Read Online Interzone 244 Jan - Feb 2013 by TTA Press - Free Book Online Page B

going into space, he said.”
    “ What’d he know about
Angela Caldwell?” I asked.
    “ He worked on the stadium
too. He was off sick when one end of the lower tier collapsed. She
was apprenticing with the steelwork gang. Eight people were killed.
They pulled Caldwell out of the rubble two days later.”
    Diego whistled. “No wonder she likes
space.”
    Diego and the Gaffer had finished changing.
Murray was going slowly; I guessed she wanted to talk.
    “ I need a volunteer to
check the oxygen tanks,” I said.
    “ That’ll be you,
nearly-nineteen,” said Diego, suddenly out the door, the Gaffer
right behind him. I sat down and waited to hear what was on
Murray’s mind.
    “ He was nice, that old
guy,” she said. “I hadn’t thought about the tourists. What if
there’s an accident?”
    “ There won’t
be.”
    “ But what if something
fails?”
    “ It won’t. Everything’s
checked. I wouldn’t let anything past if I wasn’t completely
confident.” I was lying, but not much. There’s always the
possibility of component failure. My specification changes only
increased the chances a little.
    “ He’s probably someone’s
granddad.”
    “ He’s perfectly safe,” I
snapped. “Talking to tourists is likely to get you in trouble. So
is gossiping about Caldwell.”
    She looked guilty at that. I took pity on
her.
    “ You can head off,” I said.
“I’ll do the tanks.”
    I should have known better than to be soft
on an apprentice. She knew I’d be occupied for at least half an
hour. She used the time to grass me up to Caldwell.
    Of course, Caldwell came straight to me
afterwards.
    “ Whistleblowing!” I said,
disappointed. I hardly believed it; Murray had seemed so
promising.
    “ How much does she know?”
asked Caldwell. I shrugged.
    “ She obviously hasn’t
worked out your role.”
    “ Let’s keep it that way.
Arrange a safety infraction tomorrow and I’ll fire her on the spot.
Once she’s been shipped home in disgrace no-one will believe
her.”
    Easy for Caldwell to say; she wasn’t at risk
of exposure. I was sure I could come up with a better solution.
    * *
    “ Here, clip in, Murray,” I said, holding out a prepared line.
    Diego sailed through the door. “I’ll take
that one. Nearly-nineteen’s not ready yet.”
    He was right; Murray hadn’t fully sealed her
suit.
    “ You’re not suited up,” I
said, pulling my hand back, “and she’ll only be a
moment.”
    “ So get another line ready
quickly,” said Diego, taking the line and clipping his suit in
before I could think of a reason to stop him. He was finished and
waiting to go well before Murray.
    “ Taking your time,
nearly-nineteen?” he taunted.
    “ Get lost.”
    “ Enough!” said the Gaffer.
“You two are working together today. I need Peggy with me on the
central connector point. Diego, no messing around, understand?
Peggy, I want a second line for girlie here.”
    The Gaffer’s order was a relief. I’d drawn a
blank trying to come up with a reason for Diego and Murray to swap
lines. I broke out two extra lines and checked them.
    “ No need for me,” said
Diego.
    “ Safety handbook applies to
you too,” I said, throwing one his way.
    “ First I’ve heard of it,”
he said.
    “ Just clip in.”
    “ Nah, remember what
Caldwell said? I’m in no danger so long as nearly-nineteen’s fully
restrained.”
    Murray ignored him and clipped in, doubly
safe, to my frustration.
    “ Leave it,” said the
Gaffer, punching the airlock code. Diego laughed, and lobbed his
secondary back to me. I considered calling him back. I could say
I’d spotted something wrong with his line. I nearly did it…but I
needed to act before Murray was sent Earthside.
    I decided. A warning would do the job. It
was a shame; I’d always liked Diego. But, Murray needed to be
taught a lesson about telling tales.
    I watched them as best I could from the
opposite end of the truss, but I was still looking the other way
when the trouble came.