Today's Reading
Whoever answered my call sends me a locator signal. My radar picked them up in this sector, but they've got some basic anti-detection shields up, so I didn't have an exact location. They really aren't far, but are they near enough? I check my tank again. I don't like this. I don't like cutting it this close.
But I can't risk doing this any other way.
I stare out the hull window. The planet below curves into view. I've been in orbit for about a week. First to the scavenge site. Not an easy haul. When I picked up the other ship approaching, I knew I couldn't compete with them, even if I'd only finished half the job.
A breach in my cargo hold followed by explosive decompression and total life support failure hadn't exactly been in the original plan. But what's a girl to do? I know how to improvise.
The air tank gauge flashes red before my locator shows the larger ship moving closer to me. I'm at two percent by the time they're in sight, and I'm taking shallow sips of air, keeping still, trying my best to convince my body that oxygen's optional.
I was right. Not about oxygen; things are going to get real dicey soon on that front. I was right about the other ship. It's a big one. Maybe even government-issue. It's not a looter, that's for sure; it's far too sleek and new. I bet every part of that ship is original, not held together by cheap welds and luck like my little Glory.
Another voice clicks onto my comm. "D-class, our scans show your breach."
"Did you think I was lying?" I mutter. "Do you have a port for our cofferdam?"
"Yeah, that's part of the problem," I say. The breach broke the airlock system. Again, plans awry, improvisation, the usual.
"How are you going to—"
I do not have time to mince words. "Get as close as you can," I say. I had my foot latched to a hold bar, but I let go and twist around, already heading aft, using the bars to propel myself through the micrograv as I float down the corridor. I go through the bulkhead door, the heavy metal seals wide open to allow me passage. Straight to the ripped-out hole blown in one side of my ship. "If you pull up starboard and open an airlock transfer, I should be able to get to you without a cofferdam."
"Without a...D-class, how are going to—"
"I have a name," I say. "Ada Lamarr, nice to meet you, thank you for saving my life." I'm already at the hole in the side of my ship, careful to avoid the sharp edges of metal that could compromise my suit. I stare out at the massive A-class vessel sidling up alongside my little bird. Dozens of positioning thrusters blow out, edging the leviathan a little closer to me. I scan the side of the ship. Various portholes, a few cargo loader arms, a large shuttle bay—there. An escape airlock hatch for emergency use.
"D-class—Lamarr, exactly how do you intend to reach the Halifax?"
Halifax. Old name. Classic. Maybe not government-issue.
"I'm at one percent," I mention as if it weren't my life with minutes to spare. "Can you maybe just trust me on this and open up a door?"
I hold my breath—ironically—and count a few more seconds down.
Midship, the airlock door on the side of the Halifax pops open.
"Thanks," I say. "See you in a bit." I check my suit and fling myself into the void.
An object in motion stays in motion, that's what Newton said, and the proof of it's here in space. As I kick off the side of my ship, past the jagged metal edges of the hole, I would keep going forever through the black at this exact same speed and direction if I didn't hit something. I mean, I'm hoping I hit the Halifax, which is absolutely my intent, but if that fails, I'll either get sucked into the gravity of the planet below us—unlikely, given my weight compared to the planet—or I'll, you know, float in the empty black void of space until I die.
Which, according to my air gauge, is any second now.
I'm missing my target. The Halifax is coming at me a little quicker than I'd thought. Turns out flying through space without a tether can fuck up your concept of relative locations. Also, while it looks pretty certain I'm going to hit the side of this other ship, I'm not at the best angle to hit the open airlock, which is what I need in order to actually board the ship.
...
