examining the
images closely.
“They
don’t even match our equipment,” Zae said. “Pre-interstellar technology is what
we’re seeing on the scanners. Both the orbital satellite and the base have
large nuclear reactors, but neither is active at the moment.”
“Are
there any planets in this solar system capable of supporting life?” he asked.
“None
that we could find,” Zae answered. “Our instruments may have been damaged in
the last attack, but as of now we don’t see any planets able to support life.”
Brian
took control of the science station and began scanning. “I’m detecting no life
forms at all.”
“What
else do the scans tell you?” Baed asked.
“Both
the orbital station and the base appear to have dangerously low levels of
oxygen in them,” Brian answered.
“Should
we send a team in to investigate?” Zae asked.
“Let’s
find a place to start repairing the ship first,” he said. “We can send some
people over tomorrow.”
“Understood,”
Zae said.
“It’s
going to be a tight fit,” Baed said as she steered the Avoni into a large
crater on the moon.
He
looked at the base and the orbital station once more. “I have a bad feeling
about this.”
“I’m
getting the same feeling,” Zae said.
“I
also have the feeling that those two places have a story to tell,” he said.
“What
kind of story?” Baed asked.
“The
kind that’s better left unread,” Brian said.
* * *
The
next morning Brian stood in the launching bay with a dozen Rakna pilots around him,
including lieutenants Meldi and Myli.
“We’ve
detected a pair of objects on this moon worth investigating,” Brian said.
“Meldi, you’ll lead the first team to the lunar base. Myli, you’ll take the
second team and investigate the orbital station. Both places appear dead, and
neither of the locations have had a radiation leak as of yet. I want you to
sweep through and see what’s there.”
“Right,”
Meldi said.
“We’ll
do as you command,” Myli answered. Both ladies took the lead in their Phase
Raknas and led six to each location.
“I
can tell you really want to lead them yourself,” Jesela said.
“The
captain doesn’t get to do such things,” Brian said. “I have to entrust it to
them.”
* * *
Meldi
landed her Rakna outside the massive door leading into the lunar base’s main
building. Two of the other five joined her as she went to the door.
“This
is like looking at an old picture of moon bases we had a few centuries ago,” ensign
Vae remarked as they approached the door.
Ensign
Seli scanned the structure thoroughly. “The door’s power system still works.”
“Good,”
Meldi said. She went to the door and pressed the button to open it. Inside the
massive door was a large warehouse area with little to nothing remaining. All
three took out their lights and switched them on. As they headed inside, Seli
pointed her light at a metal crate with a number of holes in it. Meldi examined
at it closely.
“From
the point of impact I’d say an old fashioned projectile type weapon,” Meldi
explained. “Given the velocity, I’d guess at some type of rifle.”
“Why
would there be gun fire in moon base?” Vae asked.
“Over
there,” Seli said. She pointed at something on the ground. As the three
approached and flashed their lights on it, the object appeared to be a corpse.
Its body was humanoid in shape, but with lizard like scales for skin. Its skin
was pulled extremely tight. Meldi looked closer before finding bullet wound in
the head.
“This
creature was suffering from severe malnutrition,” Seli said after scanning it
over.
“Suicide,”
Meldi said. She picked up a small pistol near the corpse “Whatever it was it
killed itself.”
“What
was going on here?” Vae asked. She and the others were looking unsettled.
“We
need to go in further,” Meldi said. At the end of the warehouse there were two
more doors, one leading to the right and one to
images closely.
“They
don’t even match our equipment,” Zae said. “Pre-interstellar technology is what
we’re seeing on the scanners. Both the orbital satellite and the base have
large nuclear reactors, but neither is active at the moment.”
“Are
there any planets in this solar system capable of supporting life?” he asked.
“None
that we could find,” Zae answered. “Our instruments may have been damaged in
the last attack, but as of now we don’t see any planets able to support life.”
Brian
took control of the science station and began scanning. “I’m detecting no life
forms at all.”
“What
else do the scans tell you?” Baed asked.
“Both
the orbital station and the base appear to have dangerously low levels of
oxygen in them,” Brian answered.
“Should
we send a team in to investigate?” Zae asked.
“Let’s
find a place to start repairing the ship first,” he said. “We can send some
people over tomorrow.”
“Understood,”
Zae said.
“It’s
going to be a tight fit,” Baed said as she steered the Avoni into a large
crater on the moon.
He
looked at the base and the orbital station once more. “I have a bad feeling
about this.”
“I’m
getting the same feeling,” Zae said.
“I
also have the feeling that those two places have a story to tell,” he said.
“What
kind of story?” Baed asked.
“The
kind that’s better left unread,” Brian said.
* * *
The
next morning Brian stood in the launching bay with a dozen Rakna pilots around him,
including lieutenants Meldi and Myli.
“We’ve
detected a pair of objects on this moon worth investigating,” Brian said.
“Meldi, you’ll lead the first team to the lunar base. Myli, you’ll take the
second team and investigate the orbital station. Both places appear dead, and
neither of the locations have had a radiation leak as of yet. I want you to
sweep through and see what’s there.”
“Right,”
Meldi said.
“We’ll
do as you command,” Myli answered. Both ladies took the lead in their Phase
Raknas and led six to each location.
“I
can tell you really want to lead them yourself,” Jesela said.
“The
captain doesn’t get to do such things,” Brian said. “I have to entrust it to
them.”
* * *
Meldi
landed her Rakna outside the massive door leading into the lunar base’s main
building. Two of the other five joined her as she went to the door.
“This
is like looking at an old picture of moon bases we had a few centuries ago,” ensign
Vae remarked as they approached the door.
Ensign
Seli scanned the structure thoroughly. “The door’s power system still works.”
“Good,”
Meldi said. She went to the door and pressed the button to open it. Inside the
massive door was a large warehouse area with little to nothing remaining. All
three took out their lights and switched them on. As they headed inside, Seli
pointed her light at a metal crate with a number of holes in it. Meldi examined
at it closely.
“From
the point of impact I’d say an old fashioned projectile type weapon,” Meldi
explained. “Given the velocity, I’d guess at some type of rifle.”
“Why
would there be gun fire in moon base?” Vae asked.
“Over
there,” Seli said. She pointed at something on the ground. As the three
approached and flashed their lights on it, the object appeared to be a corpse.
Its body was humanoid in shape, but with lizard like scales for skin. Its skin
was pulled extremely tight. Meldi looked closer before finding bullet wound in
the head.
“This
creature was suffering from severe malnutrition,” Seli said after scanning it
over.
“Suicide,”
Meldi said. She picked up a small pistol near the corpse “Whatever it was it
killed itself.”
“What
was going on here?” Vae asked. She and the others were looking unsettled.
“We
need to go in further,” Meldi said. At the end of the warehouse there were two
more doors, one leading to the right and one to
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