06-30-2014, 01:53 AM
Cambridge Research Station floated lazily in the black starry field one thousand kilometers above Planet Cambridge. The brain trust of Bretonia, Cryer Pharmaceuticals researched and manufactured the drugs the citizens needed and those they didn't but took anyway.
Protocols for new drugs couldn't legally be tested on live humans. But there were other ways to observe a drug’s effect on living tissue. Especially when there was an abundant supply of animals on Planet Gaia.
At 0600 Cambridge Research Station was struck by six missiles fired at close range by an uncloaked Gaian battle cruiser. The station’s biology lab shattered, sending it wildly tumbling into open space. The force of the blast's sudden inertial shift slammed several of the life pods into the sides of the lab wall. A second volley of missiles struck. The crack of the wall blasting away was lost in the roar of escaping air as the life pods tumbled out. Everything not strapped down launched out the hole. Beyond the debris, a small transport ship lurched sickeningly as the lab wreckage hit.
Alarm klaxons wailed as the transport’s computer system adjusted the ship’s shields and hull integrity.
“Festus, be advised I will perform emergency tractor beam procedure in three seconds,” droned the ship’s computer.
“Dang nabbit computer, you will do no such thing,” yelled Festus being abruptly woken from his afternoon nap.
“Whut th’ hell is goin on computer?”
“Sir, Cambridge Research Station has been struck by eight missiles fired from a Gaian ship in synchronous orbit,” said the computer. “Several life pods have escaped into space, only one registers a life sign--energizing tractor beam.”
Festus stared in astonishment as a small life pod measuring one meter across materialized on the floor of the ship. Stamped in small letters across the top was the word “Gimpy”. Looking out through the glass window of the life pod was a small brown dog.
With watering eyes, covered in patches of short brown fur and seeping red sores, a silver plate covered half of Gimpy’s skull. A hollow translucent wire stuck out from the plate glowing softly with flashes of silver and blue light. As Festus peered down at the dog he noticed one more thing, it only had three legs.
“Festus,” droned the computer. “The Gaian ship has fired two more missiles. They will impact this ship in ten seconds.”
Protocols for new drugs couldn't legally be tested on live humans. But there were other ways to observe a drug’s effect on living tissue. Especially when there was an abundant supply of animals on Planet Gaia.
At 0600 Cambridge Research Station was struck by six missiles fired at close range by an uncloaked Gaian battle cruiser. The station’s biology lab shattered, sending it wildly tumbling into open space. The force of the blast's sudden inertial shift slammed several of the life pods into the sides of the lab wall. A second volley of missiles struck. The crack of the wall blasting away was lost in the roar of escaping air as the life pods tumbled out. Everything not strapped down launched out the hole. Beyond the debris, a small transport ship lurched sickeningly as the lab wreckage hit.
Alarm klaxons wailed as the transport’s computer system adjusted the ship’s shields and hull integrity.
“Festus, be advised I will perform emergency tractor beam procedure in three seconds,” droned the ship’s computer.
“Dang nabbit computer, you will do no such thing,” yelled Festus being abruptly woken from his afternoon nap.
“Whut th’ hell is goin on computer?”
“Sir, Cambridge Research Station has been struck by eight missiles fired from a Gaian ship in synchronous orbit,” said the computer. “Several life pods have escaped into space, only one registers a life sign--energizing tractor beam.”
Festus stared in astonishment as a small life pod measuring one meter across materialized on the floor of the ship. Stamped in small letters across the top was the word “Gimpy”. Looking out through the glass window of the life pod was a small brown dog.
With watering eyes, covered in patches of short brown fur and seeping red sores, a silver plate covered half of Gimpy’s skull. A hollow translucent wire stuck out from the plate glowing softly with flashes of silver and blue light. As Festus peered down at the dog he noticed one more thing, it only had three legs.
“Festus,” droned the computer. “The Gaian ship has fired two more missiles. They will impact this ship in ten seconds.”