Starship AX-101 – A short story

Good morning.

Hope you are all well.

I am currently in America on holiday but when inspiration strikes I like to make the most of it. I’m not much of a sleeper and wrote this short story at 3 in the morning. It is something a little different but hope you all like it just the same. 

Please let me know how you found it, all feedback is worth having, but please be nice. 

Have a great day all.

Starship AX-101

“Engines four and five are now out. One and two are leaking power, three is working but giving off no immediate power and six to eight are still out.”

Control panels were emitting noises that Captain Daniel had never witnessed in his short lived tenure at the helm of church cockpit. He had been Captain for almost five minutes when things descended into chaos. His first question to himself was what would have the deceased Captain Nomak done. 

Captain Daniel flicked his hair from his brow with his hand and gazed towards the former Captain’s corpse in the corner of the room. The man rested undignified against the wall, blood protruding from the bullet wound in his head and eyes wide open but gazed over.

“How is the fuel looking, Jace?” The Captain asked, his skin riddled with goosebumps.

“We have fifty percent fuel left. But to give you a better understanding, Captain,” Jace said spinning inher chair and locking eyes with Captain Daniel, teary and drained. “In the first thirty hours of the journey we used twenty five percent of the fuel capacity, racking up millions of atmos miles. In the last fifteen minutes, travelling only around several thousand miles, we used the same. It is depleting fast.”

Captain Daniel sighed and let his head fall onto his chest. He wasn’t built for this. There was no rightful passage he had taken to be their leader. He didn’t ask for this. And in the seven thousand year history of the Starship AX-101, Captain Trest Daniels would be the young man to bring it all to an end. In five minutes. 

Red and blue flights lit up the room from all parts of the main dashboard, buzzing sounded throughout the shuttle and the pressure was too great. Captain Daniel looked to his right at the Vice-Captain’s chair and felt remorse. Kinder Jose sat motionless, arms flung over the sides with blood dripping from her mouth, gunshot wounds spread over her body, with sanguineous patches staining her pure white uniform. 

“Will we make our destination?” Captain Daniel asked.

“No. All engines are either failing or are out-“

“I found a substitute location which we could risk,” Navigator Fraser Locke shouted with excitement, cutting off Jace and spinning completely in his chair and gaining control of his panel once more. “It is an unknown planet that appears to have life form, an over-massed one at that.”

“Can we guarantee one hundred percent survival rate?”

Jace typed with fury at her control panel. “Never, but it is our best shot.”

Captain Daniels felt a rush of adrenaline, mixed with fear and hope. He may have been only seventeen, but there was a part to play and he needed to portray it to perfection. 

“Okay folks,” Captain Daniels said as he walked over to the navigation panel and peered over the shoulder of Fraser Locke, and for the first time confidence filling his body. We’re heading to a planet called Earth. Settle in tight, it will be an adventure.”