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.You have to leave manual overrides functional during routine ops.Otherwise, if your power goes down and you're unconscious or unable to move, rescuers can't get to you unless they breach the hull.And I guess our adversary has learned the same lesson.”“So since they’re not locked off, maybe that indicates there aren’t any survivors to take that precaution.Besides, survivors should have tried to effect repairs and rejoin their own fleet, particularly since this ship doesn't seem too badly damaged.”“Don't judge a book by its cover, Caine, particularly when it comes to sensitive machines like spacecraft.They can look fine on the outside but can be hopelessly fubared inside.”“I wonder how fubared this craft really is.”“Why?”“The rads dropped away completely when you shut the door behind us.”Trevor shrugged, digging for a small tool kit on his utility harness.“They're probably way ahead of us in material sciences.”Caine shook his head.“You'd need tremendous density to stop that much particle radiation.”“So what are you saying?”“I'm saying that this ship might still have enough power to be shielding itself, somehow.”“Then why didn't our passive sensors pick up the electromagnetic anomalies?”“I don't know.Maybe their EM field effect is not projected, but remains within the matter comprising the hull.Sort of how active electrobonding works, only this version is designed to repel charged particles rather than strengthen the bonds between molecules in hull materials.”Trevor was silent before replying.“Where would the power come from? Their fusion plant is cold.”“I don't know.Batteries, possibly on constant recharge if some part of the hull is sensitized to work like a solar panel.”“Which would probably mean that somebody on board did survive the battle,” Trevor pointed out.“What you’re describing is not an automated emergency backup system.It would need someone to activate and integrate all those functions.” Trevor put a hand on one of the three small knobs.“So, assuming we have an enemy to meet, let's get moving.Stand to the side and cover the door.”Caine crunched himself into the nearest corner, took the gun in both hands, extended it out in front of himself.The first knob that Trevor manipulated activated a series of dim red lighting bars that outlined the inner airlock door.The lights flashed rapidly.Probably the knob for opening the inner airlock door, the alarm signifying that the airlock itself was still unpressurized.“I’m no linguist, but I think red is their color for danger, too.”Caine nodded his agreement and re-centered the handgun's laser sight on the interior door.The next knob Trevor tried had no immediately observable effect, but after several seconds, they noticed a faint external sound: the rush of air.Trevor squeezed himself to the other side of the interior airlock door, drew a pry-bar from his tool-kit, and hefted it.Caine heard his voice over the helmet speakers.“We'll need to use radio, now.Shift to secure channel four.”Caine made the appropriate choice on his HUD display with an eye-directed cursor, bit down with his left molars to confirm the selection.“Radio check.Are you receiving?”“Loud and clear.” The inrushing of air had already crescendoed and was now diminishing rapidly.“Ready to dance?”Caine nodded, focused on the intense red dot that his weapon was projecting upon the interior door.Trevor manipulated the first knob again.This time, the door slid aside.A passage, side-lights receding away vanishing-point style.No blast of out- or in-rushing air, either; the craft still had an atmosphere.No sign of fog or fine snow drifting in midair; the humidity hadn't frozen out, meaning that the internal heating hadn't failed.Trevor stopped turning the knob.“Fresh life-support means the probability of survivors just got a lot higher.Cover high; I'm going in low.”“Understood.Go.”Trevor jackknifed around the edge of the doorway, swam aggressively into the passage beyond.He swooped low, hugged the floor tightly as he followed along the wall to his left.“What do you see?” Caine asked.“Doors up ahead, two on either side.Two rows of handles—the four-flanged variety—run the length of the walls.”“For zero-gee movement?”“That's my guess.Can't make out the end of the hall.Looks like a dark opening, but I can't be sure.Damn.What I'd give for thermal imaging goggles right about now.”“Should I advance past you?”“No, just join me here.This space is too tight for a leapfrog advance.”And I'm not good enough in zero-gee to make it feasible, anyhow.Holding the gun in his right hand, Caine pushed with his feet and let his body straighten into a slow forward glide.Trevor hadn't exaggerated.The corridor was not well-suited to human physiognomy
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