Outcasts of Gideon

Fellowship : Part 2

The pilot scheduled three high G burns, each for fifteen minutes. They were halfway through their second burn when Kishan's monitor registered something. The pilot saw this as well and prepared to kill thrust.

Kishan lifted his hand. "Let's keep the engines firing. I don't want them to think we were looking for them."

He still didn't know the name of the ship he was on. He thought twice before asking. It was an old habit. Anonymity made him more comfortable. After meeting the talkative Mihr, that was even more so. Still, he needed to know a few things if he was going to navigate the current challenge. "I just realized I don't know your name. I also don't know the name of this ship. It might help when I contact the shuttle."

"Doran. Doran Cheyvyne."

"Is that the name of the ship?"

"No. Ship is Amittai's Wake."

Kishan nodded and opened a comm channel. "To the vessel adrift heading towards Saturn, this is the Amittai's Wake. If you are in need of assistance, we can provide it."

A response was almost immediate. Kishan switched his monitor to vid and accepted the incoming transmission. The screen ignited with the face of a young man. Kishan guessed he was in his early thirties. Thin, with pale skin and an awkward smile. He seemed both shocked and relieved to have been hailed. "This is the shuttle Aion. We ran out of fuel on our way to Titan. We'd love some help if you can give it."

"We'll brake and come up alongside." Kishan signaled for Doran to stop their burn.

The pilot killed the main engine and activated thrusters to rotate the ship. When aligned, he engaged main engines. They broke hard as they approached the Aion. The violence of the thrust surprised Kishan. He turned to the pilot who appeared unfazed.

Doran piloted them alongside the Aion. When they were close and stable enough, he extended the docking bridge.

Kishan studied the Aion on approach. The shuttle was much larger than the Amittai's Wake. It was also much older. He guessed decades by the pockmarks and scoring. The age of the shuttle could be an issue if the docking bridge wouldn't secure. He may have to connect the two ships manually.

He stepped out of his seat and worked his way down through the small vessel. Near the airlock, he found and donned a vacuum suit. The helmet fit well, though he immediately felt the familiar itch on his nose as soon as he sealed it.

Engaging the hatch, he entered the airlock. Cycling the pressure, he opened the outer hatch. There was the docking bridge reaching near the tail of the shuttle. He launched forward, propelling himself with holds on either side.

As he expected, the older vessel would not connect easily. At the shuttle's hatch, he found the bridge used a different scale. A few minutes of tinkering and he had a seal between the bridge and the Aion's hatch. When he was satisfied with it, he returned to the Wake. There he triggered the compression, flooding the bridge with atmosphere.

By the time he returned to the Aion, the hatch was open. The young man he'd greeted earlier stood ready. "We were sure we'd be stuck floatin'." The young man moved to the side as Kishan came aboard, removing his helmet.

Kishan scratched at his nose, which seemed to amuse his host. A few awkward moments passed. Kishan looked down the corridor, wondering if they were alone. "We just came through the empty from Algenib Pegasi on our way to Titan."

"Algenib Pegasi," came a voice from off the corridor, "I've spent some time out that way." A large, older man pushed himself forward, extending his hand as he grabbed the nearest hold on the wall.