only be described as an alarm,” Conner said, “Put your helmets against the wall and tell me if you hear it too.”
He moved cautiously toward a metal door and pressed his own helmet to it.
“Geeng stom ruttel tut,” a gurgling voice called, “Geeng stom ruttel tut”
Those deep sounding words were followed by the same chiming sound he took for an alarm before.
“I hear it,” Len tz said, “It’s a three-tone ring followed by some foreign language, then the three notes again.”
“It sounds like that alien is drowning as he barks out his commands,” Crossway said, “It’s got to be an automated alarm because it just keeps repeating the same thing.”
“Probably warning the crew of a hull breech,” Conner said, “And it looks like an emergency door was probably closed to prevent any further loss of atmosphere. There’s no doorknob or handle to speak of on this door.”
He evaluated the doorframe, feelin g around its edges to check its method of movement. He then realized that he never officially told the others that the room was clear.
“ You can all come in. This room is secure, but watch out for the gravity. I highly recommend entering feet first.”
Conner turned to discover that Roberts was already in the room. The rest of the crew made their way in through his manufactured doorway with no problems. He could tell that Roberts was still on edge by the way he continued to wield his weapon.
“May I suggest something before you cut through the next door?” the Major’s voice rose through their earpieces.
“What’ s that, Major?” McKenzie responded.
“ Do you have a way to seal off the ventilation shaft?” he asked, “The way I see it, the ship has atmosphere as well as gravity. It also appears as though the ship has an automated defense against the loss of atmosphere. The more often you break through doors and vent off more of the atmosphere, the more often the ship will probably respond with more emergency doors. I doubt you want to spend your time cutting through more and more doors.”
McKenzie turned to Conner, but he only replied with a shrug. Lentz turned to the shaft, then glanced around the room.
“We can do it, but it will probably require a whole roll of Gorilla Tape and ten minutes of wasted time and oxygen,” Lentz said.
“Let’s d o it,” McKenzie said.
“Wait, how much oxygen do we have?” Conner asked.
“Look at your wrist readout like you learned yesterday, Steele,” McKenzie said, “You probably have another two hours of air just like I do.”
Conner verified this, then nodded apologetically. Lentz was already retrieving the thick roll of Gorilla Tape from his bag.
. . . .
It only took a little over five minutes to seal off the ventilation shaft. After that, Conner placed a small charge on the door, then had everyone back away. Ten seconds later, the door blew away from the room with almost no sound whatsoever thanks to the lack of atmosphere.
It only took a second before the atmosphere beyond the room filled their current space. The sound of the alien klaxon was now audible without having to place their helmets against the ship.
“Geeng stom ruttel tut,” that gurgling voice called, “Geeng stom ruttel tut”
“At least we know they’re still saying the same thing as before,” Lentz said, “Let’s just hope it’s not something along the lines of ‘Shoot the intruders’ .”
Conner kept his weapon aimed at the open doorway. He ducked his head quickly out into the space beyond their room, then tucked his head back into the room.
“Looks like a vacant corridor,” he said, taking a quick peek in the opposite direction, “Goes on forever toward the fo’csle and maybe fifty yards toward the stern.”
“Foaxle?” McKenzie repeated.
“Our SEAL buddy here is using a nautical term,” Roberts chuckled, “Let’s not forget that most of us aren’t versed in your Navy slang, Steele.”
Conner turned toward the group, “I apologize,
He moved cautiously toward a metal door and pressed his own helmet to it.
“Geeng stom ruttel tut,” a gurgling voice called, “Geeng stom ruttel tut”
Those deep sounding words were followed by the same chiming sound he took for an alarm before.
“I hear it,” Len tz said, “It’s a three-tone ring followed by some foreign language, then the three notes again.”
“It sounds like that alien is drowning as he barks out his commands,” Crossway said, “It’s got to be an automated alarm because it just keeps repeating the same thing.”
“Probably warning the crew of a hull breech,” Conner said, “And it looks like an emergency door was probably closed to prevent any further loss of atmosphere. There’s no doorknob or handle to speak of on this door.”
He evaluated the doorframe, feelin g around its edges to check its method of movement. He then realized that he never officially told the others that the room was clear.
“ You can all come in. This room is secure, but watch out for the gravity. I highly recommend entering feet first.”
Conner turned to discover that Roberts was already in the room. The rest of the crew made their way in through his manufactured doorway with no problems. He could tell that Roberts was still on edge by the way he continued to wield his weapon.
“May I suggest something before you cut through the next door?” the Major’s voice rose through their earpieces.
“What’ s that, Major?” McKenzie responded.
“ Do you have a way to seal off the ventilation shaft?” he asked, “The way I see it, the ship has atmosphere as well as gravity. It also appears as though the ship has an automated defense against the loss of atmosphere. The more often you break through doors and vent off more of the atmosphere, the more often the ship will probably respond with more emergency doors. I doubt you want to spend your time cutting through more and more doors.”
McKenzie turned to Conner, but he only replied with a shrug. Lentz turned to the shaft, then glanced around the room.
“We can do it, but it will probably require a whole roll of Gorilla Tape and ten minutes of wasted time and oxygen,” Lentz said.
“Let’s d o it,” McKenzie said.
“Wait, how much oxygen do we have?” Conner asked.
“Look at your wrist readout like you learned yesterday, Steele,” McKenzie said, “You probably have another two hours of air just like I do.”
Conner verified this, then nodded apologetically. Lentz was already retrieving the thick roll of Gorilla Tape from his bag.
. . . .
It only took a little over five minutes to seal off the ventilation shaft. After that, Conner placed a small charge on the door, then had everyone back away. Ten seconds later, the door blew away from the room with almost no sound whatsoever thanks to the lack of atmosphere.
It only took a second before the atmosphere beyond the room filled their current space. The sound of the alien klaxon was now audible without having to place their helmets against the ship.
“Geeng stom ruttel tut,” that gurgling voice called, “Geeng stom ruttel tut”
“At least we know they’re still saying the same thing as before,” Lentz said, “Let’s just hope it’s not something along the lines of ‘Shoot the intruders’ .”
Conner kept his weapon aimed at the open doorway. He ducked his head quickly out into the space beyond their room, then tucked his head back into the room.
“Looks like a vacant corridor,” he said, taking a quick peek in the opposite direction, “Goes on forever toward the fo’csle and maybe fifty yards toward the stern.”
“Foaxle?” McKenzie repeated.
“Our SEAL buddy here is using a nautical term,” Roberts chuckled, “Let’s not forget that most of us aren’t versed in your Navy slang, Steele.”
Conner turned toward the group, “I apologize,
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