Starship Brakwine’s Log
Day 1065
Coffee machine ran out of ‘milk no sugar’ today. According to HESS, a pallet of concentrate is in the Sector 7G storage pod. That’s another job for a rainy day. Still orbiting the planet Starburst 67H. The distress signal I received seems to be coming from a crater. Test results still inconclusive on signs of life.
Day 1066
The Lovebot’s playing up again. She's now decided she's into women. HESS was laughing too much to be of any use. Sent a remote explorer down to Starburst 67H. Distress signal is increasing in power. Looking good for intelligent life.
Day 1067
Cleared another ten dead bodies out of the living quarters today. Shit it’s depressing. I knew them all. They were close friends until the virus hit. I’m still wondering why I’m immune. HESS says even viruses have standards and that’s why it won’t touch me. Tomorrow I’m going to reprogram his sarcasm filter.
Day 1068
Lovebot’s now straight again but doesn’t believe in sex before marriage. I proposed to her and she’s currently planning the wedding. HESS assures me he’ll be the vicar if I forget about reprogramming him. Remote explorer has found traces of Oxygen and Hydrogen on Starburst 67H. HESS says it’s capable of supporting intelligent life. He tried to make some wise crack about it not supporting me until I reminded him who controls the on off switch.
Day 1069
Engagement’s off. Caught her in the kitchen in a clinch with the toaster. She’s off sulking in one of the storage bays. HESS says to give her a day or two and she’ll come round. Remote ship has found an underground base on Starburst 67H. I’m trying to keep my hopes down after what happened on the planet Firewind, but this might be the one. So far, no traces of the virus in the planet’s atmosphere.
Day 1070
Lovebot took off in an escape POD last night. She left a message saying she wanted to travel the universe and discover herself. HESS said good riddance. Am starting to wonder if he’s had a hand in her malfunctions. Scanners have found traces of life in the seas of Starburst 67H. I’m getting the Surface Explorer ready, but it’s a ten man job and there’s only one of me. Should be ready the day after tomorrow.
Day 1071
Finally deciphered the message Starburst 67H is transmitting. It says there’s over 500 of them in an underground base. They warn the virus is still present on parts of the planet but their plan to kill it using modified atom blasts is succeeding. HESS warned it may be a trick, but I think he’s just nervous of losing me.
Day 1072
Surface Explorer’s ready. I’m leaving in ten minutes. HESS has told me of neutron gun installations all over the island and too much chlorine in the atmosphere but I’m sure he’s making it up. The Lovebot’s sent a message saying she’s made a mistake and is coming back. I told her not to bother, the wedding’s off.
Leaving now. I’ve left the ship in a low orbit and ordered HESS not to assume control unless I order him to. Once I'm there and settled, I'll get him to land - the food and supplies on board will be useful. I keep telling him I'll be back before he knows it but all he talks about is the bad feeling he's got about the planet. I'm gone.
No further messages.
7 comments:
Intriguing . . Felt like I reading clues to the pilot's future. Now I'm curious about a sequel. :)
Such a sinister tone throughout. I love this. I kept wanting to say, 'No. Don't go down there. Something's not right.', like when you watch a horror movie. And something terrible really does happen, and I have the feeling something terrible will happen here. Is there a possibility of a sequel so we could know? This is great.
Thanks cmstewart and Joyce. I knind of liked the idea of leaving it open at the end. Saying that, I did enjoy writing it so maybe a bigger story could be on the cards one day.
I love reading stories in journal form and this did not disappoint! Great job!
Boy, Charlie. you know just how to snap an old guy like me right back to the "Golden Age" stories (L.Sprague Decamp told me that he called it the "Copper Age" because, in his words, "The fuckers wouldn't pay over half a cent a word if you were God Almighty.")I'd put tis right up there with DeCamp,Bradbury,Beaumont,Sokol and the rest of those guys. This is one COOL story! Thanks for the trip Charlie. It rocked.
Thanks Flannery, yep logs and scifi were made for each other.
AJ Thanks, you're too kind. Got to admit I haven't read as much scifi as I'd like to have. I'll have to check out some of those names.
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