Alien Gears

Chapter 12: Maintenance

MAINTENANCE

The bright tunnels hurt my eyes surprisingly as I had just been in a room with questionable numbers of possibly corrosive or caustic gases in the air. It would take me ages to get used to the clearness of vision and clear the unmoving haze from my eyeballs. I didn't have enough time to worry about this now though; I needed to focus my efforts on getting into contact with the base again and hopefully getting an idea of where I should be heading next.

Amazingly, as if by divine intervention, the radio was still working. In fact I heard the Major's voice as soon as I lifted it up to my ear.

'Lance Corporal Sanderson, communications are back up and running after just over an hour of downtime. Are you hearing this? I repeat...' 'I hear you major' I replied into the mouthpiece. 'I've just got into the lower access tunnels. How much time do I have until payload deployment?'

'280 minutes is our current figure but the countdown could speed up if the situation out here escalates,' the device squawked back. 'And Lance Corporal, we have some interesting readings in the areas which our scanner is picking up in your vicinity. Thermals are picking up a solid block of reds, twenty degrees above what you're experiencing now and much higher heat signatures from the centre. You need to realise that wherever you are going now, things are going to get even hotter, if you excuse the pun. In more important news for you, once that countdown hits three hours, we will try to immediately get you on the line, and try again at ten minute intervals until we get through to you, so hopefully the depths will still be viable for the radio communications. Good luck soldier. This is Basecom, out.'

I replaced the radio in its pouch. I was devastated, realising that time was passing so quickly. After I got through the next area, flash scans indicated that I would be able to acquire access to the depths and from there I would have to make up for my slow pace or I would not make it out. I contemplated unzipping my thick insulated jacket or even removing it, but remembering that I was lacking a medical kit, this seemed a bad idea as full skin coverage was more protection against burns and possible infections. It might have been slightly more bearable but it wasn't worth the risk.

I walked on down the long corridors towards the source of the heat. The quickly rising temperature was an obvious sign that I was heading the right way. Thinking about the heat, as well as the quality of the air in the factory chamber had made me rather thirsty. I remembered something that I had left untouched from the beginning of my journey. After rooting in my bag I pulled out a slightly dented flask and a small bag of nutrient bar rations. After munching through one of the somewhat unappetising bars I downed about half of the flask. It was only water but after the conditions my throat had been parched and it acted as a soothing balm to the pain. I returned it to its place in the bottom pocket of the sack. After going through what it seemed that I was up against next I was going to need more of it.

A deep orange glow was emitted from the slatted gaps in the door that I was approaching. I pushed at the door with my elbow, being careful not to touch the metal with my hands in case it was scorching hot with the heat of the next room. It slowly rolled open along a track in the floor into the new area and I swore when I was greeted with the sight of the biggest furnace room I had ever seen.