Read Online Enigma: A Far From Home Novel by Tony Healey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tony Healey
Ads: Link
extendable docking corridor could be adjusted before reaching the other vessel’s hull.
“Remember, Lieutenant, you only get one shot,” she told Banks.
Lieutenant Banks wriggled his shoulders uncomfortably, due in no small part to the fact she was literally breathing down his neck as he performed the tricky feat. There were only the two of them down in the cramped dock control room, at the very front end of the Defiant . It was rarely used, and mostly intended for when a secure dock to a space station couldn’t be achieved without putting the superstructure of a starship at risk of damage. Then it was advisable to make use of the extendable docking device.
However, it certainly came in handy now.
“Ten seconds until contact,” the Lieutenant said. “Let’s hope your modifications work.”
“Hey, don’t question a woman’s workmanship. It’ll work,” she said.
Banks bit his bottom lip with concentration as the targeting reticule zeroed in on their goal: the airlock at the front end of the Enigma .
“Making final adjustments,” he said and bumped the end of the Walkway a little to the left. It lined up perfectly. He cut the speed and allowed it to drift to the point where it nearly came to a complete stop. With the final vestiges of its inertia, the end of the Walkway met the black hull of the mysterious Enigma . Without the Chief’s modifications to the end of the Walkway, it might not have held in place.
Indeed, the Chief had visions of it ricocheting back off, the Walkway swinging out into space and the Lieutenant struggling to reel it back in . . .
But it held. Just as she’d known it would.
Banks appeared to be impressed. “It’s holding. One hundred percent contact.”
“Yep. Just like I said. Don’t question my workmanship, boy-o.”
22.
Like many intrepid explorers throughout history, Captain Jessica King went first. She led all three teams, single file, through the full length of the Walkway. It was a little disconcerting to have the slightly flexible material of the corridor move around them, but after walking for ten minutes, the team members grew accustomed to the sensation. The Walkway seemed to have no end, but they pressed on with little conversation.
Although they all wore their suits, and would be fully protected from the vacuum of space should the corridor break, it was still somewhat disconcerting to have that as a possibility. As such, there was a safety harness between all the team members, so if that should happen, the other members of the group might act as a counter-weight to stop anyone flying out into space. The rock climbers of old had observed the same method of tethering themselves to one another. Should one person fall, the others would hold him or her up. Stop them from falling to their deaths.
It was no wonder conversation was scarce until they neared the far end of the Walkway. Finally, the airlock came into view and the tension dissipated.
“Don’t everyone relax just yet,” Jessica said over her helmet comm. system. “The real work’s about to start. This was just the preliminary mission.”
Then they reached the airlock proper.
* * *
The Enigma ‘s airlock was perfectly circular, a perfect round hole in the vessel’s black hull rimmed with some kind of shiny alloy. Remarkably, the almost mirrored metal seemed unscathed by exposure to space. It looked pristine.
There was a heavy circular door at its centre, yet no visible way of opening it. Nothing that resembled a computer input, or a manual control. Just the nondescript airlock and the shiny metal that encircled it.
“I don’t get it,” Olivia Rayne said. The Walkway widened significantly as it neared the docking collar, enough to permit three of the team members to stand side-by-side. “No controls. No way to open it.”
Jessica clucked her tongue. “At least, nothing immediately apparent.”
She ran her gloved hand around the polished metal and at her touch, coloured
“Remember, Lieutenant, you only get one shot,” she told Banks.
Lieutenant Banks wriggled his shoulders uncomfortably, due in no small part to the fact she was literally breathing down his neck as he performed the tricky feat. There were only the two of them down in the cramped dock control room, at the very front end of the Defiant . It was rarely used, and mostly intended for when a secure dock to a space station couldn’t be achieved without putting the superstructure of a starship at risk of damage. Then it was advisable to make use of the extendable docking device.
However, it certainly came in handy now.
“Ten seconds until contact,” the Lieutenant said. “Let’s hope your modifications work.”
“Hey, don’t question a woman’s workmanship. It’ll work,” she said.
Banks bit his bottom lip with concentration as the targeting reticule zeroed in on their goal: the airlock at the front end of the Enigma .
“Making final adjustments,” he said and bumped the end of the Walkway a little to the left. It lined up perfectly. He cut the speed and allowed it to drift to the point where it nearly came to a complete stop. With the final vestiges of its inertia, the end of the Walkway met the black hull of the mysterious Enigma . Without the Chief’s modifications to the end of the Walkway, it might not have held in place.
Indeed, the Chief had visions of it ricocheting back off, the Walkway swinging out into space and the Lieutenant struggling to reel it back in . . .
But it held. Just as she’d known it would.
Banks appeared to be impressed. “It’s holding. One hundred percent contact.”
“Yep. Just like I said. Don’t question my workmanship, boy-o.”
22.
Like many intrepid explorers throughout history, Captain Jessica King went first. She led all three teams, single file, through the full length of the Walkway. It was a little disconcerting to have the slightly flexible material of the corridor move around them, but after walking for ten minutes, the team members grew accustomed to the sensation. The Walkway seemed to have no end, but they pressed on with little conversation.
Although they all wore their suits, and would be fully protected from the vacuum of space should the corridor break, it was still somewhat disconcerting to have that as a possibility. As such, there was a safety harness between all the team members, so if that should happen, the other members of the group might act as a counter-weight to stop anyone flying out into space. The rock climbers of old had observed the same method of tethering themselves to one another. Should one person fall, the others would hold him or her up. Stop them from falling to their deaths.
It was no wonder conversation was scarce until they neared the far end of the Walkway. Finally, the airlock came into view and the tension dissipated.
“Don’t everyone relax just yet,” Jessica said over her helmet comm. system. “The real work’s about to start. This was just the preliminary mission.”
Then they reached the airlock proper.
* * *
The Enigma ‘s airlock was perfectly circular, a perfect round hole in the vessel’s black hull rimmed with some kind of shiny alloy. Remarkably, the almost mirrored metal seemed unscathed by exposure to space. It looked pristine.
There was a heavy circular door at its centre, yet no visible way of opening it. Nothing that resembled a computer input, or a manual control. Just the nondescript airlock and the shiny metal that encircled it.
“I don’t get it,” Olivia Rayne said. The Walkway widened significantly as it neared the docking collar, enough to permit three of the team members to stand side-by-side. “No controls. No way to open it.”
Jessica clucked her tongue. “At least, nothing immediately apparent.”
She ran her gloved hand around the polished metal and at her touch, coloured
Similar Books
