Rocket Girls: The Last Planet

Rocket Girls: The Last Planet Read Free

Book: Rocket Girls: The Last Planet Read Free
Author: Housuke Nojiri
Tags: Short Stories
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control panel behind her seat. “Okay…so what’s wrong?”
    “Rambutan , this is Solomon. You have an error in your testing equipment?”
    “ Hoi , we do. Yukari’s checking it out.”
    “We’re putting a hold on reentry until it’s fixed. Bringing those goldfish back alive is a success condition for your mission.”
    “We know, we know,” Yukari snapped. “We’re getting error code...115.”
    “Error code 115, roger. They’ll look into it at Sagamihara. If we can get that fixed within twenty minutes, you can come home as planned. Otherwise we’re going to our second splashdown target.”
    “No way! That’s in the South China Sea! There’s, like, pirates there!”
    “If you don’t like it, you’ll just have to make those repairs in time. But don’t rush it.”
    “Roger.”
    A communication came in from the Space Science Laboratory in Sagamihara almost immediately.
    “ Rambutan , this is Space Lab. According to our telemeter the error code is 315. Confirm.”
    “ Rambutan to Space Lab, the panel’s showing error code one -one-five, not three -one-five.”
    “Roger that. None of the device monitors are showing problems. Can you send us a video feed of the fish?”
    “Our video channel’s closed already. Should we assume this error’s a glitch, then?”
    “Hold on, we’re still looking into it. We’ll be with you shortly.”
    “Roger.”
    Yukari returned to her seat and awaited instructions. “Nine minutes…I was really looking forward to doing some skin diving.”
    “Space Lab to Rambutan . We have an IFM request for you. You’re going to have to do some maintenance. First we need a visual check of the goldfish.”
    “Roger.”
    Yukari frowned and once again left her chair. “Sorry, Matsuri, we gotta hug again.”
    “ Hoi .”
    She was submitting a design change request as soon as they got back. It was ridiculous to have to get out of her seat every time she wanted to do anything with the testing equipment.
    Yukari slid over Matsuri, pushed down her seatback, and peered into the fish container. The goldfish were swimming erratically in every direction, which wasn’t unusual, except that their mouths were opening and closing a little too fast.
    “Space Lab, this is Rambutan . The goldfish are all alive, but they seem to be opening and closing their mouths more quickly than usual.”
    “How fast, exactly? Like, open...open...open?”
    “No, more like open, open, open.”
    “Can you check the reading on the diffused oxygen monitor? Go to MON, press the up arrow twice, code 107.”
    “Roger that. MON, up arrow twice...”
    “Yukari, did you hear that?”
    “Hear what?”
    Behind her, Matsuri shrugged. “I dunno. It sounded like a compression pump starting up.”
    “Could you be quiet a sec? I forgot the code!”
    “Oops, sorry.”
    “Space Lab, could you give me that code again?”
    “That’s 107.”
    “Right, 107. The monitor’s reading 0218.”
    “Yukari, the sequencer’s started up.”
    “Huh?”
    “ Rambutan , the DO levels are too low. I want you to check the QD on the fish container.”
    “Roger that, Space Lab. What did you say, Matsuri?”
    “I said the sequencer’s going! It’s going to start a burn soon!”
    “But we didn’t start the sequencer!”
    “Then someone else did. Look at the SEQ display scroll by.”
    “No way!” Yukari’s face went pale. It occurred to her that she had left the switch cover open. Had she accidentally bumped it when she was maneuvering around the cabin?
    “Well we have to stop it right away!”
    The shock of the burn came just as Matsuri was reaching for the instrument panel.
    “Yipes!”
    The experimentation panel hit Yukari’s face at 0.1 G.
    “Ow ow ow ow! Matsuri, cut off the OMS, now!”
    “Your butt’s in the way!”
    Yukari grunted and twisted. “It’s not that big. How about now?”
    “Just a little farther.”
    “Will you stop that thing already!”
    “There, got it!”
    The sound of the compressor

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