Seedlings Chapter 4

The Podship’s shuttle made its approach to the giant alien artifact. Its crew’s job was to learn more about this colossal alien vessel in orbit around the new world they intended to colonize. So far, it appeared to be inert.

The shuttle made contact with no more fanfare than a muffled ‘clink’. Moments later, the shuttle was rocked violently from side to side. The shaking lasted only for a few seconds.

“What was that?” crewman Savage said to no one in particular.

The next moment, the lights went out and all power was lost. From nowhere, a beam weapon sliced through the centerline of the shuttle, putting an end to the brief life of crew member Isakson who happened to be sitting in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The remaining crew members could do nothing more than hope their bio-suits worked. Micro-thin gelatin that had been applied before the mission instantly hardened on contact with the vacuum of space. Auto injectors built into their uniforms began administering nano-oxygen regenerators and adrenaline. They would be safe for the moment. It would be a different story if whatever destroyed the shuttle came back for them.

Ron Thompson, the Weapons Officer and senior member of the shuttle crew was the first to take action. He used his nano-spool to grapple the artifact, keeping him from drifting off into space. He could see parts of the shuttle floating around randomly. No other crew members were immediately visible.

He considered trying to make contact with the Podship but then he remembered protocol. The Podship would be moving away from the threat until it could assess the situation.

As if on cue, a bright flame lit up the darkness of space and quickly faded off into the distance, leaving the shuttle crew alone.

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