(… continuing)

Dukk returned his attention to the controls. The auto-pilot was waiting for approval to commence deceleration.
He enabled broadcast mode. “Good morning, and welcome to the Maple Tower system. We have just received docking clearance and will be docked close to twelve thirty. Our expected layover will be just under thirty hours. Those staying with us, you are free to come and go as you please, but please be back on the rig by five p.m. tomorrow evening. Those leaving us here, I wish you all the best and hope you enjoyed your trip. Please vacate the rig by two p.m. so we can prepare your cabins for our next guests. We will be commencing orbit adjustment in a few moments. Please remain seated while we do that. Then you can move about during deceleration. We will start the final docking sequence just after eleven thirty. Please be back in your seats by that time.”
“Hold tight. I am starting the deceleration sequence,” he then said on the crew comms.
The rig groaned as the thrusters pivoted the rig one hundred and eighty degrees. A momentary rumble could be felt as the TLM H5 thruster engaged for a short hard burst.
Dukk, his crew and passengers were pushed back in their seats as the deceleration sequence was initiated.
“Woohoo. What a ride,” Luna exclaimed.
They all laughed.
“So, why can’t I see the station?”
“Luna, we are below it and still a long way off. It is roughly over there,” Marr answered as she pointed towards the top left corner of the cockpit.
“Oh!”
“Right, that looks all in order. Enjoy your morning,” Dukk said as he turned off the seat belt sign and then removed his helmet.

A little over five hours later they were all back in their seats, and belted in. The DMD had been powered down and they were weightless again.
Dukk opened the broadcast channel. “Hello again. Our deceleration is complete and we have commenced the docking protocol. I have configured the main external camera to track our approach. The video feed is now showing the Maple Tower station in full view. In a moment we will pass by the station as we manoeuvre above it and make our way to our designated landing pad. As we pass by, you will catch a glimpse of the station out the starboard windows. All going well we should be on the pad in forty minutes. Please remain belted into your seats during this time as the rig is going to move around a little. I will be back once we are docked.”
Dukk turned off the broadcast and returned to monitoring the controls.

Marr did her best to do the same. She was keen to see how much of her practice over the last few days would come into use. However, it wasn’t easy. The view was mind blowing.
The station could be seen growing large above them. They were coming up on it fast. While from this angle, they only had a view of the disc shaped underbelly, the scene was still amazing. They could already see the vast array of solar panels and radiation shields. Clear also, were the DMD units scattered along the under side like upside down mushrooms.
The station filled the view momentarily before disappearing to the right as the rig passed by.
Marr turned her head to look out the starboard side of the windshield as the station disappeared from view. She then looked at the video feed. It showed the upper surface of the station. An array of structures could be seen stretching away. Dotted here and there were rigs and other much larger craft. She guessed they were space-bound rock or ice haulers.

At that moment the rig shook as the thrusters halted the upwards motion and rotated the rig clockwise by ninety degrees. Marr could now see the surface of the station directly in front. The thrusters engaged harder, bringing the rig over the surface. The rig bounced around somewhat as the station’s near zero gravity came into play. The thrusters could be heard working hard to keep the rig from drifting down and crashing in to the surface of the station.
“Where is our pad?” Marr asked absently.
“Follow the lights ahead of us. See the red and green flashing lights?” Dukk replied.
“Yep, got them. It looks like a kind of run way.”
“Similar, it is just a reinforced section that we can fly over without our thrusters punching holes in the station roof.”
“Cool.”
“Do you want to handle the docking control comms from here?”
“Absolutely.”
“Go for it.”

Marr already had the protocol page ready. She interacted with her controls.
“Good afternoon Maple Tower. Dinatha on final approach. Requesting clearance,” She announced into the external channel.
“Hello Dinatha, we are all set. Continue,” came the reply.
Marr, turned to Dukk, “We are all good. They are ready to catch us.”
“You are really getting the hang of the haulier lingo,” Dukk laughed.
Marr smiled and winked.
The autopilot slowed the rig down gradually to bring it to a complete stop over a central point. The rig then shook again as the thrusters rotated the rig once more. A further vibration could be felt as the rig moved forward again along a narrow section towards an empty landing pad.
Once over the pad, the rig slowed to stop again but hung there.
“Marr?” Dukk said.
“Oh shit, sorry,” Marr replied. “I got caught up in the excitement. On it.”
Marr opened the external channel again. “Dinatha. Requesting set down.”
“All clear. Please proceed,” was the reply.
“We are clear to touch down,” Marr said to Dukk.
Dukk authorised the autopilot. The rig vibrated gently as the jack doors opened and the jacks were lowered. The noise from the virtual thrusters dissipated as the rig came down to rest. A series of thuds was felt as clamps locked into the rig’s jack’s to secure the rig to the upper surface of the station.

A video feed of the port side of the rig showed a structure emerge from the surface and rise up towards the side of the rig. The structure stopped when aligned to the port door. A fully enclosed bridge then extended out towards the side of the rig. It stopped just short by one metre.
“Docking control says they are ready for us to extend our port door PBB,” Marr said to Dukk.
“On it,” Dukk replied.
“PBB?” Luna interrupted.
“Passenger boarding bridge. The sealed gangway that will enable us to move in and out of the station without needing airlocks or g-suits,” Dukk replied.
“Cool,” responded Luna.
The video feed now showed an enclosed bridge extending out from the rig and marrying up with the station’s enclosed bridge.
“Integrity is good. Well done everyone. We are docked,” Dukk said moments later.
“Excellent. What now?” Luna asked
“Luna, what have you been doing this last three days?” Marr said in jest.
“Other things,” Luna laughed.
“Well, first, Luna you can help Bazzer shutdown one of the reactors and prepare the rig for slow running. Annee and Mentor will be off to the port door to welcome the security detail. Who will come on board and inspect our papers. They will also do a quick walk around to ensure we have no stowaways. After that you can get back to ‘other things’,” Dukk replied and chuckled.
“Dukk, there is an incoming video hail from the port commissioner. The request is marked is urgent,” Annee interrupted.
“Odd, put it through,” Dukk replied as he unbelted.

(to be continued...in the next chapter)

[Rule of Twelve, Double Take, Chapter 16 - Docking (Passage 5 of 5)]

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