John's brain clicked into action mode. He was about to be boarded by hostile forces. John picked up his handgun and racked the slide. He put it gently back down on the console. John looked at the screen. He closed all the programs he had open. The process soothed him a little, it was like uncluttering his mind. When the screen was clear, John put the computer to sleep. It could only be woken by a password, which only the members of International Rescue knew. Even if the Chinese were to capture the station, they would never have access to the secrets of International Rescue.
When that was done, John turned away from the monitor. He looked over his station. As an institution with almost inexhaustible resources, International Rescue had ensured Thunderbird 5 was more comfortably outfitted than any other space station. However, the station was woefully unequipped for repelling invaders. Thunderbird 5 was a radio monitoring station, with a single occupant. It was designed to avoid detection.
Every precaution was taken to prevent the discovery of Thunderbird 5's orbit. International Rescue had several relay stations, monitored and maintained by various government space agencies. These stations bounced around the radio signal from Thunderbird 5 so that the signal could not be used to track Thunderbird 5.
International Rescue also never expected an approaching vessel would be hostile toward Thunderbird 5. The whole point of the organisation was to save people, to avoid violence and death.
However, John did have the advantage over the Chinese astronauts. Thunderbird 5 was his station and he knew it backwards. He was familiar with every aspect of every module. The Chinese would be unfamiliar with the craft.
A soft green glow permeated the station, indicating the docking was taking place. John had about less than a minute before the Chinese astronauts would be upon him. He snatched his gun from the console and then switched the gravity off. Each module of the station had its own gravity generator. John hoped that alternating between full gravity and microgravity would disorient the Chinese astronauts. John turned toward the nearest hatch, turning slower as the gravity slowly dropped.
John tried to stick his feet to the floor but missed, the impact sending him spinning into a backflip. Panic surged, but as John aligned with the hatch, he pushed off against the console powerfully with his legs. He launched across the space and collided with the hatch. He pulled the hatch open and slung himself through, his momentum closing the hatch behind him. When John oriented himself, he looked around at the module he had chosen. His heart rose. He had chosen the resource storage module. Everything was kept in here, from the emergency oxygen and nitrogen tanks to the server box and all the other computer equipment and even the batteries which powered the station. Perhaps the Chinese Astronauts would be less likely to cause violence in this module.
John pulled himself along the walls, grabbing handholds. He heaved himself to a stop in front of the console for this module and planted his feet on the ground. He switched the gravity on, and his stomach sank. John was vaguely aware that switching between full gravity and microgravity as frequently and as suddenly as he had done over the past few hours was probably unhealthy.
The lights on the station flashed green intermittently, meaning the Wolf-Spider was securely docked to Thunderbird 5. Since the pressure in the Wolf-Spider was likely at one atmosphere, equal to that of Thunderbird 5, the hatch between the two craft would be opened immediately, with no need to equalise the craft.
The Chinese astronauts burst out of their craft, tumbling to the floor of the Emergency Medical Bay. The gravity was permanently on in this section, better for treating any injured astronauts. John watched this happen on his screen. There were two Chinese astronauts, wearing slick black flight jumpsuits, complete with soft-soled shoes. They wore full face masks, with tubes running to compact tanks on their back. This was equipment designed for short spans in vacuum. Obviously, the Chinese had taken no chances. They had come prepared for a fight. This was also evidenced by the weapons they cradled. John's handgun felt woefully inadequate when compared to the futuristic QBZ-95 assault rifles. John noted they also had handguns similar to his strapped to their thighs.
The astronauts stood uncertainly, not expecting the gravity, and not entirely trusting it. They exchanged a glance, and brought their rifles up, nestling them into their shoulders and crouching slightly. John felt panic rising. These were professional special-forces operatives. They quickly took in all the details of the room.
Thunderbird 5 was laid out in such a way that the communication module was in the middle, and the others formed a ring around the outside. This way, John had instant access to the communication module from every other module, should a rescue call come in. Thus, the Chinese astronauts were faced with three hatches; one leading into the middle, and the other two at either end of the module. John was a few modules further around the ring.
The Chinese astronauts quickly weighed their options, and decided that one of the hatches at the end of the module was their best tactical choice. They obviously did not want to get caught in the central module, where they could be attacked from any direction. They just so happened to choose the hatch which would lead them on the shortest path to John. There was one more module between him and them; the science module. When International Rescue decided to launch their own space station, they approached various scientific institutes and asked if they would like any experiments to be conducted on Thunderbird 5. There were a variety of plants growing and other long term studies quietly brewing. The gravity in this module was permanently off.
One of the Chinese astronauts gestured to the hatch, and the other slipped his rifle over his back, the rifle adhering to the astronaut's tank. In the back of John's mind, he realised there must be magnets in the gun and the tank. The Astronaut stalked to the hatch, pressing himself to the wall of the module. The first astronaut crouched, and aimed at the middle of the hatch. The second twisted the handle of the hatch, unlocking it. The first nodded, aiming down the sights of his weapon, and the second ripped the hatch open. Both tensed for a few seconds, waiting. Finding no-one, the second unslung his gun and aimed it back down the module at the other hatch. The first stood and crept forward, into the science module. When he crossed through the hatch, gravity stopped effecting him. He tried to step forward, but the motion sent him spinning into the module.
Panicked, the astronaut flailed wildly, releasing his rifle, trying to catch anything to stop his drift. His hand bashed against a rack of pots with different types of grass growing in them. The impact sent a little loose dirt flying, clouding the air and further confusing the astronaut. The sight would have been amusing, if not for the intense danger the man presented to John.
The other astronaut looked over his shoulder to see his comrade floating helplessly in the middle of the module. The man tilted his head, confused. However, he quickly adapted and stepped carefully into the science module. Floating freely, he slung the gun onto his back. He grabbed the bar running down the side of the hatch, and pulled himself close to the wall. The astronaut pushed powerfully against the wall and shot through the module, scooping up his comrade's rifle on the way. He collided with the other astronaut, grabbing onto him.
No longer spinning out of control, the first astronaut was able to grab a handhold. The second astronaut impacted on the far wall, collapsing to cushion the blow. He grabbed onto the bar running the length of the hatch. Bracing against the hatch, he propelled the rifle he had picked up back to his comrade, and drew his handgun. The other astronaut found a Velcro patch on the floor and stuck himself to it. He drew his rifle and aimed it at the hatch.
John saw this happen. He looked at the hatch. He looked around him, at the module. It was one of the least spacious, with various containers jutting into the walkway. He crouched behind one of the containers, handgun drawn in ludicrous optimism.
John had turned away from the screen, so he did not see the Chinese astronauts nod to one another. He did not see one of them unwind the release mechanism on the hatch. He did not see the astronaut propel himself from the wall, holding onto the door so that his motion would open the hatch. He did hear the hatch thunk open.