Free Regan's Reach 2: Orbital Envy by Mark G Brewer Page A

I've never floated before; can't you just guide me or something?]
    [What, with a poke on the bum? Look, just push off and float over there. Worst case scenario you'll just bounce off the field and look like a right doofus]
    Not for the first time Regan realized her 'glazed' look drew attention.
    "Are you Ok Regan?" Leah shook her arm.
    "You took the words right out of my mouth, are you sure you don't want me to do this?" Rod stepped toward the door.
    "No!" Regan stepped in front of him. "I was just planning my approach."
    "Now this is interesting." Ham interrupted, "I now have wireless contact. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with their systems, and I register one life form. It's not moving. I can open their hatch from here."
    "If the . . ." she hesitated.
    [Connection tube!]
    ". . . Connection tube is up, open the doors Ham." Regan positioned herself.
    A woosh and the doors opened to reveal a black pipe stretching out to the hatch of the shuttle. The only light came from the Interceptor so the path across looked eerily dim.
    [Just stand at the doorway and with arms on either side push off for the shuttle. Try to do it evenly. I'll open the door of the shuttle before you get there]
    [Oh joy!]
    Regan reached outside the Interceptor and gripped the sides of the door opening she could feel. Trying to make as smooth an action as possible she pulled herself through into weightlessness, continuing the push to propel herself toward the shuttle. It worked next to perfectly with only a slight spin taking her off vertical. In front of her the door ratcheted open. Standing there in full space suit they could see a figure, with a weapon, pointing her way.
    [Oh shit] Regan was still sailing forward, now in a star shape and out of control. Whether or not it was the man's original intention to shoot the sight site of a body flying toward him clearly decided the matter and he did fire, wildly, three times. Two of the shots proved superfluous as the first proved enough to break up the field which snapped back to the interceptor door. Both Regan and the Cosmonaut were sucked instantly into the void.
    Rod and Leah both stood at the door, now looking into vacuum only half a meter away. "Fuck Ham . . . what happened?" Rod pressed up close to the field, trying to look either side. There was no sign of either Regan or the attacker.
    "Well, clearly I need to work on the integrity of the . . . Ahem! Tube. What sort of an idiot brings a gun into space!" Ham sounded offended more than anything. The doors slid shut.
    "Ham . . . Regan! Is she ok?" Leah was frantic. "Shit . . . shit!"
    "I'm onto it, give me a moment." He shut the doors.
     
    [Babe . . . don't try to breathe] Ham calmly subbed to Regan.
    [Don't breathe! Are you kidding . . . I'm blind, I can't see anything . . . and I can't breathe!]
    [That's because you're trying too hard. Relax, take a slow breath and you'll be able to take it out of the fabric. It'll cover you for about fifteen minutes. You can't see at the moment because there's nothing to see inside your head cover. I'd pop you right back in here but you said not to so I'm drawing up to you and the doors should be there right . . . about . . . now]
    Behind them the doors opened with Rod and Leah turning just in time to catch the black masked ninja falling through the opening.
    "Fuck me!" Rod muttered as they lowered her to the floor, the top of the suit shrinking back into the Chinese collar it was before.
    "Maybe later," Regan replied gasping, "Where is that plonker?"
    "He's there." said Ham.
    They turned to the screen, the Cosmonaut suspended there in space looking at the Interceptor. Incredibly, he still held the gun. He pointed it at what he perceived to be the screen.
    "What a git! He's not going to fire it surely?" Regan still sitting on the floor couldn't believe it.
    Then he lifted the barrel to his helmet and fired.
     
     
    The atmosphere in the Interceptor was subdued as they headed for home.
    "Do we count that as a