The Final Six (The Final Six #1) - Alexandra Monir Page 0,30

job I was born to do. But as Beckett flashes the general a confident smile, I feel a pang of worry.

“Most of the journey will be flown in cruise control, thanks to the new algorithm technology implemented in our flight computers and avionics,” General Sokolov continues. “However, three key stages in the spaceflight must be executed manually, due to their complexity and the higher degree of risk involved. That would be the escape trajectory from Earth, the rendezvous with the Mars supply ship, and the landing on Europa. While Cyb and the copilot keep us on course, we’ll need two members of the Final Six to complete an Extravehicular Activity, or EVA—otherwise known as a spacewalk—and oversee the docking of the Pontus to the Mars supply ship. If anything goes wrong there . . .”

“We die?” Naomi guesses.

“You die,” the general confirms. “But the remaining four will still be expected to fulfill the mission.”

I hear Katerina gulp beside me, and I can feel the ripple of tension running through the six of us, but the general is already moving on, opening a round hatch at the back of the capsule and crouching onto her hands and knees.

“Follow me.”

We crawl through the tunnel behind her, making our way from one equipment-filled module to the next, as she points out the functional cargo block that provides our power and propulsion, the utility hub that stores our payload racks and emergency supplies, and the crew quarters, where we’ll spend most of our time onboard—complete with private sleep stations, a galley kitchen, gym, a communications bay with a pair of large-screen desktop computers, and two bathrooms with “space toilets.” My pulse quickens as I take in our surroundings.

I can picture myself here so clearly. I can see the shadow of my future self sitting in the communications bay chair; I can feel the pride and elation of delivering progress reports to Houston and the watching world. I know the choice isn’t up to me, but in my mind, I’m already there.

“There’s something about the geometric design in here.” Naomi speaks up, turning around slowly. “The whole spacecraft reminds me of someone, actually—of Dr. Greta Wagner’s work.”

General Sokolov pauses, looking at Naomi in surprise. “That’s an astute observation. The Pontus was, in fact, a collaboration between SpaceInc and Dr. Wagner.”

Naomi’s face lights up, and she breaks into the first real smile I’ve seen from her yet.

“So Dr. Wagner’s involved in the mission? Is she coming here? Do we get to work with her during our training?”

The general purses her lips. “I’m afraid not. While we are grateful for her contributions to the Pontus, we chose to end our contract with Dr. Wagner.”

“What?” Naomi stares at her. “Why?”

“She had some differences with the rest of the team,” Sokolov says cryptically. Before any of us can ask what that means, the general turns on her heel, moving toward a tube-like tunnel at the back of the crew quarters. “Now, through the passage straight ahead, we’ll reach one of the most critical structures in the entire spacecraft: the airlock.” She pulls a lever, and the passage door shudders open. “You all go in first. I’m right behind you.”

Beckett climbs inside, followed by Katerina and me, all of us forced to shimmy forward on our stomachs through the tight confines. I hear the sound of a steel plate shifting into place as the general closes the hatch, and then her voice echoes through the tunnel.

“The airlock is the last thing you’ll see before exiting into open space, and your first stop upon returning to the ship from your EVA. As you move between the Pontus’s controlled, breathable environment and the toxic realm outside, the airlock’s pressure prevents the outside poisonous gases from entering our spacecraft. And as soon as you hang up your suit, the airlock mechanism automatically filters out those same gases.” She pauses. “I’m sure now it’s clear why a simple failure to immediately secure the door would get you killed.”

“Yes,” the six of us respond in unison.

We reach a heavy round hatch with six interconnected latches covering its surface. General Sokolov crawls past us and demonstrates how to work the rods to unfasten each latch, until the airlock door swings open and we tumble inside.

“Don’t worry. This will be a lot more graceful when you’re floating in zero g,” the general says as Katerina and Naomi smack into each other and Beckett hits the floor with a thud. The general looks up sharply as the last