A millennium ago.

Hyperspace, blue mottled sky, speed unimagined. Only dreamed of.
(“Prepare for an emergency shutdown. Begin cooling sequence.”)
A ship, long, and oblong. Like the coffin the crew thought it was.
(“Everyone strap in. Pull those belts tight.”)
Electricity walks up and down the hull of the ship, seeking, seeking.
(“Shut the reactor core down now, begin drive decompression sequence”)
Explosion. One of three exhaust ports detonates, and is left behind.
(“Cut the oxigin feed off from the aft, pull down dampers)
The voice of authority wavers slightly, confidence fades. Seconds slip by.
Blue glow glances off the faces of a voluntary crew of seven.
(“Revision in 5…4…3…2…1…Mark.”)
A hand grasps a lever, pulls.


Realspace. Black sky pecked with dot’s of light.
Explosion. Hard light from the unnatural, stretched.
A coffin of metal comes from beyond, slows down.
Lightning plays up and down, seeking, seeking.

(“ Take two for safety. Take two for safety.”)
Memory calls up an unwanted recollection of a mother’s voice.
(“ Take two for safety. Take two for safety.”)
Consciousness returns. Eyes open, light streams in. Pupils dilate.
Voice of command speaks.
(“Everyone still alive?”)
Silence. Silence. Silence. Pulse quickens.
(“Report! Status!”)
Movement is heard. Space suit rustles. Throat clears.
(“Uh… Um… All systems report green sir”)
Voice of command is silent. Waiting. The crew begins to stir.
(“Weapons here”)
(“Science here”)
(“Doctor here”)
(“Security here”)
(“Engineering here”)
A moan. Yellow light glances of six faces. The seventh…
(“Commanding officer here, doctor, see about the second Scientist”)
Acknowledgment greets his ears. The commander nods, and turns.

Harsh whisper from Science One.
(“Success?”)

Voice of command replies.
(“Depends on how you define ‘success’”)
Science One grunts in ascension, and leans back to his seat.
Cultured voice speaks, in a tone that demands attention.
(“he’s dead. His mind is fried. Literally.”)
Stunned silence. Sure, it was a volunteer job, but death…..
Thoughts run through the minds, of a crew of six.
Purple light blazes into view, a ring.
In a perfect circle, a purple ring expands upon the planet surface, in full view.
The center of the ever-expanding ring, desolate. Even from space, destruction, evident.
(“Life?”)
It is a husky voice, one which belonged to Weapons.

(“We’d be fooling ourselves if we said otherwise”)
Voice of Command made clear.

Silence. Thoughts of

perhaps…

Failure?

w00t, never thought I'd see this again. Will edit into real reply later...