He felt as if he were standing still and watching the universe spin around him. There was the Candaserri; then there was Garr, at the other end of the safety line; then just stars until the ship came up again.
Each time the ship was slightly smaller. How long before it’s gone altogether? Boba wondered. The hyperspace jump was due at any moment.
“Teff, you still there?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s been great, being your friend.”
“Same here,” said Boba. He almost wished he had told his friend his real name. Maybe it wasn’t too late.
He caught sight of Garr, wheeling through his field of view.
Then the stars again, white except for one tiny orange one.
Then the ship, still there.
Orange star? Where had that come from?
Boba watched as the orange star came up again. It was exactly opposite the ship in his spin. If he had a jetpack, he could use the orange star for a fix: Aiming at it would stop his spin and guide him toward the ship.
No jetpack, though. And only a few minutes of air. When it was gone
And that was when he got the idea.
“Teff? You still there?”
“Yeah.”
“What’re you doing? I hear a clicking noise.” “I’ve got an idea,” Boba said.
“What?”
“Can’t talk. Gotta save air. Just hang on to the line - and hope for the best.”
Boba’s emergency space suit had no jetpack, but it did have something that might possibly be used for a jetpack.
The air tank.
Boba disconnected his air tank and pulled it from his back. Now all he had to breathe was the air in his suit. It would last less than a minute.
Boba held the air tank against his stomach and waited for the orange star to appear in his wheeling, whirling field of vision.
There it was! He pressed the release valve. SSSSSSSSSS
The universe slowed down, just a little. Boba waited until the orange star appeared again. SSSSSSSSSSSS
Slowed more. And this time the ship was closer when Boba saw it swim into view. SSSSSSSSSSSSSS
We’re moving! Garr was still spinning at the other end of the lifeline. But Boba was stable. He could see the ship over his shoulder, getting closer, as he aimed the air tank at the little orange star and used the air like a rocket engine.
SSSSSSSSSS
For every action - like the air hissing out - there is an equal and opposite reaction - like Boba floating backward toward the ship. He felt the line jerk tight, and knew he was pulling Garr with him.
“What’s going on?” Garr asked.
Boba didn’t answer. All he had to breathe was the leftover air in his suit, and it was getting stale.
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The ship was getting closer. Closer. There at the bottom was the open airlock door.
Boba aimed at the little orange star again. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Closer and closer. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The air in Boba’s suit was almost gone. He gasped for breath. SSSSSSSSSSSS. He sprayed the air into space, but he needed it in his suit, in his lungs…
SSSSS SSSSSSS
The air was almost gone from the tank. Boba could see the ship over his shoulder, getting closer and closer. But not quite close enough.
SSSSSSS
Boba felt his head spinning. His lungs were burning, begging him for air.
Little orange star.
Garr at end of line.
Ship huge, close -
“Teff, are you there? Something is pulling us toward the ship! They must have seen us!”
SS SS SSsssss
Last gasp of air. Did we make it?
“Garr, grab handrail!”
Did Garr hear? Boba hit the side of the door and bounced back, into space. He reached for the handhold by the airlock door, but it was out of reach. Just out of reach!
He was falling again, forever this time
And that was when his father came to him, out of the tomb of death, out of the darkness of dream, grabbing his hand, and pulling.
Pulling and pulling…
Boba!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Good Job, Teff!”
Boba smiled His father had covered him with a blanket made of stars, and praised him, But didn’t he know his name wasn’t Teff? That was a stupid made-up name for…
“Breathe, Taff!”
Who pulled the blanket away?
“Wake up.”
Boba opened his eyes. He saw Garr’s worried face.
They were in the airlock. Boba’s helmet was off. He opened his mouth, took a deep breath, and was like shaking hands with an old friend.
Air! Wonderful air.
“What happened?” he asked.
“You passed out,” said Garr. “After you saved us. Using the air tank like a little rocket. That was brilliant.”
“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,” said Boba. “I think that was one of my father’s sayings. But what about the jump?”
“It happened. Feel it?” Garr placed Boba’s hand flat against the bulkhead, and there it was: the oscillating hum of the ship’s null quantum field generators. “The jump came just after I grabbed the handhold and pulled us into the airlock. We barely made it!”