The spacewalk had gone well. All repairs had been successful, everything was fully
operational again and the Heimdall’s crew were relaxing in the lounge. Jonsson
seemed happy enough to ignore the anomaly of the outside damage. He was pretty
blasé about most things, though. And he hadn't been on the spacewalk.
Thompson, however, was unable to shake the idea of sabotage; ridiculous as it
seemed so far from anyone. The damage to the craft did not seem like that made
by space debris, of which there was plenty in the quadrant and was the usual reason
for spacewalks. Certainly it was no malfunction… someone had gouged into the
side of the ship and ripped parts out. And he couldn't ignore the feeling that he had
not been alone in the airlock.
These fears he voiced to Jonsson who pushed them aside. Ridiculed them in fact.
“It's just us out here, you know that. And we'll be out of here in a week," he’d said.
"Yeah, it's just cabin fever."
"Precisely."
Although Thompson had managed to put Jonsson’s mind at ease it was hard to
ignore what he felt. Not quite everything was right. The fear in Jonsson's eyes
quickly confirmed this. They were fixed to a point above and behind Thompson's
head, their pupils wide in confusion and disbelief. And in them Thompson saw the
faint reflection of something that made his eyes do the same. It was the last thing he
ever saw.
Six weeks later the war began.
operational again and the Heimdall’s crew were relaxing in the lounge. Jonsson
seemed happy enough to ignore the anomaly of the outside damage. He was pretty
blasé about most things, though. And he hadn't been on the spacewalk.
Thompson, however, was unable to shake the idea of sabotage; ridiculous as it
seemed so far from anyone. The damage to the craft did not seem like that made
by space debris, of which there was plenty in the quadrant and was the usual reason
for spacewalks. Certainly it was no malfunction… someone had gouged into the
side of the ship and ripped parts out. And he couldn't ignore the feeling that he had
not been alone in the airlock.
These fears he voiced to Jonsson who pushed them aside. Ridiculed them in fact.
“It's just us out here, you know that. And we'll be out of here in a week," he’d said.
"Yeah, it's just cabin fever."
"Precisely."
Although Thompson had managed to put Jonsson’s mind at ease it was hard to
ignore what he felt. Not quite everything was right. The fear in Jonsson's eyes
quickly confirmed this. They were fixed to a point above and behind Thompson's
head, their pupils wide in confusion and disbelief. And in them Thompson saw the
faint reflection of something that made his eyes do the same. It was the last thing he
ever saw.
Six weeks later the war began.
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