Marooned on Giri Minor
You grab the FabBot, hit the release mechanism on your space suit to unhook yourself from the tether, and let inertia drag you back in the same direction as Indrian. Maybe the bot will give you some extra thrust, you think, but who knows? You're making this up as you go, because Indrian's terrified shouts on the comm were more than you could bear.
"Indrian, I'm coming for you!" you say.
"Yes--yes, I got eyes on you," she says, and you can see her adjusting course.
"I salute your bravery, Starman," Siggo says, "and I curse it too. I'll monitor your position but I can't make any promises because I got my hands full right here."
And he adds: "Things are getting ugly out there."
He's right. As you thrust toward Indrian, you are heading straight into the path of the asteroids, with the bulk of the them still looming before you like a great and angry cloud high above the brown planet. It is a terrifying perspective, one that might make your situation seem hopeless. The best you can do is focus on Indrian and not dwell on the peril you are in.
Indrian is probably in the same state of mind, as she has seemed to regain her calm when next you hear her voice. "We're coming at each other fast," she says, "so I think you need to brake. When I reach your position we're going to need to grab onto each other real tight, or this whole dance will be for nothing."
"Got it," you say, and you follow her instructions and reverse your thrust to slow your speed. You'll be making contact with each other in a matter of seconds, you estimate.
But then Indrian shoots off at an erratic angle, her body limp and spiraling out of control into deep space. "Indrian!" you shout, but you know there will never be a response. You need to get yourself out of here; maybe, just maybe, there is time to get back to the safety of the ship.
When you turn back toward the ship, however, it is no longer there--or at least not where you thought it would be. It looks like it has been knocked off course by an asteroid collision, with the port thruster venting a glowing stream of plasma energy. You hug the FabBot tightly and engage its thrusters for extra speed, but the transport ship is long ahead of you, crashing toward the planet.
"Indrian, I'm coming for you!" you say.
"Yes--yes, I got eyes on you," she says, and you can see her adjusting course.
"I salute your bravery, Starman," Siggo says, "and I curse it too. I'll monitor your position but I can't make any promises because I got my hands full right here."
And he adds: "Things are getting ugly out there."
He's right. As you thrust toward Indrian, you are heading straight into the path of the asteroids, with the bulk of the them still looming before you like a great and angry cloud high above the brown planet. It is a terrifying perspective, one that might make your situation seem hopeless. The best you can do is focus on Indrian and not dwell on the peril you are in.
Indrian is probably in the same state of mind, as she has seemed to regain her calm when next you hear her voice. "We're coming at each other fast," she says, "so I think you need to brake. When I reach your position we're going to need to grab onto each other real tight, or this whole dance will be for nothing."
"Got it," you say, and you follow her instructions and reverse your thrust to slow your speed. You'll be making contact with each other in a matter of seconds, you estimate.
But then Indrian shoots off at an erratic angle, her body limp and spiraling out of control into deep space. "Indrian!" you shout, but you know there will never be a response. You need to get yourself out of here; maybe, just maybe, there is time to get back to the safety of the ship.
When you turn back toward the ship, however, it is no longer there--or at least not where you thought it would be. It looks like it has been knocked off course by an asteroid collision, with the port thruster venting a glowing stream of plasma energy. You hug the FabBot tightly and engage its thrusters for extra speed, but the transport ship is long ahead of you, crashing toward the planet.
THE END
