chick thirteen months, seven days. what the hell has he been doing all by himself?
through the cockpit window, the blueness of earth's atmosphere becomes the blackness of space.
sharp addresses the crews of both shuttles over the radio --
sharp shut the doors and fire her up!
freedom is fired up. the mir shudders again. tilts further.
harry is at the door, eyes frantically searching for a.j. --
sharp full thrusters!
sharp hits his directional thruster, and freedom veers to the left.
sharp steers freedom past the ice boulder.
chick, bear, and max prepare to disembark, donning helmet and glove assemblies, clicking neck and wrist seals into locking position.
harry stalks to the rear.
chick, bear and max enter through the airlock. everyone turns and stares at sharp.
sharp comes back from the cockpit, carrying the detonator. harry's on the phone to golden.
they've ascended to a safe distance.
we move down the faces of the terrified men, looking down on the craggy asteroid.
a.j., chick and bear unbuckle, begin to rise from seats.