《Star of the Outsider》


 Chapter 1: Anomaly

    The warp engine is fully spooled up and the crew aboard the fully automated exploration and science vessel are all eager in anticipation of what will happen next. In the room containing the stasis pods for the commanders are two people about to enter their pods. One man and a woman wearing jumpsuits. But they both hesitate and look at each other with serious expressions all over their faces.


    ¡±Commander Gavin, may I have a word with you?¡± Says the woman as she leans over her pod and her long ginger hair partially obscures her face as it falls down her shoulder.


    Gavin stops for a few seconds before looking back at the woman over his shoulder. He sighs and then nods toward her.


    ¡±Thanks. This mission¡­ I can¡¯t but feel uneasy about it.¡± Gavin looks up and bites his lower lip.


    ¡±What about the mission Sarah York?¡±


    ¡±The¡­ The warp jump coordinates are completely unlike anything I has ever seen. Whoever ordered us to use them are not cautious...¡±


    Gavin who was about to fully enter the pod then stop and faces her completely with his body.


    ¡±Sarah, remember that we execute orders, not question them. Even if we think they are wrong. We must still follow them.¡±


    ¡±But¡­ What if-¡±


    ¡±We die? It is part of what we signed up for. Now stop hesitating and enter your stasis pod.¡±


    Sarah looks defeated because she can¡¯t argue against her superior. It is true that the contract she signed up for permitted the agency she worked for to send her to potentially deadly locations.


    Gavin made sure that Sarah entered her pod first before he himself entered his pod. With the last of the organics aboard the vessel in stasis sleep so springs the artificial intelligence into action.


    ¡±Angel is online!¡± Echoes a cheery high pitched robotic voice across the hallways of the whole vessel. That was the artificial intelligence making its presence known.


    Angel is an AI that is fully sentient like a human, but got potential to grow even more. It is offline for most of the time because it is not needed when the crew is present. The main benefit of having this AI is that it can still function during warp jumps. How you may wonder? Angel is completely shielded against the uncertainties of hyperspace. This allows for the vessel to be operated normally during the jump.


    ¡±Re-establishing connection with vessel: HMSS Heavenly Garden¡±


    A few seconds passed in complete silence.


    ¡±Connection established!¡± Bursts angel out happily


    ¡±Processing queued order: Warp jump towards the Andromeda galaxy.¡±


    Heavenly Garden now starts to vibrate subtly and as a droning sound is heard. If you could look outside the vessel, the planet Earth would look like it is contorting itself until just black remains.


    ¡±See you on the other side!¡± Says Angel. If it had a body you could bet it would had saluted towards you.


    The first few hours of the warp jump went without any problems. Angel as the only sentient awake aboard the vessel only needed to perform minor adjustments across it. The stasis pods for the crew in the habitation module were optimally provided power, the science module still had its experiments and research intact, the military module was filled to the brim with vehicles and combat robots, the factory module is fully equipped to the point where it can create plastics out of space dust. Safe to say that there was nothing to worry about.


    Then disaster struck. Just an hour before arriving at the Andromeda galaxy.


    ¡±Alert alert: Hyperspace anomaly detected!¡± Cried Angel out as it tried to fix the situation.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    A distorted roaring and laughing sound reverberated across the vessel. Then suddenly could the sound of metal being bashed be heard from every direction. The shields has proven useless towards this new threat.


    ¡±Activating security systems!¡± Without any reliable information from the data banks so activated Angel the security across the vessel.


    All across HMSS Heavenly Garden popped turrets out of the walls, ceilings and floors. Then from closets streamed both humanoid robots and robots on wheels out. The whole vessel was now in red alert mode.


    Minutes later was a mocking laugh heard which was followed with the ripping of metal in the military module.


    ¡±Alert alert: Military module is losing structural integrity! 70% calculated integrity before module is forced to be ejected!¡± As loyal as ever is Angel reporting to her now resting humans. Too bad they can¡¯t hear it, otherwise they might have made up a better plan now.


    For the next hour was the military module being ripped to shreds meanwhile the security never could find the culprit. The only thing remaining of the module now was a Ion cannon which is fixed downwards. It was the last project completed by the scientists and engineers aboard here.


    ¡±Alert alert: Military module has no integrity left! Ejecting!¡± Without fanfare was the shredded metal skeleton remains ejected off into hyperspace to never be seen again. The aggressor seemed to be pleased with the result and then started doing the same with the crew and science modules.


    Safe to say is that the modules did not survive. Everywhere in this hyperspace bubble could shredded remains of humans and metal be seen floating around. A scene right out of a horror movie. The only humans left alive now are the dozen people near the AI core.


    ¡±Alert alert: Emergency exit of jump initiated! Jumping to closest star!¡± Cried Angel out in panic. The sentient instinct of self preservation kicked in now.


    As Angel frantically looked for a nearby star, did the cruel alien laughter intensify across the whole vessel. Just as the AI core room was about to hit by the unknown entity did the bubble collapse.


    With the sudden exit out of the warp were all the metal and gore flung towards a nearby Earth-like planet which HMSS Heavenly Garden appeared next to.


    All across the vessel rang sirens meanwhile red lights shone as oxygen leaked out of the damaged hull.


    ¡±Emergency ejection of command crew initiated!¡± Said Angel as the whole command section detached and made its way planetside. The AI never had the chance to say goodbye which made it sad.


    What used to look like a proper spaceship is now more akin to a enormous skeletal hull of steel and plasteel alloy mesh. Because of the destruction caused by the jump it is now unable to sustain organic life until it''s repaired. The warp drive is now in tatters after the forced early exit and it lacks fuel for any further jumps.


    ¡±HMSS Heavenly Garden situation report.


    Crew module: Destroyed.


    Military module: Destroyed.


    Science module: Destroyed.


    Factory module: Functional at 50% integrity.


    Command section: Jettisoned and safely made it down planetside.


    AI Core: Fully operational.


    Generators: Fully operational.


    Warp drive: Damaged, but requires repairs and fuel.


    Thrusters: Destroyed.


    Drone bay: Fully operational.


    Drop pod bay: Fully operational.


    Security bays: Fully operational in remaining sections.


    ...¡± And Angel kept ranting like this for a long time while assessing the situation. To be honest, it looked grim. What was once a ship is now a glorified satellite with only its maneuver thrusters intact to prevent it from de-orbiting.


    The mission that was to travel to Andromeda and look for more planets to colonize is a complete failure. But¡­ The planet which the Heavenly Garden is orbiting now looks green from orbit and got a oxygen rich atmosphere¡­ So maybe it is not a complete failure after all.


    ¡±After completed situation analysis: Mission objectives has been overridden.


    Initiating survival protocols for remaining crew¡­


    Initiating self repair protocols for AI core¡­¡±


    Codename Fantasia is situated just a few light years away from the edge of the Andromeda galaxy. If the vessel could be fully repaired within a few years the mission it was set out for could still be completed. But that is unlikely because of the extent of the damage. Because without a science module can¡¯t working thrusters be fashioned from materials native to this region. Making a module itself without any professional help can take years on its own. It requires reinventing the wheel and working around the clock.


    Realistically so is Angel and the vessel going to stay here for a very long time.


    ¡±Mission parameters allows for the creation of an AI avatar!


    Drop podding down reconnaissance drones planetside¡­


    Releasing mining drones from drone bay¡­


    Releasing engineering drones from drone bay...¡±


    And like that gained the planet a new star in its sky, a start of a new myth. A start of great change for this planet.

 Chapter 2: Starfall

    Atop a hill above a sprawling city sits a short and thick lady with purple short hair in working clothes. She plays around with a straw in her mouth as she watch the night sky. But something unusual caught her eye as she in the horizon see falling stars. This perplexed her so much that it made her grimace.


    ¡±Heeeeh?¡± She made a sound as she scratched her head.


    How can there be starfall now she thought. The diviners guild never mentioned anything about this, and they love their their freakin starfalls because they see them as the signs of the gods. She spit out her straw and stands up.


    ¡±What a crock of shit.¡± The lady says as she kicks a rock downhill. She looks downhill and then left and right before looking up and noticing a fast moving star in the night sky. This just made her even more confused.


    ¡±You gotta be kidding me...¡± She says in an very annoyed tone. This woman who has never been into religion can not deny what her eyes see. This is a sign of the creation of a new god!


    ¡±If this is a god I will name myself Lord Gra¡¯tos instead of Janice¡­ I am too old for this shit.¡± Says Janice as she shakes her head while furiously tapping her right foot. As a stout believer of atheism she would hate to be proven wrong. What the priests say is divine intervention when they cast their spells she just think is traditional magic. She is a tough one to convince!


    As Janice is about to go back to the city she see a weird object descending slowly from the sky above the city. The new star is right above it too. This can¡¯t be a coincidence she thought.


    The closer the mysterious object descends the bigger it becomes. Not until long is it big enough to cover the whole square plaza in the city it lands on. As it makes landfall does it extend weird metallic legs which burrows into the ground as soon as they touch it. Then the whole object lights up like a holiday tree! All around it is smoke belching out from hollowed out cone-like protrusions.


    Janice runs with all her might towards the object. She must see this or there will never be a chance like this again!


    ~~~~


    Inside the command section is the ambience one of calm as red emergency lights are on from the backup generator. Out of all the stasis pods is only one intact after the traumatic journey and planetfall. Inside the only intact one can coughing be heard from a lady.


    ¡±I- I told you I- cough Was worried...¡± She slowly claws her way out of the stasis pod and can clearly see the carnage that has been going on meanwhile she was sleeping.


    On the floor lies one man convulsing as the last of the life is spilling out of him and one pod is full of a red slurry which used to be a human at one point. This scene became permanently etched into her mind as tears started to form in her eyes. All these people here used to be her co-workers, friends and even lovers after all. She reaches for her multi-tool and tries to contact the HMSS Heavenly Garden vessel.


    ¡±Sarah York to Angel of HMSS Heavenly Garden, please respond.¡±


    After a short delay comes a response from the cheery sounding Angel.


    ¡±Angel can hear you loud and clear!¡±


    A half-hearted smile forms in Sarah¡¯s face. Her makeup is now ruined by her tears. Angel then starts informing her of her mission.


    ¡±Sarah York, as a survivor of the crew it is your mission to ensure the success of it!


    The planet codenamed Fantasia has been confirmed to be safe for human life. So your survival gear will not be encumbered by that. Please proceed to arm yourself because I has discovered that unknown lifeforms are approaching your command section!Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    And before you leave, be sure to grab a survivalist kit from the lockers! It will quickly let you skip all manual labor.


    Angel out!¡±


    Her multi-tool dims out as Angel finished briefing her.


    ¡±Fuck.¡± Cries Sarah out. This mission turned out the worst possible way for her. She thought that it would be better off to be dead.


    With no time to waste she repressed her emotions and pulled out a submachine gun and a electric baton from the weapon locker in the stasis pod room. With the baton on her hip next to the multi-tool she jogged to the locker room of the section and equipped herself with a survival kit.


    A survival kit is essentially a workshop and backpack in one. It contains a miniature nanolathe which is capable of building parts for a larger stationary one given enough time and materials. And it is also equipped with a tractor beam capable of moving one ton of materials at a time. Finally it can be fueled by nearly anything which burns which makes it ideal in survival situations.


    Before Sarah went out to greet the potential friends or foes she pulled the bolt on her gun and activated the laser sight on it. Locked and loaded she now felt more safe.


    ¡±I never signed up for this.¡± Says Sarah in a mocking tone as she pulled the airlock lever with her left arm.


    ~~~~


    Janice managed to get to the mysterious object just in time as the indented door looking thing opened. With the mixture of air from outside and inside was steam created and a humanoid wearing a very shiny outfit stepped out holding a strange thing in its hands.


    The crowd Janice was in looked at the stranger with both awe and fear. The stranger looked scared as it held up its left arm meanwhile still holding up the metal thing with her other arm.


    After a few seconds the stranger opened its mouth and said something they could not understand. Janice were at first confused, but what she heard sounded familiar. She did not understand it but the way she spoke sounded a lot like the language the majority of her race used. Hesitating at first, she walked up towards the stranger with both her hands up.


    Maybe if she becomes the first one to understand the stranger, then good things will be up for her in the future. Go all the way from commoner to nobility in one go!


    As Janice approached the stranger it noticed her and held the metal thing with both her hands again. Fear was great in the eyes of it but Janice tried to make herself unthreatening as possible and started talking.


    ¡±My name is Janice, what is yours?¡± She said while smiling to the stranger. The stranger then lowered her metal thing and scanned the crowd before snapping her eyes at Janice again.


    ¡±** **** Sarah ****.¡± Said the stranger. While Janice could not understand it all one thing stuck out, and it was Sarah which was pronounced just like in her language. She decided to push it and pointed at the stranger.


    ¡±Sarah?¡± Said Janice. The stranger pointed at herself and said ¡±Sarah.¡± with confidence.


    The language barrier is going to need a lot of work thought Janice. As she was about to reach this Sarah, the stranger then gripped the metal thing with both of its hands. The sound of running footsteps and war cries could be heard before several loud bangs, flashes of light and then screams echoed in the plaza.


    Janice looked behind her and saw armed men riddled with holes from which blood seeped out of. The metal thing Sarah is holding is a weapon. She looked back at Sarah with fear in her eyes hoping that she would not be next.


    What was before a noisy crowd is now complete silent as the only thing you can hear in the plaza now is the eerie wind. Then the sound of rustling armor and galloping of horses is heard as the representative of the lord of the land arrives with his guards.


    ¡±Commoners, go back home. It is an order.¡± Said the representative in a commanding voice. Not wanting to feel the law of the land on themselves did the crowd immediately scatter. The only one remaining now was Janice, Sarah the stranger and the representative.


    ¡±I said go back home.¡± Said he in a more annoyed tone. Janice took her chances again now.


    ¡±I- I believe this Sarah person doesn¡¯t know the language. But I can manage to make out a few words.¡± Said Janice while smiling awkwardly towards the representative. He just makes an annoyed sigh while looking at his guards which just nods.


    ¡±Fine. I will take you together with this so called Sarah.¡±


    Sarah holds the grip of her weapon even tight now and Janice tries to calm her down. Janice pulls the weapon down as she points at the representative and tries to make her follow. After a few minutes she finally gains the trust of Sarah which still is on the edge. The representative looks surprised and pleased at the same time. Maybe this Janice could prove useful after all.


    Janice and Sarah mounted behind two of the guards and followed towards the castle. At the same time shut the mysterious object its door, barring entry for anyone.


    ~~~~


    ¡±I will get off this planet one way or the other...¡± muttered Sarah to herself as she rode to the lords castle.