The research vessel cruised through space, its thrusters at low power, propelling the ship forward at a snail's pace. The IGS Joyful was her name, and she carried a crew of thirty, including twenty scientists and ten military personnel for protection. She had been sent into deep, uncharted space to try and find other planets, preferably capable of supporting life. Even better if life already existed on it. She was already well beyond the borders of known space and almost out of communication range.
"This is Captain Ureah. Is everyone on board doing okay?" A slight pause. "We are already ten parsecs beyond the borders of known space, and should be approaching the outpost in a few hours." He says.
"Uhhh... Sir?" A techie mutters, frowning at a glowing screen. "Sir, we're coming up on an asteroid field!" He calls out.
"Stay calm. It's nothing out of the ordinary. Engage the ADS, and let the computer take care of the rest." He says. The techie nods and presses a few buttons.
"ADS online, sir." The techie says, glancing back at the captain.
"Good. Maintain course to Proximus 1." The captain says as the ADS begins blasting the asteroids into harmless chunks of rock.
A few hours later, the ship begins to come up on what seems to be the remains of a planet.
"That's odd. Navigator, are you sure we're in the right place?" He asks, glancing at a woman to his right.
"Uhh... Yes, sir. We seem to be in the right place." She murmurs, frowning.
"Check again."
"I just did. We're in the right place. But... How...?" She mutters, looking outside.
"Captain! Planet sized mass showing up on the radar!" A crew member calls out.
"Ah. Told you we were in the wrong spot. Change course, and head for Proxima 1!" He calls out cheerily.
The ship begins to turn towards the planet, speeding up a bit.
"Hang on... Captain... I'm detecting massive biological readouts from the planet surface. Wasn't it supposed to be barren?" The techie asks, frowning.
"Yes. It was." He says, frowning.
"Hang on... Those signs aren't coming from the planet... They ARE the planet!" Someone yells.
The bridge bursts into murmurs of confusion and surprise.
They all fall silent when they see giant tentacles start to uncoil and reach for the ship.
"My... God..." The captain murmurs, staring with shock at the massive thing. Until it opens its maw, revealing rows upon rows of teeth that were easily the size of a small moon. This finally startles the captain into action.
"Turn! Get us the hell away from this monster!" He yells.
The ship begins to turn and speed away from the massive thing. But... The ship was slow. Too slow. The tentacles wrap around the back of the ship, and slowly start dragging it towards the mouth. Closer and closer, until it finally crunches down on the ship, silencing their voices forever.
Meanwhile, in the Middle Ring...
Zalia hears loud pounding on the door, followed by the sound of her boss's voice. "Hey! Wake the fuck up! We're approaching Cato Five! Get your ass out of bed and help us load the shit!" He yells, and she can hear him walking away. Well... Looks like it was time to get to work...
The smuggler ship Rancid Melon was her new home, since they had picked her up from her planet. The crew... Was full of dicks. They stole from her, from each other, and made no secret of it. They had to replace a new crew member almost once a week, because the last one had gotten killed stealing something. But... Well... It was home. For now.
"This is Captain Ureah. Is everyone on board doing okay?" A slight pause. "We are already ten parsecs beyond the borders of known space, and should be approaching the outpost in a few hours." He says.
"Uhhh... Sir?" A techie mutters, frowning at a glowing screen. "Sir, we're coming up on an asteroid field!" He calls out.
"Stay calm. It's nothing out of the ordinary. Engage the ADS, and let the computer take care of the rest." He says. The techie nods and presses a few buttons.
"ADS online, sir." The techie says, glancing back at the captain.
"Good. Maintain course to Proximus 1." The captain says as the ADS begins blasting the asteroids into harmless chunks of rock.
A few hours later, the ship begins to come up on what seems to be the remains of a planet.
"That's odd. Navigator, are you sure we're in the right place?" He asks, glancing at a woman to his right.
"Uhh... Yes, sir. We seem to be in the right place." She murmurs, frowning.
"Check again."
"I just did. We're in the right place. But... How...?" She mutters, looking outside.
"Captain! Planet sized mass showing up on the radar!" A crew member calls out.
"Ah. Told you we were in the wrong spot. Change course, and head for Proxima 1!" He calls out cheerily.
The ship begins to turn towards the planet, speeding up a bit.
"Hang on... Captain... I'm detecting massive biological readouts from the planet surface. Wasn't it supposed to be barren?" The techie asks, frowning.
"Yes. It was." He says, frowning.
"Hang on... Those signs aren't coming from the planet... They ARE the planet!" Someone yells.
The bridge bursts into murmurs of confusion and surprise.
They all fall silent when they see giant tentacles start to uncoil and reach for the ship.
"My... God..." The captain murmurs, staring with shock at the massive thing. Until it opens its maw, revealing rows upon rows of teeth that were easily the size of a small moon. This finally startles the captain into action.
"Turn! Get us the hell away from this monster!" He yells.
The ship begins to turn and speed away from the massive thing. But... The ship was slow. Too slow. The tentacles wrap around the back of the ship, and slowly start dragging it towards the mouth. Closer and closer, until it finally crunches down on the ship, silencing their voices forever.
Meanwhile, in the Middle Ring...
Zalia hears loud pounding on the door, followed by the sound of her boss's voice. "Hey! Wake the fuck up! We're approaching Cato Five! Get your ass out of bed and help us load the shit!" He yells, and she can hear him walking away. Well... Looks like it was time to get to work...
The smuggler ship Rancid Melon was her new home, since they had picked her up from her planet. The crew... Was full of dicks. They stole from her, from each other, and made no secret of it. They had to replace a new crew member almost once a week, because the last one had gotten killed stealing something. But... Well... It was home. For now.
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