Once upon a time in a galaxy far far away.... Story Giveaway

[Infernal2]

At that very moment, in a quantum event that even the most sophisticated models could never have predicted, the symmetrical containment vessel at the heart of the Flux Capacitor experienced a state change. Spontaneous decay to an asymmetric state as predicted by Einstein's special theory of relativity. As the containment field's waveform collapsed matter and anti matter mixed in the largest convergence of opposing particles since the Big Bang, resulting in an uncontrolled release of energy that atomized everything within a 10 light year radius.

The end.

And as Douglas Adams warned, when someone asks the question to the answer of Life, the Universe, and Everything, the two invariably cancel each other out, replacing the universe with something massively and infinitely more weird. However, considering statistical probability and the odd nature of the return of the probability drive to Sona-Mask's laboratories, the resulting collapse flung the probability seed into the abnormal collapse returning everything to its previous similar state with the changes that Frogstar Fighter's were actually more of a blue color than a gray color, common humanoids ended up with an extra set of digits, and that narrative causality was infinitely more powerful than boring old physics and multiverse theory could go stuff it.

Anna however, never wondered about the extra-fingers, they had always been there anyway.

 

[AttyPops]

(Meanwhile, in another parallel universe as predicted by quantum-physics... and I'm not quoting the last two or three posts...

The state of the universe is preserved and all extraneous digits are removed from humanity including Anna's, the ship is not some overpriced featureless tube that takes 20,000 button clicks to navigate....it's an expendable but reliable hunk-of-junk named the Centennial-Falcon. It's about to be retro-fit with the first worm-drive engines. It's a beta test. And all flux capacitors function properly.)

Anna yawned as her ship finally approached the Falcon. These long sub-light speed flights are tedious..........

 

[Ottotek]

(Meanwhile, in another parallel universe as predicted by quantum-physics... and I'm not quoting the last two or three posts...

The state of the universe is preserved and all extraneous digits are removed from humanity including Anna's, the ship is not some overpriced featureless tube that takes 20,000 button clicks to navigate....it's an expendable but reliable hunk-of-junk named the Centennial-Falcon. It's about to be retro-fit with the first worm-drive engines. It's a beta test. And all flux capacitors function properly.)

Anna yawned as her ship finally approached the Falcon. These long sub-light speed flights are tedious..........

As she pondered the slightly marred polish on her right ring-finger, she fondly thought of Dan Morgan, the crusty, one-eyed, cute-in-a-roughshod sort of way Captain of a beat up tramp cruiser. How long had it been? She was unsure, what with the re-work that her body and psyche had undergone after the cruel attack of the Antz colony on her ship at the Zenesis Asylum.

 

[whodat2112]

As she pondered the slightly marred polish on her right ring-finger, she fondly thought of Dan Morgan, the crusty, one-eyed, cute-in-a-roughshod sort of way Captain of a beat up tramp cruiser. How long had it been? She was unsure, what with the re-work that her body and psyche had undergone after the cruel attack of the Antz colony on her ship at the Zenesis Asylum.

Would the captain even recognize me, she thought. After all the "work" done to her body, the third eye that she now had. "Maybe I could give my extra eye to the captain, then we would both have two", she thought to herself. But then I would have to wear a patch to cover the unsightly eye socket hole left behind. Maybe I could get a designer patch with a picture of Pee Wee Herman on it, after all Pee Wee was a childhood favorite of hers.

 

[Ottotek]

Would the captain even recognize me, she thought. After all the "work" done to her body, the third eye that she now had. "Maybe I could give my extra eye to the captain, then we would both have two", she thought to herself. But then I would have to wear a patch to cover the unsightly eye socket hole left behind. Maybe I could get a designer patch with a picture of Pee Wee Herman on it, after all Pee Wee was a childhood favorite of hers.

meanwhile, back on the USS Bloomberg, the derelict tramp cruiser with Capt. Morgan...

Sponson once again knocks on the good Captain's hatchway. As the door swings inward, he jumps back in alarm.

"Aiee! Captain, no! I bring good news this time! Put down the light saber!"

"What? Oh, relax, Sponson. It's not a light saber, it's my new iTaste 134. Jeez, man..."

 

[dragginfly]

meanwhile, back on the USS Bloomberg, the derelict tramp cruiser with Capt. Morgan...

Sponson once again knocks on the good Captain's hatchway. As the door swings inward, he jumps back in alarm.

"Aiee! Captain, no! I bring good news this time! Put down the light saber!"

"What? Oh, relax, Sponson. It's not a light saber, it's my new iTaste 134. Jeez, man..."

"The power of the schwartz is strong with you, Captain. Anna will be impressed! Speaking of Anna, that's why I'm here. The Pcheila has arrived."

"Very well," replied Morgan. "Anything else?"

"Gump asked me to let you know that he has been unable as yet to get the Vamo on the horn. He's down in CIC working on it now. They detected an unexplained event involving some sort of anti-matter which may have atomized the Vamo and everyone on board. It appears to be the work of your arch-nemesis, the evil Dr. Sona-Mask."

"Curses! That guy is so devious he could screw up a steel ball in a rubber room!" exclaimed Morgan. "Thanks for the update. Carry on."

"Oh... Wait! One more thing, Sponson. Pass the word that Emperor Gallien has ordered a recommissioning of the Bloomberg after our worm-drive retrofit. It shall be renamed the Centennial-Falcon. That is all."

"Centennial-Falcon? It has a nice ring to it. Thank you, Captain!"

After Sponson left, Morgan was again alone with his thoughts of Anna and Billy Strayhorn's haunting lyrics of "Lush Life"...

Then you came along with your siren of song
To tempt me to madness!
I thought for a while that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness
Of a great love for me.
Ah yes! I was wrong...
Again, I was wrong.

 

[AttyPops]

"The power of the schwartz is strong with you, Captain. Anna will be impressed! Speaking of Anna, that's why I'm here. The Pcheila has arrived."

"Very well," replied Morgan. "Anything else?"

"Gump asked me to let you know that he has been unable as yet to get the Vamo on the horn. He's down in CIC working on it now. They detected an unexplained event involving some sort of anti-matter which may have atomized the Vamo and everyone on board. It appears to be the work of your arch-nemesis, the evil Dr. Sona-Mask."

"Curses! That guy is so devious he could screw up a steel ball in a rubber room!" exclaimed Morgan. "Thanks for the update. Carry on."

"Oh... Wait! One more thing, Sponson. Pass the word that Emperor Gallien has ordered a recommissioning of the Bloomberg after our worm-drive retrofit. It shall be renamed the Centennial-Falcon. That is all."

"Centennial-Falcon? It has a nice ring to it. Thank you, Captain!"

After Sponson left, Morgan was again alone with his thoughts of Anna and Billy Strayhorn's haunting lyrics of "Lush Life"...

Then you came along with your siren of song
To tempt me to madness!
I thought for a while that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness
Of a great love for me.
Ah yes! I was wrong...
Again, I was wrong.

Captain Morgan mentally reaffirmed his continuing conviction that a shot or two of rum helps manage most of these...administrative...duties. Of course, he had suffered through far too much administration lately. Rum supply exhausted. The ship's stores won't be resupplied until the retrofit in spacedock. He'll have to greet the Pcheila's crew, and Anna in particular, stone-cold sober.

Off to the docking bay....

 

[somejerk]

Captain Morgan mentally reaffirmed his continuing conviction that a shot or two of rum helps manage most of these...administrative...duties. Of course, he had suffered through far too much administration lately. Rum supply exhausted. The ship's stores won't be resupplied until the retrofit in spacedock. He'll have to greet the Pcheila's crew, and Anna in particular, stone-cold sober.

Off to the docking bay....

he knew he had to leave at least twenty minutes before to make it there on time, due to the large size of the ship. walking briskly he began to become anxious at the thought of seeing anna once again.

 

[jac1766]

Captain Morgan mentally reaffirmed his continuing conviction that a shot or two of rum helps manage most of these...administrative...duties. Of course, he had suffered through far too much administration lately. Rum supply exhausted. The ship's stores won't be resupplied until the retrofit in spacedock. He'll have to greet the Pcheila's crew, and Anna in particular, stone-cold sober.

Off to the docking bay....

he knew he had to leave at least twenty minutes before to make it there on time, due to the large size of the ship. walking briskly he began to become anxious at the thought of seeing anna once again.

Cpt. Morgan Marveled at the enormous satellite before him. Mostly fabricated steel and aluminum beam-structures, it sprawled out in all directions. As the Centennial Falcon passed the first repair gantry, Cpt. Morgan could see the countless scars from photon blasts cratering the ceramic-titanium hull of a small gunship. As he slid past, the wreckage took his breath away. The entire aft section was gone! Most absurdly it, apparently, hadn't been sheared or broken but melted. What in the nine galaxies could melt such an alloy?

 

[dragginfly]

Cpt. Morgan Marveled at the enormous satellite before him. Mostly fabricated steel and aluminum beam-structures, it sprawled out in all directions. As the Centennial Falcon passed the first repair gantry, Cpt. Morgan could see the countless scars from photon blasts cratering the ceramic-titanium hull of a small gunship. As he slid past, the wreckage took his breath away. The entire aft section was gone! Most absurdly it, apparently, hadn't been sheared or broken but melted. What in the nine galaxies could melt such an alloy?

Captain Morgan grabbed Senior Hull Technician "Bootstrap" Turner, best know as a direct descendant of the Chief Boatswain's Mate to the notorious Captain Hector Barbossa, and asked what had caused the distortions in the aft section.

"Oh. She's a beauty, ain't she, Sir?"

"Beauty?" replied Morgan. "It looks like it's melted away! How is this going to be repaired in time for tomorrow's launch?"

"She'll be ready as soon as the worm drive is completed later this evening. The distortions you see in the hull are from the new cloaking system. From only 100 meters it's completely invisible to the naked eye, and it's completely undetectable using any active or passive boson-based radar systems. All new and very confidential, of course. This ship is a ghost!"

"Thanks, Turner. I'm sure my 1700 briefing will cover the remaining details. Carry on."

Morgan picked up his pace. In moments he had arrived at the Docking Bay. But just as he passed the bay's security detail...

 

[somejerk]

Captain Morgan grabbed Senior Hull Technician "Bootstrap" Turner, best know as a direct descendant of the Chief Boatswain's Mate to the notorious Captain Hector Barbossa, and asked what had caused the distortions in the aft section.

"Oh. She's a beauty, ain't she, Sir?"

"Beauty?" replied Morgan. "It looks like it's melted away! How is this going to be repaired in time for tomorrow's launch?"

"She'll be ready as soon as the worm drive is completed later this evening. The distortions you see in the hull are from the new cloaking system. From only 100 meters it's completely invisible to the naked eye, and it's completely undetectable using any active or passive boson-based radar systems. All new and very confidential, of course. This ship is a ghost!"

"Thanks, Turner. I'm sure my 1700 briefing will cover the remaining details. Carry on."

Morgan picked up his pace. In moments he had arrived at the Docking Bay. But just as he passed the bay's security detail...

he saw some engineers putting a part on a small fighter upside down. "uuughhh" thought captain morgan, "you can't go anywhere around here without correcting everything on your way." as he stopped to correct the engineers he...

 

[dragginfly]

he saw some engineers putting a part on a small fighter upside down. "uuughhh" thought captain morgan, "you can't go anywhere around here without correcting everything on your way." as he stopped to correct the engineers he...

was interrupted by the Docking Bay Security Officer.

"Captain. With all due respect you should not keep going in and out past our security detail. I wouldn't mind, but the Emperor has set strict policies which TSA simply cannot ignore. If you're worried about that small fighter repair crew, it will be alright. It's actually a security exercise underway and those are not real engineers. They're part of my drill team.

"But good eye... and excellent situational awareness Captain! I can see why you were selected to command the Centennial Falcon! Commander Hildebrandt is waiting for you at Gate 3. Have a great evening, sir!"

"Thank you, Lieutenant" replied Morgan and he proceeded to enter the Docking Bay. On the way down the corridor to Gate 3, the Captain caught the fresh aroma of...

 

[AttyPops]

was interrupted by the Docking Bay Security Officer.

"Captain. With all due respect you should not keep going in and out past our security detail. I wouldn't mind, but the Emperor has set strict policies which TSA simply cannot ignore. If you're worried about that small fighter repair crew, it will be alright. It's actually a security exercise underway and those are not real engineers. They're part of my drill team.

"But good eye... and excellent situational awareness Captain! I can see why you were selected to command the Centennial Falcon! Commander Hildebrandt is waiting for you at Gate 3. Have a great evening, sir!"

"Thank you, Lieutenant" replied Morgan and he proceeded to enter the Docking Bay. On the way down the corridor to Gate 3, the Captain caught the fresh aroma of...

...Sugar Nebula...Anna's favorite perfume. Just a faint barely detectable scent in the otherwise over sterilized ship's air. They must have re-pressurized the docking bay already and the crew has come aboard.

This was quickly followed by the distinctive smell of a "squishy". Ever since they were engineered the octopi-humanoid citizens, officially called Cephalomen, have worked side-by-side with "regular" humans; mostly in oceanic cities as intended. However, occasionally an adventurous cephaloman would request extraocean duties and attempt a land job. Their on-land attire gave a new broader meaning to the term "wetsuit". The tentacled "fingers" and fishy smell secretly gave Morgan the creeps but he supposed humanoids seemed pretty strange under water too. He'd never heard of a "squishy" serving in space.

Bracing himself, he entered the bay. The senior officer barked "Captain on deck!"....

 

[jac1766]

...Sugar Nebula...Anna's favorite perfume. Just a faint barely detectable scent in the otherwise over sterilized ship's air. They must have re-pressurized the docking bay already and the crew has come aboard.

This was quickly followed by the distinctive smell of a "squishy". Ever since they were engineered the octopi-humanoid citizens, officially called Cephalomen, have worked side-by-side with "regular" humans; mostly in oceanic cities as intended. However, occasionally an adventurous cephaloman would request extraocean duties and attempt a land job. Their on-land attire gave a new broader meaning to the term "wetsuit". The tentacled "fingers" and fishy smell secretly gave Morgan the creeps but he supposed humanoids seemed pretty strange under water too. He'd never heard of a "squishy" serving in space.

Bracing himself, he entered the bay. The senior officer barked "Captain on deck!"....

... All the crew in earshot immediately snapped to attention. Cpt. Morgan, resigning himself to formality straightened himself up, puffing out his barrel chest and awaited the customary salute. The response was crisp as expected, with the exception of the cephaloman who's digits don't form all that rigidly. As the captain returned their salute, with a touch less vigor, "As you were," he ordered and the present crew returned to their duties. As he started to talk to the senior officer he kept an eye on the "squishy" as he/it started carrying some rather heavy looking tools toward the airlock.

Grrlbek didn't like the formality of this space-bound lifestyle. He felt ill-at-ease even attempting a salute as his phylanges tended to smack him roughly about the head in the maneuver. What he did love was the space walk. It was even better than swimming, this free-floating dance among the stars. The suction cups on his tentacle-like fingers grasped the hull with ease as he launched himself toward the forward communications relay. His kind were engineered to deal with extreme pressure changes and freezing temperatures making them ideal for this kind of work. It was only the past decade or so that the academy recognized their willingness and aptitude for extra-oceanic voyages and started training them for The Emperor's fleet. Grrlbek was first in his class, which was the first class to graduate the Cephaloman species as techs and officers.

As Grrlbek reached the relay he could see an anomaly not far from space dock. It was against protocol to open a wormhole so close...

 

[somejerk]

Captain Morgan's personal comm began to ring just as he could see Anna's ship docking through the rather large window.
He debated on ignoring the comm but decided to answer it anyways.
"Morgan speaking"
"sir..." he could hear angst in Grrlbek's voice, "there's a.. uh.. a wormhole not 100 Km away... sir."
"$&(%&, I need you to put this ship in red alert NOW!" commanded Morgan.
Almost instantaneously the red lights came on and the sirens began to blare.
Morgan smiled tightly, at least he knew he had one crew member that was on top of it.

 

[jac1766]

All around the enormous structure crews began frenzied activity, readying their ships for the unknown and unexpected intruder that was soon to present through swirling gravity-well. The rendezvous with Anna's ship was put on hold as both ship manuvered into defensive positions. Grrlbek quickly scuttled back to the airlock just as the leading edge of the unidentified guest started to appear from the vortex.

Captain Morgan couldn't believe his eyes. He suddenly found himself doubting the voracity of both his ability to interpret and the visual data on the view screen.
"My god it's...."

 

[dragginfly]

Captain Morgan couldn't believe his eyes. He suddenly found himself doubting the voracity of both his ability to interpret and the visual data on the view screen.
"My god it's...."

"Could it be? Yes! It's the Vamo!"

But the Vamo had been operating nearly 12 light years away when it went off grid after that anti-matter caused by the evil Dr. Sona Mask and his laboratories. Captain Morgan got on his communicator and called back to CIC.

"Grrlbek! Grrlbek! Are you seeing this?"

"Yes, Captain" the narly voice of Grrlbek growled back. "We're picking up faint life forms on board, but cannot confirm source or numbers yet."

"Ready the away team, and do not allow the Vamo to dock until we've swept the ship," ordered the captain. "I'll rendezvous with Commander Hildebrant and get her crew transferred to the Falcon before returning to the bridge to brief the away team with their assignment."

 

[whodat2112]

"Could it be? Yes! It's the Vamo!"

But the Vamo had been operating nearly 12 light years away when it went off grid after that anti-matter caused by the evil Dr. Sona Mask and his laboratories. Captain Morgan got on his communicator and called back to CIC.

"Grrlbek! Grrlbek! Are you seeing this?"

"Yes, Captain" the narly voice of Grrlbek growled back. "We're picking up faint life forms on board, but cannot confirm source or numbers yet."

"Ready the away team, and do not allow the Vamo to dock until we've swept the ship," ordered the captain. "I'll rendezvous with Commander Hildebrant and get her crew transferred to the Falcon before returning to the bridge to brief the away team with their assignment."

While scanning the ship, the sensors picked up a faint life form reading. So the team was sent to the coordinates of that reading. Searching frantically they located a small wart hog who's collar read "property of Richard Simmons". Could it be the same Richard Simmons who daintily helped overweight people by sweating to the oldies?
Turning the wart hog's collar over it was discovered that his name was Melvin. Melvin the wart hog would be brought back aboard and eventually become the ships mascot, but for now the team would continue their search...................

 

[chryles]

While scanning the ship, the sensors picked up a faint life form reading. So the team was sent to the coordinates of that reading. Searching frantically they located a small wart hog who's collar read "property of Richard Simmons". Could it be the same Richard Simmons who daintily helped overweight people by sweating to the oldies?
Turning the wart hog's collar over it was discovered that his name was Melvin. Melvin the wart hog would be brought back aboard and eventually become the ships mascot, but for now the team would continue their search...................

"Search leader Alpha, we're picking up another signal" It was Jack Orf's first time in command of a team and he was determined to make a name for himself. "Go ahead control."
"We are picking up life signs in the forward 510 port."
"We're on it control." The forward 510 port? Thought Orf. Who would hide there? The whole galaxy new the Vamo's 510 was weakest part of the ships construction...

 

[iz2sick]

"Search leader Alpha, we're picking up another signal" It was Jack Orf's first time in command of a team and he was determined to make a name for himself. "Go ahead control."
"We are picking up life signs in the forward 510 port."
"We're on it control." The forward 510 port? Thought Orf. Who would hide there? The whole galaxy new the Vamo's 510 was weakest part of the ships construction...

Orf's suspicions were not in vain. The curious move by the Vamo's to hide in port 510 was done purposefully. Their ship was autopiloting straight for Captain Morgan's fleet. The Vamos were hiding in port 510 in hopes that Captain Morgan would target that area first. But why would the Vamo's do this?

Orf confirmed that there were indeed life forms in port 510 of the fast approaching ship. Orf voiced his suspicions, "Captain Morgan, don't you find it peculiar that the Vamos would all be hiding in the weakest part of the ship? They are headed straight for us and we did not pick up any lifeforms in the captain's bay."

Captain Morgan suddenly realized that the Vamo's were employing an ancient Earth war maneuver known as a Kamikaze. "But why would they hide in port 510!?" pondered Morgan... Then, he suddenly remembered the anti-matter. "Could it be? Could the Vamo's have produced enough antimatter to annihilate an entire planet?" though Morgan. Captain Morgan suddenly commanded, "POWER DOWN ALL WEAPONS AND BEGIN EVASIVE MANEUVERS! If a single atom of matter touches the antimatter on their ship, we will all perish!"

And in an instant, the Vamo's ship...