You’ll understand everything when you see it. You won’t believe what’s in there. We just need to do the routine scans, and then I’ll take you in, and you’ll finally be able to see the colony for yourself. You can even explore the external module, if you’re ready. We just need to get you out of that suit.”
Niri nods, and follows the woman into an open compartment, an exam room just before the glass doors. It’s a typical medical isolation unit, bleak, with a wall of screens standing in one corner, and table of testing equipment nearby.
Logan pauses, feeling like he shouldn’t be here for this.
Dr. Williams gestures that Niri should sit on the table. “This is really just a formality because we did these tests at Fort Liberty but----”
The lights in the compartment go yellow, spreading a sulfuric blaze over all the white surfaces. A tonal alarm sounds from all of the monitoring panels, both in the compartment and in the outside corridor.
What the…?
The doc looks back at Logan, and her face says it all, mouth open, dark eyes wide… Pure panic. She shakes her head. “Lockdown.”
“Excuse me?”
“We’re going into lockdown.”
She doesn’t have to explain it further because a computerized voice starts echoing through the monitors, doing the job for her. “BIOSTAT is now in lockdown. Please proceed to your designated security area. All doors will lock automatically in six minutes. If you need assistance, notify the monitoring station immediately. BIOSTAT is now in lockdown…”
Dr. Williams runs her small hands over her face then steeples her fingers, as if to brace herself. She looks at him, remorseful, though whether that constitutes an apology for forcing him to leave his gun behind is unclear. “Can you stay with her for a minute? I have to consult with the director.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says.
“Just stay right here.”
Logan says nothing, and she walks past him, disappearing in the odd light.
He checks the holo comm on his wrist, and sees nothing for Voss, or Wyatt, but gets a green bead for Gojo. He activates the connection and gets static, then the voice of the tech sergeant filters through. “I got you online, Corporal,” he says, quick, distracted. “I am currently in the monitoring station, sub-routing our channel through the internal comms. You should be able to get Actual at the hangar, just not yet. The system’s busy.”
“What’s with the lockdown?”
“A precaution. Two armed aircraft may be headed our way, but we can’t see anything coming yet.”
“Copy. I don’t have a gun.”
“You what?”
“I don’t have a gun. They took it at the monitoring station.”
“Uhh, okay… hold on a sec.”
There’s a break, then Gojo comes back. “Confirmed, your sidearm is here, but I can’t get it to you.”
Logan nods. Of course, not. “Copy.”
“Got shit to do,” Gojo says, busy and done with it. “Will inform you if anything changes.”
Logan lets the connection drop, thinking that if anything changes, he’s going to be barricading chairs against glass doors, collecting syringes to throw at… whoever.
Niri’s still sitting on the table, watching him.
He considers her a minute then glances at the equipment around them, some collection of errant science. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I was designed to do this.”
“Really?” he replies, harsher than he intends, grimaces, softens his tone. “It doesn’t matter, whatever they’re telling you. It doesn’t matter. You can still walk out of here right now. I’ll get you out.”
“I can hear it.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to get closer to it.”
“You don’t know what it sounds like.”
She looks lost, so he moves closer. Only now it’s harder, being next to her, and she looks up at him in a way that brings it all back, the hours, days, spent in a windowless cabin hurtling across the black vacuum of big sky. Hard to forget that version of her, dazed and tormented,
Niri nods, and follows the woman into an open compartment, an exam room just before the glass doors. It’s a typical medical isolation unit, bleak, with a wall of screens standing in one corner, and table of testing equipment nearby.
Logan pauses, feeling like he shouldn’t be here for this.
Dr. Williams gestures that Niri should sit on the table. “This is really just a formality because we did these tests at Fort Liberty but----”
The lights in the compartment go yellow, spreading a sulfuric blaze over all the white surfaces. A tonal alarm sounds from all of the monitoring panels, both in the compartment and in the outside corridor.
What the…?
The doc looks back at Logan, and her face says it all, mouth open, dark eyes wide… Pure panic. She shakes her head. “Lockdown.”
“Excuse me?”
“We’re going into lockdown.”
She doesn’t have to explain it further because a computerized voice starts echoing through the monitors, doing the job for her. “BIOSTAT is now in lockdown. Please proceed to your designated security area. All doors will lock automatically in six minutes. If you need assistance, notify the monitoring station immediately. BIOSTAT is now in lockdown…”
Dr. Williams runs her small hands over her face then steeples her fingers, as if to brace herself. She looks at him, remorseful, though whether that constitutes an apology for forcing him to leave his gun behind is unclear. “Can you stay with her for a minute? I have to consult with the director.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says.
“Just stay right here.”
Logan says nothing, and she walks past him, disappearing in the odd light.
He checks the holo comm on his wrist, and sees nothing for Voss, or Wyatt, but gets a green bead for Gojo. He activates the connection and gets static, then the voice of the tech sergeant filters through. “I got you online, Corporal,” he says, quick, distracted. “I am currently in the monitoring station, sub-routing our channel through the internal comms. You should be able to get Actual at the hangar, just not yet. The system’s busy.”
“What’s with the lockdown?”
“A precaution. Two armed aircraft may be headed our way, but we can’t see anything coming yet.”
“Copy. I don’t have a gun.”
“You what?”
“I don’t have a gun. They took it at the monitoring station.”
“Uhh, okay… hold on a sec.”
There’s a break, then Gojo comes back. “Confirmed, your sidearm is here, but I can’t get it to you.”
Logan nods. Of course, not. “Copy.”
“Got shit to do,” Gojo says, busy and done with it. “Will inform you if anything changes.”
Logan lets the connection drop, thinking that if anything changes, he’s going to be barricading chairs against glass doors, collecting syringes to throw at… whoever.
Niri’s still sitting on the table, watching him.
He considers her a minute then glances at the equipment around them, some collection of errant science. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I was designed to do this.”
“Really?” he replies, harsher than he intends, grimaces, softens his tone. “It doesn’t matter, whatever they’re telling you. It doesn’t matter. You can still walk out of here right now. I’ll get you out.”
“I can hear it.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to get closer to it.”
“You don’t know what it sounds like.”
She looks lost, so he moves closer. Only now it’s harder, being next to her, and she looks up at him in a way that brings it all back, the hours, days, spent in a windowless cabin hurtling across the black vacuum of big sky. Hard to forget that version of her, dazed and tormented,
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