Waning Hope (Nihilian Effect)

Part 2: Descension

"Roger, Martin," came Eirene's voice. He had never been so happy to hear it. "I'm not sure what happened, but I'm in the control module and I see damage all over the base. Do you know who is trapped over there? Are you injured?"

Her concern surprised Martin. "Negative on both accounts. I figure Tui would still be resting in her capsule, but I passed Peji in the kitchen before the incident, so I cannot say for sure where he is," Martin blurted out as fast as he could. He heard blood pounding in his ears and felt his heart thumping against his ribs.

"I am here," another voice said over the comm system.

"Peji? Where are you?" the commander asked.

"Aye. I was letting Tui rest alone for a while so I could get some work done. I am trapped in the research lab. I am secure, but the garden is demolished, so I have no way of joining either of you," Peji answered. "Martin, how is Tui, and have either of you seen Druger or Raitrin?"

Martin examined the remaining capsules again. The capsules did not have windows facing in his direction. "I cannot see her. Her capsule appears to be intact, but the entire section is dark. All of the pipes and power lines were torn away with the habitat node. As for Druger and Raitrin, they were finishing up unloading the cargo. I had to leave early because my air tank had expired."

"All right," Eirene interrupted. "Martin, come join me at the hangar airlock if you can. We need to find out what happened. Peji, do you have power and life support?"

Peji did not respond right away. "A-as far as I can tell." His voice cracked. He sounded as though he was becoming increasingly worried, if not for himself, then for Tui.

"Then you will have to hang tight, for now."

"What about Tui?"

"She will just have to wait as well. We won't take long."

"Aye, commander."

Martin had left the service node as soon as Eirene had told him to join her, listening to the end of conversation over the loudspeakers. The remainder of the base seemed intact as he lopped toward the hangar. Some of the kitchen supplies and tools had fallen from their cupboards or hooks, but overall the module seemed undamaged. He paused in the kitchen to view the garden through a closed red-lit airlock hatch. Peji was right; the garden looked as bad as the missing section of the habitat node. Glass and dead plants littered the area. Martin could also see a large hole in the wall of the hangar facing the garden. A giant divot had been carved in the lunar soil, as well. It was as if something had burst from the hangar, smashed through the garden, and then swept away the infirmary and the habitat section. On the far side of the ruined garden, Peji paced inside the research lab, visible through the hatch that used to lead to the kitchen.

Martin continued toward the hangar, but by the time he arrived, the commander was suited up and dragging someone out of the hangar into the airlock. The scene through the airlock's hatch was chaos. Crates in the hangar were scattered, many spilling their contents. Broken equipment and splattered food covered the floor in a mix of shapes, colors, and shines. The walls of the hangar itself had buckled outward and been burned black, and some of the support beams had fallen. One working light remained on the ceiling, flickering as it swung.

As soon as the airlock was pressurized, Martin yanked open the hatch and rushed inside. He helped Eirene flip the person over and lift them onto the dressing bench. It was Raitrin. Blood from her forehead tinted the visor red. The arms and legs of her suit were shredded, and her air tank and hose were missing. Martin gently removed her helmet while Eirene ripped off her own and tossed it aside.

"Where's Druger?" Martin asked as he checked Raitrin for signs of life. She had a pulse.

"No idea. I assume dead."