9. Beyond the Star
“We're releasing the docking clamps.”
On either side of the shuttle, the clamps retracted and fold down out of the way. The shuttle began to pull away from the airlock and the Kino floated into the gap and drifted out into space. On the Observation Deck, Rush stood at the railing, watching through the window as the shuttle rose into view. Ophir had been ahead of the others and joined Rush before Eli, Chloe, Young, and Greer entered to join him. The shuttle's engines fired briefly and the vessel turned at forty-five degrees. Eli typed onto his remote control.
“The Kino's sending back pictures,” Eli announced.
“This is Scott. We're away.”
Young nodded, answering with, “You're looking good, Lieutenant.”
“I expect we'll be out of radio range by the time we fire up the main drive so…we'll be thinking of you guys.”
Greer muttered into his radio, “You too, brother. You too.”
Young waited before radioing, “Matthew, T.J. Take good care of those people.”
Silence falls over the radio channel and, from the Observation Deck, the group watched as retros above the shuttle fire briefly to stop it from rising further, then the rear engines ignited and the shuttle headed away. Eli held up his remote control, smiling.
“There it is.”
He showed the image to everyone. The Kino was drifting away to the rear of the ship. It had turned its camera backwards and was showing the ship receding behind it.
Chloe was awestruck. “That's the Destiny.”
Eli nodded, smiling. Rush gazed at the image in amazement with Ophir looking over his shoulder, a hand resting unnoticed on the older’s shoulder. The Kino drifted further away, revealing the shape of the entire ship just before the sun moved into the frame and its light obliterates everything on the screen. Ophir removed his hand from Rush’s shoulder as Eli lowered the remote and silence hung for a moment as everyone considered what they'd just seen before Rush nodded appreciatively.
“Thank you, Eli. I never thought I'd get the chance to see the ship from the outside.”
Young perked up. “You know what? I think I'm gonna go for a walk.” He turned to Greer. “How's that sound, Sergeant?”
“Sounds like a plan, sir,” Greer stated with a nod.
Rush announced, “I shall be in my quarters for the duration. I have a hundred pages of a truly mediocre book to finish.”
He smiled briefly. Young held his hand out to him. Touched and a bit surprised, Rush shook Young’s hand. Young looked round at the others for a moment before he and Greer headed out of the room. Rush turned to Eli.
“Eli, I, uh, I'm sorry I got you involved in this.”
“Actually…” Eli narrowed his eyes as if surprised at what he's about to say, “…I'm not.”
He quickly qualified his response. “Yet!” He laughed, before continuing, “I'll probably be sorry at the end of the day, but…”
Rush nodded and looked down, unable to respond. Eli saw the sadness on his face.
“We don't have that long, do we?”
Rush shook his head. “No.”
Ophir started for the door, mind already reeling. However, Chloe’s question stopped his feet. “How will it happen?”
Rush looked at her for a moment, unsure whether to tell the full truth or not as Ophir shifted to watch. He decides to be honest with her.
“Well, there will be turbulence from the solar wind, far worse than what we've previously experienced. Heat, obviously, and intense G-forces. I suspect the ship will be torn apart long before we reach the star.” Rush quickly noted Chloe's despairing look and tried to smile for her. “Hopefully it will be quick.”
With nothing more to say, he nodded to the pair of them and heads for the door. He stopped before Ophir and offers his hand to the lad. Ophir’s amber gaze goes from Rush’s hand to his eyes before Ophir gripped the other’s hand. One solid shake and the connection was broken. Rush stepped passed Ophir and the 23-year-old looked at the two his age to see Chloe rest her head against Eli’s shoulder. Turning, he headed to the control interface room, eager.
Ophir moved quickly, illuminating a single console. The HUD jumped to life and figures and numbers raced across the screen as a corner showed Destiny’s path. As he watched, Ophir fidgeted, muttering, “Come on, come on.”
Suddenly, Ophir starts laughing, shouting, “Yes! Yes! Haha! Yes!”
The grin on Ophir’s face didn’t even vanish when Rush entered the room. The amber gaze that settled on Rush was alive and full of life like nothing Rush had ever seen from the lad. Ophir gestured to the hallway behind him. “Come on. We have to get to the Observation Deck.”
One look at the HUD was all that Rush needed before he raced after the younger. Ophir came to a sliding halt at the rail, panting as Rush joined him at the front rail. The ship was well inside the corona and looked as if it was almost skimming the surface of the star. Rush stared at the view for a moment before he started to laugh. The wry grin on Ophir’s face never left as he leaned against the rail with crossed arms.
“Oh, yes!” Rush shouted triumphantly.
Eli piped up nervously. “Uh, what are we so happy about?”
Rush turned to him. “We're gonna live, Eli.”
Shock had Eli on his feet. “What about the turbulence and the heat and the death?”
“No, all of that would have happened by now. The shield is protecting us.”
“But you said we were out of power,” Chloe pointed out.
“I was absolutely certain of that, and I've never been more pleased to be wrong in all my life,” Rush stated, grinning at them. Ophir pushed off the rail and followed Rush as the man hurried out of the room. Ophir could hear Eli and Chloe following. Rush entered the control interface room and Ophir bee lined for his console. He quickly manipulated the HUD to show the power levels and systems.
“You're right!” Eli called out, ecstatic. “The systems are coming back online all over the ship!”
Young entered the room as Ophir walked over to the HUD, his grin long since gone. The Colonel stated, “There's a rumor spreading that we're still here.”
Rush was smiling down at his console when he replied with, “We are.”
The lights turned on in the room.
“Destiny needed all its power reserves to protect itself - and us,” Rush added.
Eli looked nervously at the HUD Ophir was currently messing with.
“Uh, guys? We're in the star.”
Young frowned, looking at the HUD as well. “That can't be right. You're talking thousands of degrees.”
“Well, we've just flown through the corona, which is even hotter, to say nothing of magnetic fields, gravitational stresses,” Rush started. “This is what Destiny intended from the moment it entered the star system.”
“You're telling me it flew into the sun on purpose?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because this ship was designed to be powered by the stars themselves,” Ophir stated before the others could comment. He looked to Young. “Solar powered to its truest form. How else are you going to power a giant ship like this with no other power source like the stars?”
The ship jolted and a window popped up on the HUD. Eli announced happily, “The engines just came back on! We're pulling out of it!”
A beeping gained everyone’s attention and gazes fell onto the countdown clock over the door. It was active which struck horror into two briefly. Rush turned around and blurted, “The shuttle! We've gotta call them back.”
“Uh, we haven't accessed communications yet,” Eli mentioned.
Rush started typing on his console. “I'm working on it.”
Young stated, “Well, you know, if you don't figure it out before we go into FTL–”
Rush cut him off. “Plenty of time.”
“We can't strand those people here.”
Rush glared at Young . “Then this would be an excellent time for you to trust me to solve this problem.”
Ophir walked over to his console. He voiced to Young, “He does have a point. Trust him and things will work out.”
Rush gave the all clear. Swallowing, Young stated clearly, “This is Young, come in.”
Silence hung over the room but the only one that wasn’t wary if it had worked or not looked bored where he sat. Relief rushed over everyone when a voice, crisp and clear, stated, “Uh, this is-this is Scott. Sir, how the hell ...?!”
Young smiled. “We're just as surprised as you are, Lieutenant. I'll explain later. You need to get your a** back aboard this ship.”
The whooping and cheers from the shuttle crew could be heard over the com and all smiled except Ophir. He seemed busy with something. Over the crew, TJ could be heard. “Look, there it is!”
“Will do!” Scott’s voice confirmed. “Scott out.”
Young nodded, smiling. Ophir adjusted the HUD.
“We have a visual of you, Destiny. Plotting an intercept course now.” Scott announced over the com. However, something had Scott radio in once more. “Um, Colonel, stand by.”
Young frowned. He looked to Rush, who gave no notion of knowing what was going on. Over the connection, Scott stated, “Colonel, we have a problem here.”
“What is it?” Young asked.
“We can see you, but the shuttle's computer cannot come up with an intercept solution. Destiny is accelerating too fast. I'm trying to put something in manually here but there's no way to cross the “t”. Sir, we're gonna fall short.”
“You're on full power, yes?” Rush asked.
“I put the throttle up right away. It's-it's just not gonna be enough.”
“You must have afterburners or something,” Eli commented.
“It's not an F-16, Eli, it's a spaceship.”
“Is there anything we can do from this end?” Young asked.
TJ’s voice came over the com. “Is there any way to slow the Destiny down?”
“That would do it,” Scott commented.
Rush shook his head when the Colonel looked at him. Young stated, “Negative.”
A pause settled over the com before Scott announced, “Uh, we're out of ideas here.”
Young looked around at Rush and Eli. Ophir adjusted something on his console as Young urged, “Come on, guys.”
Rush ran his hand over his face, thinking.
“Come on.”
Rush dropped his hand. He’d solved it. “Lieutenant. I want you to turn and head directly towards the planet. We'll send you an exact course in a moment.”
Eli, understanding what Rush was intending, pulled a calculator out of his pocket and started punching it rapidly.
“No, no-no-no-no. The planet is a rock. We're better taking our chances–”
“Do what I say, Lieutenant. We don't have much time,” Rush snapped, cutting him off.
Eli worked his calculations as fast as he could. Rush took that moment to explain what was going on to both Young and those in the shuttle. “In order to reach the star, Destiny used an aero braking maneuver to slow down. I'm suggesting Lieutenant Scott perform a slingshot maneuver around the planet to do exactly the opposite.”
“A gravity boost to speed up,” Young shortened.
“Should put Destiny directly in their path.”
“We're all aboard with that idea, Doctor. Just give me the course and speed. This planet's getting pretty big in the windows here.”
“One moment.” Rush returns to work on his console feverishly along side Eli. A moment later, Eli's console beeped. He declared, “I got it.”
“Whoa-whoa-whoa.” Rush hurried over to Eli's console. “Eli, there's many variables here. Are you sure about this?”
Eli looked at him pointedly. “Math Boy. Send it.”
“OK, Math Boy.” Rush typed on Eli's console before he headed back to his own. “Sending the new course now.”
“Is this gonna work?” Young asked. Ophir just glared unnoticed at the man’s back.
“It's gonna be close,” Rush assured him.
“Got it.”
The men waited anxiously for news. Ophir adjusted the HUD to show the shuttle's position in relation to the ship’s. Eli pointed at the screen, stating, “That's them.”
He suddenly frowned. “Why am I watching this on TV?”
He turned and hurried out of the room, heading for the Observation Deck. Young walked closer to the screen and he and Rush watched it anxiously. Ophir merely sat at his console, glaring at his screen.
“You've got us lined up,” Young said to Scott. “You're doing fine.”
“No he isn't,” Rush disagreed. “We're coming up on them too fast.”
Rush walked over to his console, stating, “Lieutenant, our relative velocity is too great. Unless you can match our speed, you're gonna crash into the ship.”
“Uh, this is all we've got.” Murmur of other voices could be heard before Scott stated in rang of the com, “Need some more speed.”
“Fire manoeuvring thrusters,” Ophir offered before Young could even open his mouth. “That might just make the difference.”
On the HUD, the screen showed the shuttle picking up a bit of speed. The shuttle hit the deck hard.
Young and Rush gaze anxiously at the screen, awaiting news. Ophir flicked a few more things before watching as the shuttle turned green on a window he had opened. Turning the console off, he listened as Scott confirmed what he had just been alerted to. “Uh, thrusters off, docking clamps engaged. We're still in one piece!”
“Well done!” Young headed towards the door, reaching out to pat Rush on the back of the neck as he passed. Rush cringed away from the unexpected gesture. “Well done! On our way down!”
Ophir watched as Rush looked after Young, curious on what was going through the scientist’s mind as Rush turned back to his console. Standing, Ophir started for the mess.
The mess filled with thrilled people quickly. Young sat with Eli, Chloe, Scott and T.J. and some others, and they were all laughing. Ophir observed from a corner, content with being away from it all.
“That's what you say, but I'm dead serious about it: that was like - that was the worst shuttle docking I have ever seen in my life!” Young commented.
“What are you talking about?!” Scott asked, grinning. “I barely even dented it!”
TJ laughed. “Just the grinding noises!”
“At the very least there's a giant scrape along the bottom. I'm gonna make you put on a spacesuit and go out there and fix it right now!” Young stated.
Scott nodded indignantly and Young looked at Greer.
“Sergeant, we're gonna need some of that high-high temperature spaceship paint for Scott here,” Young stated.
“Yes, sir, I believe I've found some!” Greer replied.
Everyone laughed just as Rush entered. Young was quick to notice the scientist. Ophir pushed off the wall he was leaning against and returned his bowl as Young offered, “Doctor Rush, have a seat. These two have even showered!”
“No thanks,” Rush merely replies. He walked over to Becker, who started to prepare a ration for him as Ophir stepped passed.
“Ah, come on. We should celebrate.” Young cheered.
“Celebrate what? That we're back where we started?”
Young sagged onto the table in mock exasperation.
Ophir settled near the door as Scott tried to change the quickly changing mood. “Ah, come on, have a seat, Rush!”
“Some other time.”
Young nodded. “All right. Well, Becker, give him a double ration. He deserves it.”
“Why's that, then?” Rush inquires. Ophir raised an eyebrow.
“Well, I'm in a good mood.”
“We're to be rewarded at your whim, then?”
“No, no, just stop.” Young stands up and hobbles over to Rush. “What, you want - you want some reasons? I'll - I'll give you three. You were right about the power situation.”
“Not really.” Ophir rolled his eyes at Rush’s remark.
“You helped figured out the sub-space communications, how to call the shuttle.”
“We needed to get those supplies back.”
“You took your name out of the lottery.”
“So did you.”
“I was injured. You actually made a sacrifice.”
Up until now, Rush had been concentrating on eating his meal and although he had lifted his eyes a couple of times during the conversation, he hasn't really met Young's eyes. Now, he reluctantly looked into his face. Young looks surprised at his expression.
“Unless you knew…” Rush continued to look at him. “…that Destiny was going to make it all along.”
Rush blinked and looked down, then looked across to the rest of the group at the table. “Cheers, everyone.”
Rush left the room. Young turned back to the group, still trying to work out if Rush did know anything in advance.
“Ah, let it go, sir,” Greer stated.
Eli tried to help. “He didn't know. I saw his face.”
“There's no way,” Scott added.
“No!” Eli agreed.
“What if he did?” Young asked and the group stopped to thing about if for a moment. TJ spoke up. “He’s right, sir. Just let it go.”
Young shook his head in a resigned way. “Lotta work.”
Ophir exited the mess.
...last for a while
