Chapter Text
The three of them had made their way to a moon buggy. It was small and grey, with seats in a triangle formation. They had argued over who should be driving, but Victor was at the wheel, as he knew where he was going. Maya and Gerald sat behind him, the chain for the boot rattling as the chunky black tyres bounced. On the rear axle, three wheels – the central one twice as thick as the others – spun over the moon’s cratered surface. Far above them, Eagles hovered around, trying to return to their hangars.
“I think we’re almost there.” Victor admitted. “Maya, would you mind messaging in?”
“Not at all, Professor.” Maya confirmed, pressing a button on her silver exo-commlock. It was segmented, and was built into the right sleeve of the exosuit. “Command, we’re almost at Gamma now.”
“Excellent. So far, we have no reason to believe that it’s been damaged.” Paula informed. “But I wouldn’t suggest removing your helmets until we’ve done a full scan.”
“Understood, Command.” Maya accepted, before the communications were cut.
“Look at the size of that!” Simmonds exclaimed, looking up. Through his tinted sunvisor, he could see a large cylinder, the base coated in moon dust. Far up, the cylinder broke into a much wider circle, an antenna sitting on the top. It sat stagnant, the plate’s spinning having stopped.
“It looks like they’ve lost power.” Victor noted.
“So how are we getting in?” Simmonds wondered.
“We could try connecting it to the engine?” Maya wondered.
“That would drain this buggy dry in minutes.” Simmonds debunked.
“Then we’ll have to be quick with the information.” Victor bargained.
“You can’t possibly be serious.” Simmonds debated.
“It’d only take a minute to get up the emergency stairs” Maya planned. “And if we can isolate the computer system,”
“We might get five minutes.” Victor finished. “Good thinking Maya.”
“When we stop, turn off the engine.” Maya planned. “I’ll get the tools from the trunk and start working on it.”
“You’re going to run a wire from the engine all the way up there?” Simmonds asked. “Could it even reach that long?”
“Let’s hope so.” Victor admitted. “I’ll cut the power, bring it to a rolling stop.” He explained, reaching down and turning off the engine. The chugging in the airlocked engine slowly died away, as did the two beaming headlights, and the buggy rolled up to the Observatory. Maya climbed over the small panel that kept things from rolling out of the buggy. She bounced her way to the back and opened the dark grey trunk. Inside was a small red toolbox, and a retracting cable. Maya pulled on the cable and wrapped it around her shoulder. She grabbed onto the toolbox, and walked around the cylinder, taking a deep breath before beginning the climb.
A few minutes later, and Maya had entered the middle platform. She found herself in a bit of a problem.
“Erm, I don’t quite think I thought this through.” Maya informed over her exo-commlock.
“What is it?” Victor asked, far below on the ground.
“I can’t close the outer door.” Maya explained. “It’ll cut the cable.”
“Alright.” Victor agreed, taking a few moments to think of an option. His face lit up as an idea functioned in his head. “Hey, Simmonds?” He asked. The Commissioner turned to him. “How good are you at climbing?”
“I don’t think I was too bad.” Simmonds admitted. “Oh no.” He realised. “No, I’m not climbing that.”
“Well, do you have any other ideas?” Victor asked.
“Alright.” Simmonds accepted. “But if I fall,”
“Just don’t look down.” Maya joked. “I’ll be ready and waiting for you at the halfway mark.” Simmonds groaned, but began the climb. When he reached Maya’s position, she handed him the cable. He spooled it around his shoulders, and continued the climb. Maya took an extension lead from the toolbox, air whooshing out from it as it opened. “I think you’ll probably need this.”
“Very funny.” Simmonds dryly leered. As he continued his climb, Maya closed the outside door. It sealed behind her, running on its own internal battery. As a green lamp above her turned on, she opened the internal door. The midpoint was a large room, with stairs leading in from the left, but stairs leading up on her right. Other than the section dedicated to the stairs, the entire room was covered with computer banks, normally flashing lights sat blank, and the reels sat still. The entire room was only lit by the green glow of the lamp above Maya. She exited the airlock, and pressed a button on her Exo-Commlock. A small panel blinked on, a light streaming out. There were at least three people here, with four bodies lying on the floor.
“Command, I’m in. There’s three people here.” Maya informed. She gulped, the words sticking in her mouth. She didn’t want to tell them. Maybe if she didn’t, it wouldn’t be real. “There’s,” She began, hesitating. Her heart beat faster, pounding against her chest. It began to ring in her ears, and she took a breath from her oxygen tanks.
“Maya?” Paula asked. “Maya, are you there?” No response. “Maya.” Paula called.
“Maya, this is Commander John Koenig.” John’s voice came through her ears. “I know it’s scary, but you need to tell me what you see in there.”
“Right.” Maya stammered. “Um, the computers don’t seem damaged.”
“That’s a relief.” John sighed. “What about the doors?”
“They seem intact.” Maya relayed, Koenig’s voice taking her mind off the bodies. “Is anyone else trapped upstairs?” She asked the three she was in with. One of them, a man in engineer’s uniform nodded, and held up four fingers. “There’s four engineers trapped upstairs. I’ll have to get them down here before we cut a hole in the roof.” She explained.
“Alright. Get us that data, Maya.” Koenig reminded.
“Will do, Commander.” Maya confirmed, before the dial tone returned. She was quickly returned to the communications web between her, Victor, and Simmonds. “Commissioner, there’s four engineers trapped upstairs,”
“Don’t do anything until I can,” Maya began.
“Yes, yes.” Simmonds accepted. “I understand perfectly.” Currently, he was making his way along the underside of the platform, like climbing along a set of monkey bars. “Bergman, how much more cable is there?”
“You’ve used 80% of it.” Victor informed, looking at a small gauge next to the retract button. “Very soon, I’d say you’ll need to attach that extension cable.”
“Understood.” Simmond agreed, the cable draping down far below him. After attaching the extension cable, he continued his climb, eventually pulling himself onto a small platform on the outside of the shielding glass wall. “I’m here.” He informed. “I can see the engineers. They’re all living.”
“Is Maya there?” Victor asked.
“Negative.” Simmonds denied. “Just the four engineers.”
“Maya, where are you?” Victor asked.
Maya was still in the midsection, and was busy pulling a panel up from the airlock floor. As the silver panel popped up, Maya hinged it open, wires twirling around. She quickly realised that she had no idea what to do.
“Do you think you can wire the upper door into the airlock controls?” Maya asked. An engineer nodded. “Good.” Maya smiled. “Once the engineers are through, wire the oxygen scrubber to it, and have someone hit open internal door.” The three of them nodded, before moving to the airlock.
“Maya, where are you?” Victor asked.
“I just need a moment. The engineers are wiring the upper door to the airlock, so I can get through. After that, they’ll connect it to the oxygen scrubber.”
“So they have fresh air.” Victor smiled. “Very clever, Maya.”
“Thank you, Professor.” Maya grinned.
“Please, call me Victor.” Victor corrected.
“You can call him Doolally if you get up here.” Simmonds ordered. The engineers finished wiring the doors to the airlock, and the upper door slid open, the lower part forming a stair in the winding staircase. Maya nodded, and continued her climb. About ten minutes later, she had reached the top. She banged on the airlock door, her fist ringing metal. She turned down to her toolbox, and searched it for the tool she’d need.
Inside the large observation platform, the four engineers were bustling about the room, checking the consoles for any sign of electricity. They were surprised to hear the sound of scraping metal. Behind them, the airlock doors were slowly opening, the rubber tyres screeching. They could faintly see the wedged tip of a silver crowbar forcing its way through the clean white metal. The engineers rushed over to the doors, and helped force it open. Eventually, they could get it open wide enough for Maya to climb through. She took a strong bungee cord and latched back one of the doors. Once she was through, the engineers let go, the other door snapping back to its closed position.
“Go down to the midsection, there’s going to be some people there.” Maya ordered. The engineers nodded, and began their descent. Once everyone was through, Maya unlatched the door from her end. The cable loosened its tension, and the other door slammed shut, severing the cable and sealing the room. “Alright, we’re clear.” Simmonds nodded.
“Any preference on how I enter?” Simmonds asked.
“I’ll cut a hole in here.” Maya informed, pulling out a cutter’s torch.
“You’ve got a lot of equipment in that box.” Simmonds noted.
“Lesson one with Victor, Simmonds.” Maya smiled. “A good scientist is prepared for anything and everything.” She nodded, getting to work. As she slowly cut a hole in the glass, the air slowly rushed out. Simmonds climbed in, carrying the cable in.
“Let’s hope these three extension cables reach.” Simmonds muttered. Maya opened a small panel on a control console, and rooted around, looking desperately for a power cable. The engineers she had initially met had described it to her. She found the cable and dragged it out, disconnecting the computer from the power system. Simmonds fed the cable in, and plugged it in.
“Fire her up!” Maya shouted. Far below, Victor turned on the buggy. The computers whirred into life, and Maya looked at the details on the small console. “Oh dear god.” She muttered.
“What?” Simmonds asked. “What’s that mean?”
“Commander Koenig?” Maya asked.
“Koenig here. What’s up?” John asked.
“We’re moving away from the moon.”
“Understood.” Koenig confirmed, hanging up as Maya and Simmonds began their slow descent. “Paula, put me through. All commlocks.” He solemnly requested. His commlock confirmed, and he spoke into it. All across the Moonbase, his voice echoed. “This is Commander Koenig.” He began. “I have confirmed that we are leaving Earth’s orbit. At this stage, we are close enough to attempt shuttling across via Eagle.” He admitted, as security teams tried to cut open the transport tube Helena was in. “However, this window is fast closing, and not every Eagle can leave.” He reminded. “I will do my best to protect all those who stay aboard with me. Please remain calm if you attempt to leave.” He ordered. “I presume you’re all staying?”
As six eagles packed with people flew towards the small blue marble of Earth, Koenig sat in his chair, overlooking Command. Paula was still at her seat, and at least three hundred people were still aboard. And as they worked tirelessly to repair the moon’s systems, the large screen showed their course. They'd be passing Neptune soon. Then, an idea jumped into Koenig’s head.
“Make a list of personnel able to get to the Eagle bays, and make sure Alan’s there too.” He ordered.
“Understood, Commander.” Paula nodded, wondering what his plan was.