Even if we find a model that works, it’s going to barely work.”

“And you’re sure there are no other options?” said Victor.

“If we can contact the Resolute, they may have a Jupiter left that’s in working order, and if they can send it down to us, that would do it. If not…”

“If not…” Victor echoed. “What are you implying: that we’re going to have to draw straws?”

“That would absolutely be the last option,” said Mom.

“But you’re saying we might,” said Don.

Murmurs rushed around the room, people shaking their heads and rubbing one another’s shoulders supportively.

“Obviously, we’ll keep doing more tests,” said Mom. “As many as it takes.”

My chest tightened, like I could barely breathe. “This isn’t right,” I said.

Judy put her arm around me. “No kidding,” she said quietly.

“No,” I said, “I mean, really. This can’t be right.…”

“So that’s it, then,” said Victor. “And what are we supposed to do in the meantime while you’re running numbers?”

“You can do an inventory of each of your ships and weigh everything that can be left behind,” said Mom. “We also still need to double-check the thrusters and launch systems. We don’t know what damage may have been caused when we evacuated the Resolute. That way we’re ready if—when—we find a solution.”

Victor put an arm around Vijay, the other around his wife. “Well, if that’s everything, we’ll be leaving.” He turned them toward the door.

“I could use your help,” said Mom. “Running the models.”

“I need to get my family to safety before nightfall,” said Victor. “We got the fuel. We did our part.

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