Dark World

Chapter 11 - Foreboding

Dipper was running. He hadn't remembered ever running so fast in his life. He was running along a massive corridor with a strutted steel support framework and aluminosilicate glass windows showing space and the Earth far below. The hallway curved gradually upwards. Dipper realized it was a space station in orbit. He was running down a corridor that curved to form a wheel that spun on an axis to produce sufficient centrifugal force to supplement gravity near the edge of the ring. This ring was connected to a central stationary hub. The hub was part of something bigger, too big for Dipper to fully grasp what it was not that he was focused on that. Dipper dove down the nearest access hatch via a ladder. He pushed off the rim hard fighting gravity to climb into the access corridor. Gravity grew weaker and he was able to pull himself up the handholds launching himself farther and farther. The last rung he grabbed he managed to launch himself a hundred feet at least, pushing off the wall once to correct his trajectory.

Dipper pulled himself into the internal hub and drew himself along the wall-mounted handrails up to the access hatch at the end of the small ring-like corridor. He reached an airlock compartment that was used for docking. Dipper peered into the airlock via the aluminosilicate glass window. Dipper was shocked to see Mabel in the airlock. Her face looked scarred as she floated in the middle of the room her hand holding onto the guard rail. Dipper shouted, "MABEL!" He pounded the glass. "MABEL!" she shouted something but Dipper could not hear anything through the docking shield door. Her mouth formed the words, "Help me Dipper!" Her eyes said the rest.

Dipper said, "I'll get you out, Mabel! I'll find a way!" He turned his focus to a blinking access panel with a large handle on it. Dipper followed the instructions and pulled the heavy spring-loaded panel as it opened up into a keyboard and a screen. Dipper punched in a command sequence to gain access. He then used the interface to try and open the interior shielding doors on the airlock to get Mabel back in the station. He pushed the command to release the locking mechanism and open the airlock.

The screen flashed in red

////////////////// ACCESS DENIED \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

>Insuficient Hierarchical privilege<
>Command access shunted<

[Ftp Script dlx]:S!Auth_Call Connecting...global_main.gov/auth
username:M.Pines614
password: *********
!Auth_Call Preparing...
Net private_global_main.gov/auth
lcd c:\TempLocal_dir

Dipper swore and hit the screen. The command access had been shunted to the bride most likely. Then three red rotating light cones above the door began to flash. Dipper went into a full-on panic. They were going to purge the airlock. Dipper picked up a coms unit on the wall dialing the bride. It crackled with static. "Pines to bridge command halt airlock purge! Operational personnel is present!" Static continued. Dipper repeated the information rapidly. Still static. Dipper turned and broke the nearest locker open with great difficulty in null gravity. The door crumbled inward as Dipper finally managed to pry it open. He pulled a crowbar-like leverage tool out and began to try and pry the airlock open. The computer began to wail as the seal was broken. The door compensated and remagnetized. Dipper swore again. Mabel reached out to him and pressed her hand to the glass. The airlock opened up on the far side and blew Mabel out into deep space. Dipper screamed.

Dipper woke up screaming covered in a cold sweat as he jumped bolt upright. His pajama bottoms stuck to him as he tried to separate the dream from reality. His limbs were numb with terror. The door opened up and Pacifica came in pistol drawn. Dipper was still trying to catch his breath and calm the terror that gripped his limbs.  Dipper fell on his face on the bed and wept bitterly. His broad shoulders and glistening back were covered in sweat and he trembled and shook. Pacifica placed the pistol on the nightstand and stood next to Dipper.