Chapter 12
The ride was quick. Forty minutes later, Eddie put us down on the helipad at the station.
JD and I thanked him, then hustled inside to find the sheriff.
With an annoyed face, he said, “It’s about time you numbskulls got here.”
We hurried down the dock and boarded his patrol boat. Brenda and her crew joined us.
I cast off the lines, and the sheriff took the helm. He navigated us out of the marina and throttled up once we passed the breakwater. The aluminum patrol boat carved through the teal swells, heading out to sea. Gulls drifted on the breeze, and the sun beamed overhead, sparkling the water.
"Do we know anything more?" I asked.
The sheriff just shook his head. "I can tell you one thing, this weather isn’t going to last long. They’re saying Adrianna could reach category five.”
Hurricane season had just begun, and the first storm out of the gate would be a monster. Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and the wind picked up.
The boat bounced across the swells, and the engines howled. Mists of saltwater sprayed. That sensation of dread twisted my stomach. I wasn't sure what we’d find when we got down to the habitat.
It didn't take long to reach the DSV Curiosity.
It served as the main support vessel for the habitat.
It had a royal blue hull with Arctic white trim.
Everything about it was spotless and state-of-the-art.
Capable of sailing the globe in the harshest conditions, Tristan hadn't spared a dime on the vessel.
He and Captain Abrams greeted us on the deck when we boarded.
We had met Tristan before on another bizarre case that involved his manned commercial spaceflights and his groundbreaking propulsion system.
His company, Stellar X, was shuttling rich tourists out of the atmosphere and back—a 20-minute flight that would let you experience weightlessness and see the earth from a perspective that few had witnessed.
Tristan was the kind of guy who didn't take no for an answer and believed everything was possible.
We made introductions, then got down to business.
"I need a status update," the sheriff said.
Tristan and the captain exchanged an awkward glance.
"Comms are still down for some reason," Tristan said.
"I'm not sure why. There are many variables. But the habitat has a retractable surface buoy that allows for wireless satellite communications and high-speed Internet. It also has a backup Aqualink modem that will provide low-bandwidth data connections in case of emergency. The habitat is powered by solar buoys that are also retractable during times of inclement weather.” He glanced to the horizon.
“And with the way things are looking, that might be a necessity soon.”
"What went wrong?" I asked. "Was this an accident or something else?"
Tristan shared another awkward glance with Captain Abrams. "From what we can ascertain, there has been an accident. Some type of electrical short.” He paused before continuing.
"We have a pressurized chamber that will take you down to the habitat.
From there, you will transfer to the Oceanus, where you will remain at pressure during your investigation.
Once you have concluded your business, you will return via the pressurized chamber, then transfer to a deco chamber aboard the Curiosity, where you will remain at pressure for five days.
" With a nervous grin, he said, "I hope you don't mind small spaces.”
"Not a problem," I assured.
"I know you are both well-versed in saturation diving techniques and protocol."
"They're the most experienced members on my team," the sheriff said.
"I expect this to be routine," Tristan said.
"There's nothing routine about this," I said.
"Well, yes, I agree. Hopefully, this kind of thing does not become routine either. But we need to determine what happened and how to avoid it moving forward." Tristan took a deep breath. "Due to our tight timeline and our mission goals, we would like to continue the training as scheduled.”
JD and I shared a look with the sheriff.
“You’re not shutting this down?” I said to Tristan with surprise.
"Gentlemen, we're simulating a mission to Mars.
The crew won't have the luxury of aborting once they're halfway there.
They will have to deal with any situation that arises.
The death of a crew member is something that should be anticipated on an extended voyage.
" Then he added, "Obviously, I don't want to put anyone at risk, and if there is a serious malfunction aboard the habitat that caused this incident, we will alter our plans. Otherwise, it is my preference to see the mission through as planned.”
"Time’s wasting," I said. "Let's get down to it.”