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CHAPTER SIX

“You good, Kiddo?” Clayton surveys me through the glass.

“Surviving,” I say.

“Good girl.”

I smile. Clayton has always been the unofficial Dad of our motley crew ever since my and Matthias’ first trip up here.

He moves back, ushering the medic forward, “This is Doctor. Hadfield.”

The doctor, Callie, comes forward.

She looks young, her green eyes bright and earnest as she attempts to drop to her knees in front of the door. Her movements are a little jerky and ungraceful as she fights against the lack of gravity.

Finally settled, one hand clinging to the hatch, the other steadying herself on the footholds along the floor. “Can I see the patient?”

“He’s over there.” I gesture over my shoulder. “Wasn’t sure if I should move him any more than necessary.”

She chews her bottom lip, thinking, before shaking her head. “Usually no, but desperate times and all that.” She gives me a small smile. “Try to move him all at once. Is there something you can use as a stretcher?”

I stand up, floating away from the window as I survey the room.

Over by the open wall cavity that Chelenko was working on, there's a dust sheet velcroed down along the floor.

Small flecks of solder cling to the fabric.

I lift it, shaking off the worst of the debris.

A small piece drags itself along the floor towards the wall cavity – just a gentle reminder of the vacuum of space slowly sucking out my much needed oxygen.

“I think we might have more than one breach.” I throw a thumb over my shoulder, pointing at the wall. “Chelenko was working there.”

Luca nods through the window. Doctor Hadfield remains with a warm smile on her face.

I lay the sheet out next to Chelenko, flattening out any kinks, before I eye up his prone form.

“Right, Chelenko, I’m going to need you to work with me here.

” He grumbles as I grab one of his big hands in mine.

“Stay with me, big guy. Give me a squeeze if you can hear me.” He gives my fingers a weak squeeze.

“Okay, we got this. Doc’s right here.” I lean in closer, dropping my voice so they can’t hear us on the other side of the door.

“Remember to play nice with her. Just got to get you over to her so she can check you out. ”

His eyes flutter open for a moment before closing. He swallows. His Adam's apple bobs before he gently nods his head, still gently squeezing my fingers.

“Okay, I got you.”

I try to keep him as straight as possible as I slide the sheet under him. Grateful, yet again, at the near weightlessness of space.

Despite my best efforts to keep the movement to gentle tussling, he groans.

Grabbing two ring stands from the rack, I remove the metre-long poles from their clamps and place them on either side of Chelenko, using the sheet's velcro edges to keep the poles in place. Finally, I take a step back to check over my makeshift stretcher, nodding. This could work.

“Right. I’m ready to get you moving, just a few quick pulls and we’ll have you with the doctor.”

I’m not sure who I am trying to reassure. Him, or myself .

“Let’s go, big guy.”

“Take me to woman doctor,” he says.

Taking the stretcher from the head, I push the metal poles forward as one. He cries out in pain, blood beads spurting from his mouth to splutter across my face.