Chapter 7 Fungus Among Us

• Act II: Drilling into Trouble
• Lila Patel sat quietly in the shuttle, staring out the window as they approached the far side of the asteroid. The silence inside the small vessel was palpable. She was joined by Peer Fusco, the explosives expert, and Dr. Watts, who wanted to collect some more samples of that strange mold. The mission was going smoothly so far, but Lila couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
• Lila noticed a subtle shift in Dr. Watts' demeanor. He seemed to be lost in thought, with a faraway look in his eyes. Lila's attempts to spark a conversation were met with silence, as he remained unresponsive, absorbed in his own musings, oblivious to the world, and consumed by his reports. His mind seemed cloaked in a thick haze, most likely an after-effect of the fever. Or perhaps the excitement of his new discovery kept him up all night. Most likely her sleep-deprived mind was just playing tricks on her.
• The doctor had examined Watts before they left and found nothing physically wrong with him, so he was cleared for duty. As the mission commander, Lila could always overrule him, but she didn't want to do it based only on a hunch. Lila yawned, as she got up to make herself another cup of coffee. Was this the sixth or the seventh? She had lost count. Thoughts of the mission going wrong were gnawing at the back of her mind. The consequences that would follow constantly derailed her train of thought. The smell of the roasted coffee beans muffled somewhat the voices, but they never quite went away.
• Landing on the far side of the asteroid, a subtle unease gnawed the back Lila's mind. Each step brought them closer to the critical juncture of their mission, whispering of the catastrophic fallout that even the slightest misstep could unleash. As they put on their vac suits, she made it a point to double check the seals on their suits, and then check them again just for good measure. Everything seemed to be in order.
• “Alright guys,” Lila said. “Check in every fifteen minutes. You've got your orders. Let's move out. Stay safe.”
• Lila was making good progress on placing the explosive charges. With each hole she drilled, she grew more confident that the mission would be a success. She was focused on her task, unaware of the passage of time on the asteroid's barren surface.
• As she was drilling the hole for the next charge, the drill bit hit a rough patch. Based on the geological surveys, it was to be expected. Still, Lila hoped it wouldn't come to it. She decided to power on through. With the increased torque, the trepidation was shaking her up quite a bit, challenging her ability to focus. She kept an eye on the drill's read-out, making sure the temperature stayed within safety margins.
• “Come on,” Lila said though her gritted teeth. “Just a bit further.” Just as she said those words, the low trepidation turned into a high-pitched whine that resonated through her suit. Lila turned the drill off. The inside of her suit fell silent, except for the rhythmic hum of the air scrubbers. She tried turning it back on, with no result.
• “No! No! Not now.” She tried it again. Nothing. And again. No luck. “Damn piece of junk!”
• She unscrewed the panel to access the mechanism inside. As she removed the panel, her heart sank. The striker pin was fused beyond recovery. She sighed and muttered a curse under her breath, then checked her tool box.
• “Peer, this is Lila. Do you copy?”
• After a moment of static, Peer's voice came through the speaker, “Loud and clear. What's up?”
• “My drill's striker pin is fused and I'm out of spares. Do you have any on hand?”
• “Let me check real quick,” A tense few seconds of static followed, and went on longer than Lila would have liked. “Yup. You're in luck. I've got one I can spare.”
• “I've got a lock on your signal. Be there in twenty minutes.”
• Lila Patel trudged across the barren surface of the asteroid, her boots crunching against the dusty rock. She checked the time on her wrist display. They were still on schedule to detonate the asteroid that evening. Assuming, of course, that nothing else went wrong. She shook her head, a futile attempt to disentangle her swirling thoughts. The weight of the situation pressed upon her, but she knew dwelling on it would bring very little. It wasn't as if the destiny of countless souls rested solely upon her shoulders. No pressure.
• She picked up the pace, eager to reach Peer and get back to work. As she drew closer to the agreed-upon location, there was no sign of Peer. “I'm almost there. Where are you?”
• Static.
• “Peer, do you copy? Where are you?”
• Still no answer.
• Her mind raced as she quickened her pace. What if something had happened to him? What if he was hurt and couldn't respond? What if...?
• And then she saw it. A glint of silver against the dull gray rock. She ran towards it, her heart pounding. As she drew closer, her fears were confirmed. It was Peer's vac suit, lying on the ground.
• Lila gasped and stumbled backwards, her mind reeling. What could have happened? Was it an accident? Or foul play? Why? It didn't make sense. She tried to keep her composure, knowing that she needed to investigate. She knelt beside the vac suit, looking for any signs of what had happened.
• The first thing she checked were his vitals on the suit's read-out. He was dead. The atmosphere had been vented from his suit. Death by decompression. She knew she triple checked all of their seals herself. She checked again. It was broken. A single word crossed her mind. No, it can't be. Or could it? Watts.
• Her hands shook as she activated her radio. “Dr. Watts, this is Lila. Come in.” She knew this wasn't the best idea, announcing yourself to a potential murderer. “Dr. Watts, can you hear me?” But it was her only way of locating him.
• Static. Without a response, Lila couldn't pinpoint his position. Her heart sank as she realized she was trapped on the far side of the asteroid, alone with a potential murderer. She swallowed hard. There was nothing more she could do for Peer. Not at that moment anyway. She had to finish what they had started.
• She quickly searched Peer's vac suit and found a spare striker. She took it and headed back to her drilling site, her mind racing with questions and fear. All the while, she tried to reach Dr. Watts on the radio, but got no answer. The static only added to her growing unease as she trekked across the barren surface of the asteroid.