Steel Beneath the Skin by Niall Teasdale

‘Deploying portable lock unit,’ Monkey said. If this ship is as intact as it seems, we don’t want to risk further damage.’ I suggest we set up the temporary airlock in case the interior atmosphere is intact.’ĭown in the main lab, Doctor Gillian Gilroy’s eyes scanned over the readouts from Ella’s instruments and the view through three helmet cameras. The carbonisation around the breach suggests a plasma containment failure. ‘Confirming radiation readings within normal parameters. His name was actually David Gibbons, but he was the youngest person on the crew, even younger than Patton, and with a name like Gibbons he had naturally been dubbed ‘Monkey.’Īs they reached the ship’s hull and the gap in it, Ella Narrows’ voice sounded over the ship’s comms system. Ella was following him a little too closely, but she did have all the sensor gear and it was important that she had that in range of anything dangerous before he got to it.

‘Boarding team proceeding to breach,’ Bashford’s voice said from the console speakers, and three figures in skintight vacuum suits appeared from the airlock under the bridge.īashford was leading: he had the experience and skill. ‘No residual gasses.’ĭrake, his hands shifting delicately over the controls for the manoeuvring jets, nodded and skated the Garnet Hyde to a stationary position near the hole in the hull. ‘Radiation readings negative,’ Patton said.

In fact, the only major damage seemed to be at one edge of the disc-shaped craft where something had torn through the hull. Far enough away from any system that the space really was empty, it had avoided collision with asteroids and comets which might have damaged it badly, but there was a lot of pitting from minor dust impacts and cosmic rays. The hulk looked like it was in surprisingly good condition, given that it was floating in deep space. Spotlights worked their way along the hull of the wreck searching out a method of ingress. Part Seven: Facilitating Change Part One: Aneka Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to and purchase your own copy. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

Steel Beneath the Skin by Niall Teasdale