The transport bubble sat at the end of its track a few meters from the air lock. It was a glass orb sitting on a metal pole a few feet above the hull. After a bit of searching, Victor found the side panel that let him in.

The inside of the transport was simple. There were seats for three but enough room for four if one person stood. The panel in front of the seats had two buttons and a screen with a countdown and the number of remaining transport allowances. According to the screen, Victor had made it with a few moments to spare. He sat down and examined the panel a little more closely. In addition to the panel and buttons there was a small comms microphone.

"Transport departure in ten seconds. Please strap in," Nexus' ever calm female voice declared.

Victor buckled himself in and took as good a look around him as he could in his space suit. Above him he could see the star of the system they were currently in. There were countless others unimaginable distances away. The hull glowed a fierce white in the sunlight, but fortunately the visor on Victor's helmet had intelligent tinting.

The transport moved forward as a rumble shook Nexus. Victor closed his eyes and prayed the damn thing didn't come loose while in transit. Even if he could make it back to the hull, there was a good chance that he'd be too far from the air lock and run out of oxygen.

His thoughts began to turn to what exactly it was that he was going to do when he got to 'Side A'. There was a good chance that he was going to have to kill Dixon, he knew that, but how exactly? He didn't have a weapon. What, was he supposed to beat him into submission and strangle him to death with his bare hands? He might be ready to kill to protect Nexus and those on it, but was he willing to do it in such a monstrous way?

But there were other issues. Victor thought back to the first days on board Nexus. Everyone was a little lost while they got used to the routine and being alone in the depths of space. Dixon had been a natural leader, putting everyone at ease and even being helpful with the transition to self-responsibility. Then, slowly, he began to assert more and more control. He decided who would join what club. He kept made rules that everyone had to follow. And if anyone stood up to him, if anyone annoyed him or got in his way, they would mysteriously disappear within a month. Victor knew in his heart of hearts that it had to be the same way over on the others side.

It might be worse, since most of the girls had probably been under the impression that they wouldn't see someone of the opposite gender for years. What, was he supposed to openly murder one the most popular person on their side with his bare hands? He doubted the girls would let him do that. Victor decided that the best answer was to remain as stealthy as possible. It was late into 'night', so if their side kept a day and night cycle similar to the boy's side, then the halls should be mostly empty.

Victor kept glancing impatiently at the Arrival timer. He still had another ten minutes before he arrived. Ten minutes. It felt like an eternity. He kept his eye on his oxygen meter on his visor hud. It was holding steady at seventy percent, more than enough time for him to reach the other side. The orb moved at a pretty fast clip, Victor guessed about thirty mph. It was as he suspected: walking the length to the other side would be cutting it close at best.

He tapped his hand on the arm rest, planning what he would do exactly. Time was of the essence since the longer he was on A Side the more likely he was to be discovered. Wherever he was sleeping, Victor assumed it wasn't in the girl's dorm. That would be his opportunity. Where would Dixon be, then? There were comfortable couches in the Information Room students were known to sleep there when studying all night. Victor decided to check there first.

The transport slowed to a halt, and the panel on the glass orb opened.

"Arrival: A Side. Please carefully exit the transport. Airlock auto release in one minute."

Victor descended and spotted the airlock door ahead. By the time his magnetic boots had clomped over to it, it opened for him. So that was the trick. The transport automatically opened the airlock for you. It was with a pang that Victor considered what he would have if it hadn't been automatic, but as the air lock shut behind him his re-focused on the task at hand.

When the airlock pressurized he took his space suit off and left it where it was. His heart beat fast as he peeked into the airlock window to see if anyone was in the hall just outside. At this time of night the mess hall and the club halls should be empty, it would probably be better to avoid the main hall that ran from the Information Room to the Sleeping Area. It would be a long crawl to the Information Room if he took the vents instead of walking, but he couldn't risk being spotted.

When he opened the airlock he half-expected to see Dixon standing right beside the airlock door, waiting. Fortunately the hall was empty. He made a dash for the club hall. If this A Side of the station really was a mirror of the B Side, then the club hall should be just around the corner....

Victor stopped in his tracks. In front of him stood a girl. Time slowed to the crawl and he could see the events unfolding one after another. The girl would scream. Others would come running. Word would spread. Dixon would come. Victor would be confined. Dixon would kill him any number of ways in secret.

To Victor's surprise, none of this happened. Instead, the girl folded her arms. He realized that he knew this person. Blonde hair. Tall. It was Eve Storm. In the relative darkness of the hall during sleeping hours, he hadn't recognized her immediately.

"Victor Vance. What are you doing on our side of the station?" she said. "You had better have a good reason."

Victor thought about a lot of lies that might work for the moment but realized it was useless. Dixon would always be the better liar. There was only one way to beat him.

"I'm here to kill the boy on this side," he said.