The Final Expedition

Day Two Hundred and Fourteen

The wall of the sleeping compartment shuddered against my back, stirring me from my sleep.

“What was that?” I murmured.

“What was what?” Natalya replied sleepily, her arms wrapped around me. Her naked body was warm and soft against me and I could smell a faint trace of her perfume on her skin. Then another odour reached me. Strong, harsh and unpleasant.

“What’s that smell?” I asked her.

“It’s usually you.” She giggled before I felt her stiffen. “Ammonia!” She gasped, pulling away from me and pushing open the compartment door before punching the red mushroom shaped alarm button on the wall. Sirens wailed all around us. She reached for two oxygen masks from the emergency station next to the button and passed one to me.

“Put this on.” She told me, concern etched on her face. “We’ve had a coolant leak. Very toxic. We need to evacuate to the Russian segment immediately.” She pulled her own mask on before reaching for her flight suit and slipping into it. I did likewise. Aki emerged from her own cubicle, nodding at Natalya before reaching for her own mask. Once again, I was amazed at their coolness under pressure as they methodically ran through the relevant procedure for this eventuality. Natalya pointed towards the hatch into the adjacent module before propelling herself through the opening, Aki close behind. I pulled myself after them, following as we made our way towards the Russian segment.

As we passed through the Destiny lab, the lights flickered for a moment before shutting off and plunging us into darkness. Narrow shafts of light shined up through the small portholes in the floor of the module, casting a bright circle on the ceiling. I could feel my heart racing, wondering just what the hell was happening to the station. Emergency lighting winked on and while not quite as bright as the normal lighting, it was enough to continue on our way.

As we entered the Russian FGB module, Aki held up her hand.

“The hatch.” She told me, her voice muffled by the mask and barely audible over the sirens. She pointed behind me. “We need to seal off the rest of the station before the fumes spread.” I nodded my understanding and we pulled the panel down, closing and locking it. I hoped Morrison was already in the Russian segment. As we moved into Zvezda, I was relieved to see him gazing intently at one of the computer monitors.

“Mission commander, we’ve had a coolant leak in the vicinity of the Harmony node, perhaps from one of the three labs connected to it.” Natalya reported, tearing her mask from her face.

“I know.” Morrison replied, not looking up from the screen. “Several systems are offline, we have power outages across the station and we are losing pressure in the American segment. I suspect we’ve had multiple micrometeorite impacts and are venting into space. The coolant system has been compromised, which is why that side of the station is filling with ammonia gas.”

“Is the Russian segment intact?” Natalya asked him, glancing nervously about her as the lights flickered for a moment.

“It’s in better shape.” Morrison replied. “While we don’t appear to have a coolant leak or loss of pressure, the power levels have dropped all over the station. We are beginning to drift towards the Earth’s atmosphere and the station’s thrusters are offline. If we can’t bring them back online, we’ll burn up.”

“How long have we got?” Aki asked him.

“A few hours at most.” He replied.

“Can we repair the damage?” I asked him.

“Without mission control to guide us and without Flynn, who was the specialist…” Morrison sighed deeply, finally turning away from the monitor, his eyes meeting mine. “I don’t know. Guess we can give it the old college try.”

“We?” I replied, my voice flat, knowing what was coming.

“You stepped up before,” He reminded me, “And I need you to do it again. We’ll see if we can patch up this crate up.” While the thought of another spacewalk filled me with dread, the alternative, being roasted alive as the station plunged into the atmosphere, was even more terrifying.

“Okay, let’s do it.” I replied reluctantly.

The outer hatch of the Poisk airlock above Zvezda swung open and Morrison pulled himself out with a toolbox held in one hand. A tether connecting our spacesuits unravelled and stretched out in his wake. With a deep sigh, I pulled myself after him, the endless void of space filling my field of vision. Gripping a handhold, I swung myself after Morrison, down onto the dorsal side of Zvezda. The station seemed to be listing slightly in its orbit

“Damn, looks like that was some meteorite shower that hit us.” Morrison murmured. The surface of the remaining solar arrays were pockmarked and smashed and the exterior of the whole station was pitted and scarred.

“How has Zvezda remained intact?” I asked him.

“It’s the most important module, so the construction is a little more robust than the rest of the station.” He replied. “It’s also designed to be a refuge in situations such as this.” We crawled forward from handhold to handhold until we reached the edge of the FGB module. My pulse raced as I glanced down at the narrow Pressurised Mating Adaptor between the two segments of the station where I had so nearly died just two and a half months earlier.

“Don’t sweat it, Carter.” Morrison told me, propelling himself gracefully across to the Unity node and easily grasping the handhold I had been unable to keep a grip on. I followed him over the gap and we made our way across the top of the American segment, climbing down the side of the Destiny Lab beneath the huge truss that connected the solar arrays to the station. The American segment appeared to have taken the brunt of the damage and we could see air venting out into space from multiple locations.

“It’s worse than I thought.” Morrison told me.

“Story of my life.” I replied.

“There’s nothing we can do here.” He added, his voice flat. “There’s no time to patch up this many breaches and the thrusters look beyond repair. Come on, let’s get back to Zvezda.”

“We’ve lost the station.” Morrison told us as he climbed out of the spacesuit, pausing to let the words sink in. “We need to evacuate immediately.”

“So one of us will have to remain behind.” I murmured.

“Yes.” He replied, moving across to the computer monitor. “Goddamn it!” He yelled, thumping the screen, beginning to show the strain as his cool façade finally cracked. “A fire has broken out in the Columbus Lab. With the leak in the coolant system, some of the equipment must have overheated!” He glanced up as the lights flickered again, this time plunging us into darkness. Morrison’s monitor screen winked off and even the ever present background drone of the air conditioning system died, an eerie silence descending upon us.

“What’s happening?” Aki breathed, a trace of panic in her voice. My pulse raced and I could feel my heart thumping in my chest as we floated in the gloom of the dying station. Dim emergency lighting finally kicked in, bathing the concerned faces of the others in pale fluorescent light.

“Total power loss to Zvezda.” Morrison replied quietly. “Docking clamps for Soyuz separation is normally controlled from within Zvezda. We can switch control to the capsule controls, but not from here. Not without power. There’s a backup in the Destiny lab, but we know the American segment is filled with toxic gases, fire, smoke and very little oxygen.”

“Can we vent that half of the station and re-pressurise it long enough to reach the backup?” Natalya asked.

“It would take us several hours.” Morrison told us. “It’s time we don’t have. The station’s orbit is decaying rapidly. We’ll burn up before we can leave the station. Someone’s got to go in there and do it now.”

“What about the spacesuits?” I suggested.

“Too bulky.” Morrison replied. “They won’t fit through the interior hatches.” He sighed deeply. “If I could volunteer, I would.” he continued solemnly. “I’m in command now, so your lives are my responsibility and I would gladly go in your place. But as no one else can pilot the capsule, it must be one of you three. I’m sorry, I truly am.” While the cynical might suggest that it was nothing but an empty sentiment, I could see in his eyes that he meant it.

“We should draw lots.” Aki suggested. “The one who draws the short straw goes inside the American segment.” I nodded, wishing I had Morrison’s strength to volunteer, to make the ultimate sacrifice, but I desperately wanted a chance to live. Morrison pulled three narrow drinking straws from the food storage locker and tore one in half. He turned away for a moment before turning back, the straws clenched in his fist.

“Who’s first?” He asked. Natalya reached out, trapping a straw between her thumb and forefinger. I held my breath, wondering if I was such a coward that I would be capable of letting the woman I loved sacrifice herself. She tugged it from his grasp and I exhaled as she drew a long straw. There wasn’t even a flicker of relief on her face as she glanced at me and then Aki.

“Sorry.” She murmured.

“Next?” Morrison asked, holding out his hand with the two remaining straws and looking from Aki to me and back again. Aki glanced at me and shrugged.

“I’ll choose.” I said reluctantly, thinking I may as well be master of my own destiny. Aki nodded, looking relieved that the decision was out of her hands. I looked at the two narrow straws, knowing one was life and the other death. A one in two chance. Fifty-fifty. I sighed and plucked a straw from his grasp. It slipped easily from his fingers and I recognised the torn end of the short straw. I felt all the colour drain from my face. I wanted to vomit.

“I’m sorry, Carter.” Morrison told me. I opened and closed my mouth, but I could find no words. It felt unreal. I had always been so lucky. I had lived a charmed life, making millions from my website, being aboard the International Space Station when the Earth had been all but destroyed beneath us, falling in love with what might be one of the last women left alive and it was all going to end today. I would die here, alone in this tin can. The sound of quiet sobbing brought me back to my senses. Natalya had her face in her hands, shaking uncontrollably. I wanted to reach out for her, to tell her it would be alright, but this time it wouldn’t. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I glanced behind me. Aki, her eyes puffy, was on the edge of breaking down in tears too.

“I’m so sorry, Max.” She said softly. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.” I nodded dumbly, feeling like it was a bad dream. Wishing it was a bad dream.

“I’ll begin preparations for Soyuz separation.” Morrison told us. “I’ll give you two a few minutes before…” His voice trailed off and he grimaced before he and Aki pulled themselves into the adjoining FGB module. I looked at Natalya, her cheeks moist from wiping away the tears from her eyes.

“Please don’t cry.” I told her, a lump in my throat. “I’m barely hanging on here.”

“Oh Max.” She wept, throwing her arms around me and holding me tightly. I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer and let myself go, quietly sobbing for a moment before regaining control.

“We haven’t much time.” I told her, pulling away from her. “You need to get into your pressure suit and get inside the capsule and I need to… to do my final duty.” She nodded before pressing her lips to mine and kissing me. It was tender, soft and lingering until finally, reluctantly, she pulled away and nodded. I helped her into the bulky white pressure suit and reached for the helmet.

“I’ll never forget you.” She told me, her eyes brimming with tears again.

“No more crying.” I told her, reaching out to brush her cheek with my hand. “You won’t be able to wipe your eyes once the helmet is on. It’ll drive you crazy!” I smiled weakly. She laughed nervously.

“Durachit.” She whispered as I slipped the helmet over her head and twisted it into position, sealing it.

“That word again. What does that mean?” I asked her. She laughed nervously again.

“Fool.” She told me, her voice echoing inside her helmet. “Buffoon.” I smirked and despite herself, Natalya’s lips curled into a smile.

I followed Natalya into the FGB module. The hatch in the floor leading to the Soyuz capsule was open and Aki was helping Morrison pull on his own pressure suit.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” I winced, holding Natalya’s gloved hand.

“I love you, Max.” She told me, her eyes dewy.

“I love you too.” I replied, the lump in my throat returning. “Now go. Please.” I implored her. Natalya nodded and turned away, her hand slipping from my grasp. With one last glance back at me, she pulled herself down into the open hatch. As she disappeared inside, Morrison pulled himself towards me.

“The backup master control panel is at the far end of the Destiny lab.” He told me. “The smoke from the fire has filled the whole American segment, so it’ll be hard to see where you’re going.” He passed me an oxygen mask. “This will help, but the air’s pretty thin and you’ll only have a few minutes before the fumes will overcome you. Get to the panel and switch it from automatic to manual.”

“That’s it?” I replied.

“That’s it.” He confirmed. “Once it’s been switched to manual, I can release the docking clamps from inside the capsule.”

“Okay.” I nodded.

“This is a brave thing you’re about to do.” He told me solemnly before extending his hand. Grasping a handhold to anchor myself, I shook his hand. “I don’t think you’re the same man I met all those months ago.”

“It feels like another life.” I admitted.

“Good luck, Carter.” He smiled grimly. I turned towards the hatch to the American segment. My eyes widened when I saw Aki had pulled it open and was in the process of pulling herself through it.

“Aki! What the hell are you doing?!” I shouted, kicking off the wall of the module and propelling myself towards her. The hatch slammed shut behind her just as I reached it. I heard a mechanical clank as she locked it from the other side. I thumped the hatch and peered through the small porthole in the centre. Aki gazed back at me, her features set and resolute.

“Goddamn it, Aki!” I shouted. She smiled sadly before pulling on an oxygen mask and backing away until the thick, black smoke engulfed her and she faded from view. I pulled at the handle, but the hatch was locked solid. “We’ve got to get this hatch open!” I shouted over my shoulder at Morrison.

“It’s too late.” He growled back at me as he reached for the helmet for his pressure suit. “We need to leave. Now! Your choice, Carter, come with us or stay here and die with her.” He pulled on the helmet and twisted it into place, sealing it before pulling himself towards the open hatch in the floor. “Don’t let her sacrifice be in vain!” He added before disappearing after Natalya into the Soyuz capsule.

“Fuck.” I sighed, with one last glance into the billowing smoke beyond the tiny window. I turned away and quickly pulled my own pressure suit on, guilt clawing at my soul for leaving Aki to die. I twisted the helmet into place and pulled myself through the open hatch and down into the capsule. Natalya was already strapped into place in the right hand seat while Morrison was busy fastening his own straps in the centre seat. I pulled the nose hatch closed behind me and sealed it before squeezing past Morrison into the remaining vacant seat, which was no easy task in the cramped confines of the capsule. As I strapped myself in, Morrison prepared the capsule for separation, his fingers playing over the controls as he rapidly carried out final instrument checks. I gazed out of the porthole to my left at the underside of the station. It had been our refuge, our ark for so long and now we had to abandon it, to take our chances on the surface.

“Soyuz separation in 3… 2… 1… Mark.” Morrison warned us, jabbing his finger on a button on the console before him. Nothing. I glanced nervously across at him. Had Aki been overcome by the fumes before she could reach the panel? Had another fire flared up in the Destiny lab, a raging inferno blocking her path? Morrison pressed the button again. I sighed and reached for the quick release on my harness, knowing what I had to do.

“Wait.” Morrison growled, his finger hovering over the button. He pressed it again and this time there was a mechanical clank as the docking clamps disengaged. The capsule vibrated slightly as we cleared the hatch. I breathed a sigh of relief as we began to slowly drift away from the station. Glancing out of the porthole, I could see the glass windows of the cupola and wondered if Aki had made it there and was watching us depart. I felt hollow and raw inside, knowing we were leaving her to die.

“It was her choice.” Morrison intuitively told me. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. You should only feel gratitude for her sacrifice, not guilt. It was an incredibly noble and courageous act.” I nodded, watching the station rapidly shrinking into the distance as we accelerated towards the Earth. Despite Morrison’s comforting words, I knew it should have been me left behind and not Aki.