Snippet #1710584

Striker didn't hold out much hope for the safety and well-being of the brothers Entenmann and Reynolds, nor for either his or Mark's ability to work the computers controlling and mechanisms of the station. Although we kept this to himself as he and brother Winthrow continued to climb the faltering protrusions up to the very center of the station, which is where the small hatch to the inner core was located. The entrance to the core was on the opposite wall of the shaft, with a steel handlebar just above the hatch and another two feet below. Holding onto the ladder with his right hand and grasping the bar on the opposite wall with his left striker swung his left leg over and placed his foot on the bar below the shaft. Since all unnecessary power sources had been deactivated by the monks sometime after they 'acquired' the station and you had to push open the hatch manually, a task requiring considerable forearm strength. Once the hatch was pulled open striker proceeded to climb through the opening. Immediately upon entering the cramped room brother Striker could sense the unmistakable smell of burnt flesh. That is when it hit him. "The artificial atmosphere!" He exclaimed. "The 'thing'would not have been dragged out into space. The artificial atmosphere around the station would ensure that the inner atmosphere of the station would not be compromised, even if the entire side had been blown away, assuming that the atmosphere was still intact." He whispered to himself.