Welcome to the Galaxy: or, How I Learned to Appreciate the Importance of a Good Flocking by Martin Tabat

Author:Martin Tabat [Tabat, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Martin Tabat
Published: 2016-09-09T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 33

“The engine’s broken.” Nick stared blankly at the controls in front of him. He let his arms float where they wanted. They were officially castaways.

Chuck pounded the console in front of him with the side of his fist. His training refused to admit defeat, but his training never included repairing alien technology in the depths of space without any chance of rescue. It seemed Saint Christopher couldn’t reach across the membrane to help either.

“We have one option left. Let’s go fix it.” Miriam was determined to stay positive and maintain morale until—if it came to it—they all died with dignity, humanity, and grace.

“Nick and I will take the walk,” Miriam said. “Chuck, stay behind and monitor. We may want you to run diagnostics periodically while we’re at the engine.”

Miriam put a hand on Nick’s shoulder and squeezed a little. “Time to prove how much you really know about alien technology.”

“I’ll do my best.” Nick avoided her eyes; unsure if his best would be good enough.

Earth-side scientists had understood the engine ran equally well if either end was the intake or the exhaust. When switching from acceleration to deceleration, intake and exhaust simply switched sides. The ship did not have to flip end-over-end to reverse its inertia. The only logical rationale for mounting the plate near one end of the axle was simply the ease of removing a habitat pod. Health and safety experts were comforted knowing that aliens were unconcerned whether the habitat was near the intake or exhaust. It meant no toxins or tissue-damaging radiation occurred in those vicinities of the engine.

The final airlock door opened. Miriam and Nick stared into pure blackness, thick and deep and so dense it was hard to believe it did not have substance. Miriam pushed her hand out of the door to prove it was not solid, not a black boulder or blast panel blocking the airlock. This was not the ISC illuminated by Earthshine, moonshine, and sunshine. This was a lone Human vehicle in the galactic desert—a black, airless, uninhabitable desert. She braced and thrust herself into the black as a skydiver jumping out of an airplane door against the force of the onrushing wind.

Waist high out of the airlock, she searched the outside surface of the ship nearest her with her helmet-mounted floodlight. Inside the nearest compartment were six tethers, all long enough to reach the furthest end of the engine by the longest route. One she clipped to her belt and passed another to Nick.

“Ready?”

“You bet I am.” Nick was cowering at her feet, fumbling to attach the tether. He gave her a shaky thumbs-up.

“Good.” Miriam looked down at him between her feet. “Because I’m not.”

Miriam dissolved into the black. When the soles of her boots disappeared, he grabbed the edge of the door and lifted himself into the heavy, solid nothing.

“Man, it’s black.” Nick’s voice was a reverent whisper.

As their eyes adjusted, they first focused on the brightest points of light. The black holes of the Milky Way leaking the most energy across their super thinned gravitational membranes.

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