"It’s
quiet, isn’t it?" said the commander of the Scouting Vessel 2195, Western
Sector 3.
"Well,
that’s what you’d expect, isn’t it?” replied his young trainee, Kyle Thomas. “No
craft landing. Nor any coming from it," remarked Kyle. He looked down at
the milky blue planet. They were quite close to it now, and it filled almost
half of the screen. It seemed so still, as if it were surrounded by a pool of
quietness.
The rest of
its solar system was buzzing. Small scouting vessels like their own, and bigger
cargo ships were busily going backwards and forwards between the planets. It
made navigating this stretch of the Sector 3 rather tricky. He was glad the
autopilots were amongst the most sophisticated available.
"Well,
it sure is still a fairly blue planet," Nielson continued. "Shame,
though. It used to be so much prettier than this. It was even bluer. And you
could see greens and brown as well, before the poison cloud.”
"Why do
they bother?” asked Kyle. "They have a poison cloud and they're still
living there? They could live anywhere.”
"I
suppose they feel safe enough down there, “ replied Nielson. " What with
all their farms and things tucked up nice and safe in those caves of theirs.
The rest of us could learn a thing or two, if only they’d let us get a bit
closer.”
"Not
much chance, though is there?” replied Kyle. "What with them wanting to
keep disease out. They won’t let anybody in.”
“Yeah, well,"
said the Commander. "That’s something else it would be great to learn
about. It’s funny how they’ve gone so shy. Considering it all started there in
the first place.”
“When was
the last time anyone moved from the planet?” asked Kyle.
“2309,”
replied Nielson.
“Just after
the first colonies formed?” asked Kyle. “So, over a millennium ago? It’s mad.”
“Yep,”
replied Nielson, “and they’ve reported being disease-fee for just over two
hundred years now. So, it ain’t just that that’s keeping them there. I reckon
they’re just using that as an excuse.”
They
were beginning to leave the blue planet behind.
"Right,
we'll go on to manual now," said Nielson. "I want to see how well you
can steer this thing."
Kyle felt
the power surge as the scout switched over.
"One
wide orbit around Terrestra and then out to the end of the solar system,"
said the Commander.
Kyle turned
the craft. It wobbled and juddered a little. He fought hard with the controls
for a few seconds and then she began to glide gently back over Terrestra.
He began to get
the scout under control. He had the measure of her now. She was purring along.
It was then
that he noticed it. A flash of green lightening ripped through the soft blue
mist that surrounded the quiet planet. A cascade of sparks followed. Kyle opened
his mouth to say something.
"Watch
it," said Nielson suddenly.
A smaller
scout was nudging its way across their flight path.
"Watch
the dataserve," said Nielson. "You must follow its coordinates."
Kyle concentrated
on the controls again.
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