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“Time is short,” Brooks said quickly. “We’ve got two hours to get help to Lily Brogan and Davyyd Pedraza. Perhaps they have longer, but we can’t plan on that without knowing. Give me options.”
Cutter and was present in person, while Ham Sulp, Cenz, Dr. Y, Lt. Commander Pirra, and Rachel Zhu of drone control were all viewing remotely. Kai was still monitoring the channel of the pod, though also listening in.
“Response Team One is prepared to do a high-G launch to reach the pod, Captain, if you order it” Pirra said. She sounded breathy, her voice altered by the spacesuit she was already wearing.
“Not enough time,” Cutter said quickly. “Even if launched now, not enough time to reach target.”
“We can do some pretty hard launches,” Pirra noted quickly.
“G-forces extreme,” Cutter replied. “But possible. Other problems remain – such as fact that pod is on opposite side of debris field.”
“Shit,” Sulp muttered. “That cloud is going to be a bitch to get anything through.”
Brooks knew that they were already in a hard burn going between some of the difficult pods nearby – and that she was already cutting it close.
“I’m nixing that, but thank you Commander,” he said to Pirra. “You have your own job to do.”
“Aye, sir,” Pirra replied.
“I need other options,” Brooks continued. “What have we got?”
Rachel Zhu spoke up. “We have rescue drones that can get there in time, if we launch them through. They’re small and fast – they have a chance.”
“I know the models you speak of. We’re going to need to modify them,” Cenz said. “Normal rescue drones can interface with a pod, but this pod cannot interface externally – the drone will need the ability to secure the pod and extract the people inside safely. Or the ability to cleanse the air within.”
“That’s not standard kit on them, no. We can get it out there and it could start slowing down the pod, at least,” Zhu said.
“I feel this is unwise,” Cenz replied. “The pod already had heat damage to its outer hull and the uneven force of attaching to a single spot to slow it might very well crack the hull open.”
“We must modify pod to enhance capabilities,” Cutter clicked out.
“I concur,” Cenz said. “We can take a rescue drone and modify the payload. Do you believe it is possible, Zhu?”
“We’d need to fabricate some custom parts,” she said. “But we can do it. The question is making them in time.”
“I’ve already started looking into it,” Sulp said matter-of-factly. “Started a little bit ago. It’s only groundwork, some generic parts, but I think we can have this baby ready for launch in twenty minutes.”
“If everyone is in agreement,” Brooks said. “Then start immediately. Next we just have to figure out how we’re launching it; around the debris or through. Obviously the latter will be safest. But do we have time?”
“To be frank – I do not think so,” Cenz said. “Running the preliminary calculations, we will simply waste too much delta-v moving around the cloud to make our window.”
“I concur,” Y said. “That will take too long to make our short-term window.”
“Recommend we attempt both,” Cutter said. “Modify two drones. If one going around may not make it in time, send first through in hopes that it makes it. Send second around to guarantee arrival. If first does not survive – still chance second could save crew members if gas leak estimates were too high.”
“Do it,” Brooks said. “I want both drones launched as soon as possible. Use any resources you have to.”
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