I looked over to Aul. “Are you all right?”
“No,” ze said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve soiled myself.” Ze looked over and on zis head was an expression that I assumed was of sheer amazement. “That should not have happened. Everyone on the Chandler should be dead. The Chandler should be an expanding cloud of debris. That was the single most amazing thing I’ve ever seen in my life, Councilor. I’d be surprised if it weren’t the single most amazing thing you’ve ever seen, too.”
“It might be in the top few,” I allowed.
“I don’t know who that pilot is, but I am going to buy that shit-eater all the drinks it wants.”
I intended to respond but Aul held up a hand, listening into the headset. Then it looked up at the monitor. “You have got to be kidding me,” ze said.
“What is it?”
“Those three other diplomats and the Chandler crewman,” ze said. “They’re still alive.” Aul spoke into zis headset and zoomed in on the aft portion of the Odhiambo, where the Chandler had burned its hole through the hull.
And as we zoomed in, we saw it: a reflecting suit, launching out from the hole, tumbling into space, followed by a second, followed by a pair, holding on to each other—the final diplomat and the crewman from the Chandler. The Odhiambo spun away from them, slowly.
“How much breathable air do you think they have?” I asked Aul.
“Not a lot,” ze said.
I glanced over to the co-pilot’s monitor, which still erroneously showed the Odhiambo as a single unit. The fore of the ship was rapidly cooling; all power had shut down and heat and power were venting into space.
The aft of the ship, on the other hand, was warm and getting warmer as I watched.
“I don’t think they have much time,” I said.
Aul followed my gaze to the co-pilot’s monitor. “I think you’re right,” ze said, then looked up at me. “You didn’t bring a vacuum suit with you, by any chance, Councilor?”
“I did not,” I said. “And the very fact of your question makes me begin to regret that very much.”
“It’s fine,” Aul said. “It just means I have to do this without a co-pilot.” Ze pressed a button on his pilot monitor. “Attention, team,” ze said. “You have two ditu to get on your vacuum suits. In three ditu I’m pumping the air out of the hold and opening her up. Be ready to take on passengers at speed. Have emergency air and heat prepared. These people are going to be cold and near asphyxiated. If they die once you get them, I’m leaving you out here.”
“Inspiring,” I said, after ze had finished.
“It works,” Aul said. “I’ve only had to leave them out here once. Now, slide in a little more, Councilor. I have to seal up this compartment. Unless you want to try holding your breath for a while.”
* * *
“The four of them haven’t drifted too far from each other,” Aul said, as we were underway, two ditu later. Ze put an image on the main screen showing the positions of the diplomats. “And two of them are together so we really only have three targets.” A curving line swept through all three positions. “We open the gate, bring our speed down, and literally let them drift into the hold. Three targets, three ditu, we go home, we’re heroes for the sur.”
“You’ll curse us if you put like that,” I said.
“Don’t be superstitious,” Aul said.
The aft portion of the Odhiambo erupted.
“Oh, come on,” Aul yelled.
“Give me tracking, please,” I said. Aul transferred the screen to the co-pilot monitor. The main portion of the Odhiambo’s aft was still spinning away from the diplomats, but a large chunk of debris was now launching itself in a different direction entirely. I watched as the shuttle’s computer plotted its trajectory.
“This debris is going to hit these two,” I said, pointing to the paired diplomats.
“How long?” Aul asked.
“Three ditu,” I said.
Aul seemed to think about it for a moment. “All right, fine,” ze said.
“All right, fine, what?” I asked.
“You might want to make your center of gravity as low as possible. The inertial and gravity systems in this thing are pretty reliable, but you never know.”
I hunkered down. “What are you about to do, Aul?”
“It’s probably best you wait until it happens. If it works, it will be really great.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“Then it’ll be over quickly.”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going.”
“If it’s all the same, Councilor, don’t talk to me until it’s over. I need to concentrate.”