Chimera 🌈 [ONC 2024]

10: Connection

Leanne tried to tug on her EVA suit as she hurried towards Airlock-C. Her fingers fumbled with catches and fasteners in her attempt to do it one-handed. She had her helmet tucked beneath her arm and she kept nearly dropping it to the hard floor. If she did that, it could compromise it, and she would not be able to go outside and rescue Ryan. She imagined the woman out there, floating like Cliff, waiting for her death by suffocation. Leanne did not even know how she would reach her; she had no vessel to ferry her across to the Mandala or the Fighting Machine. But she had to try.

She could not lose someone else.

But, as she staggered to the airlock hatch, about to slam her hand on the button and enter, she saw the pressurisation cycle had already begun. Valkyrie, she thought. Perhaps the AI had started it ahead of time, to save Leanne precious seconds?

Leanne tugged on her helmet, considering her hasty plan as she did. She would have to go out without a safety net and hope she could reach Ryan in time. God, this was mad. She would never survive it.

Then she noticed movement beyond the portal door. She swore she saw a dash of red, the same colour as Ryan's suit. Leanne hesitated, her palm hovering above the button.

Within seconds, the hatch opened.

Ryan staggered out, her hand pressed to her side. She half-fell against a bulkhead and Leanne, pushing through her shock, rushed to her. She caught Ryan about the arm, heart thundering.

"What the hell..." Leanne managed. "How the hell are you still standing? You were flatlining on every variable!"

"I'm fine," Ryan gritted out.

"You aren't fine! How did you pilot the Fighting Machine? How did you—"

"I'm back, that's all. Come on, I need to speak with Valkyrie. She can help me."

"You need to get to the medbay right now! Let me see your wound."

Ryan just stared at Leanne for a moment. Her palm was still tight to her side where the debris had struck her. Leanne wondered what on earth was wrong with her, amongst many other questions. Then, the woman slowly lifted her hand.

Leanne gasped. Ryan seemed to be wearing something beneath her suit, something mechanical that had taken the brunt of the impact. It had been ruptured and wires and circuit boards were revealed.

"What is this?" Leanne asked. "Some kind of Martian protection?"

"No. Well, sort of."

Curiosity got the better of Leanne and she bent closer, relieved that Ryan had not been direly hurt. But why had her vital signs been flatlining? Perhaps a sensor error, perhaps a...

"Oh my god!" Realisation hit Leanne as hard as the debris that had nearly wiped out Ryan. She jerked away. "You're... You're a robot!"

"No," Ryan said, strained. "No, robots don't resemble humans. I'm an android. Or... transhuman, if you want to use the Martian term."