Here is my very first attempt at an opening chapter. Please feel free to critique,flame,suggest.
The call came during my survey of the Wolf Rayet star designation CSI+19-20105, a call that I could not ignore. Through the static I could just make out the dulcet tones of the pilots federation dispatcher.
"Jacques Station has been located in the EOL PROU RS-T D3-9 system. All commanders capable of reaching out and offering help, should make their way to the system as a matter of urgency. Please bring supplies of power generators, Tantalum, structural regulators, energy grid assemblies especially the recently discovered Meta Alloys to expedite the stations functionality.”
I dragged my eyes from the sight of the hypnotic purple star and blindly punched the keys on the navigation module. While the ships computer reiterated its route search my mind wandered between commanding my ship and wondering how the station personnel had coped being so far from home and loved ones all this time. Still, it was found. Some had assumed the station had malfunctioned during its jump and had not survived, others still held hope that the crew and station were simply lost. This was a time for them to feel relief and to celebrate a little, both the station crew and their loved ones back in inhabited space.
For me, it was time for a mind numbing 15.5 kylie journey only punctuated by the repetitive honk of the survey scanner. Thankfully, this would be quicker than a normal survey mission as I could ignore all but Earthlike and Waterworlds and any spatial peculiarities along the way.
I looked at the inhaler tube of Onionhead that Zaphod, my contact back at Jen Nik, had slipped into my hand me before my departure to CSI+19-20105.
“This might help while away a few days.” he grinned, as I climbed the steps to my flight-deck stuffing the tube into my suit pocket. I had no real need of the narcotic and zipped it away for a potential future barter.
Now the tube beckoned, the smiling face on its exterior inviting me to slip into a daze while I prepared to set off on my long journey through the stars.
The ships computer, or CAT as I preferred to call “her”, gently reminded me that Jen Nik was only 304 jumps or 9 kylies away and that we could do with that second AMFU I had decided against before we left home. “We don't have the luxury of time CAT” I said, as I requested a direct route to Jacques. “Very well commander, I have found a relatively safe route to the EOL PROU RS-T D3-9 system. 488 jumps plotted and saved ready for your command.”
I flipped the FSD safety to off, “Jump” I barked at CAT, as I twisted the head of the Onionhead tube and inhaled. The last of my polonium disappeared from the manifest as the 44 ly jump out of the system was over our 31.67 ly standard.
As if travelling through the dark sectors, the stars gradually faded, as did my view of the HUD, while the Onionhead caressed my neurons and played out its many layered dream. The stars purple sheen glinted upon the Rocinante's aft as the drive spooled up. Then, leaving only our wake, once again the system was companion-less. Alone in the black.
Journey to Jacques
Chapter 1 : A wolf at the door
The call came during my survey of the Wolf Rayet star designation CSI+19-20105, a call that I could not ignore. Through the static I could just make out the dulcet tones of the pilots federation dispatcher.
"Jacques Station has been located in the EOL PROU RS-T D3-9 system. All commanders capable of reaching out and offering help, should make their way to the system as a matter of urgency. Please bring supplies of power generators, Tantalum, structural regulators, energy grid assemblies especially the recently discovered Meta Alloys to expedite the stations functionality.”
I dragged my eyes from the sight of the hypnotic purple star and blindly punched the keys on the navigation module. While the ships computer reiterated its route search my mind wandered between commanding my ship and wondering how the station personnel had coped being so far from home and loved ones all this time. Still, it was found. Some had assumed the station had malfunctioned during its jump and had not survived, others still held hope that the crew and station were simply lost. This was a time for them to feel relief and to celebrate a little, both the station crew and their loved ones back in inhabited space.
For me, it was time for a mind numbing 15.5 kylie journey only punctuated by the repetitive honk of the survey scanner. Thankfully, this would be quicker than a normal survey mission as I could ignore all but Earthlike and Waterworlds and any spatial peculiarities along the way.
I looked at the inhaler tube of Onionhead that Zaphod, my contact back at Jen Nik, had slipped into my hand me before my departure to CSI+19-20105.
“This might help while away a few days.” he grinned, as I climbed the steps to my flight-deck stuffing the tube into my suit pocket. I had no real need of the narcotic and zipped it away for a potential future barter.
Now the tube beckoned, the smiling face on its exterior inviting me to slip into a daze while I prepared to set off on my long journey through the stars.
The ships computer, or CAT as I preferred to call “her”, gently reminded me that Jen Nik was only 304 jumps or 9 kylies away and that we could do with that second AMFU I had decided against before we left home. “We don't have the luxury of time CAT” I said, as I requested a direct route to Jacques. “Very well commander, I have found a relatively safe route to the EOL PROU RS-T D3-9 system. 488 jumps plotted and saved ready for your command.”
I flipped the FSD safety to off, “Jump” I barked at CAT, as I twisted the head of the Onionhead tube and inhaled. The last of my polonium disappeared from the manifest as the 44 ly jump out of the system was over our 31.67 ly standard.
As if travelling through the dark sectors, the stars gradually faded, as did my view of the HUD, while the Onionhead caressed my neurons and played out its many layered dream. The stars purple sheen glinted upon the Rocinante's aft as the drive spooled up. Then, leaving only our wake, once again the system was companion-less. Alone in the black.
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