Runaway World

Return

     "There's a crack in the hull!" cried Joe.

     "It's double hulled," Philip reminded him. "The inner hull's thicker. She's got time yet."

     She's got time, thought Andrew furiously. My son's in there too! He calmed himself, though. He knew what the other man meant. James was wearing a surface suit. Valentina wasn't. If the rover sprung a leak, she would be dead within moments but James would still be fine. Physically at least.

     "Almost there," said James. "I got you." There came a grunt which Andrew imagined was his son grabbing the woman by the arm and pulling her through the door into the outfitting room. "Quick, get undressed and suited up."

     "Take your time," said Philip. "Don't rush it."

     Andrew wanted them to rush, but he knew what the other man meant. On the one hand the rover could begin leaking air at any moment, but on the other a mistake made while putting on a surface suit could be fatal. An extra moment spent double checking every seal and connection could save the woman's life. It was hard to be calm and rational, though, when the vehicle was collapsing around them, the walls pressing inwards like something from an old horror movie.

     "I saw him," sobbed Val. "I had to look."

     "I'm sorry," James replied. Andrew could sense him wanting to say more, to offer some words of comfort, but not knowing what to say. A problem that much older people also suffered from. Andrew's heart went out to him.

     "He..." Val added. "He looked... It looked as if it was quick."

     "Don't stop," James urged her. "Please, we have to hurry. Here, let me help..."

     The various parts of a surface suit made distinctive sounds as they were pulled on and Andrew was able to follow the woman's progress. That was the sound of her zipping up the front, that was the sound of the air hose being disconnected from the wall connector. Finally came the sound of the helmet being fitted and locked into place. When Val spoke again, the sound of her voice was clearer as it came from her own intercom rather than from James's by way of the air between them. "That's it. Ready."

     "Then let's go." Andrew heard the sound of James closing his faceplate again.

     "The door won't close," said Val anxiously. "The jamb's warped."

     "Doesn't matter," James replied.

     "The outer door won't open while..."

     "We'll blow it. Where're the explosives?"

     There was some shuffling and the sound of boxes being moved around as Val searched the equipment storeroom. While she was doing this the crushing of the rover continued, the vehicle juddering in the grip of the ice as if it were a living creature in pain. Was the atomic generator being damaged? Andrew wondered. Was his son even now being dosed with radiation?

     The cracks in the outer hull widened and deepened, and a jet of vapour began to spurt from one of them. The rover's atmosphere was escaping. Val had gotten her suit on just in time. The outer airlock door popped open, flying upwards into a vertical position before falling most of the way back down again. The warped shape of the door frame kept it from closing completely.

     "Get behind the door," said Val. There was a pause. "Ready?" she asked.

     "Ready," James replied.

     "Three, two, one..." Some shards of debris shot out through the almost closed outer door as the explosives detonated. "You okay?" asked Val.