
The music fades out as we leave the planet’s atmosphere. The viewing screen blinks.
[STARDATE: 2607.7 – DESTINATION: SECOND STAR ON THE RIGHT]
The letters dissolve. The screen is filled with huge rocks, hurtling towards us.
“Asteroids!” yells Stevens.
The warning siren starts to wail and the red light flashes.
“Does this thing have shields?” I wonder out loud.
[SHIELDS ACTIVATED]
A medium-sized asteroid glances off the screen; the ship slews. Only our seat straps save us from being thrown to the floor.
“How do we steer?” shouts Harris.
A joystick, with a large red button on the top, sprouts from the console in front of him. He grabs hold and his eyes fix on the screen. His tongue pokes out of the side of his mouth; his gaming face. The control is hyper-responsive. Harris dodges nimbly through the asteroid belt, blowing rocks to smithereens with a dab of his thumb.
Then we’re through. The asteroids are behind us and all we can see is the inky blackness of space, peppered with bright pinpricks of light which are the stars.
All is quiet. We sit back and admire the view. My thoughts wander.
A huge black cube appears on the left of the screen. It glitters menacingly.
[You will be assimilated]
Stevens peers at the screen. “The Borg Cube!”
The ship is being pulled towards the vast angular vessel. Sirens wail, warning lights flash.
“But that’s not real!” Harris protests as he wrestles desperately with the joystick.
The ship judders ominously.
[Resistance is useless]
Stevens turns to me. “Hold on. Remember what the Zyborgatron said?”
I think for a moment. “Something about the ship being ‘guided by your imaginations.’ “
“Okay, who imagined The Borg?” Harris growls.
“Never mind who’s responsible. Just think of something else; something friendly!” I yell. “Hurry!”
The Borg Cube fills the screen. Harris jabs the red button repeatedly.
The viewing screen goes blank.
Then I hear a familiar sound.
[…] Look out for the next episode of Space Cadets… […]
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Wow! the Space Cadets have me drawn completely in. Some familiar descriptions with new have me captivated. Looking for more!
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Yay! Next episode on its way…tune in next week! 🙂
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I’ll be there for sure 😊
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I love the ending here. This was very well written
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Thank you 🙂 But not the end…yet.
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Great short story, Chris! Vivid scene-setting of characters in outer space 🙂
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Thanks Tom 🙂 I’m a bit of a sucker for sci-f! It’s all going to be a bit ‘old-school’ though. Can I maybe call it retro?
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Sure! Looking forward to where it progresses!
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P.S. I wasn’t sure if you were able to read my replies to all the encouraging comments you leave on my stories. Are they coming through okay?
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I don’t think the last one did. But you’ll see I popped over for a peep just now. Next chapter tomorrow? I’ll be there 🙂
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