Read Online Article 23 by William R. Forstchen - Free Book Online
Authors: William R. Forstchen
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he felt himself floating in his chair although he was strapped in, arms and legs lifting up. It felt peculiarly pleasant out there with the vastness of the universe encircling him.
His grandfather and he would sit on the back porch and gaze up at the night sky while they listened to Hoist's Planets. He imagined his favorite piece, " Neptune," playing softly as he gazed out upon the pearly glow of the Milky Way. Out here, at least for the moment, all of the clinical study, the number crunching, classes, late hours of study, the hazing and harsh discipline were forgotten. The music played in his head; there was a quiet soothing rapture to it all, a timeless sense of floating through eternity. He found it strangely hypnotic, and his thoughts drifted and floated out across space.
"Hard dock!"
Startled, Justin jerked upright in his chair; had it not been for the seatbelt he would have vaulted right off the side of the ship.
He looked ahead, surprised by the massive bulk of the habitat now blocking the view. The tug was anchored to a beam projecting from an airlock door and Barker cautiously stood up, reaching for a guideline.
"All right, people. Listen sharply now. Unbuckle, stand up slowly, and be sure to grab the guideline I don't want to have to undock and go chasing around after you. If you do float free don't use your unit thrusters; we're too close in and you fools would most likely wind up banging into something. Bell, Leonov , wait for the others to pass then give me a hand with the canisters.
"The rest of you, go through decontamination, leave your suits, and you've got two hours liberty. I want you suited up and ready to go at 1530 standard."
Justin clicked an acknowledgment and waited while the rest of his platoon reached out for the walkway, then carefully descended to the open, waiting airlock.
Justin saw Matt turn back and wave. Darn, his buddy obviously was not going to wait.
Barker came aft, motioning for Justin to follow him. Bracing his feet on the walkway Barker leaned over, undipped the tie downs and handed a canister to Justin. It had several hundred pounds of mass to it and Justin handled it gingerly. He knew that if he jerked it too hard it would be very difficult to stop and might cause him to lose his own foothold.
He waited for Barker to hand the second canister to Tanya, then they followed the senior cadet's lead as they slowly moved along the walkway. They made sure each sticky-bottom boot was firmly locked onto the surface before lifting the other one.
Justin breathed a sigh of relief as they passed through the airlock door and it swung shut. Seconds later he heard the ringing of the alarm bell signaling pressurization. The light over the door to the ship flashed green to indicate equalization of pressure, and they followed Barker into the suit-up room.
After double-checking to make sure pressure inside his suit was equalized with internal ship pressure, Justin unsnapped his helmet and took it off.
"Good work, you two," Barker announced. "Don't like chasing plebes or supply canisters when we're visiting neighbors it's embarrassing!"
"Sir, why didn't we just dock inside? It would have been a lot easier."
"Practice, cadet do it the hard way. Had to make this little trip worth something besides a romp aboard a passing habitat."
Barker peeled out of his suit and hung it up in a locker. Justin could not help but give a surreptitious look over at Tanya as she wiggled out of her suit and brushed an errant wisp of hair back from her face.
"Ah, the supplies!"
Justin looked up and started at the appearance of the elderly rotund man, dressed in the brown habit of the ancient order of Franciscans, who came into the room. The monk was filled with good cheer, delighted by the sight of the canisters. He patted them affectionately.
Barker drew himself to attention. Justin and Tanya followed suit.
"I'm Brother Bartholomew. Now, no need for formality. You children over at the Academy, always so
His grandfather and he would sit on the back porch and gaze up at the night sky while they listened to Hoist's Planets. He imagined his favorite piece, " Neptune," playing softly as he gazed out upon the pearly glow of the Milky Way. Out here, at least for the moment, all of the clinical study, the number crunching, classes, late hours of study, the hazing and harsh discipline were forgotten. The music played in his head; there was a quiet soothing rapture to it all, a timeless sense of floating through eternity. He found it strangely hypnotic, and his thoughts drifted and floated out across space.
"Hard dock!"
Startled, Justin jerked upright in his chair; had it not been for the seatbelt he would have vaulted right off the side of the ship.
He looked ahead, surprised by the massive bulk of the habitat now blocking the view. The tug was anchored to a beam projecting from an airlock door and Barker cautiously stood up, reaching for a guideline.
"All right, people. Listen sharply now. Unbuckle, stand up slowly, and be sure to grab the guideline I don't want to have to undock and go chasing around after you. If you do float free don't use your unit thrusters; we're too close in and you fools would most likely wind up banging into something. Bell, Leonov , wait for the others to pass then give me a hand with the canisters.
"The rest of you, go through decontamination, leave your suits, and you've got two hours liberty. I want you suited up and ready to go at 1530 standard."
Justin clicked an acknowledgment and waited while the rest of his platoon reached out for the walkway, then carefully descended to the open, waiting airlock.
Justin saw Matt turn back and wave. Darn, his buddy obviously was not going to wait.
Barker came aft, motioning for Justin to follow him. Bracing his feet on the walkway Barker leaned over, undipped the tie downs and handed a canister to Justin. It had several hundred pounds of mass to it and Justin handled it gingerly. He knew that if he jerked it too hard it would be very difficult to stop and might cause him to lose his own foothold.
He waited for Barker to hand the second canister to Tanya, then they followed the senior cadet's lead as they slowly moved along the walkway. They made sure each sticky-bottom boot was firmly locked onto the surface before lifting the other one.
Justin breathed a sigh of relief as they passed through the airlock door and it swung shut. Seconds later he heard the ringing of the alarm bell signaling pressurization. The light over the door to the ship flashed green to indicate equalization of pressure, and they followed Barker into the suit-up room.
After double-checking to make sure pressure inside his suit was equalized with internal ship pressure, Justin unsnapped his helmet and took it off.
"Good work, you two," Barker announced. "Don't like chasing plebes or supply canisters when we're visiting neighbors it's embarrassing!"
"Sir, why didn't we just dock inside? It would have been a lot easier."
"Practice, cadet do it the hard way. Had to make this little trip worth something besides a romp aboard a passing habitat."
Barker peeled out of his suit and hung it up in a locker. Justin could not help but give a surreptitious look over at Tanya as she wiggled out of her suit and brushed an errant wisp of hair back from her face.
"Ah, the supplies!"
Justin looked up and started at the appearance of the elderly rotund man, dressed in the brown habit of the ancient order of Franciscans, who came into the room. The monk was filled with good cheer, delighted by the sight of the canisters. He patted them affectionately.
Barker drew himself to attention. Justin and Tanya followed suit.
"I'm Brother Bartholomew. Now, no need for formality. You children over at the Academy, always so
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