Read Online Command Decision (Project Gliese 581g #1) by S.E. Smith - Free Book Online

A sense of urgency filled him. Something told him that they needed to get out of there – now!
    “Leave them,” Josh ordered, reaching for Sergi’s foot and pulling him down. “We need to get out of here now.”
    Josh saw Sergi glance at the walls that were beginning to shift. Sergi nodded and motioned for him to go first. They both turned and used the railing to pull themselves down to the opening. Using their feet, they pushed off and exited through the gaping hole.
    “Josh, look!” Sergi muttered, grabbing his arm.
    Josh turned in time to see each of the sections light up. He glanced up at the thick cables. Each one was lit a bright red. His gaze narrowed on the second gateway. It was moving as well.
    “Josh, we need you to get back to the Gliese now,” Ash ordered in their helmet.
    “What’s going on?” Josh demanded, grabbing the tether they had secured when they first began working on the gateway.
    “Those things are lit up like a Christmas tree and are beginning to do some weird shit. I’d feel better if you and Sergi were back inside the ship,” Ash replied.
    “Can you please define weird?” Josh asked in frustration as he and Sergi pulled themselves along the tether.
    “Josh, it looks like the gates are opening up,” Julia’s calm voice came over the headset. “I think the Gliese being so close to the gate has activated it. We can’t move as long as you and Sergi are outside.”
    “I’m going to have to burn fuel to keep it from being pulled in,” Ash’s muttered voice echoed in the background.
    “No!” Josh ordered. “We barely have enough to get back as it is.”
    “Josh, if we get pulled in, there won’t be any going home,” Ash stated in a grim voice.
    “Try to keep it steady, we are coming in as fast as we can,” Josh ordered. “Sergi, use the Jetpack.”
    “I won’t argue with you on that,” Sergi said, reaching to unhook the tether attached to him.
    “Watch out!” Josh yelled as the rotating gateway ripped the tether out of his hand just as he unhooked it.
    Josh felt his body rotating at a crazy angle for a moment before he fired the Jetpack and regained his orientation. He slowly turned to see where Sergi was when he heard a muttered curse in Russian. Horror gripped him when he saw Sergi being reeled toward the massive gateway as it turned. Tilting his body, he focused on using the propulsion system to push him toward the twirling figure.
    “I can’t get the tether undone,” Sergi bit out in frustration.
    “Hold on, I’m coming,” Josh replied.
    Sergi’s nervous chuckle echoed in his helmet. “I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere,” he replied. “Though, I would appreciate it if you can hurry.”
    Josh pushed forward, working each thrust to move him closer. He didn’t want to overshoot Sergi. If he did, he wouldn’t have time to turn back around for a second try before Sergi was crushed.
    He reached out for the other man as he drew closer. His fingers brushed the back of Sergi’s Jetpack. Gripping the controls of his unit, he calculated when Sergi would rotate again. Pressing the button, he sent a long burst of nitrogen into space and shot forward. This time, he was able to grab the back of the pack.
    “Josh, you need to put a move on,” Ash warned.
    “I am,” Josh replied through gritted teeth.
    “Josh,” Sergi muttered. “Commander, leave me.”
    Josh ignored Sergi, working on the clip that held the tether onto him as they both twirled closer and closer to the second gateway. With a loud curse, he forced the metal back and slipped it off the belt attached to the Russian.
    “Brace for impact,” Josh ordered as they bounced into the turning gate.
    The impact tossed them in separate directions. Josh was thrown outward while Sergi was pushed up into the glowing cables. Josh saw a flash before a loud cry escaped the other man and his body stiffened.
    “Sergi! Josh, I received a spike in Sergi’s life support. He flat lined for a moment,” Mei