The crew struggled, working endlessly to keep their great hulking mass of a ship sailing across the fabric of space without tearing apart. Their destination orbited a minuscule point of light. Almost too far now with damaged engines. Almost. Directly ahead hung a glittering planet of ice. They met it among the limits of its... Continue Reading →
Earth’ling
Readings returned slightly less than optimal levels, but their shuttle-mind assured them of safety. The first creature stumbled out, overwhelmed by colours. The browns and blues and golden yellows were not where they should be. And it hadn't ever seen so much green. Their journey from the dying world began generations ago, long before their... Continue Reading →
Swift Passage
The alien planet hung like a pool of blue. Their only stop on a one-way journey. Their vessel's final dregs of energy concealed them in orbit while their shuttle fell into the alien atmosphere. The violent entry rattled the shuttle, pilot and crew breathed deep lungfuls, fighting to clear their minds, to imagine a paradise... Continue Reading →
Raven
> 2237 - 03 - 07 Starship Raven. Departing Earth orbit. Onboard systems reduced. Power rerouted to propulsion system. Maximum acceleration. Destination arrival time: 42,327 Earth years. > 44,564 - 07 - 23 Destination reached. Asteroid mining drones dispatched. Planetary entry sequence complete. Metamorphosis protocol activated. Generational fleet arrival: 27,424 EY. > 57,309 - 04... Continue Reading →
Gathering the Harvest
Picturesque Earth lay peaceful, to the untrained eye. One final pod slid up its cable to a ship in orbit. I peered down from the viewing deck.A streak of fire. Then an explosion. The cable rocked. Another streak. Closer. Pod integrity lost. Passengers compromised. Ship sirens wailed. Incredible engines rumbled to life. The cable detached... Continue Reading →