Lifeline

Ombalal’s words were slow and precise, as if he was reading from a prepared statement. It took a few moments for her to realize exactly what he was saying. Nobody questioned the orders of the director … why should they? Karen remembered dimming the light, switching off her book, and lying back in bed as she listened to the growing horror.

Her mind filled in all the details, over and over again, as she scrambled to a viewport, wondering if she even wanted to look. She had caught a glimpse of frozen bodies drifting along with the station, and her imagination showed their faces fixed in a scream, bloated and petrified in the frozen vacuum.

Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.

Karen gave Ombalal credit for the resolution to admit his actions, rather than let rumors go wild. Viewed through cold logic, the way he presented his case, Ombalal had perfect justification for doing it, too. Karen wasn’t that cold—but she wouldn’t want to be in his place.

She had stood in the hall beside two other people and watched the low-res holotank announcement of Ombalal’s death. Brahms did not seem comfortable in the transmission, and kept moving from side to side, out of the best-focus zone.

“I want you all to see what you have done.” Brahms’s face dissolved into the awful images of the blood-spattered cafeteria complex and Ombalal’s body. “We are supposed to be civilized. We are supposed to be human beings—not animals!” A hint of horror seeped into his voice, but he spoke with absolute conviction.

“I have looked through the personnel files and selected a group of ‘Watchers’ who will supplement our minimal security force, since our security has proven itself inadequate. They will also assist in implementing new rationing schemes.

“It is not a measure I enjoy taking, but this appalling episode of violence has made it necessary. Now, as acting director, I must do everything I can to hold off another RIF as long as possible.”

As long as possible.

Karen and the other two workers stared at each other as if wondering whether they were really awake. Up and down the hall other doors slid open as people gawked in sick amazement at the acting director’s words, at the images of Ombalal’s slaughter. Karen felt a sudden urge to hide, to go someplace where Brahms could not find her. But on the sealed colony, no one could hide anywhere.

Brahms continued his careful explanation. Karen listened, trying to convince herself of what he was saying—that Ombalal had acted on his own, without consulting his division leaders. Watching the holotank in the hall, a middle-aged man started to grumble angrily, but Karen and the others hushed him.

“We are on our own,” Brahms said. “You all know that Earth will not rescue us. We are trapped with only our abilities and whatever resources remain here. If there is a way to survive, we have to find it without outside help. We must drive ourselves, work ourselves as hard as we can.”

Brahms turned his head, swiveling the picture around as if he were trying to stare down the entire population of the station. Karen shuddered.

“I respect science and I have a firm faith in human ingenuity. We have incredible technological resources here on Orbitech 1—we must find a way. We have raw materials of Moon rock outside the station—enough to supply us with air and water for years, but we can’t live on that alone.

“If we don’t come up with a new way to survive, then we’ll all be dead in a few months. This isn’t just a pep talk. Station Director Ombalal tried one solution with the RIF; let’s not allow the untimely deaths of our friends to be in vain. Turn your creativity loose, unlock the fringes of your imaginations. I want us all to live.”

Brahms swallowed hard, and his three-dimensional image wavered for a moment.

“To this end, I am assigning a team of assessors to oversee your work, to inspect what you are doing, and assess the importance of your research—how well it is done, how hard you are working.

“Naturally, we will be looking for new modes of food production and transport to the other colonies, or perhaps back to Earth—but we cannot be narrow-minded. A single discovery does not exist in a vacuum. Cooperate with each other. If one researcher creates a new alloy, then perhaps someone else can use that alloy for some kind of vehicle to get us out of here. I leave it to your imaginations. The assessors will report to me the importance of the new developments.

“My first two appointments are my remaining division leaders, Linda Arnando and Allen Terachyk. I will issue a formal statement describing their duties and responsibilities.”

Brahms scanned the screen once more. His eyeglasses seemed to be an absurd attempt to make him look serious.