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And so it begins...
So here I am. A gazillion miles from home and stuck in a crysis travel chamber waiting for the damn computer to adjust for the atmosphere.
I took this job for many reasons. Mostly to get away. No family left, my daughter died in the last plague and her mother in the plague before. Didn't have any reason to stay and a million reasons to leave.
I hope the other colonists don't get out of crysis before I do. I'll spend twice as long trying to restore order then it will take me to get basic survival equipment on line.
Stupid computer is suppose to be way smarter than me. So why is it I'm still in this damn tube. Either I can survive the atmosphere or I can't. Not like I have a way of getting off this rock if it can kill me.
"LET ME THE HELL OUT ALREADY!!!"
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Fan fiction for EOTE. Awesome!
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Planet Date 05232012: Still stuck in crysis travel tube 3 hours after arrival on planet. Johnson, science nerd and second in command (the oracle only knows why), tells me that the computer still thinks it's in space. He says he *is making progress with the computer but from the noises I hear it sounds like a damn conversation with him on the begging end.
"Look be a good computer and accept the unlock code.
...Unlock code not accepted. Manual unlocking of capsule in space would lead to immediate depressurization and loss of life within the capsule...
Your not in space. Capsule has already landed on planet surface. If you were in space then I, Captain Johnson, would not be talking to you. Please open the capsule.
...Voice recognition not authorized in space. Voice recognition only authorized once capsule has reached destination...
Computer please analyise atmosphere.
...Atmosphere not possible in space. Nothing to analyise...
Computer analyise outside of capsule area please.
...Outside of capsule area registers atmosphere...
YES! I did it Commander.
...Atmosphere outside of capsule not possible. Running diagnostic on sensors. This will take three hours...
Umm *Commander.
JOHNSON...you think with all the stuff we brought in the supplies you might just go find a crowbar....AND GET ME OUT OF THIS DAMN TUBE.
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Planet Date 05242012: After being stuck in the crysis travel tube for 12 hours Johson finally got me out. Since he was getting me out that left Dr. Sassern in charge. She started everybody building shower stalls because she wanted to be clean in case we met any natives. So now we got plenty of showers but no kitchen or food supplies ready.*
"Dr Sassern why didn't we unpack the food?
I wanted to put our best foot forward for when we come into contact.
Come into contact with who Dr. *We specifically picked this planet because we were sure it was lifeless. In fact as I remember you were the one who stated such.
Yeah about that... I might have understated the whole lifeless thing.*
Dr...?!?!?
Well it wasn't an outright lie. This planet is minus intelligent life. It just has...visitors.
Visitors?
Just before we left we spotted what we thought was a probe in the system. But it was too late to call off the launch and...
DR.....That was five years ago....JOHNSON!!! Get every available body and start working on the factory. First thing I want built is a few probes and some defenses. Dr. Sassern YOU and your so called team of geniuses can start unpacking the food processors and the supplies for such.
But Commander you assume that they will be hostile. They might be friendly.
Well thats okay Dr. if they are anything like you they will assume my blaster is friendly. NOW GO UNPACK SOME FOOD!!!"
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Planet Date 05252012: I'm finally starting to relax a little after our initial 48 hrs of planet time. Basic supplies are unpacked and placed for all. Dr. Sassern isn't quite as bad as I gave her credit for. She is your typical scientist though. All brains and no damn common sense. Still, get her glasses off and stuff her in an evening gown, her and I would get along just fine. Johnson has been making sure the factory is operating as it should. Real soon we should be able to get something off this rock to scan the local system.
At the factory, "Johnson I want to launch probes and scout the system...
Yes commander, I been meaning to talk to you about that.
...And as soon as the probes are up I want the factory workers building an outpost.
Yes sir. As I was saying...
...That way we can ship the complainers away. I swear if I hear another word about how bad the bugs are here.
COMMANDER!
What?
I've been trying to tell you. We just now got the factory up and running.
What do you mean just NOW. You have been working on it for the LAST 48 HOURS!
Well sir, we all stayed at the factory late last night working in shifts. We were all very tired but we know how much you wanted things back up to speed and...
Johnson just get to the bad part. This does end badly right.
Yes sir. There was a small accident with the computer this morning and it stopped building everything we had in the queue, destroyed it, and started over from scratch.
Do I want to know why it did that?
Well sir...
NO. NEVER.... nevermind. Is it fixed now?
Yes sir.
Good come get me when the first probes are ready to launch.
Yes sir.
and Johnson...
Yes sir.
...don't talk to the computer. Some how I know it has to do with YOU and the computer.
Yes sir."
Now why is that soldier running straight at me. What now?
"Sir Dr. Sassern is trying to leave the protected zone to examine the local wildlife. We told her no one was to leave the area without your permission but she is very insistant and wants to see you right away."
sigh...*
...
laugh...
"Soldier, you and one other, escort Dr. Sassern anywhere she wants to go within one click of the camp.
Yes sir.
And soldier, if Dr. Sassern tries to pet anything and it attacks her, make sure it eats her hand before you shoot it and save her.
Sir???
Nevermind....just go.
Yes Sir."
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Planet Date 05262012: Finally launched probes today. Johnson in his continuing effort to earn my approval made 6 of them, spending a 25% of our limited resources. I kept my cool though. It could have been 60. We launched them about 3 hours ago. Should have some results soon. Dr. Sassern Found a pet or two and some plants she is excited about. Told her as long as she keeps them quarantined I don't have any problems. Course now she wants a bigger lab. Something about helping the population along
"Johnson, how are the probes doing?
Sir, we have had two probes send back reports of nearby systems.
Excellent. Anything resource worthy?
Yes sir. One system shows both a gas and jovien planet within it.
Excellent and the other system?
The other system has only rock planets in it with the exception of the Terran planet.
Terran Planet!! That's great news. We can aventually send a colony there.
Um sir. What if it's inhabited?
What if it's inhabited? Don't you know if it's inhabited Johnson? I mean you do have a probe there, right?
We had a probe there sir.
What do you mean had?
Well the probe scanned that system on it's way to it's destination system.
Johnson, anytime we find a terran planet we need to scan it for life and find out if we have neighbors. So tell the probe to turn around and go back to that planet.
Yes sir. We have a problem with that sir.
No WE don't have a problem with that.
We don't sir?
No WE don't. You Johnson. YOU have a problem with that.
Yes Sir.
Now then. I want you to turn the probe around and scan that terran planet.
I can't sir.
JOHNSON!
SIR, I can't. I told the computer not to accept any more commands from me until the probes finished their current orders.
Because of last time...
Yes Sir.
Computer!
Voice access denied.
COMPUTER!
Voice access denied.
Johnson?!?!
Sir, you remember we used the crowbars to get you out of the crysis tube.
Yes, I remember and that has what to do with this?
Well we damaged the tube trying to get you out.
GET TO THE POINT!
The computer thinks you died in space.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I need a drink.
I'm sorry sir.
Get away from me Johnson.
Yes Sir."
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This is good! I'd write some, but I'm too busy trying to figure the game out xD
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Planet Date 05272012: Johnson got the probe turned around today. I'm happy to report we have not discovered any aliens yet. Yet being the keyword as other probes have found possible life supporting planets. Those planets will have to be scanned one at a time until we get new probes. I don't have the resources to build new ones so we will have to make due. I have Johnson working on getting the first outposts ready to go. There are five other planets in our system that we will be able to mine from. Volunteers for mining duty shouldn't be an issue. People are bored out of their minds here.
Dr. Sassern has been researching the local plant life. Wants to talk to me about helping the population along. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mean playing 'hide the tentacle'.
"You wanted to see me Dr. Sassern?"
"You know you don't have to be so formal Commander. You can call me Janice."
Maybe she does want to play with my tentacle. "Really now. I kinda thought you were totally focused on your work?"
"Well of course I am. What does that have to do with you calling me Janice?"
"Oh, well it sounded like..."
"Like what Commander?"
"....You wanted to talk to me about helping the population along?"
"Oh, yes, I have been doing some research with the local plant life and I believe I have isolated a chemical reaction that will increase human reproduction."
"Really. I thought you scientists were more into clones?"
"No. A-sexual reproductions would not have sufficient genetic diversity to sustain a viable population. For a population to continue and grow there has to be procreation with genetic diversity."
Smile. "You don't say."
"Oh yes Commander, a female of our species can not get pregnant without procreating."
"Yeah, I'm aware of that Janice. Tell me Janice how old are you?"
"Twenty-six my next birthday."
"Okay. You were in school for how long?"
"Six years. Top of my class and one year ahead of standard average certification period."
"Of course you were. You have never had sex before. Have you?"
"Sex...? Oh, you mean procreating. No Commander. I have not."
"Yeah, us non genius types call it sex. You know I might be able to help you with some research."
"That would be great commander. What kind of research did you want to help me with?"
Sigh... "Sex. Fornication. You know nothing about it and you really should have some first hand experience, which I am more than happy to provide you."
"That is very generous of you sir."
"It will be my pleasure. I assure you."
"When did you want to do this research?"
"We can do it right now if you like."
"Great. Let me get my Holo-book so I can take notes."
"No problem. Make sure it has plenty of charge in it. This may take awhile."
"Okay." Type, type, type. "Procreation notes. Male Commander Marked. Female... Sir who is the female you will be procreating with?"
Blink...Blink... "What?"
"Who is the female you will be procreating ... having sex with."
"You mean you don't know?"
"No sir. You have not told me and I need it for my notes. That way I will be able to compare traits your offspring have with you and her."
"My offspring?"
"Yes."
"Goodbye Dr." Walks out of the lab.
Smile. "Goodbye Commander."
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Planet Date 05302012: The first outposts and short range harvesters are ready to go. There are five other planets in our system. We have two mining outposts to start with. Hopefully everything goes off without a hitch as our resources we brought with us are running low. If I have to tear this planet up for more resources I will. Would rather do it somewhere else and not destroy this planet like my predecessors did the last one.
"How we looking Johnson?"
"Good Sir. We are two hours till launch of the outposts. I am holding off the harvesters till we have confirmation the outposts are mining."
"Sounds good. How we looking for building some defenses?"
"As you know commander we are low on resources. Providing nothing goes wrong with the mining outposts , and the first shipments meet with no problems, I can have you some basic defenses or more outposts in a couple weeks. Either way we will be breaking even on resources until we get the other outposts up."
"I hate being low on resources with no reserves. Let's go with the outposts. We haven't received any scans from the probes to worry me yet. Once those outposts are up and were in the black on resources we can have better defenses than we could build now. Would that be a correct assessment Captain."
"Yes sir. That's pretty much it in a nutshell."
"Of course it is. You know Johnson this isn't my first rodeo. Back when I first entered the command I ....."
It's just a twinkling at first. Johnson looks to see what has captured the commanders attention. It's now a bright star in the middle of the day.
"Sir?"
"Like I said. It's not my first rodeo Captain."
"Defenses?"
"Defenses. Build me a new probe too. I'd like a scan of their equipment if we can.
"Right away sir. Should I cancel the launch of the outposts?"
"No. We need the resources and if they shoot them down we will know there intentions. However send both outposts to the same planet. Have one protect the other until it is up and running and then that outpost can continue on. Brief me when the outposts leave orbit."
"Yes sir."
"YOU THERE, SOLDIER!"
"What can I do for you sir?"
"Radio perimeter command tell them no more exploring outside the area. In fact tell them that I want a detail watching Dr. Sassern twenty-four seven and that she is not to be going on any more of her field trips. She can talk to me when she finds out."
"Yes Sir."
"Guess it's time to meet the neighbors."
"Sir?"
"Nothing. GET ON THOSE ORDERS!"
"YES SIR!"
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Feel free to comment folks. Looks like I have some readers and the story is getting to the point where I need to put some real time into it if it continues on. You can only banter between three people so long.
So if you would like to see more let me know. As you can tell I do use stuff from the forums as parts of the story. Anybody has a problem with that let me know.
Also if Zarksoft has any problems or would like this posted somewhere else. Please let me know.