The Archangel Chronicles Part Seven: Tumbling Toward Purgatory

They spun, the grey Stone above them, around them, below them, the image intercut by stars, the planet, and the wounded Archangel. Siouean managed her feet better than he did, and drifted toward the Stone, pulling him in the proper direction until he was able to orient himself, and together they slipped toward what Daniel had decided to think of as down.

He felt a strong thud as his feet touched the stone. He looked up toward the ship and told Siouean, "Thank You."

She didn’t respond, but began to walk toward the tether that still connected the Archangel to the Stone. He followed, and joined Siouean at the base. From here, it looked like a long climb, much longer that that gleeful freefall that had been the trip over. Then, he’d simply launched himself. But could he do the same now? These stone suits were much heavier than those they’d worn before.

"Any ideas?" He asked Siouean.

"We climb," she said.

Daniel flexed his fingers, and tried grasping the tether. The Stone simply did not have the grip it needed to provide purchase. The round grips he and Marin had ridden over still floated above the stone. He took one himself and placed Siouean’s hand over the other one.

"What will this do?" She asked.

"Change your perspective. That’s down now," he pointed toward the Archangel, the spot where the tether connected with the open airlock bay.

"All right," Siouean said. "But how . . ."

"You’re going to jump down. I’ll help you."

"How will I do this?"

He gestured to show her to grab hold of the grip, kick out and swing her feet toward the ship. She nodded.

"I’ll hold onto your back so you don’t fall and break anything."

Siouean jumped, swung her feet. Daniel pushed as she held on to the grip. She drifted a little way, then her feet found the stone again and she fell back toward Daniel.

"I’m sorry," she said. "I cannot seem to keep myself in the correct position."

"It’s all right," Daniel said. "Did it hurt when you twisted?"

"Yes, it did." She winced as she said it, as if his question was the thing that had brought the pain to her attention. "But we must do it again. I will be all right."

She jumped again, and Daniel put a great deal more force into the push this time. She used the tether to keep her feet toward the ship and was able to hold the position until she vanished against the black. Daniel switched his sensors to make sure she held on until she became one with the form of the Archangel.

"Siouean?" He asked.

"Safe," She replied. "I am safe."

"Good." Daniel grabbed hold of the remaining grip. He was going to have to break himself free of the Stone’s pull, since he had no one to push him. It had been much easier to jump free of the Archangel and land on the stone. Once outside of the airlock, it had been easy to escape the ship’s artificial gravity. He didn’t know how he was going to be able to push hard enough to break free from the stone.

"Daniel," Siouean said. "Disconnect the tether and I will reel you in from here?"

"Of course," he sighed and laughed at himself at the same time. Why hadn’t he thought of that?