RED SUN ROGUE by Taylor Zajonc

Author:Taylor Zajonc
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blank Slate Press
Published: 2017-07-27T16:00:00+00:00

Jonah secured the last zipper of his thick neoprene diving suit. He twisted the hot water supply valve back and forth with his fingers, satisfied that it turned easily. Unlike a wetsuit, which used a diver’s own body heat to warm a thin layer of water, the hot-water suit would continually inject a steady supply of electrically-heated water through a web of tubing—a necessity when breathing a heat-robbing mixture of oxygen and helium at depth. The system wasn’t perfect as there were always cold spots in the suit, but, that was diving.

“Are you certain swimming into the carrier is the best option?” said Hassan, leaning against the hatchway as he tapped a foot in nervous anxiety. “I’ll have you know I nearly died at just half this depth.”

“Well, you didn’t know what you were doing,” said Jonah dismissively as he pulled on one oversize Wellington boot after another over the neoprene suit feet. “I do. Plus, this isn’t scuba diving—it’s saturation diving. Sat divers don’t swim, they walk. Once under pressure, my soft tissues and bloodstream will take on dissolved oxygen and helium to the point of saturation. I’ll breathe an exotic gas mixture, mostly helium.”

“Because helium is inert?”

“Yep. It doesn’t make you high like nitrogen, or kill you like higher concentrations of oxygen—but it does make you cold as a motherfucker, believe me. I’ll be physically attached to the Scorpion by umbilical for my heat and air needs. The helmet has a built-in camera and microphone setup, too, so we’ll be in touch every step of the way. No sweat.”

“I am familiar with the principles of hyperbaric medicine,” sniffed Hassan. “As well as the myriad of associated medical risks.”

“Sure,” said Jonah as he hefted the bulky fifteen-minute emergency air tank over his shoulders and secured it with a snap. Marissa stuck her head through the hatchway, watching him as he assembled the gear. “High pressure nervous syndrome, aseptic bone necrosis, decompression sickness . . . and that’s just the obvious stuff. I’ve known guys who got crushed, froze to death, explosively decompressed. Hell, I once heard about a guy who got his intestines sucked right out his O-ring when his tender flushed the toilet at the wrong time.”

“I’d never consider doing that to you,” laughed Marissa as she made an obscene flushing gesture with her hand.

“Quite the ghastly image, that,” said the doctor.

“No shit. The Scorpion is capable of supporting a saturation diver on a limited basis, but this won’t exactly be a textbook operation. We’re essentially using a converted escape trunk, not a proper diving bell, and there’s no hyper-baric lifeboat if things go tits up.”

“I’ll make sure we have plenty of fresh water and a change of clothes upon your return,” said Hassan. “I’m not certain what else I can do to be useful.”

“Thanks,” said Jonah as Marissa passed him a tool belt. He secured it around his waist beside a clanking rack of carabineers and nylon webbing. “And don’t forget the reading material. I’ll be decompressing

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