1 $-- Copyright (C) 2019 Jason Self <j@jxself.org>
2 $-- SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
4 Back before the Star-splinter left the space station, Sierra One was
5 occupied by a few aliens that were living among the crew, apart from
6 Bxnak. However, the majority of the occupants of Sierra One were of
9 After dinner service for the station was finished, the crew members
10 usually migrated to their bunks. Bunks were equipped with video
11 entertainment and aromatherapy for Earthlings. The aromatherapy was
12 proven to reduce space nausea. Not many of the other beings aboard
13 Sierra One enjoyed aromas, however. Those from the gaseous planets
14 found aromatherapy to be a cruel and distasteful way of dispersing
15 elements in the ether.
17 Bxnak and the other Ujuians could hardly smell scents coming from the
18 aromatherapy pods placed in every bunk. When he would sit and study
19 with humans, there were few instances of Bxnak noticing the pods were
20 even engaged. They turned on whenever the pod's sensors detected the
21 sulfuric, pungent vapors that rise from Bxnak's sneakers.
23 There was plenty of time between graduation from the academy and when
24 the Star-splinter took off from the space station. By the time the
25 launch occurred, Bxnak and Tomás had become the best of friends.
27 Two weeks before launch, the element, which the Geptokians named
28 sin-steel, was first attached to a flying rock that was plummeting
29 towards Earth's atmosphere. It seemed to be a wonderful coincidence to
30 all Earthlings and aliens. Though it seemed unlikely that the rare
31 element would find its way to Earth, the new information could save
32 the planet, so scientists agreed to send a spaceship to explore the
33 distant planet of Geptok.
35 On Geptok, there was no mistake or coincidence, however:
37 "Our gracious hosts," said a Geptokian chairman to a great council of
38 spiritually evolved Geptokian priests. The chairman continued his
39 address, "It is our design to be in touch with distant emergent
42 "Yes," said a shaman, "but what is the design you are crafting,
45 "With all the energies of all the stars uniting one evening last
46 week," said Gracktor, "my wise mind did witness a surge of energy
47 departing from one point in the galaxy to an opposing point."
49 "A materialization?" asked the shaman.
51 "I believe to be so," said Gracktor. "Yes, and I may suggest combining
52 our energies to detect its origin."
54 "In your truthful mind, we do have faith, dear Gracktor of Geptok,"
55 said the shaman. They combined their mindful energies to witness the
56 surge that Gracktor mentioned. They knew where it was coming from, but
57 before they could even plan to make preparations, the culprits
58 revealed themselves among the Geptokian landscape.
60 The poor, peaceful Geptokians made a final heroic stand together
61 before their species was annihilated by the mad marauders with no home
62 planet of their own. These beastly creatures drifted upon space
63 garbage. Connected by strings of slime to each other, they rose from
64 beneath bushes and blades of grass that covered the face of Geptok.
65 They demanded all the sin-steel for their own planet.
67 "The cause of the energy surge has revealed itself to us at last,"
68 said the Geptokian shaman.
70 "We've decimated," said the slimy alien of the race known only as Acid
71 Beings. "We've taken from the planets out of your ring of stars. We'll
72 piece together our own world in time to populate it with our beautiful
75 The slime-covered beings twitched and revealed to be carrying living
76 offspring sacks underneath their slimy stomachs.
78 Two weeks went by after the Geptokians left the sin-steel on a flying
79 rock headed for Earth. They moved the sin-steel in time to avoid a
80 black hole opening, yet they were too late to save their own planet.
82 As Bxnak and Tomás continue towards their target, the space station
83 they left and the very existence of Tomás’ home planet is threatened
84 by an imbalance that requires more sin-steel to remedy its cause.
86 All of Sierra One awaits their return, including Captain Alves, Tomás’
87 father. Presently, the captain has retired for the night to his bunk.
88 He plays records and enjoys some aromas by himself. When he has
89 trouble sleeping, he returns to the flight deck to try communicating
90 with his son's ship. He stops himself before radioing to the
93 "You okay, sir?" asks a crew member that witnesses the captain's
96 "I'm having trouble seeing my son grow up," says Captain Alves. "He's
97 always going to be my son."
99 "I know that feeling, sir," says the crew member. He points to a
100 picture at his station to show the captain his twin girls. "They're
101 waiting for me to return to Earth. I've been here six months next
104 "Congratulations," says Captain Alves.
106 "I've missed two birthday parties already," says the crew member.
108 "I'm sure you miss them," says the captain.
110 "You bet I do," says the crew member. "I'll have lots of stories to
111 tell them when I get back" he says before indicating to the pictures
112 to show him once more.
114 The captain goes back to the transmitter. He pauses and looks at the
115 monitoring screen that shows the Star-splinter on its course. "All is
116 well, I suppose. I'll leave you alone for the night, my son," says the
117 captain. "Goodnight and godspeed."
119 When he leaves the flight deck he is confronted by the crew member
120 again. "What is it now?"
122 "Look!" exclaims the crew member. "There’s something coming our way
125 They look out the flight deck blast shield to witness the collision of
126 a mega-impactor vessel that was sent barreling towards the space
127 station. The result of the collision covers the charred fragments of
128 Sierra One in a coat of slime.