A Future Torn: Epilogue - Rattlesnake
19 May 2016LordPsymon
Previous chapter.A Future Torn: Epilogue - Rattlesnake
---Unknown System - Deep Space---
I gazed outside the shattered canopy as the ship tumbled into space. I had fought the controls for about half an hour trying to steady the ship so that I may leave the cockpit to examine the damage around, however the flight assist systems took a beating as well as the thrusters, making it a difficult chore to try and steady the ship’s course. Sparks frequently spewed out of many of the systems inside the cockpit. I had already vented the air to snuff out the fire and I was reliant solely on the oxygen that I had left in the suit. My only comfort was the small O2 gauge on a small display on the lower arm of my suit, reassuring me that I have just enough to maybe find a nearby station if I was lucky.
I attempted to use the modules console to divert all power away from the starboard thruster and try and bring the remaining thruster back online so that I may plot a route to a station for repairs and stand any chance of actually reaching it. The console froze for a few moments, then a red message flashed on the screen.
***Rerouting power failed. Manual override required in engine room.***
I thumped the console in anger, making a muffled thump that rippled through the suit. I pushed myself toward the back of the cockpit, floating gently toward the door. It would have made a clunk if there was any air left, but instead it jerked silently and stopped, jamming only slightly ajar. I wedged my fingers through the gap between the doors and attempted to force the doors open, but they did not budge. I turned my head and looked back outside the ship.
I guess I’m going outside.
I pushed myself back toward the front of the canopy, grabbing on to the pilot’s seat to stop myself. I turned to the modules console and opened all doors in the ship so that I could get in via the rear airlock. I held on to the frame of the canopy for a minute or so, hesitant. The thought of there being nothing between me and the endless blackness of space was the most daunting I had ever felt. I took a deep breath and pulled myself up out of the canopy, floating slowly toward the back of the ship, grabbing on to anything I could including twisted bits of metal protruding from the hull. As I float-crawled, weightless across the top of the hull, I begun to see the extent of the damage to the ship. It was riddled with holes from bullets and scorch marks from laser fire.
The space walk felt like hours as I finally reached the rear of the ship. I pulled myself down to the rear door and entered. The room was pitch black, other than the occasional spark that flashed from the corner of the room. I turned on the suit’s helmet light, revealing debris slowly tumbling around the room, occasionally bouncing off the walls. The starboard engine room had black scorch marks covering most of the walls from the fires. I searched around the room until I came across a lever labelled “emergency override”. I pulled on the lever then headed back to the exit, ready to make the grueling spacewalk back to the cockpit.
I checked the modules console again which indicated that the starboard engine had indeed been overridden, and all available power had been routed to the port.
The galaxy map flickered intermittently in the damaged cockpit as I searched for nearby systems with a station close to the system’s nav beacon to ensure I didn’t run out of air before docking. I stumbled upon Meech Horizons in Gliese 3761 - only 6.28 light years away. It was a struggle to select the system as my destination with the display flickering, but it had enough life to lock the destination.
I fired up the remaining engine which sputtered a few times while engaging, but eventually remained operational. I throttled up slowly, pointing the ship toward Gliese 3761. The ship limped forward, shaking as the lone thruster struggled to get the ship up to speed.
“Well… Here goes. God speed.” I said as I charged the frameshift drive.
---Gliese 3761 - Meech Horizons---
The ship shook violently as I dropped from supercruise on approach to Meech Horizons. Almost immediately I was greeted by the sound of local traffic control.
“Welcome to Meech Horizons, please observe safe speeds and starbase protocol upon your visit.”
Well at least comms still works.
“Meech Horizons, I need clearance for an emergency landing. Repeat, I need to make an emergency landing.”
“Acknowledged, unidentified Cobra. What’s your status?”
“I have a burnt out thruster, severe damage and I am dangerously low on oxygen. Get me clearance damn it!”
“Roger that, proceed to docking bay 5. All ships in the area, clear the docking bay, we have a ship coming in hot. Repeat, all ships, clear the docking bay.”
---Meech Horizons - Docking Bay---
I was immediately met by emergency crews after I touched down on the landing pad and entered the hangar. I climbed out of the cockpit and removed the survival mask and one of the crew had placed a ladder against the front of the ship. I climbed down slowly and collapsed on the docking pad, exhausted. A medical team helped to lift me onto a stretcher and carried me off.
“You’ll be alright sir,” one of the medics said as he looked down at me.
“Can you guys…” I coughed, then sighed, “can you guys remove my tracking chip?”
The medic looked confused. “Tracking chip?”
“Yeah… I had one implanted in me… I just…”
Everything faded to black.
---Meech Horizons - Medical Bay---
I awoke in a white room, surrounded by dull, blue curtains. A man in a white coat sat next to me, waiting for me to regain consiousness.
“There he is! Welcome back to the world!”
I squinted. “How long was I out for?”
He stood up and smiled. “I reckon about twelve hours. You were passed out from severe exhaustion. We patched you up and had that tracking chip removed.”
I sat up on the hospital bed. “You got the chip?”
“Sure did. The med boys from the docking bay said you mentioned something about it before you passed right out. Whoever it was you were running from, they won’t be on your tail no more. Reckon you were lucky to get out of that mess alive, son. However, if you can stand up straight, I think you’re in a good enough bill of health to make your way back home.”
“Thanks doctor.”
I stood up, left the med bay and caught a shuttle back to the docking bay.
---Meech Horizons - Docking Bay---
I finally got to have a good look at the damage of the Cobra, and the doctor was right. I was lucky to get out of there alive. How the ship hadn’t exploded was beyond me. I approached a nearby terminal to check if I still had an account with the Bank of Zaonce. It turned out I had credits left over from before I was captured. You don't get the chance to spend much as a slave.
One of the dock workers approached me.
"So, do you want us to repair your ship?"
I hesitated for a moment. "Umm... Well it's not mine."
He looked back at the ship. "Well clearly it is now. It's going to need its thrusters completely replaced and a fair bit of repair work on the hull, but it's nothing we can't handle."
"Right... I should have the credits to be able to cover that." I said.
"I can also have the ship's logs and systems wiped back to factory defaults, and you could have the ship renamed to anything you want. It'd be like a new ship."
"How much will that set me back?"
"Nothing, I'll do the work as a favour considering your circumstance. Got a name in mind?"
"Well... I think Rattlesnake is quite fitting, considering all the rattling it made as I came in."
"Sounds good to me, sir. You’d best go rent yourself an apartment. This is going to take us at least a week to get operational.”
I headed back to the shuttles, ready to lay low and get some much needed rest, and a big, hot meal. Finally, I was a free man. I was ready to take Rattlesnake and start my life anew as a pilot. When the repairs were done, my first stop was to be Cubeo. I smiled as the shuttle took me to the accommodation facilities of the station. I was finally going home.