Jump Start
The cockpit canopy slowly froze over with ice, at least it looked like ice it was certainly cold enough. What little light there was became fragmented as it tried to penetrate the frosty layer.
How long I had been drifting in the dark I no longer remembered, my body was cold a bone penetrating chill that took away any energy I could muster. And now it appeared to be doing the same to my ship. Frost covered the controls, I had to wipe by gloved hand across the computer surfaces to make them easier to read, when in fact this just sort of pushed icy water around.
The hull looked like a snowy icy plain, I imagined rather than heard my mag boots clicking as walked across its surface. It had been a welcome relief climbing into my EVA suit its internal systems quickly warming my body temperature while it powered up.
The gloves were clunky and made it difficult to grip, but then the suit was old I had been meaning to upgrade but just not gotten around to it yet. The hose like cable trailed behind me as I clumped across the hull the snake like shape followed my icy foot prints as I dragged it towards the power core.
I hadn't been able to get the reboot sequence to re initiate the systems and so I was going to hot wire the power distributor Hey it was all I could think off, my last resort.
Gasping my face bathed in a soft sheen of sweat from the wintery walk, I stood not two feet from the connector. The cable had fallen from my grasp at the last moment. It took me a little while to realize it was too short.
"Shit" I said struggling for breath, "You're out of shape Sixth" I said aloud.
It shouldn't have taken this much out of you. Hands on hips I looked back at the trailing cable and my foot prints marking my journey.
Like book marks on the system map I thought to myself and burst into giggles.
Eventually I noticed the amber indicator on the HUD indicating my air was low. Flicking over to the reserve tank my thoughts quickly gained clarity.
It had not been as bad as I had thought several tugs, heaves slipping cursing and swearing and I had pulled the cable close enough and with some satisfaction connected them together and was now walking back to the engine room.
I stood in front of the power core the cable that held my life in its hands trailed out the open airlock and out of view. The room was dark only red emergency lights threatened to illuminate the black but quickly gave up and settled for a mild red haze.
I swore I could start to feel the mind numbing cold penetrating my suit especially around those bloody gloves.
"Well here goes nothing" I said pulling the lever
"Again" I said pulling it harder as if that would make a difference
Nothing the dark stayed inky and
Wait! A glimmer
Was that a bloody lighter my thoughts raced in all directions!
I could see shapes, blocky grey revealing themselves to be consoles Amber lights came up consigning the shadows to the corners of the ship.
I could feel the deck plates thrumming through the soles of my boots.
My ship was back and I was no longer adrift in the Abyss.
Time to continue my way home
But first a cup of tea
I smiled .
