“Let’s run”, you say. Betty looks at you with a furrowed brow.
“I said get the hell out of here”, you repeat yourself with urgency.
At once Betty turns to his controls and prepares the ship for warp drive. Outside you see plasma rounds passing the ship. A direct hit on one of the escorts sends it up in flames.
“Where are we going,” he yells.
“Anywhere”, you respond.
You notice the fire drawing closer to the Prospector.
“Let’s go”, you scream. “Now!!”
With Betty still punching in coordinates and doing calculations, you realise he’s taking too long. Outside the cockpit you see a blue streak coming from one of the Wasps. A torpedo. You realise you only have seconds.
Without thinking, you slam down the warp drive accelerator, hoping that the auto-navigation system will steer you clear from any obstacles in your path. The ship sputters and coughs and then with a couple of powerful leaps is transitions to warp drive. The last thing you see is the shocked look on Betty’s face as you slip away into the unknown.
Seconds later the ship decelerates, and you slow to a stop.
“What the hell did you do”, Betty asks alarmed, checking the ships status. You’re not sure if he’s upset because you launched the ship into an uncharted course or because he’s afraid of what might have happened to his ‘baby’.
“Computer, track current location”, you say wiping the cold sweat from your forehead.
“Tracking location”, the computer complies and you can see the artificial intelligence light flicker as the ship’s computer tries to figure out where it is.
“Location Unknown”, the computer finally announces.
With confused looks, you and Betty stare at each other.
“I’ve never heard any ship say that before”, Betty says applying himself to the controls again.
“Let me run a quick diagnostics check”, he says.
“Diagnostics check complete”, the computer replies.
“Problem identified in avionics systems… Navigation computer non responsive… Repairs needed…” the computer concludes.
“Aaah Shit”, Betty growls. “Now look what you did…we’re out in the middle of nowhere, with a busted nav-computer. What the hell do we do now?”
“Computer, give me a level five life scan”, you command.
“Cannot comply”, the computer responds.
“This is a mining ship”, Betty says lighting another cigar. “It can’t give you a scan any higher than level three, which means you will only be able to detect life in a three hundred light-year radius…”
“I know what it means”, you say slightly irritated. “Computer, give me a level three life scan”, you try again.
Again you see the artificial intelligence processor working.
“Life detected”, the computer announces, almost with a hint of victory. “Planet unknown…Life specifics unknown…flight time to planet, three seconds at warp speed.”
“Set course for Unknown planet”, you instruct the computer while smiling at Betty.
“What the hell are you smiling at, Cappy? We’re still lost in space with a broken nav-computer…” Biting down on his cigar, Betty fires the ship up and you set off to the Unknown planet. A minute later, you enter a static orbit around the greenish planet.
“Computer, planet statics if you please”, you ask.
“Detecting warning beacon”, the computer replies. “Downloading high priority message from beacon….Message follows: This is a recorded transmission”, you hear the voice over your computer.
“You have reached planet Gefahr. This planet is highly contaminated with various toxins, microbial and radio-active materials following the hundred-year war between the Slooth and the Quasi-Kahr rogue factions of the Miras-Guhl. The planet is under quarantine and entry is strictly prohibited. Further to this, severe contamination of humans remaining on the planet has caused gross mutations. These beings are severely hostile and aggressive. Do not proceed, I repeat, do not proceed to enter the planet’s atmosphere. Transmission ends.”
For a moment there is silence as you and Betty digest what was said.
“Computer, check database for information on planet Gefahr”, you say still feeling a cold shiver up your back.
“Planet: Gefahr,” the computer complies.
“Atmosphere composition: 78.91% nitrogen, 21.85% oxygen, 0.80% argon, 0.32% carbon dioxide, 0.018% strontium-90, 0,002% caesium-137, 0,01% botulins, 0,01% fremolins,0,005% cysozins, 0,005% unidentifiable complex molecules . Atmosphere highly toxic.
Temperature: 5 to 35 degrees Celsius.
Climate: desert landscape
Geology: Sand consisting of Silica, Quartz and limestone
Vegetation: none, all indigenous life on planet is extinct
Life: Small number of human life, Unidentifiable life forms also detected,
Structures: Numerous vacant city centres and military bases.”
History: Planet is best known for the hundred year war that raged between the Slooth and Quasi-Kahr factions. The war raged before the emergence of anti-matter weapons and therefore more conventional weapons of mass destruction for that period was used, all but destroying the planet completely. High levels of biological and hot-particle contamination has caused the planet to be black-listed and it has remained under quarantine for eighty-four years since the end of the war. Survivors are said to live in underground bomb shelters. They come out at times to scavange the wasteland. Due to its reputation, the planet is commonly also referred to as Graveyard, Necropolis and Darkness.”
Looking at Betty, you can tell he shares your thoughts.
“Computer”, you say again, “List closest known planet with life.”
“Closest planet with life is Xannon. It is within range of this ship and our current fuel supply.”
“Computer, with the information at your disposal, can you plot a course for Xannon?”
“Negative, Captain. With the navigation computer out of order, we will not be able to plot a course for Xannon.”
A string of swear words escape Betty’s lips.
“Computer”, you try again, “can you identify the problem with the navigation computer?”
“Yes sir”, the computer responds. “The diagnostics procedure shows that a single component known as a synchropter-chip is unresponsive. This is a common component in many navigation computers for the past hundred years. There is a 84.32% possibility of finding such a chip in any of the derelict war craft on the surface of Gefahr.”
Again you sit in silence.
“What do we have in terms of protective clothing”, you ask Betty.
“I have four mechanised combat-armour suits in the hold with full environmental shielding capacity”, Betty says. “In addition we have four Jackhammer assault rifles and a couple of high explosive grenades.”
“What about surface transport for reconnaissance”, you ask.
“We have a Surface Carrier And Transport or SCAT vehicle that can carry four people. It resembles a golf-cart on steroids and is mostly used for short range expedition.”
Staring at Betty, you see he realizes the inevitable.
“Yeah… let’s go get us a syncropter-chip”, he says as he prepared the ship to enter the atmosphere.
“I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge”, he says with smoke drifting out of his nostrils.
The Prospector comes to life and leaves its orbit. It accelerates toward the planet until it is consumed in a ball of flame as it enters the atmosphere. Shaking through re-entry, you soon emerge on the other side.
Gefahr is an ugly planet. Miles and miles of desert stretch out in front of you, with a greenish smog filling the atmosphere.
“I’ve detected a city close by. Alternatively there is also a military base”, Betty says. “Which one shall we try first?”
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