Alpha Centauri

Phoenix... Look Out!

"Guys! I'm at the airlock." Nix's voice rang through the Flight Deck.

The sudden change in silence made my heart leap into my mouth, but I relaxed as I realized I wasn't in danger.

"Keep communications open at all times." Lyra spun around in her chair and started to drag things across the screen in front of her.

"Airlock initiated." Phee's voice echoed from Nix's end.

A loud hiss filled the room and then silence. I started to bite my nails, it felt soothing and natural.

"Please wait for decompression." Said Phee.

"How's it going?" Lyra asked.

"Good. I'm just hooking up the support cable to the hook." He responded.

"Nervous?" Lyra asked, her voice seemed a little strained.

"Nope." Nix's confidence made me feel a little better, but I still chewed my nails.

I felt weird now, floating in the air, chewing my nails. Everyone was so calm, and I felt like an utter wreck.

"Did you want to see him outside?" Nev whispered, his face was so close to my ear that when I freaked out, my hand nearly smashed him in the face, but he dodged it and smiled.

"How?" I asked, excitement and worry coursing through me.

"There's a viewing deck. Come on." He grabbed my hand and then pushed us forward, towards the door.

"Nev, that's out of the question." Lyra shouted after us.

Nev ignored her and pushed us further into the hall, using pipes and handrails to propel us through the halls.

"Nev! Get your ass back here!" Lyra screamed through the coms and I winced.

We arrived at the viewing deck; the same one I had seen our new planet from. But what I didn't notice was that if you looked to the side you can see the whole side of the ship.

I held on to a pipe on the side of the wall and watched as Nix climbed up the side of the Sitara. A long cord kept him attached to the ship.

From this angle I could see the ships engines, sticking out the side, the cylinder-shaped objects illuminated scarlet by the distant red orb.

Slowly and carefully, Nix climbed up the side of the ship, attaching and dethatching the cable as he climbed.

I don't know how I would feel being out there with no oxygen around me except the little bottle on the back of the suit. My nerves were through the roof as I watched him out there.

Nix suddenly stopped and secured himself to the ship and started to pull out the broken part. In the corner of my eye something zoomed by.

I whipped my head towards the movement and saw a few stray rocks flying right for Nix.

I banged my fist on the glass, screaming out for Nix to move, but he couldn't hear me. By the time Nev figured out what I was yelling about the rock smacked into Nix and knocked him off the ship.

I inhaled sharply as I watched him float into the empty blackness of space.

"Nix! Can you hear me? Are you okay?" Nev had his finger to the back of his ear as he called out for our crew member.

I watched as the cord holding him to the ship pulled tight and his body lurched suddenly with force.

"Gu.... Hit me... Oxygen." His distorted voice came through our coms and I wanted to throw up.