We were following Einstein to a new room. I was stressed - saying that I wasn't prepared for the training was an understatement. I had no idea what I was entering, and I didn't even know if I'd make it out alive...
After approximately 3 minutes of anxiety, we entered the new room, with the fitting name: "Pool Room". There was a massive, deep pool in the middle of the room, with a white cylinder located near the bottom of the pool. Upon getting closer, I realised that the cylinder was a dummy space station, complete with fake solar panels and airlocks. This will be interesting.90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjS6PndIByO
- All right, there is a cloakroom over there - Einstein pointed to the left corner of the Pool Room - You'll find space suits with numbers matching your dorm numbers. Put them on and come back here.90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLin1OYPnG
We entered the cloakroom, and it wasn't anything special. White tiles covered the floor, with yellow cabinets lining the matte walls. I found the one labelled with "212-D" and opened it. Inside was an actual space suit. Well, not really, because it was only used for education and testing, and you'd die wearing it in space. Fortunately, there was also a cloakroom for girls, so Amber could get dressed in peace. And peace was needed, because these space suits were hellish to put on. They were extremely heavy and made up of several confusing parts. We had to help each other with these beasts: I helped Claudius, Claudius assisted Sebastian, and finally Sebastian came to me.
- Amber, are you okay with that pile of jun... I mean, space suit? - Sebastian asked loudly, not wanting to enter the girls' cloakroom.
- Yes, I've been waiting for you guys to finish... - she replied. Her voice was muffled because of the helmet.90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZP7TrraxwD
When everyone was finished dressing, we came back to the Pool Room and almost smacked into Captain Nigel.
- To start, I'm here only because you're new and currently inexperienced. Firstly, please select the channel "212" on your built-in radio, so that you can hear each other from a distance - As Captain Nigel was talking, we changed the channel to the right one - Okay, now for the important stuff: your mission is to diffuse a bomb aboard the space station. Each of you can only bring one tool into space, or in this case, underwater. Understood?
We nodded, but I doubt anyone was happy about this. We only got in here, and we already had to diffuse a bomb? On a space station? To make matters worse, I'm an awkward diver; I know how to do it, but I suck at diving and swimming in general. I noticed at the corner of my eye that Sebastian twitched slightly upon hearing the details of our task. I guess he has similar thoughts. Amber seemed excited to do this, which made sense, considering how she always wanted to be a spy. Claudius was, again, just there, listening to the commands.90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5YHSe6tBE
We selected the tools. Claudius took a wrench, Sebastian took a sledgehammer (how is that supposed to help him?), Amber selected a grappling hook, and I grabbed a laser blaster.
The reason why I chose it out of everything is because it is the only tool I had at least minimal, microscopic experience with. Laser blasters were invented in 2029, if I remember correctly, and they work by emitting a laser for a fraction of a second, producing a tiny yet dangerous pellet of light that can pierce metal. I once played with a toy version of it during a science festival when I was 10, so I guess nostalgia made me choose it?
- Ok, you'll have five minutes to complete your task, or else the bomb will explode or you'll run out of oxygen - Captain Nigel instructed us coldly.
I was about to ask, "Will that actually hurt us, or is it just a simulation?", but before I got to do that, Einstein reluctantly pushed me into the pool, at Nigel's behest. The others fell in shortly after.
I felt like an anchor sinking to the bottom of the sea due to how heavy I was with the spacesuit. Amber immediately started swimming towards the station. I tried to follow her, but I was sluggish. Still, better than nothing. Sebastian was also sinking, but before he realised it, he smacked into the bottom of the pool. Additionally, he forgot the sledgehammer.
- Ouch! - I heard his voice on the radio.
- We need to find the bomb! Let's split up to search faster! - Amber suggested. We agreed. I looked at the bottom of the cylinder, trying to find anything that seemed fishy. To my dismay, I found nothing. Claudius had similar results, looking through the solar panels.
- It must be inside - He said.
- So, let's break into the station! - Amber found the airlock and fired her grappling hook at it. Unfortunately, the water slowed it down, so it barely gripped onto the door. She tried to swim away whilst holding the hook to force the airlock open, but to no avail.
- Chris, could you use that blaster on the door? - She asked me. I accepted without hesitating and swam towards the door. I aimed at the hinges and fired. The recoil sent me floating backwards, but a small hole was visible. I fired a few more times. The airlock was clearly coming loose. One last pull from Amber broke it off. We proudly entered the station, and Sebastian soon followed. I noticed that Claudius was also coming and could bump into him, so I alerted Sebastian.
- Sebastian, watch out! - I shouted on the radio. It was too late. Sebastian bounced away from Claudius, who threw an "Oh, sorry!" at our leader before entering the station with us.
We quickly spotted the bomb. It was placed at the centre of the station. We noticed eight red sticks of fake dynamite inside a metal casing.
- What do we do? - I asked, spooked.
- We need to pry the casing open to see what's inside, whether it goes off or not - Amber replied, swimming closer to the explosive.
- I may be able to do that, but shouldn't Sebastian help us? - Said Claudius. His concern was audible.
- No way. That guy has the reflexes of a tranquillised sloth. We need to handle it ourselves - Amber replied sarcastically.
- I heard that! - Sebastian yelled on the radio.
Anyhow, Claudius pried open the metallic casing with his wrench. Inside were a dozen differently colored wires. Four were red, four were blue, and the rest were yellow.
- I did not see this coming - Claudius sighed, seeing the tangled mess of wires.
- You only have a minute left! - Captain Nigel notified us, having switched to our channel.
- I think we should cut the red ones. That's how it usually works - Said Amber. I could hear the stress building up in her voice from the pressure of time. We were all anxious and stressed.
- I'm your leader. Shouldn't I have a say in this? - Sebastian interrupted us.
- You're too slow for this action. Time is precious - I cut him off spontaneously. Amber smirked through her helmet.
Claudius stopped his hands from shaking and focused on the bomb. In an energetic movement, he cut the red wires. The bomb didn't explode.
- Congrats, kids! - Einstein cheered, and then turned to Captain Nigel - I told you they were good candidates.
We rejoiced and high-fived each other. Claudius accidentally pushed Sebastian out of the station. After that, they high-fived too.
- Why am I being high-fived last? - Sebastian asked quietly, but unfortunately for him, nobody heard that.
We got out of the pool and took off our wet spacesuits in the cloakroom. Einstein was smiling as we passed him.90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVpP4n1yUQ
- So, now what? Break time? - Sebastian turned to Captain Nigel.
- No, we still have some spare time, so I guess we'll do the spinning test - he said.
- The spinning test? - Claudius sounded like he wanted a break instead of more exercises. We all did.
- Yes, you'll see what that is - Einstein explained, and added quietly - You probably won't like it...
- That sounds... oddly sinister - I added.
We went to a nearby room. Inside it were several capsules attached to spherical frames. Each of us entered one, and Einstein programmed something on a computer in the neighbouring control room. We started spinning in all directions erratically. Every second made me want to return my dinner to the outside world more and more. The capsule was speeding up, which didn't help at all. At the corner of my eye, I noticed that Sebastian's face was all green. Mine was probably similar.
Now I understand what Einstein meant. Before I could really think about his words, I blacked out from dizziness or something else...
ns216.73.216.13da2
and then Add to home screen.