Grand Theft Cargo

DATE: Year 308-B, Sol 525

LOCATION: Airlock Gallery 4 (Looking out at the Strut)

Himalaya stood behind the reinforced glass of the observation gallery, his hands pressed against the pane.

He was supposed to be in his room, reading up on the Saganite plans and deciding whether to stay for good. But when the "External Breach" alarm had flashed on his door panel, he had overridden the lock using a patch code he wrote when he was twelve.

Through the glass, he saw the nightmare unfold in slow motion.

Himalaya recognized the MTC silhouette instantly.

He watched the muzzle flash of the turret. He watched the magnetic clamps shatter.

He watched the Mighty Sparrow, the ship that had carried him across the solar system, tilt backward.

It fell silently into the clouds.

Himalaya waited. He waited for his mother to scream orders into her comms. He waited for his father to activate the City’s tractor beams to catch the falling vessel.

But they just stood on the grate, shielding their eyes from the sparks, watching the ship disappear.

Dispose of the transport vehicle.

Himalaya looked at the emergency locker on the wall next to him.

He thought about Phoenix, alone in the dark, spinning toward the crush depth.

Himalaya punched the glass of the emergency locker.

He grabbed an EV-Suit helmet and a re-breather pack. There wasn’t time for the full suit. He jammed the helmet over his head, locking the seal onto his flight suit collar.

He slammed his hand onto the airlock cycle button.

-WARNING, the computer droned. UNAUTHORIZED DEPRESSURIZATION.

-Emergency, Himalaya shouted. Emergency.

The blast door opened.

The wind dragged him out onto the strut.

His parents turned, shocked by the sudden opening of the inner door. Victoria’s mouth opened, shouting something lost to the wind. Poteau reached out to grab him.

Himalaya ducked under his father’s arm.

He sprinted across the icy grate. Without magnetized boots he had to run low, fighting the gale that tried to throw him off the edge.

The Stardust was sitting twenty meters away. Its canopy was popped open, waiting to be stripped.

Himalaya vaulted onto the wing. He slid into the cockpit.

Himalaya shoved his gloved hands into the interface.

The HAK ship woke up.

PILOT DETECTED. INTERFACE ACTIVE.

-Chase mode! Himalaya screamed. Target the falling object!

OBJECT ACQUIRED.

The canopy sealed. The wind vanished.

Himalaya felt the ship lift.

He pushed his hand forward and down.

The Stardust dove.

He was falling at Mach 10, but he felt like he was floating in a pool.

On the holographic display, a red dot was tumbling ahead of him.

The Sparrow.

And behind him, a grey dot was following.

Doremus.

Himalaya gritted his teeth.

-I’m coming, Phoenix.