Outcasts of Gideon

Cistern and Buckets

The plan of walking into the facility wasn't panning out for Lieutenant Ulkos. Landing at the docks of Aynur Station didn't seem a viable option. He felt sure he could find an unsecured airlock or sympathetic guard. As he made his way around the facility, he tried many hatches, finding them all sealed. Fortunately, having a recycler meant he wasn't in danger of running out of oxygen.

He frequently checked his comm to get his bearings. By this point he was well over a kilometer away from the vehicle he'd parked at a distance from the docks. He had assumed security would be more lax this far out. That did not appear to be the case.

The longer he was out, the less diligent security mattered. Whether over ground or space, vessels were arriving from all directions. Quarantine or not, the doors of Aynur Station would have to open. If they didn't, there would be many people stranded in the vacuum.

As he rounded another corner, he spotted a figure banging on a hatch. The vacuum swallowed any sound that might have been made. Even someone inside would not hear the effort through the thick hatch.

He approached with caution, his years of training kicking in. This could have been any number of dangerous situations. Of course, it might also have been someone in need of help. He was within a few meters when he spotted another figure laying supine along the wall of the station. That person was not moving.

He walked up behind the figure banging on the airlock. Reaching his hand out, he gently grabbed their shoulder. The person swung around, losing their balance and bouncing to the side with their motion. The Lieutenant held up his hands, signaling for calm.

He couldn't make out the person's face. From their size, he guessed this was a woman. He backed away, hoping that would show he was not a threat. The person regained their balance and turned again to bang on the hatch.

Lieutenant Ulkos stepped over to the person lying on the ground. He pressed his hand against their chest. Feeling no movement, he shook them but got no response.

A hand grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and propelled him backward. Lower G made him bounce several times as he skidded across the dusty surface. Over him stood the other person, their face still hidden behind their visor. They were gesturing wildly, signaling something he didn't understand.

Lieutenant Ulkos raised his hands again. This time, he pointed to his helmet. The person shook their head, then turned back to the hatch. They began banging again.

The Lieutenant stood. He'd avoided raising any official alarm, but here the need was clear. He raised his comm and entered the code for "officer needs assistance." This wasn't Saturn Patrol territory, so he had no idea if his comm would trigger the same response. For all he knew, the message would be relayed back to Titan. He didn't care how it happened, he needed help.

He approached the person on the ground, grabbed an arm, and hoisted them up on his back. The weight was tolerable, particularly in low G. He turned toward the hatch and neared it.

The other person continued banging. After a few moments, lights around the hatch ignited. The door was activated, opening to the vacuum. The person turned to find the Lieutenant standing behind them. They motioned for him to follow.

Inside the airlock, Lieutenant Ulkos lowered the unconscious person to the floor. Reaching for the man's helmet, he removed it, exposing the man to the atmosphere flooding in around them. As he did this, the other person removed their helmet. Long locks of red hair escaped from around a woman's face. She was breathing heavy, her face damp with sweat. She brushed aside hair that had matted against her forehead and kneeled beside the man.

The Lieutenant removed his own helmet. Setting it down, he began applying chest compression to the unconscious man. His lips moved as he counted each round.