Read Online Below Mercury by Mark Anson - Free Book Online

they, Matt?’
    ‘Er, no. That one on the operating procedures at Elysium caused quite a few heads to roll.’
    ‘Oh yes, I remember that,’ Abrams said with interest. ‘So you wrote the report, did you? I’m not surprised PMI didn’t want you along. You must have some powerful friends at the Inspectorate.’
    ‘I don’t know about that,’ Bergman laughed, ‘I just didn’t move quickly enough when they were looking for volunteers.’ He glanced across the room, and dropped his voice slightly. ‘Is that our captain?’ He nodded towards Clare, who was talking with Elliott.
    Clare was aware that she was being scrutinised, and she turned her body slightly to ignore it. She focused instead on Wilson answering a question from Elliott about stasis on deep space journeys, and why they wouldn’t be needing it on this mission. She listened at first, but as Elliott delved into more and more detail, her mind wandered.
    She wondered how Wilson would perform once they were out there. This was going to be his first deep space mission out of training. She had been hoping to get someone more experienced, but Wilson was the best of the three who were available for this mission, so she had circled his name, and Helligan had endorsed the choice.
    It was a good mission from Wilson’s point of view, she thought. He would log flight hours as a copilot on a space tug, a chance that he normally wouldn’t get for a few more years, and he’d be on full space pay like she was. No wonder he was so keen.
    Her thoughts wandered on to Matt; she could hear his voice behind her as he talked with the others. Matt had too much personal involvement with the original accident for her liking, but he was the only one of them that had been to the mine before. That kind of knowledge counted highly on Clare’s score sheet for mission success; if he could keep it together, he would be a very useful guide to have.
    She checked herself; she was already thinking about the mission as if it mattered to her. This is just some bone that I’ve been tossed, she reminded herself harshly. Don’t get involved. Just do your job, get them there and back safely, keep to the mission plan, avoid any screw-ups.
    Over Elliott’s shoulder, Clare saw a heavily built figure with silver eagle rank insignias on the epaulettes of his jacket enter the room. She came back to reality and stood smartly to attention, followed a moment later by Wilson.
    Colonel Helligan nodded brusquely at Clare and Wilson, walked up to the front of the room, and rapped on the nearest desk for attention.
    ‘Please be seated. I’d like to get this briefing started.’ He waited as they came forward and sat down behind the desks, before continuing.
    ‘My name is Colonel Helligan; I am Group Commander of the Fourth Spacelift Group here at Andersen Base. I am in charge of the preparation, training and execution of this mission.’
    Helligan’s eyes probed the six faces looking up at him.
    ‘While you’re here, in this training facility and on this base, you’ll follow my orders, and the orders of my staff. I know all of you have been into space before, but this is a demanding mission, to an unforgiving place, and all of you need to be fully prepared. It is essential that you listen, digest, and learn everything you’ll be taught here. Do I make myself clear?’
    There were two prompt Yes Sirs from Clare and Wilson, and a murmuring assent from the others. Abrams just stared back at Helligan. Helligan looked annoyed, and looked down at his briefing notes. When he looked up again, the back of his neck had gone a faint red colour.
    ‘Right. Introductions. I guess you’ve already met by now, but for the record, this is Captain Foster, who will be your mission commander, and First Lieutenant Wilson, who will be the copilot and second in command. Captain Foster will be in charge at all times when you are on board. Her first duty is to ensure your safe return, and she has absolute command on