the station?â
âThat was the only way to get to the space station in the S-9 Black Stallion and early S-19 Midnight,â Boomer said. âSky Masters designed the airlock between the cockpit and cargo-bay with the pressurized transfer tunnel system, so now itâs easier to get from the spaceplane to station. The S-9 is too small for an airlock, so transferring means a spacewalk. Itâs a short and sweet spacewalk. It wasnât far, but it was sure spectacular.â
âCargo-bay doors coming open,â Gonzo reported. They could hear a gentle rumble on the spaceplaneâs hull. âDoors fully open.â
âLooks like your cargo-bay doors are fully open, Boomer,â a voice said on intercom. âWelcome to Armstrong.â
âThank you, sir,â Boomer replied. To the passenger he said, âThatâs Trevor Shale, the station manager. All of the personnel on Armstrong Space Station right now are contractors, although just about all are prior military, with lots of experience in space operations, and about half have worked on station in the past. We open the cargo-bay doors to vent excess heat from the spaceplane.â On intercom he said, âPretty good docking approach, wouldnât you say, sir?â
âDonât get a cramp patting yourself on the back, Boomer,â Shale radioed.
âIt wasnât me or Gonzo: it was our passenger.â
There was a long, rather uncomfortable pause; then, Shale responded with a wooden, âRoger that.â
âHe didnât sound pleased,â the passenger observed.
âTrevor didnât like the idea of you docking Midnight, sir,â Boomer admitted. âThe station director, General Kai Raydon, retired Air Force, approved the idea; they left it up to me.â
âI would think that overruling your station manager would not be a good thing, Boomer.â
âSir, I think I know and understand the reason why youâre doing all this,â Boomer said as he monitored the progress of attaching the transfer tunnel to the airlock. âYouâre here to prove an important point, and I am all for that. Itâs a tremendous risk, but a risk I think needs to be taken. If youâre willing to do it, Iâm willing to do as much as I can to water your eyes, and thereby water the eyes of the world. If I may say, sir, I just need you to have the courage to tell the world what you did on this trip and what youâve seen, over and over and over again, in every possible venue, all around the world. Your words will ignite the world to the excitement of space travel far more than mine could ever do.â The passenger thought about that for a moment, then nodded.
âTransfer tunnel connected and secure,â Gonzo reported. âSealing the airlock.â
âSo Gonzo is in the airlock by herself, sealed off from the cockpit and the passenger module?â the passenger asked. âWhy do you do that?â
âSo we donât depressurize the entire spaceplane in case the tunnel fails or isnât sealed properly,â Boomer replied.
âBut then Gonzo . . . ?â
âSheâs in a partial-pressure suit and could probably survive the loss of pressure,â Boomer said, âbut she and Mr. Spellman would have to spacewalk to get to the station, which sheâs done many times in training, but of course Mr. Spellman would have to endure on his own. Itâs hazardous, but sheâs done it before. Mr. Spellman would probably survive it just fineâheâs a pretty healthy dude . . .â
âJesus,â the passenger said. âIt boggles the mind to think of how many things can go wrong.â
âWe work through it and make improvements all the time, and train, train, train, and then train some more,â Boomer said. âBut you just have to accept the fact that itâs a dangerous game weâre playing.â
âClear for