In The Vastness Of Stars
08-13-11, 04:50 PM
1. Personal Journal of Blake Andrews, Captain of the Imperial Galaxy Ship Runaway:
Date: July 25th, 2385
I have been given orders to investigate a questionable power source in the Aphrodite Quadrant. It seems as though the people of Gaia VII are powering equipment beyond their normal technological abilities. High command suspect’s smugglers breaking the Articles of Neutrality, which expressly state to not interfere with a planets growth, be it environmentally, technologically, or otherwise. While we were in transit, I had decided to check my features in the mirror locate on the right arm of my Captain's chair. I had to look my best if I were to meet my maker during this mission.
Everything still seemed to be in place; my blonde hair, cut to Imperial Regulation (Ones hair cannot pass their ears), my blue eyes shimmering to attempt contending with the ocean of stars ahead of us. Sure, my complexion could have used some work, but I thought I was quite a catch myself. Perhaps that’s why everybody labels things such as 'arrogant', 'headstrong', and 'narcissist'. Can I help that I look better than everybody aboard the Runaway? Certainly not.
July 26th, 2385
We are in orbit around Gaia VII, and I have to say that I am quite intrigued. Just being in the planets vicinity, the outputs on the ship have never been better. The lights are brighter, the ventilation system is cooler, even the computers are processing data faster. On a regular Imperial Ship, this would mean that very little has changed, but I am afraid that the Runaway has seen better days. All of her components are outdated, and her model is such an antique, replacement parts are never around. Needless to say, the ship being in a bright mood has really lightened my crew's spirits.
It wasn't until mid-day that we realized something was wrong. I had just managed to assemble a team for planetary investigation, when the ship started to rock violently. Heading back to the bridge, I suddenly realized why Gaia's civilization was advancing so rapidly.
The planet was on the verge of destruction, added on by the fact that the inhabitants were mining the core of Gaia VII. By destroying their ecosystem, the civilization of Gaia VII had signed its own death warrant. When I witnessed that the planet was trembling on the verge of collapse, I ordered my crew to evacuate the ship. We had enough escape pods to accommodate most of us.
"Captain," my first mate voiced his concern, a shared concern among my staff, "Sure you are aware that somebody has to stay with the ship to ensure that the escape pods trajectory is accurate?" When I looked at him, I knew I would never forget the scared look upon his face. Normally, I would pass these duties down to him, but this was not a First Mate's responsibility.
"I'm aware. I am staying." My words seemed to shock the entire crew, like they could have never expected such bravery out of me. "It is a Captain's duty to go down with his ship. I will contact you if I make it out alive Now get to the damn pods!" The sternness in my voice must have meant something, because the members of the Runaway began to scurry like cockroaches among the ship, gathering what they would need to survive.
It took them a total of half an hour to prepare. By this point, Gaia VII was ready to collapse. I gave each member of my crew an official Dismissal from Duty before watching them climb into their pods. I headed back to the bridge to watch the pods on the monitor. All seven pods fired off as they were supposed to, and a wave of relief washed over me.
However, what was once relief turned to tragedy. It was at that moment that Gaia VII had imploded, creating what most scientists would describe as a 'Black Hole'. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I forced myself to watch each escape pod be sucked into the emptiness that was once Gaia VII. I didn't know if I was crying for my crew, or because I knew that the Runaway, and myself with her, were next.
The alarms were ringing; the shields were losing power faster than I could relay its power supply into thrusters. The Runaway tried, she truly did. I remember closing my eyes, prepared to accept the inevitability that we are all destined to die at sometime.
Date Unknown, Year Unknown
I awoke in what appeared to have been a forest. Trees surrounded me from each side, and a feeling of gloom overwhelmed my senses. I had no idea why I was so terror-stricken, but my need to find out where I was out powered my fear. I managed to get to my feet and feel around my body. Everything still seemed intact, and not bleeding. Once I had realized that I was not in any mortal danger of dying, I quickly remembered my ship, and searched for the remnants of the Runaway among the density of trees. A ship as big as mine must have surely caused some sort of great impact.
I wandered the forest aimlessly, attempting to find any proof that I was not in some eternal dream. As I walked, I could hear the sounds of wolves all around me, the stench of wet fur upon my nose. I reached towards my right hip, grabbing my B.E.A.M. (Bio-Electric Atomic Magnum), only to find that I had been left with the holster, and a few of the weapons parts. I swallowed hard, reaching to my left hip and withdrawing my S.T.A.R. (Sword for Testing Atomic Radioactivity.) Sword, and hoped for the best.
You see, the S.T.A.R. Sword is standard issue to all Imperial Captains. It does as the name implies, tests the area to see if said area is safe for humans to survive. It also doubles as a sword (The 'Blade' of the device had to be sharp to penetrate even the hardest of grounds), even though my proficiency with the S.T.A.R. as a weapon left something to be desired. I stopped and listened while the would-be predators surrounded me.
I would never get the chance to use the S.T.A.R., however, as the growling of the canine entities was cut short by the sudden sounds of something ripping through flesh. I was now more concerned with this new sound, as it apparently preyed upon predators. Hopefully whatever attacked my would-be attackers was friendly and sentient.
Slowly, several small men came out from the thickness of the forest. All of them were stout with muscles, and approaching me with what seemed to be early Earth weapons, axes, I believed they were call. The cautious way they were approaching did nothing but distress me further. Out of all the ends I could have faced, 'eaten by midget cannibals' was not one that would have been on the survey.
"Donovan, I think we're scaring the lad," one of the five short men said, though I could not identify which one. Their beards were so thick, it seemed as though their facial hair was winning a war with their face. Another one of the men, presumably Donovan, nodded, and placed his axe down on the ground. The rest of the little people followed.
"DO. YOU. SPEAK?!" 'Donovan' asked me, to which I nodded. "YOU. LEAVE. WITH. US. RED. FOREST. BAD!"
"I said I understood you," I sarcastically said to him, "I don't need to be pandered to like a child." My mocking of their leader was met with hysteric laughs from the other four gentlemen. From what I could see of skin between Donovan's skin and black facial hair, he was blushing. It would have seemed that I embarrassed him.
"I'm sorry," I quickly apologized, not wishing to see the bladed end of that axe, "My name is Captain Blake Andrews. Where am I?"
The question caused a unanimous groan among the men. I could have sword I heard one of them even say 'Not another one', or some variation of that. They began to explain to me that I was in the Red Forest, on a continent called Raiaera. Apparently, the men, dwarves they called themselves, were a scouting party sent to make sure the Raiaera was not attempting to cross Alerar borders. They also explained that the elves of Raiaera did not take kindly to human, and began to escort me back to Alerar.
I have a feeling this journal is due for some LONG entries.
Name: Captain Blake Andrews
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 167 lbs
Rank: Captain
Armor: Upon getting to Alerar, Blake was given some worn red leather armor given to the dwarves by a former human they housed. He was also given the same guests red leather boots, green cargo pants, and a red aviator’s cap (complete with goggles).
Weapon: S.T.A.R. sword, a sword rife with radioactivity of various planets. It is said that a S.T.A.R. sword eventually becomes so mutated that its consistency seems to strengthen over time. Right now, the S.T.A.R. is about as strong as steel, though with extended use, could become stronger.
Items:
B.E.A.M. parts. Blake was left with the spring, trigger, sights, and barrel to his B.E.A.M. gun, and they are all completely useless without finding the remaining parts, and then finding somebody to reassemble his tech.
Captains Clothes. Blake has a black jumpsuit issued to all Imperial Captains. He also has a gray t-shirt, and red sweatpants to wear over the jumpsuit.
Journal: Occasionally, Blake will write down his complete adventure in his journal.
Abilities:
Blake himself has no abilities at the moment, but his S.T.A.R. is capable of making anyone but it's wilder feel ill if within 5 feet for a prolong amount of time (about 2 minutes).
Blake has the average stats of an average Althanian.
Did I miss anything? Do I get a shiny bonus?
Date: July 25th, 2385
I have been given orders to investigate a questionable power source in the Aphrodite Quadrant. It seems as though the people of Gaia VII are powering equipment beyond their normal technological abilities. High command suspect’s smugglers breaking the Articles of Neutrality, which expressly state to not interfere with a planets growth, be it environmentally, technologically, or otherwise. While we were in transit, I had decided to check my features in the mirror locate on the right arm of my Captain's chair. I had to look my best if I were to meet my maker during this mission.
Everything still seemed to be in place; my blonde hair, cut to Imperial Regulation (Ones hair cannot pass their ears), my blue eyes shimmering to attempt contending with the ocean of stars ahead of us. Sure, my complexion could have used some work, but I thought I was quite a catch myself. Perhaps that’s why everybody labels things such as 'arrogant', 'headstrong', and 'narcissist'. Can I help that I look better than everybody aboard the Runaway? Certainly not.
July 26th, 2385
We are in orbit around Gaia VII, and I have to say that I am quite intrigued. Just being in the planets vicinity, the outputs on the ship have never been better. The lights are brighter, the ventilation system is cooler, even the computers are processing data faster. On a regular Imperial Ship, this would mean that very little has changed, but I am afraid that the Runaway has seen better days. All of her components are outdated, and her model is such an antique, replacement parts are never around. Needless to say, the ship being in a bright mood has really lightened my crew's spirits.
It wasn't until mid-day that we realized something was wrong. I had just managed to assemble a team for planetary investigation, when the ship started to rock violently. Heading back to the bridge, I suddenly realized why Gaia's civilization was advancing so rapidly.
The planet was on the verge of destruction, added on by the fact that the inhabitants were mining the core of Gaia VII. By destroying their ecosystem, the civilization of Gaia VII had signed its own death warrant. When I witnessed that the planet was trembling on the verge of collapse, I ordered my crew to evacuate the ship. We had enough escape pods to accommodate most of us.
"Captain," my first mate voiced his concern, a shared concern among my staff, "Sure you are aware that somebody has to stay with the ship to ensure that the escape pods trajectory is accurate?" When I looked at him, I knew I would never forget the scared look upon his face. Normally, I would pass these duties down to him, but this was not a First Mate's responsibility.
"I'm aware. I am staying." My words seemed to shock the entire crew, like they could have never expected such bravery out of me. "It is a Captain's duty to go down with his ship. I will contact you if I make it out alive Now get to the damn pods!" The sternness in my voice must have meant something, because the members of the Runaway began to scurry like cockroaches among the ship, gathering what they would need to survive.
It took them a total of half an hour to prepare. By this point, Gaia VII was ready to collapse. I gave each member of my crew an official Dismissal from Duty before watching them climb into their pods. I headed back to the bridge to watch the pods on the monitor. All seven pods fired off as they were supposed to, and a wave of relief washed over me.
However, what was once relief turned to tragedy. It was at that moment that Gaia VII had imploded, creating what most scientists would describe as a 'Black Hole'. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I forced myself to watch each escape pod be sucked into the emptiness that was once Gaia VII. I didn't know if I was crying for my crew, or because I knew that the Runaway, and myself with her, were next.
The alarms were ringing; the shields were losing power faster than I could relay its power supply into thrusters. The Runaway tried, she truly did. I remember closing my eyes, prepared to accept the inevitability that we are all destined to die at sometime.
Date Unknown, Year Unknown
I awoke in what appeared to have been a forest. Trees surrounded me from each side, and a feeling of gloom overwhelmed my senses. I had no idea why I was so terror-stricken, but my need to find out where I was out powered my fear. I managed to get to my feet and feel around my body. Everything still seemed intact, and not bleeding. Once I had realized that I was not in any mortal danger of dying, I quickly remembered my ship, and searched for the remnants of the Runaway among the density of trees. A ship as big as mine must have surely caused some sort of great impact.
I wandered the forest aimlessly, attempting to find any proof that I was not in some eternal dream. As I walked, I could hear the sounds of wolves all around me, the stench of wet fur upon my nose. I reached towards my right hip, grabbing my B.E.A.M. (Bio-Electric Atomic Magnum), only to find that I had been left with the holster, and a few of the weapons parts. I swallowed hard, reaching to my left hip and withdrawing my S.T.A.R. (Sword for Testing Atomic Radioactivity.) Sword, and hoped for the best.
You see, the S.T.A.R. Sword is standard issue to all Imperial Captains. It does as the name implies, tests the area to see if said area is safe for humans to survive. It also doubles as a sword (The 'Blade' of the device had to be sharp to penetrate even the hardest of grounds), even though my proficiency with the S.T.A.R. as a weapon left something to be desired. I stopped and listened while the would-be predators surrounded me.
I would never get the chance to use the S.T.A.R., however, as the growling of the canine entities was cut short by the sudden sounds of something ripping through flesh. I was now more concerned with this new sound, as it apparently preyed upon predators. Hopefully whatever attacked my would-be attackers was friendly and sentient.
Slowly, several small men came out from the thickness of the forest. All of them were stout with muscles, and approaching me with what seemed to be early Earth weapons, axes, I believed they were call. The cautious way they were approaching did nothing but distress me further. Out of all the ends I could have faced, 'eaten by midget cannibals' was not one that would have been on the survey.
"Donovan, I think we're scaring the lad," one of the five short men said, though I could not identify which one. Their beards were so thick, it seemed as though their facial hair was winning a war with their face. Another one of the men, presumably Donovan, nodded, and placed his axe down on the ground. The rest of the little people followed.
"DO. YOU. SPEAK?!" 'Donovan' asked me, to which I nodded. "YOU. LEAVE. WITH. US. RED. FOREST. BAD!"
"I said I understood you," I sarcastically said to him, "I don't need to be pandered to like a child." My mocking of their leader was met with hysteric laughs from the other four gentlemen. From what I could see of skin between Donovan's skin and black facial hair, he was blushing. It would have seemed that I embarrassed him.
"I'm sorry," I quickly apologized, not wishing to see the bladed end of that axe, "My name is Captain Blake Andrews. Where am I?"
The question caused a unanimous groan among the men. I could have sword I heard one of them even say 'Not another one', or some variation of that. They began to explain to me that I was in the Red Forest, on a continent called Raiaera. Apparently, the men, dwarves they called themselves, were a scouting party sent to make sure the Raiaera was not attempting to cross Alerar borders. They also explained that the elves of Raiaera did not take kindly to human, and began to escort me back to Alerar.
I have a feeling this journal is due for some LONG entries.
Name: Captain Blake Andrews
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 167 lbs
Rank: Captain
Armor: Upon getting to Alerar, Blake was given some worn red leather armor given to the dwarves by a former human they housed. He was also given the same guests red leather boots, green cargo pants, and a red aviator’s cap (complete with goggles).
Weapon: S.T.A.R. sword, a sword rife with radioactivity of various planets. It is said that a S.T.A.R. sword eventually becomes so mutated that its consistency seems to strengthen over time. Right now, the S.T.A.R. is about as strong as steel, though with extended use, could become stronger.
Items:
B.E.A.M. parts. Blake was left with the spring, trigger, sights, and barrel to his B.E.A.M. gun, and they are all completely useless without finding the remaining parts, and then finding somebody to reassemble his tech.
Captains Clothes. Blake has a black jumpsuit issued to all Imperial Captains. He also has a gray t-shirt, and red sweatpants to wear over the jumpsuit.
Journal: Occasionally, Blake will write down his complete adventure in his journal.
Abilities:
Blake himself has no abilities at the moment, but his S.T.A.R. is capable of making anyone but it's wilder feel ill if within 5 feet for a prolong amount of time (about 2 minutes).
Blake has the average stats of an average Althanian.
Did I miss anything? Do I get a shiny bonus?