Prologue: How we got here... Kinda
Prologue: How we got here... Kinda
Why we are here, why we are unable to get home, is all because of me. If I wasn't so afraid, we... Sorry, let me start over. Let me see, a good place to start... Three days before we got lost might be best.
My name is Marcus Smith, and I come from the planet Appollus. I wasn't good with holding a job. Before becoming a lawyer’s assistant, my longest streak with a job was a week. I made so many mistakes in my other jobs, that it was understandable that I was let go so fast. I’d have to say that I was rather good at being a lawyer’s assistant, seeing as how I quadrupled my previous best record for holding another job. My job was about to come to an end.
On my third to last day on Appollus, I looked at the calendar as soon as I got out of bed. It was that day: the end of the year. We—that is Titus and I—had a court case to do. Titus was my boss. He was the one that went up and questioned whoever was up on the stand. I just took notes, and helped him come up with questions to ask.
After getting ready for work I looked at the clock: 3:71. I didn't have to go in until 5:55, so I had a few hours to waste.
As I left my little apartment I looked back in and glanced at just how little I had in it. ‘Soon,’ I told myself. ‘I’ll soon be earning enough to fill this place.’ I had only walked a block before I saw Alice in her nurse's uniform. I never really thought that uniform looked right on her. I guess it was because her uniform was pink and yellow, but she normally wore black leather and chains. I've always liked the purple and white stars embossed on the uniform though, it just was a neat design. Her red curly hair bounced as she made her way up to me.
“Well, it looks like we’re up at the same time today,” Alice said when she was close to me. “Did you see the moons last night? They looked so beautiful.”
“I went to bed a little early last night. About 14:50 or so.” I hated having an apartment that make me leave my room to see something like that. If multiple eclipses happened by my bedroom window, or any of the windows actually, I’d stay up for it.
She looked a little upset, but the smile I love to see came back quickly. “It looked so gorgeous the way the moons were colored. Olympium was full, and Tartarin was being blocked half way by Olympium. I wish you could see it the way I can.” Alice has some kind of mutation that lets her see things that almost all of the public cannot see. Last I heard, it is not yet understood why or how she sees what she does. One of the long shot ideas was that light is a thing of some kind of waves, and only some of the waves is what we normal people can see. So some of the doctors thinks she might have more photoreceptors in her eyes. Or something. That was still being looked into when I left.
“Okay, next time, take a picture,” I joked. We talked and laughed for some time. I like her laugh, it’s kind of a soft laugh. We were near Anderson’s Law Offices, we just called it the office, when I saw a flyer posted on a restaurant window. I watched as person after person passed it.
If I recall correctly, Alice tried to say, “Marky, I want to ask you something.” My attention was still on the flyer. I had seen a few people look at it then shake their heads or quiver. I think Alice said something as I walked up to the flyer.
It looked too old. It had little strips that were meant to be torn off, but not one was. I imagine the flyer was once white, but it now took on an aged brown look. Some of the edges were frayed, and the wording hardly readable. From what I could read, it said;
“Journey and wonder!
Attain the respect of your peers and the world of Science!
Be the first to go where none have before!
Test the new spacecraft today!”The old flyer had a picture of a young Dr. Parker. Our newest client. Seeing as how most think of space travel as a death sentence, it’s no wonder Dr. Parker’s flyer hadn't been touched in all these years. If only people knew just how well he and his team had done. People wouldn't be so afraid of his ‘death sentence’. If only I didn't learn that.
Alice came up to me and looked at the flyer. “Is that him? He looks to be at least twenty years younger in this picture.”
I began to walk back to the office. “Yeah he does. Anyways, how about we meet up again later today?” I asked, seeing Alice sulk a little as I did. “I need to talk to Mr. Ode. We’ll see each other again.”
“Okay, see you at Buckers?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yes, we’ll meet up at our usual spot.” She seemed to perk up to that. I went into the office and went to Mr. Ode’s room. His room was filled with papers, books, and folders. Everyone at the office joked about how the mountains would crush him one day. I could barely see his eye look out the crack of two paper towers.
“Marcus? Is that you?” he asked. I still wonder how he could see as good as he did with such a small crack to use as a peep hole.
Now I can’t remember everything said, but it went something like this. I said, “Yes.”
He laughed and said, “Forget it.”
“But you don’t even—”
“Yes I do. It’s been the same for almost a month now. ‘I don’t like Mr. Cloud.’ ‘He’s so odd.’ ‘Everyone says he a robotic spy.’” I remember him using a whiny tone for his impression of me.
“But he—”
“Unless you want to quit, you’ll have to tolerate him. You still don’t have the built up time, the seniority needed to change who you work under. In only twenty-five days, you can change who your most direct higher up is. You just need to deal with him another full month.”
Well, quitting wasn't a good option. So I just asked for the papers. I figured that going over things one last time before we went to the courthouse was a good idea. I went to my office and looked at the time. It was 4:99. I basically had one more hour before Mr. Cloud would be in.
I kept wondering how someone was so stupid as to keep pushing for the return of his loan, when he had lost seventeen cases already. If Dr. Craig failed just one more time, $14,891 would be the least of his worries. Dr. Craig had given funds, well more like loans, to help Dr. Parker with his work. Seeing as how the tests weren't going as planned, Dr. Craig was suing... again.
I was interrupted by a deep monotone. “I see you have our papers. I, too, was thinking of giving them one last glimpse.” Titus. I hate hearing his almost unhuman monotone. “I suppose that we will work together then.” I looked at the clock once again. 5:12.
“Yeah, I guess so,” I said, trying to keep my frustration hidden. I pulled open the lowest cabinet drawer, pulled out one of the thick files, and used it to fill the gap from the drawer and the floor. “Take a seat. It’s all I have.”
The Robo-Man seemed to shrug and then took a seat on the drawer. I swear it looked as if his arms were made of sticks, and strings were being pulled by a puppeteer to make him shrug. “So, what do you have so far? Anything new to review?”
I sighed and responded with, “No, not really. No one had volunteered for the test, and I can safely say that the good Doc had done what he could to get some. I’m not sure what we can do... I don’t even understand how he lasted this long.” I was supposed to be the one that helped Mr. Cloud, but I was useless for this case.
“I have been wondering what to do for some time now, too,” that wretched monotoned voice said. “I am hoping something I have read in a book might help.”
I remember thinking very clearly, 'Oh no, not this again.'
He then went on to talk about this book, and some other things. I didn't listen to him for over forty minutes. I wasn't until our client came in that I started to pay attention again. We listened to him plead for our help. He really needed what little they had left, and wouldn't be able to pay off the rest for several years.
The three of us made our way to the courthouse fifteen minutes early. Me and Mr. Robo-Man sat on a bench outside the room and waited for the last court case to end at 6:30, while Dr. Worried rambled on. “I don’t know how we’ll ever get that money back. Why is he still doing this? Do you think he has a good lawyer? Is he mad about something else I or one of the other scientist did? I’d hate to lose, but I don’t want him to lose! This is the eighteenth time after all. I’d hate to see him lose.” His pacing was making me even more worried.
I tried to take a page from Mr. Cloud’s book: sit still and do nothing. Only thing is, after maybe something like five minutes of this, Titus said something. “Dr. Parker, If Dr. Craig wants to try his luck, let him. Do not worry about a man who is trying to take back his money simply because you and your team have not had ‘guinea pigs’ to work on.” He unfolded his arms and patted the gap between me and himself. “Sit. Relax.” Finally the Doc sat down, and we waited another ten minutes. Dr. Parker fidgeted that whole time.
When we got into the courtroom, I looked over to see who Dr. Craig's lawyer was. It was Ellsworth Battaglia. I've been in only one other case with him. Robo-Man has had more cases with him though. If I remember correctly, Mr. Battaglia lost that case. It was a close call, I think. Never did look up Mr. Cloud and Mr. Battaglia’s other cases.
Aside from looking over to see who we were up against, I did the usual. I just organized the files and papers on the desk. I then got all three of us some water.
I looked around to see how full the room was. I had an idea when I walked in, but seeing it from the front can change things, sometimes. That wasn't true this time. Not only were all the seat filled, but there had to be dozens of people standing. I guess Dr. Parker V. Dr. Craig is a big deal to the public.
Then we did all the normal crap for the judge. Sir Howard Spinner was new to me, possibly because I had only work in law for only a month. It was Mr. Battaglia who began things.
Mr. Battaglia stood up and addressed Sir Spinner. “My client, Dr Craig, has loaned money at the sum of $14,891. Dr. Parker has yet to finish his work, and my client wishes the loaned money returned.”
Seeing as how I was useless this case, I just zoned a lot of it out. The court hearing went on for maybe another five minutes. I was snapped out of my daze by some girls asking me things relating to Mr. Cloud.
After tapping my shoulder a few times, one asked, “Is he always like that?”
“Yes,” I quickly said without looking back at her.
“Why—?” began her friend.
“Don’t know, shut up. I’m working.”
“Bu—”
“Shhhh!”
Titus had just finished making his point, which I missed, and the FCL, Final Court Level, judge was thinking it over. I looked over to poor Mr. Battaglia. He and his client didn't look too good. After Titus said just one sentence, the reality of Dr. Craig's earnings sank in. “Sir Howard Spinner,” Titus fully addressed the judge, “Is it necessary for me to repeat?” he asked, though not quite sounding like a question with his monotone. “Dr. Julius Parker is not the one at fault, but he merely lacks volunteer test subjects for the test in question.”
The judge looked annoyed that he hadn't asked for a repeat of the last statement. “Mr. Cloud, if I needed you to repeat yourself, I’d have told you to do so.” The judge continued to think things over. He looked back up and said, “Dr. Craig. This is indeed a valid point. If there aren't any volunteers for the project, then that places it out of Dr. Parker’s hands.” The judge picked up his marble ball, and prepared to slam it down on its holder. “I rule in favor of the defendant, Dr. Julius Parker. Because Dr. Craig has lost eighteen times, I order that Dr. Samuel Craig pay all eighteen courts and judges that you have wasted the time of and the defendant the requested sum of $14,891. Each. That’s $550,967. In addition, because Dr. Craig has lost so many times, he is no longer able to bring this complaint up in court again.” He slammed down the gavel loudly enough to make it echo in the packed courtroom. “Court is adjourned.”
I knew that if Dr. Craig lost again, that he would have to pay so much. I just didn't think that he would lose. It goes without saying that most of the people watching this case had similar thoughts as me. The idea that someone might win a case with a technicality is so rarely seen or done, it just came out of nowhere. If you wanted to talk to someone, you had to basically yell at them due to the confused spectators murmuring. This case had me thinking of something since we got it five days ago.
“Oh thank you, thank you both!” thanked Dr. Parker, as he shook Titus’ hand with vigor. “All I need is—”
“Test subjects, I know,” I interrupted. “About tha—”
He quickly turned his attention and strong hands on me. “Yes, yes, exactly! Mr. Smith, you are so very right!”
I freed my hand and continued. “About that new test, is there anything special I’d need to know to volunteer?”
“Well we would like some training, but we are unable to give it. Time restraints and all. So we have manuals made up, but it’s more for if anything goes wrong...” He paused, as his shockingly slow mind was processing what I asked. “Oh! You want to volunteer! Yes, yes, you can! It’s supposed to be safer than our last tests, but with no one to do the experiments, we can’t truly say!” He laughed.
If I had to choose between working with Robo-Man for another month, or testing my poor luck with an untested, potentially deadly spacecraft test, I’d pick being away from Titus. And I did... kind of. “So I’d be of some help as I am? Sounds good to me. I’m in.” I felt good about being of some real help for once in my life.
Then this happened: Mr. Cloud spoke up. “I, too, am intrigued by the study. If I had known of it sooner, I would have been your first test subject.”
I remember thinking, 'Ah shit.'
“If there are manuals, can I get them? I would like to help advance the human race.”
I was about to retract my offer when I saw Dr. Parker’s face light up. I didn't know if I would get my own ship or if I’d still work with Mr. Cloud, but I wanted to do something with my life. Even if it ended my life.
Not long after, the good doc told us to go to lab B42 in two days. I can’t remember everything said. The group working on the spacecraft needed some time to get things ready for testing. This gave me and Titus time to say our goodbyes.
I went back the the office and spoke with Mr. Ode. I told him that I was going to do this. I may not remember everything said, but I do remember him say, “Kid, if you make it back here alive, I’ll promote you to Titus’ rank.” Big talk seeing as how Titus was the fifth best lawyer in our firm.
I thought that if I spent some time at home, I’d know what to say to my friends. I got back to my small and empty home at 10-something. I thought and thought. Seeing as how one of my thoughts was that I would need to finish off the food I have in two days, I began work on that. I still needed to know what to say to my friends, so I kept thinking until I watched the clock flip from 20:99 to 0:00. I went to bed late, but the sleep helped.
Out of all my dearest friends, my closest friends, I can only remember things about one of them. Alice. I've spent so much time traveling and seeing... new things, that it is now hard to remember things for Appollus. I had gone and spent the whole day at the bar, Buckers. I had spent my money wisely over the day waiting for my friends to come by. I remember two of my friends were sad as I told them what I was going to do. I think it was Chris and Ella. Jeff and Alice, well that is Alice for sure, seemed worried and unsure as to what to say.
At ten-or-so, it was just me and Alice. The other three had to rest up for work. “So, so, then, he says he wants to, too. Saying he wants to help ‘advance the human race,’” I drunkenly said. I may have been drinking slowly, but I still had been all day.
“Wow, Robo-Man wants to help us,” said my less-drunk friend Alice.
“I-I know right.” My head was getting closer and closer to the bar table with every passing word I said.
Alice leaned up to me, using the bar table to help balance her on the bar stool. “Well Mark, if it was just you, I’d be worried. But, if he’s with you, then you should be safe,” she said, just before she kissed my cheek. I can still barely remember the sound of her chains clinking rapidly as she moved in and away from me.
I jumped so high, that I almost fell to the floor. I think she almost did too. “Wha—” I said in my stupor. “Did you—? Are you—? When did this- this happen?”
She giggled at me and said, “Back in school.”
‘What?!’ my mind shouted at me. I didn't notice anything for nearly ten years?! Well I guess it could be that she hid her feelings well. Knowing myself though, I’d have missed it. No matter how clear it was. 'Did she know that about me?' I asked myself. I was thinking that this had to be a joke.
She continued, “I’m a little sad that you’re going. I was going to use tonight to say what I've been feeling...” she paused and frowned. “I guess that’s what I have been telling myself for a long time.” This gave me something new to think about that night as I went to bed. Should I stay or should I go?
I got up early the next day. This was ‘the day’, but I had a few things to do first. I went to the courthouse before Alice was up for work. I found an empty courtroom, and let the wood overwhelm me. I now didn't have spectators, Robo-Man, judges or anything as a distraction. It was just me and the room. Soon the smell of possibly six different woods melding together hit my nose in a new way, focused on how I can almost tell the differences in the woods used by simply feeling, and even how shiny and smooth the marble gavel was. I spent what felt like hours, but was just minutes walking around the empty room. This was likely going to be my last time to do so. Who knew what would go on in this experiment?
As I headed back, I thought it should be close to the time that Alice would be heading off to work. I was right. She was walking past my apartment building in her pink and yellow nurse’s outfit. I ran to catch up to her from her apartment building and shouted, “Wait!”
She stopped and straightened her back out. I guess she was shocked. She turned around, and after she saw it was me she waved with one hand and rubbed her cheek with the other. “I have something to give you.” I called out. I was still trying to close the block-and-a-half from my place and hers.
Her eyes widened for a moment. “Oh yeah? What is it?”
As I finally got within arms’ length, I pulled her into a kiss. One on the lips, not her cheek. The possibility of being in a relationship was still a shock to me, so I don’t think that I did it right, yet I tried. I only wish that I might get a second chance to do it right. “Now we’re even,” I said as I pulled back. She was unsure what to make of this. “So now with no debts, I can go die in space right?” I laughed.
She hit me on the chest with an air-killing blow. “No! You kissed me on the lips, I kissed you on the cheek! I now owe you a few more kisses on the cheek. You better live and come back to claim them.” We laughed and talked for close to an hour. I think her laugh sounded a little forced. Then again I didn't know Alice’s feeling about me for ten years. How could I trust my instincts?
I still had a few hours till I needed to go to lab B42. So we talked. Nothing major really. At least I don’t remember anything major being said. Even though things seemed more or less normal, I wasn't so sure if leaving when I got my first girlfriend was such a good idea.
I got to the lab at about 7:00 or so. I opened the door to what looked like a four- or five- story building. When I was inside, I saw it was just one massive room.
My eyes fell onto the overwhelming focus of the lab: the spacecraft. It stood thirty or forty feet tall. It was centered in the room, in a way I thought four more were laid down to help center it. The massive ship had only two seats. I saw this from how small the cockpit was. The lower portion of the craft was nothing but rockets. There seemed to only be paint to cover any imperfections. It needed to be completely smooth, and with the help of the paint, it was. I could see some of the white coats getting things ready all around the spacecraft. So many wires being crammed into it.
I looked on the ground below the craft, and saw a metallic mesh. I looked up and saw the roof would open up. Not just a portion, the entire roof was to be lifted up by many thin robotic arms. I noticed why the ship was so eye-catching as I looked around more. Almost everything was pulled as far away as possible from the spacecraft. Most sat against the walls. Seeing all the white coats run around did look kinda funny.
After maybe a minute I saw Robo-Man reading a tomb of a manual. I guessed he was there for hours seeing as how he was almost done with it. I then saw one of the white coats stop dead, then look at me. “Hi, I—” I began.
He ran up to me, grabbed my hand, and shook it like he was trying to rip it off. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the glee in his eyes, or see so much in another person again. “Ah, yes, the other subject!” With that, about a fourth of the room stopped and looked at me. It wasn't long until they ran up to me, trying to shake my hand.
I looked at all the joy I was bringing, and I gave in. If I’m remembering correctly I thought, 'Maybe I really can do something with my life. Maybe I can help. Maybe I should go. Even with him.' I turned to them and said, “Yes. I am.”
“Great! Well here’s the manual. Read fast, because we need to start soon. Here’s your suit,” he said as he gave me the manual and a very thin shiny gray suit.
I looked at the suit with some major doubt. “Will this thin thing really help me out there?”
Then my fears came back as he shrugged. “Tested just as much as our spacecraft. By our guess, it should help.”
“How?! If I remember correctly, it was said that there is no air in space! How will this help without some kind of... well... air thingy device?”
“Sadly, by our guess, it would be best for some kind of helmet. We don’t have that kind of money to make three airtight seals, so we just made the cockpit airtight.” I was shocked. But I guess it did make sense. Even if only a little bit of sense. “Okay, now go change.” I looked around and was reminded that there was no other room. He must have seen that worry in me and said, “Don’t worry, no one here will look around while there’s work to do. Just change fast.”
Oh, I did changed fast. When I was done, I grabbed the manual and asked one of the white coats what we were going to be doing exactly. She said something about testing a new propulsion system, or something. She said it in a way that sounded like it was Hippodamian or something. Seeing as it wasn't Titan, I just nodded my head and left for the cockpit.
It was a long climb up. When I was at the top of the ladder, I looked around the place one more time. The room was full, for lack of a better word, of computers and wires. I got into my seat. That wasn't easy seeing as how I was sitting on my back and not my ass. I still had to raise my legs up as if I was sitting normally. When Mr. Cloud got in he used a bar that I didn't notice, to ease himself into the seat. I looked at him and thought, 'Show off.'
I felt under my seat and found a locker that would hold my manual and a few small things I might want to bring with me. So I of course stored the tomb there. Seeing Mr. Cloud strap himself in, I did the same. I looked up to the white coat who was going to close the cockpit. “Okay,” he began in a chipper tone. “So, seeing as how you two have read the manuals,” I didn't but still, “you know what is going on. Nothing should go wrong, but if so...” his pause made me worry, “well it’s in the manual. Hope you enjoy your flight from lab B42.”
Before I could ask what could go wrong, an intercom turned on. It was one of the white coats. “Launch in fifteen minutes.” After that, I heard the roof doors opening. They opened so slowly, and the light seemed blinding after being in the lab for so long. And maybe because we were forced to look at the sun too. After I heard, “Launch in ten minutes,” I was finally able to peek a look around the cockpit. Some of the screens and buttons were slowly turning on.
I soon felt like we were being lifted into the air. I heard another metallic thing working hard. My guess was that the ship was being raised by something. “Five minutes to launch.” I was glad he changed it up a little, but that didn't help to slow down my heart rate. I leaned forward to grab my manual, but Titus pulled me back. I grabbed my straps, and kept my eyes closed.
In what felt like to be too soon for the white coat to announce, “Launch in 10,” echoed in my head.
'Here it comes,' I thought. 'We’ll blow up and be just another failed test.' My mind was working on its own to scare me. How some of the first trials went came to haunt me. I felt my pulse go up.
“9.”
I opened my eyes for what felt like forever. I saw all the lights were on. “Automatic Start System engaged,” said one of the screens. “Rocket Sets Alpha starting.” I then heard the rockets power up.
“8,” he said, seeming to have raised the microphone's volume so we can hear him.
My eyes looked around the screens some more. “Environmental System starting.” I needed to do something to block out that horribly loud set of rockets, and looking at the screens seemed to help. “Warp Engine starting up. Warp Engine standing by.”
“7.”
I had to ask if seconds or minutes were being counted. “All Starting Systems clear.”
I thought, 'What if we don’t have air? What if we freeze?'
“6.”
I needed to run. I couldn't run. Not only was the spacecraft ready to fire up, but I was strapped and petrified.
“5.”
The rockets got louder. It was really getting hard to hear what was being said now. I looked back at the screens. “Secondary Systems running.”
“4.”
“Safeties engaging.”
“3.”
“Fail Safes running.” At that moment, the screens made me worried. I had to shut my eyes again.
“2.”
The rockets got louder once again. The cockpit jerked us around from the overwhelming force of the rockets and gravity. I thought I was going to get knocked out by the forces.
“1.”
That was it. I know he said more, but the rockets lowered the white coat’s voice to that of a whisper far away. I felt the ship go up slowly but building up speed. I thought the taps on my shoulder were a broken ship part hitting me. With caution, I opened my eyes to see Titus tap me once or twice more. He pointed to the glass above us.
Appollus looked so... indescribably beautiful. It looked small. Was so small. So insignificant. Just a shrinking red, blue, and green ball. Soon we passed the orbit of Olympium. It looked as if we were about to hit it, but we had plenty of space. I later learned that our ship had an above-normal amount of fuel. We wouldn't have made it to this point if we had a “normal” amount for a ship of this size.
“Power on the Warp Engines!” said Titus, having to yell over the rockets.
I looked on the screens and saw only one thing saying Warp: “Warp Engines ready. Warp Engines not engaged.”
I looked back at him, and tried to point at the screen. My arm felt so heavy. If I didn't know better, I’d say someone had used rubber bands to try and restrain me. “Which one?” I looked back at the screens and buttons. My eyes fell onto a red button with “W” on it. I looked back to the shockingly wide-eyed face of the normally stone cold face of the Robo-Man. As I tried to point a the red button, I asked, “This one?”
His voice conveyed his shock as he answered, “Yes.” In the month I worked with him, I had never heard him use anything other than an emotionless monotone. Nor had I seen his face show anything other than a bland, blank, emotionless face.
I pressed the red “W” button, and it turned green. The rockets stopped, I could hear once again, and the solar system was replaced with rapidly retreating stars. The sound of fire being blasted, seemingly, right behind my head was replaced by a far quieter, metallic wheezing beast.
I turned to Mister know-it-all, who had just regained himself, and asked him, “So how long are we going to do this exactly?” I felt my pulse without using my fingers. The throb in my arms, neck, and chest told me my heart rate was high all on their own.
Titus’s eyes widened again. “ Didn't you read the manual?” Something else new, him using contractions.
I looked down in shame, which made my forehead contribute to the collection of body parts telling me my pulse. “Ah, no. I didn't.”
He grabbed his manual from under his seat and flipped pages until he was on a picture of a constellation. Titus held the book up and pointed to the picture. “The computer is set to turn us around at this point.” He then points to some of the buttons in front of us. “If the worst were to happen—”
I learned that my head didn't like being lifted any less than lowered. I also was now getting pulse readings from my feet and hands. It felt as if the spacecraft was shaking, but I knew it was just me. I hurried up and asked “Such as?” interrupting him.
After seeing he could be shocked, I would say he was annoyed at this point. He didn't show it, I’m just guessing. “Such as, we get too close to some of the stars or planets. Or the computer goes past our mark. Or—”
I held up a hand to stop him. “Yes alright, I got it.”
“If the worst were to happen,” he began again, “we can use these buttons here to plot a new point. Such as Appollus."
I saw floating dots and wavy lines in my vision. At some point, I can’t remember when, my vision began to tunnel. I leaned towards the controls. “So, how does it work?”
“These ten arrows are for manual control.”
My mind worked on its own. 'The test is kind of done.' I thought.
“If a button is red, what it is for is not in use.”
“I just got a girlfriend.” I didn't feel it then, but now things were all done and over with, I know at that moment my hand was lifted.
“If the button is green, then it is in use.”
'It’ll still be seen as I have done something with my life.' I felt my index finger extend.
“If it’s black, it is used for control, such as the speed.”
I felt my index finger press a button. 'I don’t need to be around Robo-Man no more.'
“Over half of the controls are for th-”
I cut him off when I pressed the black button with an up arrow and a ‘Y’ on it. 'The test is done. My work is done. I've helped all of mankind for once in my life. I've done it.' My mind continued, unaware of what my body was doing. The craft jolted from the shock of a new course given so suddenly. We didn't stay conscious for long after that. I think that we might have been out cold as soon as it happened.
The first I can recall after my little blunder is a feeling of indescribable “oddness.” It’s my guess that such a thing has never happened, so there is no true way to describe it. The best I can do is say it felt as if my body wasn't my body. I hadn't yet opened my eyes, and things seemed wrong. I tried to lift my left arm, but my right foot lifted instead. I tried to lift my head, but something else happened. I don’t know what, but something other than my head lifted. I tried to open my eyes, but my ears seemed to turn.
It took a long time for me to figure out how to open my eyes. I needed to wait for the blurry vision to pass still. Without my normal eyesight, I could still see my nose. It looked to be longer and blue. My first thought was that I broke my nose, but it would be shorter, not longer. A little of my vision came back and I could see what I could only guess was my arms. They were also blue. My hands seemed to be gone. With so many things not seeming right to start with, I did my best to shove not having hands to the side. I more needed to work on moving than worry about my body itself.
I was looking on an angle downwards to the broken glass-hatch-door of the cockpit. It seemed as if some natural light was beaming in. I finally was able to turn my body. How; I don’t know. My vision was almost back, and I was trying to unlatch the belts holding me in. I thought I saw more odd things, but held it as delirium. In the end, the only three things that made me think that I was in my own body was the silver suit, being in the spacecraft, and this body moved as I willed it. Albeit not how I wanted it to move.
The button to unlatch me was out of my reach, but an orange glow pushed in the button. I was now free. And on my face. I had fallen onto a still unbroken portion of the glass hatch. It didn't break with me falling on it though. It took some time before I was able to turn around and see what helped me.
With my vision now back to normal, I saw some of the glass was open enough to crawl out. Some light from outside was coming into the cockpit. Standing in front of me and the spiky hole was some kind of equine. I saw it had a horn lit with an orange aura. The light from its horn made it easier to see. If it wasn't for that, it would be silhouetted. With its light, I was able to see the horse was orange and had a lime-green mane. I also saw what I was only able to think of as anger in its eyes. Later I’d notice it had the orange glow under its belly and was wearing a silvery suit.
"Why did you do that Marcus?" it said in a familiar monotone voice.
What I have learned:
If you have lost a case 17 times, don’t push your luck.
I know shit about how others feel.
I should have never left on that spacecraft.
I’m a bigger moron than I thought.
Fear will make me do dumb things.
Titus does have emotions and can use contractions.
Titus will have a monotone no matter what body he has.
What I still needed to learn:
How to not act on my fear.
Why we crashed.
Where we crashed.
If I’m okay.
If Robo-Man is okay.
Most of all, how to move.
Author's Note
Editors: Not Worthy - DreamWings - Daetrin
Temp cover art by Brisineo.
Looking for cover artist.
I like taking things and ideas and warping them. Hens this story.
Also, if you got any ideas as to where or when Marcus and Titus go, ideas on who or what they come across, or even concepts to play with, say them in the comments. I might just use them. If I do, I'll note it. Yay communities.
