The Crystal Planet by Hopwood R.P

Author:Hopwood R.P. [R.P., Hopwood]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Docking Bay 4?” questioned Joshua dubiously. “I’m sure we won’t find Sid in there!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. That’s where the computer said the Intrepid will be arriving later this year. I think we should explore a bit and get familiar with the layout of the place. It might help us to think of a way to approach the captain when the ship gets here,” Suli said.

“What if someone stops us?” objected Joshua anxiously.

“We’ll just ask them where the exit it, as though we’ve lost our way,” Suli replied.

“The last time we were on this level we were almost prisoners,” said Joshua, recalling their recent interrogation at the hands of Admiral Spender.

“Spender’s long gone,” said Suli dismissively, “and he just wasted everyone’s time when he was here. He wasn’t interested in the truth.”

“Who is?” asked Joshua rhetorically with a sigh.

“We are,” asserted Suli. “At least, I know I am.”

Joshua now seemed preoccupied. He thought for a few moments, before saying, “I must say that you don’t seem to be very concerned about Sid. Why didn’t he arrive back at the same time we did? You don’t think the Zarfi have taken him, do you?”

“I shouldn’t worry about Sid,” said Suli. “I’ve no doubt he’ll turn up very soon. He probably just returned to a different part of the Station, that’s all.”

“I hope you’re right,” said Joshua, not feeling at all reassured.

Suli now led the way, following the signs for Docking Bays 3 and 4. There were four docking bays in total, which meant in theory that four vessels could dock with New Mars Station simultaneously, although in practice this rarely happened. The Station was not large enough to allow spacecraft to enter its interior, so ships coupled with its external airlocks, and crew members could move freely through these once all safety checks had been completed.

The two friends arrived at a fork in the brightly-lit corridor. One way led to Docking Bay 3 and the other to Docking Bay 4. Suli pointed down the latter passageway and then began to make her way along it. Joshua stood undecided for a second or two, and then ran after her, saying as he caught up, “What exactly are we looking for?”

Suli shrugged. “We’ll know that when we find it,” she said enigmatically. Joshua was about to say something more, but just then a woman in a white one-piece suit came out of a large entranceway up ahead and began to walk toward them. Suli increased her pace, trying to look confident and unconcerned as the woman approached them, but at the same time careful not to make eye contact. The woman looked them over curiously as she passed, but said nothing and continued on her way.

They came level with a very wide reinforced glass door and peered through it into the chamber beyond. They were looking into a spacious docking bay which had an arrangement of a hundred or so seats on one side and a large door leading into a cargo hold on the other.

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