Astronomicon: Icarus

28 - Disappearing Act

"What's the matter with you?" asked Captain Taylor as soon as Enzo reappeared at the hatch in the floor.

"I'm fine, sir. There must have been a surge that tripped the cut-offs. It's all working fine again now," he reported, choosing not to mention his other experience with so many other people around.

"Let's get on with it then," began Captain Lee, keen to get started. "Firstly, none of this has gone to plan. We were meant to arrive at the USS Oppenheimer, deal with the survivors, assess the state of the ship and then head home, but unfortunately, as this mining crate got in first and removed the survivors, it's made things one hell of a lot more complicated."

Without drawing attention to himself, Captain Stirling signalled to Warrant-Officer Scott to move closer to the hatch. The Warrant-Officer winked in response, then casually took a single, slow step towards it, making it look like he was just adjusting the position of his feet on the floor.

"Why is this complicated, for anyone?" asked Captain Taylor.

"The operation was meant to be a neat clean up with minimal attention drawn to the situation, but as you are fully aware of the Oppenheimer and the survivors, I'm going to have to do this. Secure the room, men."

Before anyone had a chance to react or object, The four men of Captain Lee's salvage team slickly pulled compact handguns from their flight suit pockets and aimed them generally at the three other crews.

"Now nobody do anything stupid. We have all the guns," announced Captain Lee, as he too pulled out an identical weapon. "Rodriguez check that corridor."

Without any hesitation, Sergeant Rodriguez jogged to the wider door at the back of the bridge, stepped quickly into the corridor beyond and made his way along the rooms that led from it. Meanwhile, the other members of the US salvage team herded everyone around to be huddled together against the port side windows.

Rodriguez returned, dragging someone with him. "There are two bunk rooms, both with lockable doors. Everything was clear apart from this guy. He says his name is Donald Moore, chief engineer on the Oppenheimer."

"Chief engineer? I've seen him before," replied Captain Lee, looking somewhat perplexed.

"Before?" asked Rodriguez.

"Yes, on the Oppenheimer. He was... no, it doesn't matter," replied Captain Lee.

Rodriguez did not push him to say any more on the matter.

Captain Lee looked away from Donald and glanced briefly around the rest of the people gathered in the control room, "Okay, I want the Oppenheimer crew locked in the starboard bunk room, and put the crew of this ship in the port side bunk room. I want this crew securely tied up. They're going to know this ship inside out so I do NOT want them getting loose."

"What the hell are you doing? This is illegal," demanded Captain Taylor.

"Where's Captain Stirling and his crew?" snapped Captain Lee, suddenly realising that they were no longer in the control room with everyone else.

Rodriguez and Lieutenant-Commander Lewis continued to herd the Oppenheimer crew off to the bunk room while Lieutenants Collins and Mitchell looked quickly around the control room.

"They've disappeared, Captain," reported Lieutenant Mitchell.

"I can see that, Lieutenant. Shit, that's not good," He turned and slammed his fist down on the centre console. "Right, finish securing the crew of this ship and the Oppenheimer crew, then I want you to search down below in pairs. They can't have gone far and they're unarmed. All they'll succeed in doing is delaying us a little."

- - -

Captain Lee stood near the centre console, watching the various displays on it while keeping one eye on the floor hatch. He held his firearm ready. It was a state-of-the-art taser gun, but he would have felt more comfortable with a proper traditional, bullet-firing weapon. 

The mission planners had realised immediately that bullets within the enclosed environment of a spacecraft were likely to be as deadly to the firer as the target. Ricochets were highly likely within the metal-walled surroundings and any bullet puncturing the outer skin or windows of spacecraft could cause an explosive decompression which could kill all on board. Taser weapons were much more predictable, if usually non-fatal, weapons.

There was no indication of where the British crew had gone and unfortunately, the Icarus was not fitted with internal cameras other than in the engine compartments. Almost ten minutes passed before the first search team reappeared at the floor hatch and climbed quickly up onto the control room floor.

"No luck?" asked Captain Lee.

"No trace at all, sir. They've completely disappeared," replied Sergeant Rodriguez. "We searched every space on the cargo deck, the entire ore hold, the rear airlock, even into the radar emitter room in the bow. Nothing."

"Mitchell and Collins?"

"They're down in the service deck, sir. It's a lot smaller down there."

Moments later Lieutenant Mitchell appeared at the hatch, quickly followed by Lieutenant Collins.

"Report?" asked Captain Lee.

"Nothing, sir. We checked every space that was even remotely big enough to hide in. It's like they've become invisible."

"There is one more place they might have gone," replied Captain Lee, he looked up at the over-console, unclipped the microphone that was held there and set about opening a radio channel to the Wagner.

"Colonel Miller, has anyone come back on board the Wagner?"

"No, Captain," came the immediate reply.

"You're sure of that?" he pushed.

"Definitely, Captain. The inner doors have been sealed since Lieutenant Walker and Warrant-Officer Scott went aboard the Icarus. No-one has come back aboard."

"Okay, Colonel, stay alert and keep that airlock sealed until I say otherwise."

"No problem, sir," she replied.

Captain Lee switched off the radio.

"Do you want us to search again, Captain?" asked Lieutenant Lewis.

"No, we're just wasting time. Let's go to plan B."

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