"Isolated" (Gemini)

=Chapter 2: Isolated= Everyone was silent on deck. Sonia and Roger stood up in front of them all. “Listen up friends,” Sonia began, “You all know what’s happened. There’s no point in sugar-coating it. The Earth, as we know it, has died. It is quite literally the end. People have died, many people have died, most people have died, perhaps even everyone has died. At this moment, we don’t know who’s still alive down there…” She was brutally honest. “I know you all have loved ones, as do I… But I won’t hide the truth from you. The chances of all your loved ones down there still being alive are somewhere between very slim and nil. I’m sorry to each and every one of you for your possible losses.”

Wells raised his hand, as Sonia nodded to him. “Hate to be the bearer of even worse news,” he was the Irish member of the crew – though he was also of African parentage, “But how exactly do we survive now? I mean, how do we get back to Earth? The escape pod is designed to carry only four people; at a squeeze we could push for six or seven standing despite the high risk of permanent injury or even death. But in no way could we even fit all thirteen of us on there. So, what do we do about that?” He had put Sonia into a position where she was stuck for an answer.

Roger stepped forward in front of her, “The answer, Wells…” He stuttered to think of an answer, he hadn’t planned this far, only far enough to cover for Sonia, “… Is that we stay, up here.” Confused murmurs filled the deck.

“I know people, I know. It sounds utterly insane. But let’s be honest. We can’t get back to Earth right now. All we have to do is wait. We don’t know if this is truly the end of the world,” Despite the fact that he thought it indeed was, he wanted the others to still feel hopeful, “Someone will have to come across Earth Control eventually. So long as we transmit on an hourly basis, eventually we’ll be found. Ok?” He sympathised, and nodded at the rest of the crew.

“But that in itself raises another problem,” Nadia, the Swedish member, spoke up, “Do we even have enough resources to survive for that long? Food? Water? Oxygen even.”

It was now Sonia’s turn to speak out again, as she stepped away from Roger. “The Water generator can function for a long time. Thanks to our engineer Byron, it can be repaired rather quickly should anything happen. As long as we continue to… You know… urinate, there will still be a source for water. The generation will recycle it, sterilise it, dispense it, and bam! We can drink it all again.”

Nadia nodded slowly to her answer, “Ok…” She didn’t sound very convinced, “But you still haven’t answered my other two queries. What about Food and Oxygen?”

Sonia nodded to stall for several seconds, “We’re all very good at conserving resources. Thanks to that, we already have an extra two weeks’ worth of resources saved. But that’s not all. Remember, in case we ever missed an opportunity to re-enter Earth’s orbit, we can open our emergency supply cupboard. An entire week’s worth of extra resources is kept in there. Again, given how good we are at conserving food, and also how long we can survive up here with only water, we can probably last up here for around another month or so.”

Everyone sighed. “You sound confident that everything’s going to work out just fine.” Nadia scolded her. “It will,” Roger took centre stage again. “I know that,” He tried smiling, but it only caused an uproar from the rest of the crew, as everyone began shouting at one another.

“Quiet!” Roger bellowed out so deeply, he burned his throat. “Byron! Nadia! Wells! Bertie! Kristina! Neil! Augustus! Amanda! Seth! Julian! Rosie!” He roll-called out everyone’s names, prompting them to all fall silent again. “Now listen up! Because there’s something important that you all have to know. Something important, that none of you seem to have realised thus far!” He panned across, looking at everyone’s blank faces.

“That news reporter believed that this thing is a virus of some kind… Now, while we don’t know if she’s right or not, it’s the best guess we have so far. But here’s what we do know. Not a single one of us has been infected by it! Do you see any of us coughing up or choking on blood? No! Therefore, that can only mean one thing. This virus, this strain, this pandemic… It’s only recently broken out on Earth. It hasn’t been a dormant pathogen for six months, otherwise we’d be dying too! So for those of you thinking that we should go back to Earth, for those of you planning on using the escape pod… Just bear that in mind.” This remark caused Sonia’s expression to change to surprise from remorse. “Now then… All of you go back to what you were doing! Sonia and I will try to get some kind of message to Earth. Remember, we have emergency flare missiles as well. Just like the ones sent up back down on Earth. After that, we can try and get details on all of your loved ones using your names. You’d be surprised just how far technology has come, even for astronauts like us…”

Everyone silently piled out of the deck, returning to their normal duties. “That’s some really good bullshit you’ve got going on there,” everyone except for Wells at least. “You know that everyone down there is dead… False hope won’t do you any favours. When the others begin to realise that you’ve pulped them with a pack of lies, they’re going to turn against you. Just remember that…” Now, Wells finally left.

Roger and Sonia returned to the coms room. They had to keep their conversation low as both Seth and Bertie were working in there still. “So what do we do in that case then? Suppose that Wells is right. If everyone turns against us, how do we deal with that?” Sonia still kept to a low tone despite how worried she was.

“Just… Leave it to me. The less you know right now, the better…” As Roger went to turn away, Sonia grabbed his arm and turned him back to her. “The less I know? Rog’, I know literally nothing at all about what’s happened back down on Earth all of sudden. Why should I know even less than that? You’re going to tell me what the plan is. Right now.” Her eyes fiercely pierced his solemn look.

Roger looked at Seth and Bertie, ensuring they were distracted by their duties. “If people rise up… We throw them out of the air lock,” He looked down and sighed. “Are you kidding me right now, Roger?” Her fierce expression turned to one of sheer shock and disappointment. “No, Sonia. I’m deadly serious about this. You said it yourself, our food resources can only last us for another month at the very most. Byron can maintain the water and oxygen generators, but supposing he refuses to help us, we’ll be in a catch-22. But… If we dispose of those who are turning against us, we will be able to spare more resources – less mouths to feed, less water and oxygen consumed.”

Sonia pointed out the flaw in his plan, “The less people there are, the less water produced and recycled! That resource is far more important.”

Roger still stuck to his guts however, “Look, the Green Room still exists, it hasn’t magically disappeared.” He pointed up to one of the monitors showing a small room with small plants and bonsai trees inside. There was a large vent crate on one of the walls as well. “As long as someone is breathing, oxygen and carbon dioxide can still be exchanged. And as long as someone is still breathing, water is still produced. We only need enough water to sustain those who are left. It’s not a problem, Son’. What is a problem is having thirteen people on board this station – coincidentally that’s also an unlucky number…”

“No, absolutely not.” Sonia was refusing to sacrifice any members of the crew. “Some of these people may still have loved ones back down on Earth… It’s not our right to give up their lives!”

Roger threw his hands up, “Except some of them may not! You saw what we all saw Sonia! Most people, if not everyone, is dead on Earth!” His voice had raised slightly too high now.

Seth and Bertie looked over at Roger, then turned towards each other. “No… Guys, listen….” Sonia tried defending Roger, but surprisingly both men walked away from their duties and went over to her, slowly.

“I heard what Wells said earlier…” Seth informed them. “I just heard what you said as well. And you’re right, Rog’. Our loved ones most likely are no longer alive. But people up here, we are… I know we may only last another month or so, but I know that’s enough time for you guys to think of a solution. Either continuing to survive up here, or returning to Earth. Whichever it is you’d like. The point is, I can buy you some more time.”

Sonia and Roger looked at each other amidst confusion, “Seth, what do you mean?” He squinted at him.

“What I mean, Roger, is that I’m willing to give up my life. If it’ll give you enough time to think of a solution, I’ll step out of the airlock…”

Sonia looked at Roger, noticing a remorseful deep-in-thought look on his face. He was clearly considering Seth’s request. “Roger…” Sonia desperately shook her head at him. He breathed in deeply, and nodded, “Ok, Seth…”

The acceptance of his request sent horror over Sonia’s face…