Sorry this took me so long. The added length should make up for it, though.
I hope to maybe kick one of these out a month. I'll have to see what happens.
Later
--------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2
13.09-10-4643
Earth Sector
Planet 1 of System 169,2
        A buzzing alarm sound rang through the air of the spacious room. After a few seconds of continuous ringing, a deep groaning could be heard. A man, fighting a loosing battle with awareness, called out, Computer, alarm off! The man continued to groan, and, after reluctantly giving up sleep altogether, finally got out of bed.
        As the man reached for his robe, the feminine-sounding words Good morning, James rang through the room. James Aaron tied his robe and replied, Yeah, good morning. He stood there, scratching his head and thinking for a minute, and said, Computer, heat stove top to 50 degrees Celsius. I think Ill make pancakes for breakfast.
        Aaron laboriously walked out of his bedroom and through the mansion like house to the kitchen. He perked up a bit as the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled his nose. He opened the doors of the well-stocked fridge and pulled out a plastic container filled with the remains of the pancake batter he had made earlier in the week.
        All this needs is blueberries, he thought. He dug around in the fridge until, with a satisfying sigh, he found a container of fresh blueberries. He took a handful out of the container, and, after a quick washing, threw them in the batter.
        Coming more alert, he grabbed one of the pans hanging above the oven, and set it down on the already hot stove unit. Using a large wooden spoon, he removed the batter from the container onto the pan, forming three medium sized pancakes.
        He threw the container into the large metallic sink, and after looking back at his already cooking pancakes, found a clean mug in a pantry and poured himself a cup of dark black coffee. He took a quick sip, and made his way to the Duraglass patio door, at the same time grabbing his data pad sitting on the counter.
        A stimulatingly cool breeze blew through his light brown hair as he slid the patio door open and walked onto the wood patio. He closed the door behind him while looking with a satisfied smile at the yellow sun rising over the horizon. Although he knew from the unseasonably cold wind that a storm was probably going to come later, at the moment there were few clouds in sight, and the view was beautiful.
        He took a seat on a wooden bench facing the sunrise, and, after taking a few more sips of his coffee, turned on his data pad. The pad quickly came to life, showing the latest news. He half-heartedly scanned over the topics until one caught his eye:
Pirate Attacks Are Currently Under Investigation
In light of the recent pirate attacks an investigative team has been set up to discover any information regarding pirate activities and organizations.
Concern about pirate attacks has been on the rise since the capture of Humna Humna Outpost 14 by pirates two weeks ago, and the recent failed attack on Starport Outpost 3 three days ago has caused some to fear an increase in pirate attacks in the near future.
The recent pirate attacks in both the Leghk and Earth Sectors show that pirates are becoming bolder, and unless something is done, these kinds of attacks will take place much more often, said Captain Kry of the I.S.S. Dominguez.
Rewards are currently being offered by Interstel (who is also primarily responsible for the investigative team) for any information.
Also, the capture of Outpost 14 is to be discussed at the up-coming Earth-Leghk Sectorial Peace Accords to take place on the 28th.
        Aaron shook his head and took another sip of coffee, hiding a thin smile on his face. Im glad I retired, he thought.
        His attention shifted as the computer beeped a message notification through the hidden speakers outside. Go ahead, he replied.
        James, your pancakes are done on one side. Do you want them flipped?
        Sure, go ahead. Hey, can you squeeze some orange juice for me as well?
        Of course.
        Aaron took another look at his data pad, and, after finding nothing further of interest, looked up at the sunrise. He sighed. Although, I wouldnt mind doing something interesting, he said to himself. He thought for a second about what he could do to fight his boredom. They had enough supplies to last a while, and there were no good movies out this week, so he didnt have any reason to go to the colony. Plus, he wouldnt want to be out if a storm hit.
        In a last ditch effort, he said, Computer, do you have anything interesting for me?
        Perhaps. Last night long-range sensors detected an unknown object entering the atmosphere. It crash-landed in a lake 32.5 kilometers from here. The object, although experiencing moderate damage upon reentry, should still be intact.
        Alright! Computer, wake up Max and prepare the terrain vehicle for departure in fifteen minutes. Oh, and prepare the scuba gear as well.
        Sir, be advised, a severe dark lightning storm is approaching. It will be here in approximately two hours.
        I know, but thanks. Thats plenty of time.
        He excitedly chugged down the rest of his coffee and rushed back to his bedroom. As he set the data pad down on his nightstand he said, Computer, activate shower. Regular settings. Get an outfit out for me. Oh, and bring my breakfast down to the garage. Ill eat it on the way.
        Aaron made his way to his personal bathroom that he had in his room, and, after taking off his robe, closed the door.
        Everything ready, Max? Aaron asked, walking into the terrain vehicle bay with a slight spring in his step.
        Terrain vehicle prepped. Scuba gear prepped and loaded. Your breakfast is in TV. Max replied, standing by the TV.
        Good. Did you get briefed yet?
        I have been given all mission data.
        Well then, lets get outa here. Can you drive while I eat?
        Yes.
        The two humanoids opened up the doors to the TV and climbed in. The TVs computer systems had already been activated, so all Max had to do was hit the ignition button and the TVs hydrogen/electric engine hummed to life.
        Open bay doors, Aaron commanded into the TVs computer grid. The doors of the TV bay opened slowly, swinging out from floor. After a few seconds, the TV shot out of the bay and into the grassy field outside. Aaron looked back as the large door, with a fake rock texture on the exterior, closed over the open bay that was nestled into a natural rock formation near the house.
        His view suddenly jerked forward as they careened over a small outcropping and landed roughly in a sand pit. Dirt flew everywhere as the TV sped out of the sand and continued to its destination.
        Hey, be careful! Aaron yelled, snapping his safety harness into place. I dont want to have to replace the traction system on this thing again!
        Max said nothing, but continued driving on.
       
        Scuba gear unloaded, Max said, walking toward Aaron.
        Aaron dropped the winch cable on the ground and started walking toward the pile of equipment sitting near the TV. Alright. I got the winch ready, he said while putting the gear on over the wet suit the computer had picked for him. What do we know about the object?
        Scans indicated that the object is about 3.5 meters by 2 meters by 2.5 meters, weighs about 227 kilograms, and is comprised mainly of titanium.
        Sounds like its just a piece of debris from an Interstel ship. Im not surprised, considering how many died in that stupid war. I guess Im playing space janitor today.
        Also, Max continued, Scanners detect a faint energy signal from within the object.
        Huh. Well, maybe this wont be a complete letdown.
        Aaron put on his breathing helmet and activated the suits communication relay and life support. Keep an eye on the TV, he said to Max, and, after grabbing the winch, walked into the water.
        The water was quite murky. It didnt take long after he was completely submerged that he could not see anything at all. He activated the light mounted on his helmet, but even then he could barely see in front of him. In desperateness, he tapped the console on his arm to activate a HUD-like display in his helmet that would point him to the object.
        After a few minutes of a combination of walking and swimming, he found what he was looking for. From this close he could tell that it was defiantly a piece of Interstel debris. He could also tell from the laser marks that this ship had been through some heavy fire.
        He came to the other side of the debris and stopped for a second. Most of what was at one point computer consoles were now lifeless chunks of broken plastic. One thing caught his eye, however. A small pod sat in the middle of the wreckage. A bluish glow came from within the pod and shone through the frost-encrusted window.
        He came closer to the tank-like pod with an inquisitive stare. He wiped the frost away quickly with his hand, and gasped at the tanks contents.
        Max! he yelled into his communicator, Ive found something! Its a human! Hes been preserved in stasis!
        Should I activate the winch?
        Hold on.
        Aaron scrambled to find something to connect the winch cable to. He eventually spotted a now-useless water pipe coming out of the wall and frantically wrapped the cable around it several times before attaching the end connecting to the pipe.
        Bring her up! Slowly!
        Aaron held on to the wreckage as it was slowly pulled upward. He looked again at the frozen face staring at him in the tank. It seemed to just stare forward, as if it had been shocked by something right before the end. He had no idea what happened to this guy, but he knew whatever it was had to have been bad to do the kind of damage that was on this thing.
        He looked up as the dark waters started to fade into the light of day. The wreckage hit ground and started to drag as the TVs winch hummed under the strain.
        Aaron jumped off what was now obviously the remains of an examining table and tore the helmet off his head. Turn the winch off! Aaron yelled as the twisted piece of metal reached the side of the TV. He released the winch and took another look at the preserved human.
        Max walked over to the Cryotank and hit a few buttons on its console, bringing it out of efficiency mode. He continued to key the console and said, He apparently is still alive. All vital signs have been completely preserved.
        Good, Aaron said with a sigh. Lets get the expandable trailer deployed and get this thing back home. We can thaw him there.
        He looked up at the dark storm rolling in. They were expelling dark lighting all over the horizon, and coming fast.
        And lets hurry. I really dont want to be out in that.
I hope to maybe kick one of these out a month. I'll have to see what happens.
Later
--------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2
13.09-10-4643
Earth Sector
Planet 1 of System 169,2
        A buzzing alarm sound rang through the air of the spacious room. After a few seconds of continuous ringing, a deep groaning could be heard. A man, fighting a loosing battle with awareness, called out, Computer, alarm off! The man continued to groan, and, after reluctantly giving up sleep altogether, finally got out of bed.
        As the man reached for his robe, the feminine-sounding words Good morning, James rang through the room. James Aaron tied his robe and replied, Yeah, good morning. He stood there, scratching his head and thinking for a minute, and said, Computer, heat stove top to 50 degrees Celsius. I think Ill make pancakes for breakfast.
        Aaron laboriously walked out of his bedroom and through the mansion like house to the kitchen. He perked up a bit as the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled his nose. He opened the doors of the well-stocked fridge and pulled out a plastic container filled with the remains of the pancake batter he had made earlier in the week.
        All this needs is blueberries, he thought. He dug around in the fridge until, with a satisfying sigh, he found a container of fresh blueberries. He took a handful out of the container, and, after a quick washing, threw them in the batter.
        Coming more alert, he grabbed one of the pans hanging above the oven, and set it down on the already hot stove unit. Using a large wooden spoon, he removed the batter from the container onto the pan, forming three medium sized pancakes.
        He threw the container into the large metallic sink, and after looking back at his already cooking pancakes, found a clean mug in a pantry and poured himself a cup of dark black coffee. He took a quick sip, and made his way to the Duraglass patio door, at the same time grabbing his data pad sitting on the counter.
        A stimulatingly cool breeze blew through his light brown hair as he slid the patio door open and walked onto the wood patio. He closed the door behind him while looking with a satisfied smile at the yellow sun rising over the horizon. Although he knew from the unseasonably cold wind that a storm was probably going to come later, at the moment there were few clouds in sight, and the view was beautiful.
        He took a seat on a wooden bench facing the sunrise, and, after taking a few more sips of his coffee, turned on his data pad. The pad quickly came to life, showing the latest news. He half-heartedly scanned over the topics until one caught his eye:
Pirate Attacks Are Currently Under Investigation
In light of the recent pirate attacks an investigative team has been set up to discover any information regarding pirate activities and organizations.
Concern about pirate attacks has been on the rise since the capture of Humna Humna Outpost 14 by pirates two weeks ago, and the recent failed attack on Starport Outpost 3 three days ago has caused some to fear an increase in pirate attacks in the near future.
The recent pirate attacks in both the Leghk and Earth Sectors show that pirates are becoming bolder, and unless something is done, these kinds of attacks will take place much more often, said Captain Kry of the I.S.S. Dominguez.
Rewards are currently being offered by Interstel (who is also primarily responsible for the investigative team) for any information.
Also, the capture of Outpost 14 is to be discussed at the up-coming Earth-Leghk Sectorial Peace Accords to take place on the 28th.
        Aaron shook his head and took another sip of coffee, hiding a thin smile on his face. Im glad I retired, he thought.
        His attention shifted as the computer beeped a message notification through the hidden speakers outside. Go ahead, he replied.
        James, your pancakes are done on one side. Do you want them flipped?
        Sure, go ahead. Hey, can you squeeze some orange juice for me as well?
        Of course.
        Aaron took another look at his data pad, and, after finding nothing further of interest, looked up at the sunrise. He sighed. Although, I wouldnt mind doing something interesting, he said to himself. He thought for a second about what he could do to fight his boredom. They had enough supplies to last a while, and there were no good movies out this week, so he didnt have any reason to go to the colony. Plus, he wouldnt want to be out if a storm hit.
        In a last ditch effort, he said, Computer, do you have anything interesting for me?
        Perhaps. Last night long-range sensors detected an unknown object entering the atmosphere. It crash-landed in a lake 32.5 kilometers from here. The object, although experiencing moderate damage upon reentry, should still be intact.
        Alright! Computer, wake up Max and prepare the terrain vehicle for departure in fifteen minutes. Oh, and prepare the scuba gear as well.
        Sir, be advised, a severe dark lightning storm is approaching. It will be here in approximately two hours.
        I know, but thanks. Thats plenty of time.
        He excitedly chugged down the rest of his coffee and rushed back to his bedroom. As he set the data pad down on his nightstand he said, Computer, activate shower. Regular settings. Get an outfit out for me. Oh, and bring my breakfast down to the garage. Ill eat it on the way.
        Aaron made his way to his personal bathroom that he had in his room, and, after taking off his robe, closed the door.
        Everything ready, Max? Aaron asked, walking into the terrain vehicle bay with a slight spring in his step.
        Terrain vehicle prepped. Scuba gear prepped and loaded. Your breakfast is in TV. Max replied, standing by the TV.
        Good. Did you get briefed yet?
        I have been given all mission data.
        Well then, lets get outa here. Can you drive while I eat?
        Yes.
        The two humanoids opened up the doors to the TV and climbed in. The TVs computer systems had already been activated, so all Max had to do was hit the ignition button and the TVs hydrogen/electric engine hummed to life.
        Open bay doors, Aaron commanded into the TVs computer grid. The doors of the TV bay opened slowly, swinging out from floor. After a few seconds, the TV shot out of the bay and into the grassy field outside. Aaron looked back as the large door, with a fake rock texture on the exterior, closed over the open bay that was nestled into a natural rock formation near the house.
        His view suddenly jerked forward as they careened over a small outcropping and landed roughly in a sand pit. Dirt flew everywhere as the TV sped out of the sand and continued to its destination.
        Hey, be careful! Aaron yelled, snapping his safety harness into place. I dont want to have to replace the traction system on this thing again!
        Max said nothing, but continued driving on.
       
        Scuba gear unloaded, Max said, walking toward Aaron.
        Aaron dropped the winch cable on the ground and started walking toward the pile of equipment sitting near the TV. Alright. I got the winch ready, he said while putting the gear on over the wet suit the computer had picked for him. What do we know about the object?
        Scans indicated that the object is about 3.5 meters by 2 meters by 2.5 meters, weighs about 227 kilograms, and is comprised mainly of titanium.
        Sounds like its just a piece of debris from an Interstel ship. Im not surprised, considering how many died in that stupid war. I guess Im playing space janitor today.
        Also, Max continued, Scanners detect a faint energy signal from within the object.
        Huh. Well, maybe this wont be a complete letdown.
        Aaron put on his breathing helmet and activated the suits communication relay and life support. Keep an eye on the TV, he said to Max, and, after grabbing the winch, walked into the water.
        The water was quite murky. It didnt take long after he was completely submerged that he could not see anything at all. He activated the light mounted on his helmet, but even then he could barely see in front of him. In desperateness, he tapped the console on his arm to activate a HUD-like display in his helmet that would point him to the object.
        After a few minutes of a combination of walking and swimming, he found what he was looking for. From this close he could tell that it was defiantly a piece of Interstel debris. He could also tell from the laser marks that this ship had been through some heavy fire.
        He came to the other side of the debris and stopped for a second. Most of what was at one point computer consoles were now lifeless chunks of broken plastic. One thing caught his eye, however. A small pod sat in the middle of the wreckage. A bluish glow came from within the pod and shone through the frost-encrusted window.
        He came closer to the tank-like pod with an inquisitive stare. He wiped the frost away quickly with his hand, and gasped at the tanks contents.
        Max! he yelled into his communicator, Ive found something! Its a human! Hes been preserved in stasis!
        Should I activate the winch?
        Hold on.
        Aaron scrambled to find something to connect the winch cable to. He eventually spotted a now-useless water pipe coming out of the wall and frantically wrapped the cable around it several times before attaching the end connecting to the pipe.
        Bring her up! Slowly!
        Aaron held on to the wreckage as it was slowly pulled upward. He looked again at the frozen face staring at him in the tank. It seemed to just stare forward, as if it had been shocked by something right before the end. He had no idea what happened to this guy, but he knew whatever it was had to have been bad to do the kind of damage that was on this thing.
        He looked up as the dark waters started to fade into the light of day. The wreckage hit ground and started to drag as the TVs winch hummed under the strain.
        Aaron jumped off what was now obviously the remains of an examining table and tore the helmet off his head. Turn the winch off! Aaron yelled as the twisted piece of metal reached the side of the TV. He released the winch and took another look at the preserved human.
        Max walked over to the Cryotank and hit a few buttons on its console, bringing it out of efficiency mode. He continued to key the console and said, He apparently is still alive. All vital signs have been completely preserved.
        Good, Aaron said with a sigh. Lets get the expandable trailer deployed and get this thing back home. We can thaw him there.
        He looked up at the dark storm rolling in. They were expelling dark lighting all over the horizon, and coming fast.
        And lets hurry. I really dont want to be out in that.
