Lifeline

Shen’s face reappeared in the center of the screen. “Cliff, Dr. Tomkins wants to talk to Duncan. Let him—”

But Clancy couldn’t stifle his own enthusiasm. “Once we get aboard Orbitech 1 and get everything arranged, I’m coming right back home to you. Back to Clavius, I mean—”

“Cliff!”

Wiay’s tone forced him to get hold of himself. He sighed. “Uh, go ahead. Put Tomkins on.” He swiveled in the cramped compartment. “Hey, Duncan, come on over.”

McLaris needed a moment to reply. He hadn’t even left the acceleration chair yet. His eyes seemed focused on something imaginary behind the walls of Orbitech 1. “Sure, just a minute.”

It took an unusually long time for him to move into range of the monitor.

When McLaris began to talk with Tomkins, Clancy noticed that the base manager could not keep his mind on the conversation. He looked very worried.

Outside the viewport, Orbitech 1 waited for them.

Chapter 65

KIBALCHICH—Day 72

Karen stretched out her hands and cried, “Yes—oh, God, yes!” She reveled in the feeling for uncounted moments. The weapon had not gone off.

Anna Tripolk sat unconscious, still strapped in the command chair. Her face was slack, her eyelids drooping and unaware. She had drawn her knees up to her chest.

The immense shaft jutting through the command center stood before Karen like the cage of a giant monster. The cylindrical holotank hid the central optical fibers that would have driven the x-ray laser. Green lights on control panels burned all around her, bathing the room with a serene glow. Everything had stopped, as if holding its breath. A solitary window in the holotank showed the image of Ramis hanging onto the Kibalchich’s mirror, like a fly on glass. What was he doing up there?

She had to tell Orbitech 1 what had happened. They would be retrieving the Phoenix even now. They didn’t realize how close to death they had come. Ramis had saved them.

Karen looked up at the image in the holotank. Ramis! Of all other priorities, she had to get him inside first.

“Computer, close all inner airlock doors. Inform Ramis Barrera that he may reenter the station.”

“{{CONFIRMED. ALL INNER AIRLOCK DOORS HAVE BEEN SEALED. OUTER AIRLOCKS NOW FUNCTIONAL.}}” The computer paused, then spoke once more, “{{EXTERNAL PERSONNEL INFORMED.}}”

“Computer, access external radio channel.”

“{{CONFIRMED.}}”

Karen drifted past the command chair, watching Anna Tripolk but avoiding her at the same time. She called out toward the walls, hoping the computer would broadcast her words.

“Ramis, can you hear me?”

A tired voice came back. “Karen? Has it stopped? Are you inside the command center?”

She perked up. “Yes, I am.”

“I am on the mirror. I jumped up here to spoil the aim of the weapon. The mirror is still oscillating, but slowing down. I am getting dizzy. Please tell me the weapon has been deactivated.”

Karen wanted to laugh. Of course he would have tried to do something like that. “Yes, we’re safe now. Can you get off the mirror?”

“I am near a strut. A minute more and I will be back inside. The computer spoke to me a few moments ago, telling me the airlocks were working again, but I could not move any faster.”

After a moment of silence, he spoke again. “Karen, have you heard any word from Dr. Sandovaal?”

She felt exhausted. She wanted him back inside, telling his own story to her. But that could wait. She had forgotten about the Filipino emissaries and their sail-creatures. “No, Ramis. Not in the excitement. Can you see them out there?”

He paused. Karen looked down at the motionless Anna Tripolk, certain that she had had some kind of breakdown.

Ramis’s voice came back over the speakers. “I can see the sail-creatures, but they did not go away as I warned them to do. Instead, they seemed to come closer.” He made a clicking noise into his radio. “If you have not heard from Dr. Sandovaal, then something must be wrong. I am afraid they might have sailed through the weavewire.”

Karen didn’t know what to say. She was going to offer to send a message, to try and contact the Filipinos, but Ramis would have been able to do all that with his suit radio.

“I am going to re-enter the station to get an MMU. I will go to them.”

“Ramis!” The idea sounded crazy, but Ramis would try it anyway. “How much air do you have?”

“I will get a new tank. If I use maximum thrust and forget all about safety factors, I can either get there and back here, or return to Orbitech 1. Yes, I can do it.”

“Ramis, don’t—”

“Do not stop me, Karen.”

She waited, hoping he would change his mind, but she knew he wouldn’t. “Ramis, be careful …”

“I will be.”

She could do nothing to stop him. Not now. After his first flight to Orbitech 1, his Jump to the Kibalchich, and his leap up to the overhead dish mirror, Ramis made his own decisions. He was too headstrong to listen to anyone else.