Chapter 1: Aftermath

“What happened??” asked Mina.

“The orbital station blew up,” replied Jem.

“No, I mean what caused it to explode? Our nano-bots didn’t do that much damage,” said Mina.

“We just witnessed an enormous explosion. I don’t know any more than you,” said Jem.

“Perhaps Brian and Laine caused the explosion,” said Mina.

“If they did, they wouldn’t survive the blast,” said Jem.

Mina was getting frustrated.

“Ship, please replay the video from just before the explosion. Play it at a tenth speed,” said Mina.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

On the tactical display, they watched a replay of the explosion.

“I see nothing helpful,” said Mina.

“The explosion started in the middle of the orbital station. It severed the lower half and projected it towards the planet,” said Ship.

“Ship, take us closer to the debris field. Send over maintenance bots. Search the wreckage for traces of Brian and Laine,” said Jem.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

“Mina, it will take time to examine the debris. We don’t have to wait around here,” said Jem.

They left the main bridge. Jem went back to her cabin and lay on her bed.

“Brian, what happened inside the station?” she said to herself.

She didn’t sense his presence. Sometimes she could tell where he was. But now she felt nothing. She felt alone. Perhaps this time he was dead.

Mina returned to her garden. She had seedlings ready to plant. Keeping busy was the best thing she could think of doing.

She loaded a trolley with her tools and the seedlings from her lab. Then she wheeled her trolley into the garden via the side door and to the section she intended to plant.

Mina walked over to the bench where Brian sometimes sat and meditated. That was Brian’s bench. She couldn’t imagine that he was dead. She just stood there and cried.

Mina had lost her husband and her brother to pirates, and now she lost Brian. It was too much.

After a while, she steeled herself. She wiped her face with a cloth.

“Ship, please prepare a plaque to go on this bench. Label it as Brian’s Bench, where he used to sit and meditate. We will miss him,” said Mina.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

After about a minute, Mina returned to her seedlings. She pledged to make this the best garden.

Mina planted with a mind to create the best view from Brian’s bench. She had learned a good deal from her recent visit to Dentra. The palace gardens were exquisite, and she gleaned much expert advice from the head gardener there.

A while later, Ship interrupted her work.

“Attention, Ensign Mina. I have the results of the search of the debris,” said Ship.

“I should find the Commodore,” said Mina.

“The Commodore is in her cabin, but she is not responding to my calls,” said Ship.

“We lost two of our best crewmates, Ship. She is grieving. I will visit her,” replied Mina.

“Acknowledged,” said Ship.

Mina tided up her work in the garden and left for Jem’s cabin.

Mina pressed the chime at the door to Jem’s cabin. There was no response.

“Ship, can you open the door please,” said Mina.

“You do not have the rank to override crew cabin door locks,” replied Ship.

“But you told me she was not responding. That makes me the highest ranking aboard this vessel. I need to do a wellness check on the Commodore,” said Mina.

There was a brief pause.

“Confirmed,” replied Ship. The door slid open.

It was dark inside the cabin. Jem was lying face-down on her bed.

Mina approached her bed and stroked Jem’s hair.

“I can’t believe they are dead,” murmured Jem.

“I miss them too. But we need to continue. Ship has results to share with us,” said Mina.

Jem turned and looked up at Mina. Her eyes were red.

“You better go wash your face. Then we can go to the main bridge,” said Mina.

Jem paused for a moment, then nodded.

She got up and visited her en-suite to clean herself up. Mina dialled up the brightness in the cabin.

Soon, they left her cabin for the main bridge.

We were no longer on the orbital station. It was a grey, foggy place.

By the lights on our space suits, I saw another obelisk in front of us, this one was in the ground like the others I’d seen.

“We did it!” exclaimed Laine.

“If we are where I remember, then keep your visor closed. The air isn’t breathable here,” I said.

I was still holding Laine up, so we hobbled closer to the obelisk.

I studied the inscriptions on this one. It looked familiar, but I didn’t remember all the details from last time.

“Laine, we can’t stay here. I will take us somewhere better, with a breathable atmosphere,” I said.

“Ready, Brian,” she said.

I held Laine and touched an inscription on the obelisk. There was a flash all around us.

I looked around to discover a clearing in a forest. The morning sunlight cast beams of light through the trees. In front of us was another obelisk.

“Where are we now?” asked Laine.

“I believe we are on Carolus four. This was where we tried to have a vacation, before the Varech disturbed us,” I replied.

“Awesome!” said Laine.

I cracked open my visor and took a breath. No adverse effects.

“The air is breathable here,” I said.

“Help me get out of my space suit. I need to check my ankle,” she said.

I took off my helmet and gloves, and I helped Laine remove her space suit. We wore jumpsuits underneath our space suits.

Laine used her personal device to scan her ankle.

“I didn’t break my ankle, it’s just bruised and sprained. Since we don’t have a medical bay, I need to get plenty of rest for a few days,” she said.

By now I’d removed my suit. I separated our equipment from the suits, and then I hid the suits in the bushes.

“We have about one or two hours walk to the beach. Can you make it with my help, or should we make camp here?” I asked.

“If we take our time, I’ll give it a go,” replied Laine.

I was glad with her response. I did not want to hang around near the obelisk. Who knows what creature might come through while we slept. I didn’t share my fears with Laine, though.

We hobbled through the trees together. It looked the same as our last visit, except without Varech pursuing us. I even saw a piece of Mina’s marking tape on a bush.

“How are you doing, Laine?” I asked.

“It hurts, duh!” she replied.

“When we get to the beach, I will make you a hammock under the trees,” I said.

“That would be nice,” said Laine.

The terrain was fairly level, no hills to climb or descend. In the distance, I could discern the sound of birds.

“We may be here for a long time. We have no way to contact our vessel. I figure this planet is the most pleasant place to wait,” I said.

“This is an uninhabited planet, rescue may be a long time coming,” said Laine.

“I must find a source of food and water,” I said.

“Water first. In this climate, we will dehydrate soon,” said Laine.

We stopped and sat on a fallen tree.

“While we are under the canopy, it will help slow our dehydration. Can your device scan for sources of water?” I asked.

“Not unless we are very close. You are more likely to see it first,” she replied.

I shrugged. “With all this lush vegetation there must be water nearby.”

After a rest, we got up and continued towards the beach.

“Listen! Can you hear that?” asked Laine.

We stopped, and I listened carefully.

“The trickling sound? It might be water,” I said.

“Yes. I think in that direction,” Laine pointed to our left.

I pulled a parts container out of Laine’s tool kit and emptied the contents.

“Wait here and I will investigate,” I said. I helped her sit against a tree.

I walked through the brush for a brief journey and came upon a small stream. Using the container, I got about a cup of water. I took a sip.

It tasted pure enough. If I had the tools, I would prefer to boil it first.

I drank another mouthful and then refilled the container.

When I got back to Laine, she was asleep.

“Laine, I got your water,” I said. I nudged her awake.

“Sorry, I’ve been up for hours and the climate is so hot,” she mumbled.

She took a sip of water, much like I did.

“It looks clear enough. When we can, we should boil our water to kill any parasites,” I said.

“I agree. It is refreshing though,” she said.

She continued to finish the container.

“Ready to continue?” I asked.

We got up and continued hobbling along towards the beach.

Jem and Mina arrived at the main bridge. They took a seat at the sofa.

“Ship, I understand you have an update for us?” asked Jem.

“Confirmed, Commodore. I have examined all the debris. I found no trace of Brian and Laine,” replied Ship.