The Lost Voyager: A Space Opera Novel by A. C. Hadfield

asked Babcock and Squid Two to meet him in the command center while Sanchez and Adira searched the living quarters at the far end of the warehouse.  
    Squid Two floated over Babcock’s shoulder, shining a light from the end of one of its silver tentacles as he inspected the console and controls.  
    “They must’ve powered down the proton reactor,” Babcock said after flicking a red switch on the console. “We need to go underground.”
    “Where’s the entrance?”
    “The elevator won’t work, but there’s steps at the far end of the warehouse.”
    “That’s not good news.”
    Babcock frowned. “Why? It’s a relatively easy task to reactivate.”
    “The building took a hit. That area’s covered in debris.”
    Squid Two chirped to Babcock, who peered at his smart-screen. “We should be okay. There’s a five-meter layer of concrete protecting the reactor. Squid will lead us to the entrance.”
    Mach held the opaque glass door open and Squid Two floated past, shining its beam around the warehouse. He and Babcock followed, snaking between the dark shapes of machinery and vehicles until they reached the edge of a shallow twenty-meter-wide crater directly below the gaping hole in the roof.  
    Twisted and tangled pieces of metal and plastic were spread inside and around the rubble-strewn shallow crater. Mach thought it had to be the work of a powerful laser cannon, similar in type to the ones fitted on Commonwealth Defense Force or horan destroyers.  
    Squid Two’s beam settled on a small dark area next to a sheet of burnt metal. Mach grabbed the edge and heaved it to one side, revealing a half-meter-wide hole. He leaned down, positioning his helmet’s light through the gap.  
    Chunks of concrete covered most of the staircase leading to a tunnel seven meters below. There was just enough room to squeeze over the debris and get down. Through the dusty air, Mach noticed multiple cracks spidering across the ceiling leading down to the reactor.  
    “Can Squid Two get down there and do the job?” Mach asked.  
    “It needs a human to manually reactivate. Squid Two’s strength is his intelligence.”
    “Can you give me instructions if I can reach it?”
    Babcock pressed his smart-screen and stared at it. “It’s a simple procedure. I’ll go—”
    “No. I’m not risking you down there. Wait here and I’ll give you a shout when I reach the reactor.”
    “Is that all you’re making me do on this trip? Wait for you at entrances?”
    Mach stood and put his glove on Babcock’s shoulder. “I admire your spirit, Babs, but trust me, your hard work begins once the facility powers up.”
    Babcock returned a weak smile and nodded. “You’ll need to take this.”
    He handed Mach the silver security token.  
    Mach decided to strip off his cold-weather shell to allow for more room to move in tight spots. If he were quick enough, the temperature wouldn’t compromise his graphene nanosuit. He unfastened the shell down to his waist, pulled his arms out, and lowered it around his boots.  
    The damned thing was always awkward to pull over boots. He tugged at each leg while trying to think of a better design. There had to be one. After eventually freeing himself, he placed the token in his thigh pocket, grabbed his Stinger, and pressed his body against the rubble covering the stairs.
    “Make sure you come back in one piece,” Babcock said.  
    “Make sure you’re still here to give me instructions.”
    Mach pulled himself downward at a forty-five-degree angle through the tight gap. The back of his helmet scraped against the ceiling. His light illuminated the route ahead. Getting down was probably the easy part. He leopard-crawled forward for three meters, descending at a steady rate over sharp chunks of concrete.  
    Wedging his foot against one of the larger chunks, he thrust forward.  
    The chunk fell to one side and crashed past him. It toppled toward the bottom of the staircase, picking up speed as it went.