Space – There’s a lot of it! (5)

Alnold, you do know your suit has a light?

Nebula, you’ve let me walk all the way from the shuttleship to this pyramid ship in gravity enhanced boots, over a slippery and unlevel surface, in complete darkness, and you now tell me I have a light? No I didn’t know. Why would I know that?

You did help to design the suit, Alnold.

I created the radio technology for it, Nebs. I didn’t create the suit or put the light in it.

You are sounding annoyed, Alnold. You must relax. The suit is displaying elevated stress levels.

The suit is? The suit???

Alnold. Breathe. Relax. Chill out.

OK. How do I turn on the light?

You touch the amulet around your neck, Alnold. The suit will illuminate your way.

That’s better. I wished you’d told me that earlier, but never mind. I’m inside the pyramid now. The place is a mess, there’s a lot of rock inside, and two capsules are on the far side. One is shattered completely, and the other – yes! I can see the figure inside. He’s slumped forward.

You must get him out, Alnold. His life signs are considerably weaker. You may just have arrived in time.

I’m at the capsule now, but I can’t see a door handle.

Smash your way in, Alnold.

Smash my way in? With what? My hands? It’s about five inches thick!

There must be some way to open the capsule.

Wait – there’s a cable at the back there. Maybe that is, I don’t know, holding power to the capsule?

Is there any power in the ship, Alnold?

Not that I can see, Nebula.

Then that is a highly unlikely hypothesis, Alnold.

Whatever Nebs. I’ll be reprogramming you later – removing the attitude chip! I’m going to unplug this anyway. I… ugh! It’s stuck solid… ugh! It’s moving… ugh! It’s come away! The door hasn’t opened though.

Told you, Alnold.

Oops. The capsule has just fallen backwards against a rock. That has opened it. Fluid has flooded out. Ugh! It stinks! How can I smell it in this suit?

It’s a biosuit Alnold. It works with your senses. However, rescue that man! Bring him to the shuttleship immediately.

He’s naked, Nebula.

Bring him now, Alnold, His life signs are extremely weak.

But he has no clothes on.

Alnold, bring him now.

But he is starkers. He hasn’t a stitch on!

Alnold bring him now. Your suit will cover his body when you get him close to you. It will keep him warm until you get him back to the shuttleship.

I wasn’t thinking of him being cold, Nebs. I was thinking of carrying him naked.

Alnold. You must rescue him now.

Fine! I’ve found a tiny towel on the floor here. I’ll cover him with that. Better than nothing, I suppose. I’ve never read about a rescue like this before, Nebula.

Do you read of many rescues, Alnold? Bring him to the shuttleship immediately. We can get him to the Expansion, and to the Medic Bay. Hopefully we aren’t too late.

Will they be too late? Or, unlike this end paragraph, will they set there on time?

Find out (or not!) in the next thrilling instalment – coming soon!