1 Out of the Hakahei

Tox toggled the radio mic. "This is Grable 9X735 requesting transfer clearance."

"Grable, this is control. Where you headed?"

"Over to Neering Sector. West Face. 10/100."

"Neering Sector. West Face. 10/100?"

"Confirm."

"Right. You're cleared for transfer. Route H6 to Y19 to G5. You've got 15 minutes."

"Route H6 to Y19 to G5?"

"Confirm."

"Thanks control." Tox broke the coupling and nudged thrust control. The ancient pac engines juddered once then stalled. "Fuck. You piece of dravian crap."

"Is everything alright, Grable?"

Tox hadn't realised the mic was still on. "Sorry control. Yes, everything's fine. Just this piece of shit ship doesn't want to work."

There was a pause before the control operator laughed. "You've just bought a Class 5 Wexler? I'm surprised it's even air tight."

Tox had heard it all before. "It's a classic, control. I'll be out of here in a second."

"I'll try to leave your lanes open a bit longer." He was having little success controlling his laughter.

"Glad I could lighten your day." Tox began the start up procedure again, flicking switches and pushing buttons with both hands. He hit the bosun field button several times before it did its job. Even then, the readout fluctuated between 1/2 full and empty. Lights flickered. A fan unit whined.

On the second attempt, the thrust control worked though the ship didn't sound pleased at the idea. It shook and shuddered as it reversed out into the clear.

Tox continued to work hard, cajoling every moment of cooperation from the small ship. Tinghalo, marred by heavy pixilisation, appeared in the down view camera. It was a sight that most residents of Ereal Station ignored-- the only use they had for the planet was as a radiation shield. Tox took no notice either. He worked at the controls and moved the ship along the side of the Sector. It was quarter a mile to the end of the wall where he slipped carefully into lane H6 and followed the flow of traffic away from the planet.

The lane took him all the way to the end of the Akanasi Sector East face. From there he followed a light sloop around the bend and along the northern face towards the vast emptiness of Hakahei. The ship still wasn't running well.

Tox worked at the power levels, trying to find the right mix between antigrav and thrust. Nothing seemed to make any difference. He gave up and prepared to make the turn into the next lane as he approached the end of the north face. Most of Akanasi Sector was industrial units and worked the red shift so there was hardly anyone about. The sloop had turned aside a while ago and Tox was left on his own.

There could have been problems, otherwise.

When Tox tried to slow to change lanes he lost thrust completely. The ship spun on its axis but stayed on the same trajectory. It took control about five seconds to notice.

"Grable," the same voice as before erupted from the speakers." Grable, you've missed the lane."

Tox swore under his breath then turned on the mic. "Control, this is Grable. Yeah, sorry about that." The ship was still spinning though it was slowing noticeably. He'd left the station behind and was floating in clear space. He kept working at the controls, trying to get the engines restarted. "I've lost all directional thrust."

"What about everything else?"

"What else? I've still got power but this is a Wexler, I don't have all that many options."

"Right. Do you need assistance?"

Tox was looking back at the station as the ship completed half a revolution. Umm... I'm not sure, Control."

"Well, we've got a freighter coming in from Carnoonta in about 20 minutes. He can get you moving back towards the Station but I don't think it'll be a fun experience."

The ship was still spinning and drifting further into the clear. Tox wasn't getting any response at all from the engines. He sighed. "I think you'd better send someone, control."

"Will do, Grable. Because of the freighter we can call it an emergency and get you home for free."

"Thanks control."

The spin was slowing even more. It was five minutes before Tox had another look at the wall of the station.

The 27 one mile cubes glittered with millions of lights. These were linked by the twist shafts, each with glowing lines of colour that described the gravitation orientation of the lifts within. No two sectors were aligned the same as its neighbours.

The Grable's spin continued though it slowed. Slowed. Soon the station was gone again and Tox was staring out into the Hakahei region...

"Ahhh... Control."

"Yes, Grable."

"Can you take a look out towards the Hakahei?"

"No more than we already are. Why?"

"Well, it's just that..."

"I've got it, Grable. It's still too far out to identify though. No signature like anything I've seen."

The Grable was still drifting out into the nothing. "Don't worry, Control, I'll go out to meet it."

The operator laughed for a moment. "You can stay where you are if you like, Grable. It's heading straight towards us."

"Where else would it be going?" When a ship flew out of nothing it wasn't likely to fly right past the first signs of civilisation. There was no life for at least a 1000 light years in the direction of the legendary Kehu Hakahei worlds. There was hardly a sensible place to set foot, let alone something that would sustain the simplest forms of life.

Tox could hear all sorts of activity in the background of the control room but just as his ship spun to face the station again, inching ever so slowly around, another voice emerged from the speakers.

"How are you, Grable? I'm Ness, I'll be your saviour tonight."

Tox examined the half dozen vehicles he could see paralleling the side of Akanasi Sector. It took a few moments for him to spot the control mag-grab. "I'm wonderful, thanks, Ness. I was just admiring the view."

The small ship, smaller even than the Grable, approached carefully. "What sort of dock are you heading to, Grable?"

"The north face of Neering."

"Bottom mount then?"

"That's right."

"All righty then."

The mag-grab shifted until it was beneath the Grable. The pilot worked silently for a long time then-- "Just waiting for orientation..." A moment later there was a solid thunk as the magnet latched on. "I'll have you home in no time."

"Thanks, Ness."

Tox looked back out at the emptiness of space. The one star out there was still growing brighter, though it seemed to have slowed. "Any news, Control."

"It's a construct, Grable, That's all we know for sure. At the rate it's going we'll be calling a general hold on all traffic in about an hour."

"Thanks control."

Tox sat back as Ness started to guide his ship. In five minutes they were back in the lanes and accelerating. The powerful little mag-grab moved with ease. Ten minutes more and they were nudging slowly towards the dock. Tox aligned the access tube and waited for the coupling. It locked on perfectly.

"Good job, Ness. Thanks."

"No problems, Grable. See you again tomorrow if you decide to go out for a fly."

"Oh, har-har. Yes, very funny. I have a few ideas for this ship, Ness, you won't be hearing from m again."

"Really? Well, good luck."

"Thanks."

Tox shut down the systems at the mag-grab dropped back into the lane and moved away. He wanted to start working on the ship straight away, or at least have a look, but his mind went back to the construct exiting the Hakahei. Checking the seal again, he opened both ends of the tube and unstrapped while he started the shutdown procedure. Connect to external power. Life support on. Security on. External gravity off. Thrust on lock-down. Bosun containment shields monitored. Control link on.

He thought that was everything, but with a hundred year old ship he couldn't be sure. So, checking the access tube seal again, he opened both ends. The tube entry point was at the front of the ship just a meter from the pilot's seat.

With a down mounted dock he had to climb the tube ladder and work at the hatch above his head. The manual controls on the station door worked easily and he punched in the code. The door hissed open and swung back automatically.


Tox climbed up into the station and looked around. Racks of spare parts stretched away from him-- the largest collection in Neering Sector and possible the entire station. There were three more dock hatches set into the floor along the wall.

Tinner's Spare Parts Emporium could strip down anything up to schooner size and had done so on numerous occasions. Tox knew just about every small ship inside and out. He had even seen a Wexler before, though it had been years ago. The parts were probably still around somewhere.