Space Rescue One (24 page)

      "I understand. You're saying that we won't be able to sneak up on the wreckage. Can you give me an estimate of the cabin size so we can calculate how much time we have to work in?" Richard replied.

      "Affirmative. Give us a few minutes to check inside though I'm fairly sure that it's a standard three meters by three meters cabin with a two and a half meter height," Isaac replied.

      Richard waited for the confirmation. Already, that figure was being used to calculate the time left.

      Isaac called back, "It's a standard cabin size, but we have another problem. The cabin is leaking air. From what we can see, the holes are plugged with clothing and whatever is handy inside the cabin. The holes are still letting out some air so he doesn't have nearly as much time as we'd like."

      "Affirmative. I understand the situation. Can you establish communication with the crewman?"

      Isaac replied, "We're looking for a place to secure a listening device now without causing another leak or a rupture."

***

      Chief Dickson stood in his armored suit in the briefing room as Captain Saber, Chief Brunner, and he discussed their options.

      Captain Saber said, "We have a request to assist another ship. I'm inclined to answer that call since we have a real chance of saving someone there."

      Isaac said, "I don't like the idea of abandoning this man. He's frightened out of his wits and believes that he's going to die."

      "It appears that he's right. I can't see anything that we can do for him at present. Anything we try is going to kill him," Richard said.

      "Request permission to stay with him while the ship answers the other call. I'll sleep much better knowing that he didn't die alone."

      "Granted. Instruct your team to take their orders from Chief Brunner," Richard said.

      "I'd like to keep Tim with me. It will seem less like we're abandoning this man if he hears more than one voice talking to him."

      Chief Brunner said, "I can make do without Tim, too."

      "Permission granted. Make sure you keep some lights on so no one will shoot at you," Richard said.

***

Chief Dickson left the ship carrying an evacuation chamber knowing that he'd be transporting a dead body back eventually. It was the least he felt he could do. He reached the dead ship where Tim waited for him. Already behind him, the
Space Rescue One
was moving away.

      "Where's the ship going?" Tim asked.

      Isaac replied, "They're answering another call. You and I are going to remain with this man for now. They'll return to pick us up later."

      "Oh. You have an idea on how to use that to get him out?"

      "Uh, not really. If this thing was an airlock, I'd attach it to the bulkhead and burn through with Quik-Cut. However, it's not, so I guess it's going to be a body chamber," Isaac replied.

      "Oh, I thought maybe you were going to cut a hole in the bulkhead and shove it in."

      Isaac said, "It's not that easy. We'd be pushing against the air pressure. The air pressure would shoot it and us out into space. He'd die before we could get back to him."

      "You know something? It'd be different if we had a larger chamber to put this one inside. We could seal that one to the bulkhead with this one inside it. Then cut open the wall so he could climb inside the chamber and seal himself in."

      "Yeah, well, now you're describing an airlock is all. Chances are though that he'd be injured or killed when the inner wall was cut through. The outer chamber you're describing would be a vacuum. He'd be sucked toward it if we could figure out how to trigger the Quik-Cut from outside the chambers."

      "Yeah, that is a problem. But I don't think he'd be killed since the chamber wouldn't fill up with very much air. It'd be more like a slight rush. Wouldn't it?"

      "I'm not sure. Let me think about this for a moment. I'm getting an idea on how we might get to him after all."

      "You are? Great."

      Isaac said, "Shhh, keep talking with our man while I think."

      "Right, Chief."

      Isaac pondered the problem as he stared at the evacuation chamber he brought with him for another purpose. The more he looked at the chamber, the more he saw possibilities. Then it came to him in what he felt was only an inspired revelation.

      Isaac pulled out his coil of Quik-Cut. It took only a few seconds to use some of it around one end of the chamber. He wired it and cut off one end as close as possible to the end. It cooled quickly. While it cooled, he put a small circle of Quik-Cut on the other end, leaving a wide inward brim. The Quik-Cut flashed, punching out the small hole he wanted. He had one more cut to make. Another piece of Quik-Cut went near the first cut he made, but it went only halfway around, just barely enough for him to slip the first end through, he hoped. He ignited it and waited a few seconds for it to cool thoroughly.

      Isaac slipped the first end he cut off into the slot he made. It didn't go in enough. There was a large gap left. He stared at it before deciding that he had nothing to lose and everything to gain by working on the slot some more. He widened the slot a bit more and then made a small slot in the middle of what was left. Isaac fitted the end inside the slot once more after the new cuts cooled. Inwardly, he grimaced at the loose fit. He prayed that it would hold. If it didn't, Tim and he would have a man die horribly in front of them.

      Isaac moved to the bulkhead with the modified chamber. Isaac pulled out some Quik-Seal from another utility pocket of his armored suit. He looped a sufficient length of the Quik-Seal coil around the edge of the chamber. He placed the open-ended chamber against the bulkhead with the slot nearest to the bulkhead. A moment later, he ignited the Quik-Seal. There was a blinding flash that the filters in his helmet compensated for. He pushed on the chamber. It felt securely attached. He opened the chamber's normal entrance. Reaching in, he placed a circle of Quik-Cut against the bulkhead just a few centimeters from the inside edge of the chamber. Moving back to the small opening he made earlier, he slipped in his detonation wire far enough that he could reach it from the normal entrance. He pulled himself back to the entrance, grabbed hold of the wire and guided it to the Quik-Cut. Seeing it firmly in place, he closed the chamber entrance and moved over to Tim and the communication link with the trapped man.

      Isaac motioned Tim to unplug his suit so Isaac could plug in his own suit.

      "This is Chief Dickson, again, Joe. I want you to get ready now. I suppose that Tim's been telling you that we're going to try to get you out alive."

      "Yes, Chief, he has. What do I have to do?" Joe replied.

      "You'll have to brace yourself somewhere inside the cabin so you won't get tossed about. There's going to be a slight decompression. Then you'll have only a short time to get to the opening we're going to make and enter the chamber that's attached to your cabin. As soon as I see you inside it, I'm going to seal it off and cut it free. I know this is risky for you, but it's the only chance I can see for getting you out alive," Isaac answered.

      "I guess I'm willing to take that chance if you think it'll work, Chief."

      "Joe, I really don't know if this will work. In theory, it should. What's going to happen is that the hole I cut in the bulkhead is going to slam down into the bottom of the chamber and air pressure is going to hold it there. I have a slot already prepared that I'll slip another end into once you're inside. When you're in, I'll seal it. You won't have much air, but this is the only way that we'll be able to get to the ship with you alive. I hope," Isaac said.

      Joe said, "I hope so, too. It's awful dark in here. How will I know where the opening is?"

      Isaac answered, "You'll see a flash of Quik-Cut. The opening you want to head for is there. Be careful going through. The edges will still be hot. They'll probably still be glowing. Are you ready?"

      "As ready as I'm going to be, Chief. I'm holding onto the bed. Fire away."

      Tim radioed, "The ship looks awful far away. Can he last inside this that long?"

      Chief Dickson glanced out of the wreckage to his ship. He estimated the distance, then said, "You're right. It's too far to chance. Go out and radio them. Tell them what we're going to do. Ask them if they can shorten the distance for us. I'll wait as long as I can."

      Tim replied, "Right, Chief."

      Joe said, "I could hear you talking to Tim. I guess it's going to be a few more minutes, huh?"

      "That's right, Joe. Just remain where you are for now. We'll get you out. I'm sure of it," Isaac said.

      "Well, since I can't exactly go anywhere, I guess I'll do what you say for now," Joe said.

      Chief Dickson wished he could wipe the perspiration from his brow while hearing Joe manage a weak chuckle over his slight joke.

***

"Chief Brunner. Can you delay transporting your next evacuees for a few minutes while we return to Chief Dickson. He needs the ship extra close for his evacuation attempt," Richard said.

      "He's got the man out?" asked Chief Brunner.

      Richard answered, "Not yet. He's holding on his next action until we're close enough to help."

      Chief Brunner glanced around, then said, "Sure, go ahead. We can hold off here for a while. Respond to Chief Dickson with my blessings, sir."

      Richard replied, "Thank you, Chief. We'll return shortly. Helm, set course for Chief Dickson's location. Proceed when ready."

***

Tim watched as the ship neared. He called inside to the Chief as it did.

      Chief Dickson waited until the ship was as near as possible. "Okay, Tim. Come over here to help me with this now. We're going to have to slip this plate into the slot as soon as Joe gets inside the chamber. Joe, if you can hear me, be sure you knock on the chamber or say something as soon as you get inside it. We don't want to seal it when you're not inside it."

      Joe replied, "I read you loud and clear, Chief. Are you doing it now?"

      "In just a moment Joe. The ship is just outside now. We're just doublechecking our procedure so you don't die," Isaac said.

      "Right, Chief. I'm ready. Just do it when you are," Joe replied.

      Isaac said, "Okay, Tim. Once we get the chamber sealed with this plate, we have to Quik-Seal it and then Quik-Cut around the bulkhead to separate it again. Once it's free, we can move with it out of the wreck and over to our ship. When we jet over, each of us holds onto the chamber. You ready?"

      Tim answered, "Sure, Chief."

      Isaac said, "Fire in the hole!"

      There was just a glimpse of the Quik-Cut as it flared through the small opening of the end of the chamber where the detonation wire went through. There was a quick whooshing sound followed by a loud clank as the freed piece of bulkhead was shoved into the chamber to come to a sudden stop at the other end.

      The whooshing sound became more of a whistling sound as air continued to rush into the chamber to exit through the slot.

      Isaac shouted, "Now, Joe!"

      "I'm making for it!" Joe replied. "Oh, what a beautiful sight! I'm entering the chamber now. I'm inside! Seal it, guys!"

      Isaac said, "Now, Tim. Shove this piece in and get ready to seal."

      The two men shoved the cut off end of the chamber into the slot. The air pressure forced against it, but deflected as it shoved it down against part of the chamber while widening the slot some as the chamber bent slightly. Then the plate went into place. Air pressure continued to assist them as they quickly placed Quik-Seal around the end piece in the slot.

      "Fire in the hole!" shouted Isaac into his radio as he ignited the Quik-Seal.

      Tim was already placing Quik-Cut around the outer edge of the chamber end sealed to the bulkhead. A moment later, he shouted, "Fire in the hole!"

      Isaac pulled on the chamber. It floated freely. "It's working! We've got him out! Help me get him to the ship fast!"

      "Right with you," said Tim.

      The two men pushed and shoved the modified evacuation chamber through openings in the wreck into the void of space. Seeing the ship in front of them with the outer airlock hatch already open, they jetted directly for it with the chamber held between them.

      Tim said, "I'm going to hit the edge. I'm letting go."

      "Understood," said the Chief as he gripped the chamber tighter and steered it into the airlock on his own.

      A moment later, Tim corrected his course to enter the airlock. He slapped at the hatch switch to close it after making sure that nothing was in the way to jam it open.

      Tim said, "Hatch secured."

      "Adding air pressure," said the Chief as he pressed a switch.

      The two men watched readouts as the air pressure inside the airlock went up to the normal range for human life.

      Isaac reached down and opened the chamber entrance. He stared into Joe's eyes as Joe blinked to focus them for a moment.

      Joe said, "We made it? I'm not dreaming this?"

      "You're alive," said Isaac as he pulled his helmet free.