Dying Calls

Dark Horizons

March 21st / 15:23  

Why did we have to hit that asteroid? A lot of the large crew required to keep such a large ship, with it's own gravity, flying died when we hit the asteroid. We have enough to keep life support systems running though. I might not come back to this journal after today.

"Sir, we are ready for you to enter the vacuum." said a technician. "Please Sir, come back alive. We need you." 

Jeffery nodded, scared, but he knew he had to do it if he wanted him and his crew to live.

"You guys ready for this?" asked Jimenez, 

Mixed replies came through the coms in their helmets, 

"Hell yeah!" 

"No. But I never will be any more ready than now."

Jeffery nodded at the men to his right. "Let's go, before we lose another room." The other men nodded, each activating their helmet's air locks and the canisters connected to the spinal exoskeleton started producing oxygen, filling their lungs with the sweet air. The exoskeleton started to produce a thin, almost glass-like layer, covering their bodies, then solidifying into a clear body suit. 

All people except for the four wearing the P.O.H.R.E. Suits emptied from the room. There was a loud bang as the door to the room closed. The emergency air locks built into the doors activated and a loud blaring sound filled the room, resonating deep within the Captain and his small crew. Then the door to the R.W.S.S.R. opened, loud hisses before the vacuum took hold of the whole room. The pull of the sudden vacuum was enough to make them all stumble, they lowered their bodies so that they had a wider stance. A few seconds of intense pulling, then it weakened, and eventually completely stopped. The men stood straight, gazing through their helmet's visors to see a dark room. 

The emergency light barely visible, a slight red beam crossing the room again and again. Jeffery shivered, he could still feel some of the cold through the thin insulation that the suit provided. The gravity of the situation suddenly dawned on him. He was in a fragile suit in an unstable environment, the slightest impact could break his helmet or suit. He walked slowly, his team walking with him. 

"Start fixing the door's airlocks, I don't want to need to wear these much longer." The engineer bounded forwards toward the door.

"Jimenez, help him. You know about these systems as well as any engineer."

 Jimenez crept after the engineer cautiously, also realizing the situation's urgency. The engineer began work on the air locks while the captain and the other guard worked on getting some of the sanitation equipment online. As they worked, their suits expelled the carbon dioxide, it began to fill the room. None thought much of this,

The engineer spoke up. "I'll have to open and close the door for the air locks to work properly." Jimenez took a step back, bracing himself. The Captain and the spare guard put everything in a firm hold and nodded. The engineer began to work on the door, then it opened suddenly. The engineer wasn't ready, and his helmet hit the door as it opened. Jeffery yelled. He didn't even remember what he had yelled, he just saw the sheen of the reflective glass dropping to the ground silently. The engineer slumped over, gasping. He couldn't hear him. The helmet definitely had a breach. His eyes began to bulge, he clawed at his throat. The oxygen started to leave his body as carbon dioxide. Jeffery knew what to do, covering the cracks with his hands. It would slow the process, the engineer began to regain color. Jeffery rushed through the room to the other door. The one to oxygen, he started banging on the door. A voice began to speak in his com. 

"Captain?"

"Get this door open." he said sternly. 

"Hold on, that will take about 5 minutes for pressure and oxygen to restore."

Jeffery understood, nodding even though he knew they couldn't see it. Then he began to hear the gasping as the engineer pulled oxygen into his lungs. Jimenez shook his head, the pressure of his hands had begun to break the helmet. Jeffery headed towards a storage hatch in the middle of the room. He pulled open the hatch, digging through the food, water and padding. Then he found what he was looking for. An extra helmet, he brought it out with extreme care, not wanting to damage another one. Bringing it to Jimenez they both nodded. 

Jimenez began to talk to the engineer, "Don't hold your breath, your lungs will rapture if you do." 

The engineer shook his head. "A-am I gonna take it off again?" Jimenez nodded, disconnecting the locks to the exoskeleton spine. 

"You might die." said Jimenez calmly as he pulled the helmet off, the clear suit dissolving back into the exoskeleton spine. 

Acronyms:

P.O.H.R.E. Suits:  Pressurized Oxygen High Radiation Endurance Suits

R.W.S.S.R.: Right Wing Sanitation Support Room