Entity [ONC 2024]

9

Ndara had closed the window shields in time, and Porter thanked his reaction speed. The entire ship had moved, pushed away from the blast by the shockwave and the sudden momentum had pushed her flat against the seat. Now, the ship, with the shuttle clamped and docked, held an eerie silence. Still not equalised with the internal pressure of the ship, there was no air to propagate any sound, but she could see movement in the flickering lights.

Gasses escaped from dislodged pipes, casting a thin mist throughout the shuttle, but she had few concerns about that at the moment. Her immediate priorities were to check on the crew, first and foremost Finnegan. She unhooked her seatbelts and reached up toward the guiding rail, pulling herself to the next seat along.

"Chen? Report!" The captain's voice came through her headset loud and clear. He sounded unharmed. "What's the damage?"

"Some micro-punctures, but I've sealed off those sections for now." Chen's voice sounded steady, too. At least now they all acted professionally. Efficiently. "Engines are offline. Thrusters intermittent, but I managed to stabilise us. Environmental systems are glitching. GAIA says it's all fixable, but I'll need everybody back on board and all hands on the repairs."

"Acknowledged." The captain loomed out of the gathering mist from the gasses, heading toward the controls and Ndara. "Anybody hurt?"

A series of grumbles and mutters came from each of them on the shuttle, even from Finnegan, but no-one gave any indications of injuries. They were lucky. Beyond lucky. This close to the derelict's explosion should have ripped the shuttle and their ship apart with only the shockwave. Shrapnel should have done the rest, but, miraculously, they had survived. If Porter believed in a god, like Ndara, she would fall to her knees and thank her.

As the captain and Ndara began closing off valves, stopping the escaping gasses, Porter took the time to check Finnegan. The cuff, still attached to his arm, allowed her to see his vitals had returned almost to normal. A little elevated, now, but within acceptable limits. His eyes, the penlight flashing into each, showed normal dilation. She'd never seen concussion disappear so fast and began to wonder if she had diagnosed him right the first time.

"How are you feeling? Any need to rip off your helmet?" She removed the cuff, returning it to her bag. "Any nausea? Headaches?"

"I'm fine." Finnegan, through his faceplate, stared at her. He looked fine, if a little intense. "I should help. We need to get back to Earth."

"We're going nowhere." The captain appeared at Porter's shoulder. "We still have a job to do. There are more asteroids than the water ice one out there. They need checking, cataloguing and claiming. Maybe we don't have the massive payday any more, but all our bank accounts need these claims."

Finnegan turned his head toward the captain in an almost robotic manner. Only his head. Porter couldn't see the expression but she could almost sense an primal animosity radiating from the Science officer. After several seconds, where the captain matched the man's glare, Finnegan turned back, a forced grin upon his face.

"Alright. Captain." His hands moved to the clips and fasteners of the seat belts. "The one that gives the orders. Understood."

It took several minutes to vent the escaped gasses and bring the shuttle to a point where they could leave. Both Ndara and Mats spent the time fixing the piping, only dislodged valves and connectors. Nothing major. Then they had to wait for the pressure to equalise with the ship. Porter couldn't wait to get back on board, despite the ship not having any more luxury, or much more space, than they had on the shuttle.

Once aboard, Porter made quick examinations of everyone as they stripped themselves out of their EV suits. The stink of sweat, and urine, became cloying as the environment systems continued to struggle. Porter hoped the captain would make those the priority for repairs, especially if he wasn't about to get them on their way back to civilisation. Everyone checked, Porter followed the captain as he tugged himself along the guiding rail to the bridge.