Read Vessel for Free Online Page B

corridor, taking left turn after right turn, burrowing deeper and deeper into the maze until they reached a room whose Russian signage actually meant something to her. Not because she could read it, but because she recognised the pattern of shapes from documentation she had seen before: Mission Control.
    She showed her pass to the security officer stationed outside and followed Bales in through the double doors. The room inside was dim, which, as her eyes adjusted, disguised its cavernous space. The walls curved around the perimeter, and row upon row of desks filled the width. At the front of the room were three huge screens relaying information about the ISS, and she stopped to take it all in, drinking in the moment. Her involvement in science had never put her on the front line, but here she was and she was overwhelmed with awe.
    ' It's quite something,' Bales said. 'If you'd like to follow me, we need to get down to business as soon as we can. I'm sorry for the haste, but time is of the essence.'
    Sally nodded understanding, and they walked around the room until Bales stopped at a row of desks, guiding her in to an empty seat next to a man who was adjusting his headset.
    'If you'd like to take a seat next to our CAPCOM Mr Dezhurov here. He'll be able to fill you in with the details. Mr Dezhurov, Miss Fisher; Miss Fisher, Mr Dezhurov.'
    Mr Dezhurov stood and shook her hand. He looked tired — very tired.
    'Pleased to meet you,' he sa id, his English dripping with heavy Russian intonation. 'You can call me Aleks.'
    'And I'm Sally.'
    They sat down.
    'Very briefly,' Aleks began, 'a few weeks ago, the crew of the ISS discovered a unidentified object.'
    He continued to describe what had happened, telling Sally about the difficulty in establishing visual contact with the vessel and their failure to communicate with it. He told her about Mikhail's hallucinogenic experiences and, making Sally's skin prickle, the harrowing two-word message that had been their last.
    'That transmission was recorded four days ago and was the last time we had contact with anyone on board the ISS,' Aleks concluded.
    'Oh my g od,' Sally whispered, looking between the solemn faces of Aleks and Bales. 'But I'm afraid even with all my knowledge of long-range communication, we won't be able to penetrate the barrier of radiation from the solar storm to make contact with the crew. It's just not possible …'
    Aleks' face fell a little, and he looked at his desk.
    ' I'm sorry you've brought me all this way to hear that, but there's nothing I can do to help you. You'll have to wait for the storm to die down.'
    'That's the problem, ' Bales said. Sally looked at him; his narrow eyes were fixed on hers. 'The storm ended more than two days ago. We've had a clear window of communication for over twenty-four hours and there hasn't been a single response to any of our broadcasts.'

Chapter 5
     
    Sally blinked, hearing but not understanding. 'I don't … I don't know what you mean,' she said. 'I mean, I do know what you mean, but I don't know what you need me for?'
    That churning, nauseating anxiousness began tumbling inside her again, and she held the desk to steady herself.
    'Are you ok ay?' Aleks asked.
    Sally nodded. 'I'll be fine,' she said, not feeling fine at all.
    Bales placed his hand on her shoulder.
    'We wanted you as an advisor to the ISS crew, to help them figure out how to make contact with UV One, but it's clear that's not going to happen now.' He paused, as if letting his words sink in. 'Sally, we need you to go to the station with one of our astronauts and resume the research yourself.'
    'But ,' Sally whispered, her throat tightening, 'can't I do that from here?'
    ' The station is in the best location, has the best equipment and offers you the best chance of making contact with UV One,' Bales said. 'I've been told there isn't anyone better suited to this job than you, and right now we can't do with anything less than that. This is a matter of global