Short Story #4417

Short Story #4417

The space center was busy as usual, with people constantly going in and out and walking to their workstations or sectors. Security watched as people showed their badges before coming in. For one man, it meant showing more than a badge. Ronald Akins showed his badge and was then escorted over to a small room where he awaited four of his colleagues. Ten minutes into waiting, a second man, Jason Jameson, was also shown to the same room. Five minutes after him, the third man, Chip Spurlock, made his way into the small room. Finally, the last two men, Vince Cooper and Lane Burchill, made their way in. These five men were the astronauts for the latest mission into space. They talked amongst themselves until a rectangular screen came from out of a spot in the white wall. A man appeared on-screen as the men adjusted themselves in their orange oval swivel chairs. The man on screen was much older than the men in the room and had a stoic look on his face. He looked at all the men and addressed them by name before getting into talking.

“Gentlemen, I want to thank you first and foremost for being at the top of your field. This mission, as you know, is of deep importance. We already set man on the moon six years ago, but now we are looking to go further and beyond. That’s where you come in. You’re going to be leaving the Earth and the entire Milky Way Galaxy to travel into the Andromeda Galaxy. There, you are to find any planets there at all, and when you find one, you will land and explore. We have it on record, based on scientific discovery, that there’s a 99% chance planets do exist in Andromeda; only now are we officially going to find out. You men are the astronauts of the Starship Phoenix, which is a rather fitting name given the fact that we don’t know how long it’ll take you to get there and come back here to Earth. You have dedicated your hard work, and now you will dedicate your life to finding out just what lies beyond our universe. Godspeed, and we will be in touch before you take liftoff.”

The screen went black as the monitor went back into the wall. The men each looked at one another, knowing the minutes ticking away until liftoff would be their last on the planet and in the entire galaxy. They got up from their chairs and went out a solid silver door with no doorknob that opened by itself. Each man nodded to the security officer outside, grabbed their belongings, and headed over to station command to get ready. They walked down a long hallway with sky blue colored walls with two red and orange lines at the bottom of them. They passed people now and then, as well as several different waiting areas with different-shaped chairs in a cluster. One thing that was absent from the long hallway and these waiting areas were windows. They kept walking down the long hallway for about five minutes until they got to a solid white door with no knob, like the silver one. The men took out their keycards and swiped them along a place in the wall. The door would open and close as each man would do so to get in. When they were all in, they looked around at the command room and saw people seated at three giant control panels, wearing headpieces or headphones, looking at their computer monitors.

A man in a space military suit welcomed the men and said not a word as he escorted them around the control panels and computers and over to the two way glass looking out which showed the ship the men would be going in. The men then went into another door to change into their gear. Ten minutes later, all the men came out in their gear and opened another door near the two way glass and were now in the launch area. The men were briefed one final time and made their last-minute prep before they were told to board the Starship Phoenix. Akins, Jameson, Spurlock, Cooper, and Burchill all boarded the ship and were equipped with their communications before they heard a voice on the other end.

“Gentlemen, this is it. You’ve been briefed, you’ve prepared, and now it’s launch time. Make sure to fasten yourselves in securely and keep communications on at all times. We will be able to talk to you while you’re in space, but once you’ve drifted a good distance outside of our solar system, who knows. It’ll truly be a test to see how far communication will go. Remember, whatever you find and whomever you encounter will indeed be the first scientific discovery of any kind outside our galaxy. You all should feel proud. I will turn you over to Lassiter and Ross; they will be your communication for this mission. Good luck to all you men, and I hope whatever you find is a step closer to cosmic euphoria.”

The communication ends as a new voice of Commander Emery Lassiter is heard. He presses a button and asks each of them if they hear it.

“This is Akins. I hear it loud and clear. Over.”

“This is Jameson. I hear it loud and clear. Over.”

“This is Spurlock, heard loud and clear. Over.”

“This is Cooper, heard loud and clear. Over.”

“This is Burchill. I hear it loud and clear. Over.”

The countdown began as the men were secured in their seats, ready for takeoff. When the countdown hit one they ship began takeoff, and they ascended into the air slowly before blasting off into orbit. The men flew high into the clouds and then past them altogether. After a few minutes, their acceleration had increased just slightly as they drifted past the radiation belt and then out of Earth's atmosphere. Soon the men saw darkness and stars all around them. They had done it; they were in space. Their acceleration had stopped, and they were now slowly coasting at a slower rate but still solid enough to not lose pressure or time. Lassiter and Ross called in to ask if they were all okay. Every astronaut checked in that they were fine.

“How long do you think it’ll take us to get to Andromeda?” Spurlock asks out loud for anyone to answer.

“Hard to say, really. May take a week, maybe take a year, may take a decade.”, Akins says.

“A decade?! Are you crazy?” Jameson asks.

“Well, it wouldn’t be for us, but back on Earth it could be. Remember, we’re in spacetime now.”

“Okay, well, how long do you think it’ll take us to get there in spacetime, Commander?” Jameson asks.

“There’s always one astronaut that just isn’t up to speed with how things work and is never satisfied with answers you give him.”, Akins replies.

“Hey! I resent that! And besides, where did you hear such a crazy thing like that?” Jameson says.

“I used to watch The Twilight Zone. It seemed like every space episode had that one astronaut that had to go against authority or didn’t know as much as the rest of his team.”

“I’m not going against authority, and I know just as much as everyone else here!” Jameson says defensively.

“Jameson, you saying that just proves my point. But to answer your question, it's hard to really say, even in space-time, just how long it’ll take us, but again it’ll likely feel faster for us than it will on Earth.”

The men remove their seatbelts and get up from their seats and look out the window into space. As they look out, they hear someone calling in from the space center.

“This is Commander Akins. Over.”

“Commander Akins, this is Major Stevenson. How are you?”

“I’m good. Commander Stevenson? I’m not familiar with you, sir. Are you from a different space center than we left?”

“No, Commander Akins. I’ve worked here for over 15 years. I took over command for Lt. Ross and Lassiter, who retired.”

“Retired? But how is that possible?! We just talked to them before we got into space!” Spurlock says.

Akins looks over at their coordinates and smiles.

“Well, your acceleration rate may have slowed down, astronaut, but you’re still going at warp 3, which means you’re halfway to Andromeda already, and here 15 years have gone by.”, Stevenson says.

“They didn’t know if communication would still be possible.”, Akins says.

“Indeed we didn’t, but a system was put in place, and we have been in constant contact, tracking your location. This is the first time we’ve had communication with you in 15 years, but to you it’s likely only been 20 minutes.”, Stevenson says.

The astronauts all give a look of amazement all of them except for Jameson.

“So, you mean to tell me I’m gonna be an old man by the time we get back to Earth?! I refuse to accept that!”

“Who is that?” Stevenson asks.

“It’s Astronaut Jameson.”, Akins says.

“Well, Jameson, that really all depends on if you find another planet on Andromeda, how much time you spend there, and if you’ll come back at all.”

“You mean to tell me even more time will go by the longer we’re there?”

“Theoretically, yes. But I do have good news for all of you. If you are somehow able to accomplish your mission within a week in space-time, we might, might being the keyword, be able to find a way to bring you back to your time in 1975.”

“How the hell are you able to accomplish that?” Burchill asks.

“Well, here on Earth it’s 1990, but back in 1987, a scientist found out that acceleration in space can be slowed down at a quantum rate. He also found out that time in Andromeda is somewhat, but not exactly, similar to Earth. If you put slowed-down acceleration at a quantum rate with Andromeda time, it turns out you can reverse time on the way back, but only if it’s done correctly. So in basic terms, gentlemen, you can bring the DeLorean back.”

“What the hell is a DeLorean?” Jameson asks.

“My apologies, I forgot you’re from 1975. It's a car manufactured in 1981 and was used in the time travel movie Back to the Future.”

The astronauts all look at one another in shock and confusion before Akins speaks.

“So Stevenson, what time would we need to arrive in Andromeda to achieve this?”

“When you arrive is irrelevant, but if you want to get back to your own time, you’ll need to keep track and make sure you’re not there for longer than a week, or else you’ll be lost to time, and when you get back to Earth, who knows what the year will be.”

“Oh yeah, no pressure at all.”, Spurlock says.

“Thank you, Stevenson. Will we be able to stay in touch?” Akins asks.

“Yes, but it likely won’t be with me, but another person in command.”

“Alright, thank you. Thanks for the information, and I hope we can get back home with the discovery of a planet in Andromeda.”

Stevenson signs off as the astronauts all look at Akins.

“Alright, men. You heard him. We have a week tops to discover anything on a planet and then leave immediately.”

“Easier said than done. This whole spacetime thing may be our end.”, Jameson says

“I know, but we all agreed to go on this mission, and we’ll see this through. Head to our sleeping quarters and try to get some sleep.”

The men went to get some sleep, but a few couldn’t sleep because the unknown had somehow now become bigger with everything Stevenson had said to them.

*

The men awoke to the ship's auto censors indicating they had reached the Andromeda Galaxy. They all scrambled to get their suits back on and over to the main deck to check things out. They looked out the window, and what they saw before them was astounding. A whole new galaxy with what appeared to be 12 planets orbiting two suns.

“Are you guys seeing this?!” Jameson asks.

“We sure are. What a sight.”, Akins says.

As they slowly approach the planets in orbit, they get a call from command.

“Gentlemen, this is Major Simmons from Command. We are reading your location. Can you confirm you are looking at the Andromeda Galaxy and its planets?”

“Commander Akins here, sir. I can confirm we are looking at what appears to be 12 planets within this solar system.”

“Very good. According to the computers, the first three planets are merely asteroids; the 4^th once had life but no longer does, but the 5^th planet contains life. That planet is to be your destination.”

“The 5^th planet, alright. Does it have a name?”

“Our computers may be well advanced from what you remember, Major, but they aren’t that good. You’ll have to find out from the people when you land as to what it's called.”, Simmons says.

“Major Simmons, Astronaut Cooper here. Sir, what year is it on Earth right now?”

“It’s 2005.”

“Oh, my dear god. 30 years have passed, when for us it took a day and a half to get to Andromeda. Tell me something, Major. Our last contact was with Commander Stevenson in 1990. He said there was a way for us to go back home to 1975 after we search the planet, but it has to be within a week. Is that still possible?” Akins says.

“I’ll let him tell you himself; he’s right here.”

“Hello, Commander Akins.”

“Stevenson! You’re still working there.”

“That I am. I’m fifteen years older, but I’m still here. So about what I told you. We’ve come a long way with computers and science since 1990, so you’ll be happy to know that we ran our information through, and you don’t have to worry about going over your stay for a week. We can still get you back to your time in 1975.”

“Thank god for that. Thank you, Stevenson.”

“You’re welcome, Commander, and good luck to you and the men on the planet. Over and out.”

The men begin their descent into the Andromeda’s solar system. They lock their coordinates on the 5^th planet, and as they glance past some space debris, they narrow in and fly into the planet. The ship slowly flies through what appears to be clouds, or at least that’s what they think they are. The men look out the window and notice they are in a light red-lit sky, and as they look down, they see what appears to be a whole city. Akins decides to zero in on the coordinates on a large formation of mountains and canyons. He brings them down slowly as they are now in the planet's natural area. Akins lands the Starship Phoenix in a canyon as the men all put on their space helmets, unsure if the air is breathable. Cooper hits the button as the door slowly opens, and one after the other, each man walks out of the ship and onto the surface of the planet. Akins takes out his device and tries to determine if the air is breathable. Everyone else follows suit, but no one can get a firm idea.

“Has anyone determined if the air is breathable?” Spurlock asks.

“Negative. I’m not getting anything on this; it just keeps showing a thin green line. How about the rest of you?” Jameson asks.

The rest of them nod their heads.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”, Burchill says.

“Burchill, no! You could die!” Akins says.

“Well, we’ve come this far and lost 30 years, so what’s it matter? Besides, just getting here was an adventure. I’m at peace if I can prove that the rest of you should keep your helmets on.”, Burchill says as he begins removing his space helmet.

The rest of the men all shout no at him and look on as he fully takes it off his head. Burchill breathes in the air and smiles as he touches his face and realizes he’s alright. The rest of the men take off their helmets and smile and breath a sign of relief as the devices beep. Akins looks down and shakes his head along with the rest of them.

“According to this, the planet is made up of several elements, compounds, and carbon-based scents. Oxygen and water are two of those primary sources. Looks like we’ll be alright, gentlemen.”, Akins says.

“Yeah, but what about the high traces of lithium and sodium? That can’t be good for us.”, Jameson asks.

“Yeah, they do look a bit higher than Earth, but I think we’ll be alright.”, Akins replies.

The men all look out at their current location. They are on a canyon with many others after it. Burchill looks down at the edge and sees a stream of water.

“You guys, look at this!”

They all look down at the stream of water and are astounded.

“It’s purple! Do you think it's safe to be in?” Cooper asks.

“We’ll find out when we get down there. In the meantime, let’s start heading down this canyon formation.”, Akins says.

The men begin their descent down the long canyon, making conversation about what awaits them. As they talk and continue walking, Jameson stops and tells them to look at the sky. The sky is entirely a light orange make the men feel tranquil and at peace. As they continue further down, they all begin getting hot in their space suits.

“Akins, you think we can take these off? I’m feeling hot.”, Cooper asks.

“Let’s wait until we get down to the surface where the water is.”

The men go around a circular bend in the canyon. Eventually they make their way to the bottom and stop, and walk over to the water.

“Has anyone seen any living creature?” Akins asks.

They all say no as they slowly approach the water.

“Alright, Burchill tested the air; now I’m gonna be the one to test the water.”, Spurlock says.

Spurlock kneels and puts his hand in the water, and when he pulls it out, his hand has become transparent.

“Uh, are you guys seeing this?”

“How do you feel, Chip?” Akins asks.

“I feel fine. But my hand is all transparent-looking.”

Cooper puts his hand in the water, and like Spurlock’s, his hand is now transparent. Akins takes out the device to analyze the water.

“What’s it saying, Commander?” Jameson asks.

It’s just confirming it as normal water, no different from Earth.

“But that’s impossible! It’s purple and made their hands invisible!”

“Let me conduct a deeper analysis.”

Akins types into his device and makes notes that the water is, in fact, purple and the condition it makes the skin.

“Says here there’s high traces of ammonium arberte and florescence agarnium.”

“You want to say that in English?” Cooper asks.

“They are two elemental-based carbons on this planet, but if I’m correct, they are similar in nature to algae and fluoride on Earth. Totally safe.”

“Uh, that’s not random at all, but okay.”, Jameson says.

Burchill takes off his suit and dives in head first.

“Burchill!”

When Burchill reemerges from the water, he’s totally transparent.

“Now that’s pretty cool!” Cooper says.

The men all take off their suits and swim in the water getting clean. After a while, they get out and realize they dry off faster than they would on Earth.

“Well, this just keeps getting more and more interesting.”, Spurlock says.

The men put their clothes back on, but all decide to leave their helmets at the base of the water. They then continue down the long stretch of water that eventually leads to a cavern. Akins looks at them all and nods as he is the first to go into the cavern. The rest of the men follow him as they go into the cavern and walk along the stone like path. After about 300 feet, they come out on the other side and gasp at what they see before them. They see what appears to be structures and buildings just like on Earth but constructed in a vastly different way. There are also no roads, no vehicles, and no life.

“Would you guys say those are supposed to be buildings and houses?” Cooper asks.

“Yeah, but the dimensions and shapes all seem disproportionate and odd-looking, yet we all see them as buildings.”, Akins.

“Where are all the people?” Jameson asks.

“Maybe they're inside those buildings?” Burchill asks.

The men continue into the city and stop at one of the buildings and knock, but nothing happens. They go to several buildings and knock, but nothing happens. As they travel further and further into the remote city, Spurlock stops.

“You guys, what if we encounter something dangerous that means us harm? How will we defend ourselves?”

“Chip is right. If something attacks, we’re as good as dead.”, Jameson says.

“Well, let’s see what our devices say. Let’s see if we can get a reading on this place.”, Akins says.

Everything seems to check out, and nothing seems amiss. The men are reassured by Akins and keep walking further into the city. As they keep walking, Jameson stops and listens.

“Did you guys hear that?”

“Hear what?” Akins asks.

“I don’t know. It sounded like a whispering buzz sound.”

They keep walking as Jameson hears it again and again, and it gets louder. Suddenly all the men now hear it, and before he can say another word or react, Jameson’s eyes grow as big as saucers, and he freezes in place at the sight of what he sees to the side of him. A giant red beast like creature on four legs with horns and a human like face stare at him.

“What in the name of all that’s holy is that thing?” Cooper asks.

“You guys... It’s looking right at me!” Jameson says, still not moving.

The creature lunges forward toward Jameson as he does his best to get out of the way. He avoids the creature grabbing him as he now looks at it again and this time Akins takes out his device and analyzes the red beast.

“It’s called a Berserelic. It’s native to this planet and has been for over 400 years. It is peaceful in nature but is known to attack when it sees any other living organism. It’s also angry at all times.”

“How the hell can it be peaceful and angry at the same time?” Jameson asks.

“It’s peaceful being angry all the time.”

“That’s not weird at all!” Burchill says.

The beast stares the men down and lunges forward at them as they all scatter in different directions. The beast lands on its feet, having missed all five men. Jameson looks at it, and they lock eyes as the beast now charges him. Jameson ducks and moves out of the way as the beast hits a wall. It shakes off any damage, and the men begin running back toward the cavern. When they get inside the cavern and come out the other side, they await the red beast, but it never shows up.

“Maybe it can’t go into the cavern?” Cooper asks.

“I don’t see why it can’t.”

Burchill goes back into the water and comes out.

“Burchill, what the hell! Now’s not the time for a water break.”

“Don’t you get it? If we’re transparent, it might see us!”

“Hmm, I didn’t think of that. But we don’t know how long we’ll be transparent for.”, Akins asks.

“15 minutes. I counted.”, Cooper says.

“Okay then. Let’s all become transparent and then do our best to avoid that thing.”

All the men submerge themselves into the water and come out transparent. They walk back into the cavern and walk up to where they got to before seeing the creature. They don’t see it until they walk further into the city and see not just one but hundreds of red beast creatures.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”, Jameson says.

“Let’s do our best to walk right on through.”, Akins says.

“Are you crazy? We don’t know where we’re going, and if our time runs out and we’re seen, those things are tearing us limb from limb!” Spurlock says.

“It’s the only way forward. We’ve got to try. Cooper, how much time do we have left?”

“8 minutes. We'd better make this work and count!”

The men walk through the beast camp and are undetected by the creatures. They walk past them all and then get to a clearing in which they see a circular structure of some sort with a waterfall behind it. All of it sits on top of a hill. Akins points to it and says they can go up there, and as they walk over to it, their time of transparency is up, and they can now be seen. Some of the berserelics see them and begin walking over. More and more of them walk over, and soon they are surrounded.

“Well, guys, it was nice knowing you.”, Jameson says.

“I don’t suppose you people talk?” Akins asks them.

They don’t speak but stare at the men in anger and don’t react.

“Please, we mean you no harm.”, Akins says.

The creatures put up two of their legs and make a move over like motion to the men. The men all look at each other before they move out of the way, and that’s when they hear a scream and screeching sound. On top of the hill and from out of the water wall, walking right over the structure, stands an eight-foot-tall creature that looks to weigh about 400lbs. It’s gray and has long, whimsical, flailing arms and thick thighs and legs. It has ghastly looking facial features and long black hair that’s wet from the water and hangs down off its face.

“What in the hell is that?!”, Jameson says.

The men begin running back along with the berserelics that are also running back toward their camp. The giant creature brings down it’s and the giant wingspan of its arm takes out many berserelics. It then jumps and lands on some of them, killing them. Some of them make it into their weird structured houses, and one of them lets the men inside. The houses and buildings are all suddenly covered by an armored shell and then all latch onto a hook in the ground that lowers them a bit, and they begin moving into the cavern. When they are on the other side, the buildings, still in their shell, are dipped into the water where they become transparent. They then move back into the cavern and go back into their original spots. The house with the men inside has the berserelics remove the shell, and it looks out the window and sees the giant creature looking around.

“So that’s why the water makes you transparent. It’s to hide you not from the berserelics but from whatever the hell that thing is.”, Akins says.

“But does that mean we don’t have to worry about the beserelics now?” Jameson asks.

“Well, they did warn us, and now we’re in one of their homes, so I guess not.”, Spurlock says.

Akins takes out his device and points it out the window at the creature. The berserelic looks at him and the device.

“I’m going to see what this thing is.”

The berserelic nods as if it understands him. Akins looks at his screen, and he looks shocked at the results.

“What is it, Ronald? What does it say it is?” Burchill asks.

“It says…

“Akins, what’s wrong? Tell us what it is!” Cooper says.

“It says it’s a human being from the planet Earth of the Milky Way galaxy. It came here in 1992 and was scarred and transformed by the atmosphere, causing it to mutate. The berserlics are the native people of this land, and to adapt and fight against the creature, they put a nutrient into their water and reconstructed their buildings to accommodate and fight against the being.”, Akins says.

The men are silent until Akins speaks.

“There’s one last part here at the end.”, Akins says.

He reads it to himself before he looks up at his men and sees Spurlock, Burchill, and Cooper but no Jameson. His face grows with an intense look of absolute horror and fear as he drops his device.

“Akins, what’s wrong?” Cooper asks.

“Hey, where’s Jameson?” Burchill asks.

Spurlock picks up Akins' device and reads what it says out loud.

“The creature is formally a visitor and explorer. He was an astronaut by the name of Jason Jameson. OH MY GOD, how?!”

The men all begin freaking out, not understanding how Jameson could be the creature when he was just with them minutes prior. They stare out the window at the creature to get a good look at it.

“I don’t understand. This doesn’t make any sense! How can that be Jameson out there?! He was just with us! And it said it happened in 1992, but we were still in space in 92.”, Burchill says.

Akins gives the men a concerned look.

“Gentlemen, I don’t know how to explain it so that it’ll make sense, but I think at some point while we were up there we may have entered a different part of time. Part of us were up in space, and the other part of us had already landed on the planet.”, Akins says.

“You’re right, that doesn’t make any sense. How could that have happened, and why would it have?” Spurlock says.

“You don’t know anything more about space than I do, Spurlock! Time is like gravity. We know it exists and we can define it to a point, but eventually there are factors of it beyond our comprehension. That’s just what I think; that’s just what I myself came up with. It’s the only thing I know that makes sense to me. That in space we separated into two different times, and the one where we landed on the planet we’re just now arriving at.”

Do you hear yourself?! That doesn’t make any sense!” Spurlock says.

“It doesn’t matter one way or the other because what happens to be true is that that creature out there is James Jameson. Our fellow astronaut.”

“Akins, answer me this then. If that happened to him, then what’s going to happen to us? What if something already has?” Burchill asks.

“I don’t know. I don’t even know if this planet is worth exploring any further now that we know what we know. Let’s just focus on getting out of here and taking out Jameson.”, Akins says.

“Taking out Jameson? Why? Why and how could we even do that?” Cooper asks.

“For one, he’s our friend. We can’t leave him like this, and besides, look at what he’s doing. He’s been wreaking havoc on these creatures, these beserelics, for over a decade! They deserve to live in peace and not have to suffer because of a mistake we may have made at some point.” Akins says.

“How is this our fault?!”, Spurlock says.

“We landed here, Chip. That in itself may have caused all of this. Make of it what you will; we had a mission to accomplish, and we have but by God at what cost?” Akins says.

The men look at the beserelic and ask if it can understand them. The beserelic nods its head to each of its sides, indicating yes and no.

“Alright, well let's see if it understands this. Why haven’t you been able to kill that creature?”

The beserelic stares at Akins, not understanding him. Akins points to the creature outside and then makes a fighting motion with his hands. Then throws his hands up as if asking why it's still around. The beserelic walks up to Akins and puts its nose to one of his hands and then puts its head down. Akins takes his hand and puts it on the beserelic’s head, and Akins goes into a trance.

“Hello, Commander Akins. I am Koss, the beserelic before you.”

“How are we talking?”

“It’s called hypnotic transference. It’s a way for us to communicate and understand each other.”, Koss says.

“Oh, okay. Koss, we don’t mean you or your people any harm, but that thing out there, it’s one of our men. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Yes, we are aware. It is hard to explain, but you see, you’ve been here before, Commander; only you don’t remember.”

“We have?”

“Yes, back in 1992. Jameson, as you call him, was rude and cruel to us. You and the other men tried to stop him, but he became hysterical, and when he went into the water, he had a strange reaction to it. Apparently there was something in his system already that didn’t agree with our water, which is why he turned the way he did.”

“But what did we do when this happened? When he turned. Where did we go?” Akins says.

“Go? You didn’t go anywhere. You’ve been trying to fight him with us. As you are now.”

“I don’t understand. We just arrived here and came across your people, and Jameson was with us, and then before we knew it he wasn’t, and he had become the creature.”

“For you, you just came here, but to us you never left.”, Koss says.

“Well, as hard as that might be for me to understand, there’s one thing that I do know: we need to stop him and kill him. He’s been wreaking havoc on you and your people for far too long. Have you tried anything to stop him?”

“Yes, but no matter what we do, he overpowers us.”

Akins thinks for a moment and then comes up with an idea.

“What if we can lure him out of the city through the cavern and make him fall off the canyon?”

“We have never considered this, but yes, that might just work. But how can we do it?” Koss asks.

“Tell some of your people the plan. We can all have him chase us, and then at some point some of us become transparent, and then when he comes crashing into the cavern he comes out the other side and falls to his death.”

“I like this idea, Commander. Let's do it. I will tell my people.”

Akins lets go of Koss’s head, and the two begin talking over their plan with the others. Cooper, Burchill, and Spurlock look on in confusion until they are filled in on the plan. They go outside of Koss’s home, where Jameson is now on the other side of them, back near the waterfall. Koss gathers his people and tells them of the plan. Everyone who doesn’t wish to take part stays in their shelled homes while those that do want to take part line up.

“I want you all to start heading toward the cavern now. I’ll call over to Jameson to get his attention.”, Akins says.

The plan goes into action as everyone heads toward the cavern. Akins calls out to Jameson, who lunges his long neck and grotesque face forward before he locks his eyes onto Akins from a distance. For a moment, Jameson appears to recognize him. This is what Akins was hoping for. Jameson slowly walks closer toward Akins until he suddenly doesn’t remember him and begins jumping to get to him faster.

“That’s it, Jameson, you ugly bastard, come get me.”

Akins begins running toward the cavern. Because of his large, thin, and bony figure, Jameson is almost able to get to Akins. He takes a swipe at him but misses as Akins reaches the rest of his men along with the beserelics. Jameson glares at them all as they stare back at him. He lunges forward as they all head into the cavern. Jameson, who usually gives up because the cavern is in his way, is now enraged and begins punching the rock formation of the cavern. He then backs up, and as Akins thought he might do, he crashes through the cavern just as everyone reaches the exit and they begin heading over to the water. He sees everyone and gives a vile, ugly smile before licking his lips and jumping into the air so he can come down on them in one giant swoop. However, when he sees them go into the water and disappear, he is unable to change his position in the air and comes crashing down hard on the hard surface. He notices all the berserelics are gone, and only Akins, Cooper, Burchill, and Spurlock remain. They begin their descent up the canyon as Jameson slowly gets up and is now slightly wounded from the fall, making him walk slowly and unable to jump.

The men climb and climb until they are a medium distance up the canyon. Jameson slowly gets up to them and stares at them.

“Come get us, Jameson!”

“Gahhhhhhhh!!!!” Jameson wails as he launches himself toward them.

The men move out of the way as Jameson’s eyes go wide as he sees he’s about to go off the canyon and fall into the abyss. He tries to prevent it but is unable to. He falls off the canyon and falls and falls into the eternal abyss. The men return down to the ground as some of the beserelics return to form.

“It worked! Thank you so much, Commander; we are forever grateful.”, Koss says.

“We can understand and hear you now too!” Spurlock says.

“Yes, time is changing once more for you all. Let us go back into the city and celebrate and give you all a proper tour.”

Akins, Spurlock, Burchill, and Cooper all follow the beserelics into town. They are shown the city and how the beserelics live. A joyous party is held to celebrate the death of the creature that tormented them for so long, and they celebrate new friendships. The men stay for a few days until they decide its time to leave and go back home.

“I hope you will tell your people of us, and we shall tell our future generations about you.”, Koss says.

“We will indeed. People back on Earth will be excited.”

“Goodbye, my friends, and safe travels to you.”

The men say goodbye and go back into the cavern, and begin their walk back up the canyon to their ship. When they reach it, they see the ship and sigh.

“Oh god, I’m so happy to see this thing.”, Spurlock says.

“Same. I can’t wait to go home.”, Burchill says.

As the men go into the ship, they take one last look at the planet.

“You know we never asked them what this place is called?” Akins says.

“Hmm, yeah, now that you mention it.”, Cooper says

“Do you suppose the devices will tell us?” Spurlock asks.

“Maybe, but let's name it ourselves. Let's call it based on what the people were called. Let’s call it Beserlia.”, Akins says.

“I like it, " Spurlock says.

“Me too.”, Cooper says.

“Burchill, you’ve been awfully quiet.”, Akins says, turning to face Burchill, who isn’t there.

“Where did he go?” Cooper asks.

“He got on the ship, didn’t he?” Spurlock asks.

“Yes, of course he did; he was right next to me. He said he can’t wait to go home.”

Cooper walks down the long corridor of the ship and begins calling out to him but gets no response. Akins decides to ask the ship.

“Phoenix, tell me the whereabouts of astronaut Lane Burchill.”

“Lane Burchill died on the surface of the planet.”

“What? That’s impossible! Phoenix, explain. How and when did Burchill die?”

“Lane Burchill died when he removed his helmet to see if the air was breathable. This was in 2005, the current time.”

“But he was with us this whole time! We all breathed the air! It doesn’t make sense! Phoenix, how could that be when Burchill was with us the whole time? And we all breathed the air on the planet.”

“Burchill died removing his helmet, thus making you all keep yours on. You thinking you removed your helmets was due to an illusion and hypnotic suggestion created by the planet.”

The men look at each other, stunned, not understanding but reluctantly coming to terms with it. Akins decides he wants more information and presses the ship to tell him.

“Phoenix, did we kill Jameson as that creature?”

“Yes, Commander, we killed Jameson as he was a threat to the planet and race of Beserelics.”

Cooper looks at Akins.

“Did you hear what it just said?”

“Yeah, it said we as if it were there with us.”

“That’s because I was there with you, Commander.”

“What are you talking about?” Akins asks.

Cooper realizes Spurlock is now gone.

“Uh, Commander, Spurlock is gone.”

“How?! He was right here. What in the...oh god. Oh dear God, it can’t be. Spurlock?” Akins says, calling out to the ship.

“Yes, Commander, it is I, Chip Spurlock. I was killed on the ship, and it was able to merge me with it, giving me new life.”

“What do you mean when you were killed? You were standing right next to us!” Akins says.

“I was killed on this ship back in 1999, Commander. When the ship was a quarter of the way back from Andromeda.”

“We haven’t taken off yet!”

“It has already happened for me, but not you.”, Spurlock says.

“Spurlock, explain this before I lose my mind.”

“Very well, Commander. You view time as a straight line or string, if you will. It runs as people have deemed it so and created it to run. However, space-time is vastly different. It does not run straight but in clusters and fragments and can go by in either slow or rapid intervals.”

“I kind of understand, but how have you already been killed but we don’t remember?”

“We have already gone back a few years, and time is currently running in a limbo-like state for you. This is because your brains cannot process the speed at which time runs in space.”

Akins sits down in his seat, and Cooper does too.

“Since you don’t remember how I died, let me show you.”

“No, Spurlock!”

A video screen comes down from the front window. Chip Spurlock is seen running down the long corridor and into a room on the ship. He has a look of pure terror on his face as his stomach is punctured and blood begins pouring out of him like a water fountain. His face is hit repeatedly as scratch marks form on him. He screams and pleads as whatever is attacking him strikes him again, and he falls to the ground, dead.

Akins and Cooper wince at the video.

“Spurlock, why didn’t we hear any of this, and what killed you, and where is it now?”

“Commander, I have already explained this. You are in a limbo state-

“I know that, but surely we were on the ship with you when you died, yes?” Akins asks.

“That is correct.”

“So did we hear you screaming?”

“Yes, and you tried to help, but when you got to me I was already dead, and the thing that killed me had disappeared.”, Spurlock says.

“What killed you, Spurlock?”

“Commander Akins, your heart rate is rather high. If I tell you, I risk putting you into shock. Perhaps it is best if you guess.”

“Was it Jameson? Did he come back?” Cooper blurts out.

“No, we killed him.”

“Spurlock its no time for games.”

“Was it a beserelic?” Cooper asks, calmer than Akins is.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“But they were nice beings! That doesn’t make any sense!” Akins says, but suddenly doesn’t ask anymore as he thinks of something else.

“Spurlock, if this already happened but hasn’t for us, then that means you know what’s going to happen, right?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Tell me something then. Do we make it back to Earth or do we die on this ship?”

“I am afraid I cannot answer that question, Commander.”

“Answer it!”

“I am sorry, but I cannot.”

“Why!?”

“As a computer on this ship, I could tell you, but the remaining part of my humanity and the fact that I was your comrade prevent me from telling you that information on behalf of what you might do with it.”

“Goddamnit!”

“Commander, please calm down.”, Spurlock says.

Akins puts his hands over his face in an attempt to calm down. As he slowly puts his head back up he notices the ship has altered and feels it moving. The ship has a purple tint and metallic look to it where before it was a standard looking ship.

“What the hell is going on?”

Akins looks over at Cooper, and just as their eyes lock, Cooper is yanked from his seat and dragged by his feet into the long corridor. Akins gets up and follows him. They stop in the middle as an invisible being rips Cooper's legs off as he screams. Akins looks on in shock. Cooper is somehow still alive with his legs kicking, and he’s screaming despite being ripped apart. Soon his head turns gray and shrivels into a flaky-looking skull that withers into ashes as smoke pours from it until it’s no more.

“OH, DEAR GOD!!!”

A beserelic appears out of nowhere. It looks very different from the last saw one. It’s more profound and menacing. It has large fangs and is dark blue in color, and looks fully enraged. However, it walks past him and into the control room.

“Come and have a seat, Commander.”

Akins sits down as the beserelic becomes a beam of light and goes into the ship's controls.

“What’s going on?! I feel like I’m losing my mind!”

“All will now be revealed, Commander.”

“Where is Spurlock?” Akins says.

“He is long dead, Commander. It’s been over twenty years since he died.”

“He was in the ship. He was talking to me.”

“Yes, well, we control the ship now.”

“Why are you doing this? You were kind to us, and we were kind to you! I don’t understand what made you this way!”

“You made us this way, Ronald Akins. You and your fellow homosapiens landed on our planet. Your fellow astronaut James Jameson mutated into a grotesque creature. Yes, you helped get rid of him, but what you didn’t know was that while you couldn’t breathe our air, we caught a plague from you. Your very existence in our world caused us to become vengeful. Also, you ruined our water, so we adapted and changed. Becoming something different. Something needed in the future to prevent ourselves from becoming extinct. When we fully adapted and changed, we became more than we ever dreamed. We found your ship in space, and we learned how to get to you using our newfound powers.”

“No more. Please, no more. I can’t take hearing anymore. It never makes sense to me!”

“You still underestimate and know nothing of space-time. That is not your weakness; it’s your species weakness in thinking you could explore another galaxy and not face the dire consequences.”

“Why are you telling me all this? Why not just kill me?”

“You may find this hard to believe, Commander Akins, but despite our change, we are still fond of you. You were kind to us, and it was your idea that helped us kill Jameson, and it also helped us adapt. So in a way you are the cause of all of this, so we thank you. And as for killing you, well, you are still going to die, but since we have a respect for you, we will allow you to choose how you wish to die.”

Akins breaks down and cries until he wipes his tears and looks up as though coming to terms with his fate.

“I get to choose?”

“Yes, however you want. It can be arranged.”

“I’d like to put my helmet on and go out into space and float around until I lose oxygen. You said I know nothing of space-time well. If I go out there, I can understand and embrace it.”, Akins says.

“This is why we respect you. You have a view that is very philosophical. Very well. Put your helmet on and gather your thoughts.”

Akins puts on his helmet and adjusts his suit. He walks to the big door, and the beserelic opens it, and Akins takes a step and floats into open space.

“Goodbye, Commander Akins.”

Akins floats in space. He drifts further and further into the universe until eventually he loses oxygen and becomes lost to time. There were once five astronauts on a ship called the Starship Phoenix. They used to exist but don’t any longer.

THE END

Are you subscribed to my newsletter? You'll get Bloodprints free!