“Master, a message has arrived from central command.”
The cold feminine voice echoes in the ship awakening me from my sleep chamber.
“Understood, connect me at once.”
“Right away, master.”
“Environmental Repair Cyborg Vitan Mark 90, we have received your report in regards to planet Marshugan. It seems you had no interference in completing your mission.”
“Affirmative, repair of planet Marshugan was completed to 100% with no impediment and ready is for migratory re-habitation.”
“Your work was exemplary however; we will need you to divert from your return to command.”
“Understood, what is the next mission?”
“You will proceed to planet Midengard. The coordinates have already been sent to your ship’s computer.”
“Warning, I and my ship are critically low in Vitran Particles needed to perform repair of planet Midengard within tolerance.”
“Command understands your situation and has a new pod for you to rendezvous with in Five Parsecs. The beacon identification has been sent to your computer.”
“Understood, please state the mission.”
“Your mission is twofold: One – repair the planet Midengard for re-habitation, Two – We have lost contact with Environmental Repair Cyborg Mark 88 who was previously performing mission one. You are to investigate what happened to Mark 88. Do you understand this mission?”
“Understood.”
“As planet Midengard was one of the first planets destroyed, the only logs known about Planet Midengard have also been sent to your computer, Central Command bids you well.”
“Environmental Repair Cyborg Vitan Mark 90 confirms missions and will proceed to planet Midengard. End transmission.”
“Your orders, master?”
“Proceed to the beacon to recharge our supply of Vitran Particles, and then change course to planet Midengard via the coordinates provided by Central Command.”
“Understood, master. Executing commands.”
I begin reading the logs provided by Central Command until we reach the recharge pod and we recharge our supply of Vitran Particles.
“Master, our recharge is complete. Shall I set course to Planet Midengard?”
“Afirmative, proceed to Planet Midengard.”
“Order confirmed, course set to Planet Midengard.”
“Computer, I will shut down until we are within range of Planet Midengard. Please notify me when we arrive.”
“Understood, master. Rest well.”
I close my eyes, set all my systems to standby and drift off.
The first thing I see is the golden wanzral crop waiving in the wind as I hear a voice.
“Father, is the grain all ready for harvest?”
My son looks up at me with his violet eyes, his black medium length hair matching the waving of the wanzral.
“Yes, it is my son but, we will have to do so tomorrow morning. Now, please get your sister so we can join your mother for our mealtime.”
“Yes, father. Anastria! It is mealtime!”
Rigan runs off toward the barn yelling.
I pick up my bag that was sitting next to me and go to my home a short distance away.
Once I reach the door, I leave my footwear outside and enter.
As I arrive inside, I see Shatara, on her way to the door.
“Oh! I was just about to call you.”
I gaze into her violet eyes as she reaches up to let her long blue-green hair down.
“The children are on their way here.”
Just as she about to reply everything goes black and I am awoken to a message from the ship’s computer.
“Master, I am sorry to disturb your rest but we are close to planet Midengard.”
I turn my personal systems back on and exit the sleep chamber.
“Understood.”
“I have also detected power readings on the moon of Munin.”
“The records state there were observatory bases on both moons Munin and Hugin however, the base on Hugin was destroyed by an asteroid bombardment and all salvageable materials were transferred to Munin.”
“The power readings are emanating from the observatory base on the moon Munin.”
“Set us in orbit at the moon Munin. I will investigate. The base should have been dormant for hundreds of solar rotations. Logic would dictate that the power was most likely restored by Mark 88. Perhaps there is information as to Mark 88’s whereabouts.”
“I will prepare the transport pod for you.”
“Set me down nearest the entrance.”
“Yes, master.”
I go to the transport pod entrance and enter.
Once I enter and press the switch to seal the pod, I let the computer know I am ready for transport.
“The pod is sealed and ready for inertial stasis and transport to the surface of moon Munin.”
“Enabling inertial stasis and launching pod to the surface of moon Munin. Safe journey, master.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The stasis wears off, I attach addons configured for oxygen deficient areas with zero-gravity and then exit the pod.
I survey the immediate area leading up to the entrance to the observation base.
My first observation is there are foot prints from that of an Environmental Repair Cyborg.
They must have been made by Mark 88.
The foot prints lead up to the door.
Once I reach the door, I notice a key panel next to a handle.
The keys appear to prepare the transition chamber for arrival of those that were outside the facility so that they can remove their environmental suits.
I press the key to empty the room of air and then turn the handle once the signal is provided to let me know the chamber is ready for my arrival.
The door opens automatically and I step inside.
I turn around and press the button to seal the room and pump air into the chamber.
When Mark 88 arrived, there must have been no power.
It would take little effort for him to force the door open and make his way further.
Once the power was restored the base must have gone into failsafe mode and resealed the doors to prevent the air from escaping.
The air is filled in the chamber and I turn off the addon providing me with air.
I walk over to the door on the other side of the chamber and press the button to open the door to the rest of the facility.
There are no signs of life that I can detect but, there are piles of gray dust like remains from the people that were here and were killed by The Raganrog.
I continue surveying the facility until I reach the main observation room.
Many workstations are laid out the room but one was powered on.
I make my way over to it to investigate what information may still be intact.
Hmm, I don’t recognize these symbols.
“Computer, the computers here have symbols I do not recognize. Is there any information in the data banks somewhere?”
“I will check for you, master.”
While I wait for my reply, I continue to assess the rest of observatory base.
“Master, I have found a match for the symbols you sent me. It was used in many forms in some planets. After compiling the information this should be the standard writing style for planet Midengard.”
“Understood. Recall language for planet Midengard.”
“Command confirmed. Transmitting data.”
I return to the console that was powered on and on the screen is scientific observations of organic meteorites in their solar system.
“Computer, was there any traces of Kirtov in the area when we entered the system?”
“I did not encounter any while navigating the system but, there were powdered remnants that would suggest that The Raganrog came into contact with some Kirtov, master.”
“Your hypothesis is sound. Query, do you detect any Kirtov on the surface of planet Midengard?”
“Master, I detect fifteen faint life signs across the surface of planet Midengard. The signs align with that of the Kirtov in stasis mode. I am also detecting some odd atmospheric disturbances on eight of the nine continents.”
“Understood. I will be finished here in five minutes.”
“I will prepare for your arrival, master.”
I continue going through the remaining information but, most information is unimportant scientific observations about the local solar system and experiments on materials that were found in space.
The final entries document Raganrog making its way toward planet Midengard the observers here notifying a place called Odin’s Court.
Once I finish looking through the information, I turn the power off and leave the observatory base, return to the transport pod and seal the door.
“The pod is sealed, ready for stasis and return transport back to the ship.”
“Enabling inertial stasis and retrieving transport pod.”
Once the pod returns to the ship, the inertial stasis dissipates and I exit the pod.
“Welcome back, master. What are your orders?”
“Commence conversion of the observation base materials to that of the moon Munin and then proceed to orbital proximity of planet Midengard. The information at the observation base was minimal. The logs sent by central command states that the center of information lies on the continent of Asgard. Once we reach orbit prepare the enhanced transport pod for deployment.”
“Yes, master.”
A large beam of light envelopes the observation base and it crumbles into dirt no different to that of the native soil of moon Munin.
Once the conversion is finished the ship leaves orbit and begins its trajectory toward planet Midengard.
As I stand watching my arrival on the outside display, something inside me is telling me these missions will be more difficult than any I have ever undertaken.