Chapter One: Deep Space Music

[vampiremessiah51]

As the hatch slides open Alan's comlink crackles to life with an acrid request from Thorchan to meet up at the airlock. He turns the receiver on and gives his response; "Aye aye captain. Be there on the double." After a short pause he depresses the button again. "And I would thank you not to talk about my toys in front of the lady. Over and out." He stickers to himself as he pulls himself from the cockpit and aims himself towards the door, making his way to the airlock as fast he could.

He strides into the Airlock to see a pacing Thorchan with a disgruntled look on his face. He stows the grin he'd been saving for the man, deciding against prodding an already upset looking badger. He tugs on a flightsuit from his locker and walks up the ramp onto the shuttle, looking for an empty seat to park himself on.

[aipsylon]

"Right here sir." Eric spoke, he had been in the bay all along from where he was standing out else gotten there while the captain was in the shuttle waiting. He had been given the callsign ghost not too long after joining the merc band, mostly due to his footsteps when he walked around being near silent. Of course this had resulted in several people being spooked and not long after, the name.

He was a man of average height and unremarkable build black hair cut short. His brown eyes done with perpetual curiosity shared by many of the scientists. He glanced to the shuttle noting the four in it. "Anything that you need a hand with cap'ain?"

[Akirapryde]

Alice knew the feeling of being the new kid on the block. She only joined Project Phoenix three years ago. She leaned forward from her seat and rested a reassuring hand on Jake’s shoulder, “I don’t think he was talking about you” she said softly. She didn’t want to seem overbearing, so she pulled her hand back. She hoped that the act of kindness would help ease the young man’s nerves and embarrassment.

As she set back in her chair she found it strange. She had been aboard the Schicksal for almost two years but she realized she really didn’t know any of them. Well, she knew Captain Thorchan due to a number of meetings between the Science Team and Captain Thorchan. She was starting to realize that she barely knew the others. Much of her time during the past two years had been eaten up working on equations Professor Angsoft needed completed before arrival. She knew that this was just an excuse for her though. She always felt uncomfortable around others. But in a matter of days, this group would be out of her life and she would never see them again.

With a heavy sigh she looked out the window at Captain Thorchan. She knew that she liked talking with Lyona. There was a common bond through technology and science. But the others she really didn’t have anything in common with them. She didn’t even know most of their names. She turned her eyes back to the pilot and decided to at least know their names. “My name is Alice Underwood. I am a Computer and Mathematics specialist.”

[CarcerKango]

Jake relaxes at the gentle touch from Alice and nods gratefully. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jake Straker, shuttle pilot and general aerojock." He glances around. "Anyone else coming on board? Reactor's all warmed up, and we're ready to fly..."

[Akirapryde]

Alice smiled, "it is a pleasure to meet you too Mr. Straker." She leaned forward to look out the hatch, "There is another person out there with the Captain. That creepy shadow guy. He really makes my skin crawl when he is around" she said than realized that what she said was actually what she said. "OH! I am sorry..." she added placing her hand over her mouth. "I didn't....." there was genuine remorse over what she said in her voice.

[Kunanaki]

After looking at Eric for a min, Ghost, for a min he just says "So. What are you waiting for an engraved invitation?" He bends down, picks up some debris from the floor and throws it at Eric. "There is your engraved invitation, "Ghosty", or whatever everyone else calls you. Now get in the shuttle and buckle in." As he says that he walks over to the wall and turns on the ships intercom and says "Lyona. Kyle. Lets go sleeping beauties. We're waiting on you." He walks back to the shuttle, pokes his head in and says "Alan, your the funny one here. Make some jokes." He takes his head out and leans against the shuttle next to the opening.

[aipsylon]

Eric grabbed the bag as it came toward him, at least that was the plan, It took a pair of baubles before he had a firm hold of it. Once he did he gave a sharp nod to the captain carrying the package into the shuttle. His eyes passed around the craft before he stowed the clanking tools away in one of the holds, securing it, then marking it secured in any visible log sheet. Once logged he checked the strap securing it once more before heading up to a seat, strapping in. "Well I was going to make a joke about the manner of engraving, but it looks like the cap'ain has ordered you to tell one." He gave a smirk to Alan before closing his eyes for a few seconds, leaning back in the chair.

[RogueBonnie]

Lyona makes her way to the bay from her billet. When she finally arrives she notices that everyone has already boarded and hurries over to the entry ramp. Making her way on board she looks around "hello all," she says removing her tool belt and taking a free seat.

[Akirapryde]

Welcome to Phoenix Station
Perimeter of the Gum Nebula
Deep Periphery (250 Light years from boarder of Federated Suns Space)
Date: January 1st, 3161

Arriving at Phoenix Station, the Mark VII belonging to the party was directed to land at the Station’s only Landing Bay. The massive wide open bay was a buzz of activity was maintenance crews were tending to the last minute touches of the stations. Along the starboard side of the bay were tall stacks of white shipping crates. That had been unloaded the day before. The landing bay of Phoenix Station was nothing special to speak of. The only unusual sight was the absent of any combat or military grade crafts in the landing bay. For the location of Phoenix Station, it was strange to see that no thought was placed to combat craft.

Two ground crew personal directed the Mark VII to a holding platform and secured. It took the two ground crew personal a few moments to secure the shuttle before moving to open the side hatch. As they opened up the hatch, one of them spoke up. “Welcome to Phoenix Station guys” one of the maintenance guys said. “Sorry for the commotion guys, the Brain-Birds,” one of the ground crew said motioning at the Scientists that were busy at work in the bay, “are conducting some tests or something.”

The other ground crewman nodded, “Yeah, you would think that the station was going operational today or something. But the Foreman told Professor Nut Job that we wouldn’t be ready for operations till the end of the week.”

“Talking about fireworks,” the first ground crewman said. “The Brain-Birds hated that news, but it’s all overtime for the rest of us.”

Alice rolled her eyes as she undid her seat belt, “I will run down to my room and get my things.” It was clear that she was not taken by the comments but wasn’t going to be distracted by them either. “I will get my things” she said turning to Captain Thorchan. “Thank you Captain for all your help so far. I will be back as soon as I can. I promise to rush.” On that, she moved quickly from the Mark VII. Anyone wishing to follow would have to follow right away less they would lose track of Alice as she made her way through the large station.

To the trained eye, a very few of the scientists working in the bay of the station seemed very surprised to see Alice back on the station. These very few watched Alice closely as she headed from the Landing Bay. As Alice darted from the craft a low level maintenance tech caught the eyes of Eric Rolf. With a very discrete nod, the man directed Eric to a place behind some shipping crates.

But for Alan and Kyle, it was the soft features of a slender female scientist with blond hair that hung straight below her shoulders that caught their combined eyes. She had this nerdy beauty about her as she stood there next to a wall mounted computer with a noteputer in her arms. Unlike the very few who had looked at Alice, this blond scientist either didn’t notice Alice or didn’t not anything regarding her untimely return to the station.

[aipsylon]

Eric opened his eyes as they landed in the bay of the observatory going through the motions of removing his safety restraints before wordlessly heading to the back of the shuttle and removing the tools he had stowed. Checking them out on the log sheet and heading over to the ramp to drop off the tools on the far side of the docking bay.

On his way to drop things off he placed the bag down, finding something heavy but liftable to stand next to, just in case someone came around the corner. “Can I help you with something?” He asked the man that had given him a glance a bit curious about the one that had motioned him over