"The Chinese Prisoner..."

"The Chinese Prisoner..." Part III...

"The Chinese Prisoner."

Summary: A surprisingly modest Howard has returned to a global hero's welcome after an incredible space feat.  But he brought some baggage home. 

Disclaimer: All that is Chuck's is Chuck's. 

Part III. 

Good Morning USA set... 

"So there I was... I had to evacuate the science module, there was no alternative.  But the capsule was too damaged to even try to land.  And my air was running out so that even before my orbit decayed I'd be herstory." Lilly told an awed audience. 

"I was dead.  I knew I was dead.  The only thing keeping me from forcing that hatch open and just getting it over with was that sweet voice telling me how to reconfigure my CO2 filters.  To give me just enough time for him to try and reach me." she...And the audience...  And several hundred million viewers in the US, China, and round the world, eyed Howard.  Blinking a bit in his seat between Dr. Peng and Bernadette. 

Currently the most envied woman on Earth...

"Howard?...You want to tell us how you managed to repair the filters.  And what you said to Lilly?" the female anchor, a bit teary-eyed, leaned in. 

"Uh.  It was just about what NASA did for the Apollo 13 guys.  Just used her suit filters and sealed off any leaks.  I just told her to hang in there and described how we'd try the ion thruster."

"Which had never been used in this way?...And wasn't even intended to be attached to your Soyuz landing module?"

"No.  But I figured we could secure it...Since we'd detach it before landing.  Then it was just simple math and mechanics to figure a possible intercept."

"But if the ion thruster had failed to shut off.  Or come loose.  He would have been lost or burned up." Lilly noted. 

"We couldn't sit in the station and not do anything." Howard noted.   "And we will pretty sure it would work.  It wasn't really that risky."

"And then.  You reached Dr. Peng's ship.  And you had to go over.  Can we run the footage?" the male co-anchor called. 

"I know most of you have seen this before...Watched it that day...As part of the largest audience to ever witness a mission in space.  But here is the Soyuz approaching the other craft."

"Howard, what were you feeling when you saw Dr. Peng's ship and knew your gamble might have payed off?" the female anchor, eagerly. 

"Ummn.  It was all happening very fast.  And I was worried that we couldn't get a response from her."

"I was out.  On my last air...I doubt I had another hour or two left alive." Lilly noted.   "But I remember hearing that voice, telling me to hang on.  'I'm almost there.  '"

Even Bernadette caught up in the suspense. 

"And you got out...Made the passage across...All alone." the male co-anchor. 

"Well, we couldn't do more than one.  Even if we could've risked two, we'd have to open the hatch and reseal it and still have enough for two for the landing.  But I had the station team and NASA...And the Chinese Space Command...With me every step of the way."

"And there you are.  You've reached the capsule, Dr. Peng may already be dead as biosensors are out.  And ground control can't get the hatch open.  You can't get the hatch open."

"Actually we'd kinda expected that.  So I did come prepared."

"A true engineer." Lilly beamed.  Patting his arm fondly...