Sweet Nothingness

[RoaringNoodle]

2. Wondering Angel

The private quarters of a research vessel were never known for their spaciousness. In fact, they could be best described as merely adequate. Since deep space explorations were always based on teamwork, it was believed that a team required more communal space than private ones. Subspace researcher Caty had just completed her long shift on the bridge and returned to her room to send a transmission home. Due to the vast distance, live connections were not possible, so every message had to be highly encrypted and timed.

Caty tossed her uniform onto her bed, sat down at her desk, and activated her computer terminal. A newly developed communication software opened up, displaying the addressee's nickname: "The Busy Circuit Board."

"My dear, I hope this transmission finds you well. I know I didn't send anything last week, but guess what! We discovered this nebula and... oh, I can't really talk about it, but it emits some kind of EM radiation, and I was on the bridge when all our sensors went offline, and I..." She paused for a second, her excitement overwhelming her. She knew she couldn't discuss the details and was more interested in her husband than a random nebula. "Sorry, babe, you know what I'm like... How are things back home? HOW'S MEGGIE?!" She yelled the question. "By now, she might have puppies. I want to be home again so badly. I miss you and our little Meggie so much." Her voice softened, and she looked down, fiddling with a pen before glancing back at the camera. "We might be late; our latest orders state that we need to investigate further and deeper. I'm sorry, hun." She stared into the camera, holding it for a moment. "But I promise you, I'll send the next message on time and... what's that?"

She turned around, only to be blinded by a bright purple light that filled her cabin through the window. She dropped the camera to the floor as the purple light engulfed the room.

A public terminal in a library displayed this message until its conclusion. The final image read: "End of message." A figure who had watched the message asked, "When was this message transmitted?" The technician replied, "It was received many years ago sir, but the exact time is classified." The figure leaned back in his chair and looked up at the technician, "Do we know where it's from?" The technician looked at the figure and said, "It's classified, sir. I'm sorry." The figure sighed "Of course it is...". The technician bowed then left the man alone at the terminal. Before leaving, the man reached under the terminal and detached a small datapad from a connection port.
He stood up, hid the data-pad in his coat, and left the building. He arrived at his home, sat down at his own terminal, and opened a new transmission. The addressee was nicknamed "The Wandering Angel." A face filled with revenge and hatred, and teary eyes, stared into the camera.

"My love, many years of silence, but it feels like you just left yesterday. Now I know... Now I know it all, and... I will find you. If you get this message, I want you to know that I will find you. No matter the distance, no matter the risk. I will find you, and I will bring you home." The message was sent to the last approximate coordinates based on the data from the archived message. The figure stared blankly in front of him, watching the transmission upload to the transfer nodes. "I will bring you home."

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