Castaway Chapter 1

[Ed Man]

Marooned
Chapter 1

“Get him ready a ship is coming.” Replied the pilot of the cloaked ship.
“I need to give him this shot.” The aid stated as he stuck the shot in the mans arm.
“What shot?” Replied the pilot?
“It’s in the orders don’t you read?” The aid replied with a dumbfounded look on his face as he stared at the pilot.
“Never mind just get him ready and lets check the list. Lets put him out so the freighter can see him its on the list and everything is on him. I’ll close his spacesuit up, you drop his ship. He’s ready hit the transporter.”
The two hurried to check everything as the aid pushed the button and the man was transported onto what was left of a small fighter they set adrift in space. The cloaked ship pulled of to a safe distance away from wreck to watch and make sure the freighter picked up the injured man.

While the derelict ships homing beacon sent out a weak signal and the light flashed slow and dim.
The freighter pilot called for the Captain. “Sir we’re receiving a weak distress signal.”
The Captain joins the Pilot on the bridge as the two try and spot the ship in trouble.
“I have it sir starboard side at 5 o’clock.” The Pilot replies as he points to the flashing light.
The Captain looks out with his binoculars in the direction of the flashing light.
“It’s a small fighter that’s adrift. It looks bad from here but intact it may be worth something set a course for it. The cargo bay is empty if it’s safe we can slide the whole thing in through the main freight hatch and take it back to the trading station.”
The freighter sets course for the small ship while the cloaked ship sets off in the distance watching to make sure the man gets rescued and their job is finished.

As the freighter draws closer to the ship the Pilot replies. “Captain I’m picking up faint human life signs coming from that ship!”
[Captain] “Cheap Teladi parts! I should have known better than to have trusted that cheap little snake and his bargain parts! Get your suit on! Bob get up and get your suit on we got a live one to rescue.”

As the two rushed to get their spacesuits on and get to the hatch while the Captain moves the freighter in close to the small fighter. A hatch opens as the Captain gives the final ok go out after a closer scan of the ship.
[Captain] “The ship is stable most of the systems are fried. All his weapons and missiles are offline and secure. He is in the pilots seat get him over here his life signs a very weak. Bob you attach a line to his ship we’re going to pull it inside the bay anyway.”
[Bob] “Understood I’m taking the line with me. Sure would be nice to have one of those transporting devices right now boss.”
[Captain] “Yes it would Bob, would you like to donate your earnings to help buy one?”
[Bob] “No Sir just a suggestion.”
[Captain] “I suggest you hurry on up Bob and get in there and help Tommy.”
[Tommy] “I got him Captain. Bob can you get him as I push him out the hatch?”
[Bob] “Got him! We’re bringing him in Captain and the cable is secure.”
[Captain] “Take him to the spare cabin I’ll meet you there with the medical kit.”

As they laid the man down his pulse was weak and his body was cold. As they looked through his things they found his ID.
[Bob] “Found it Captain his name is Peter Stone. He’s a ex Argon Navy pilot his PDA won’t give me any more information than his name and that he us to be with the Argon Navy and a number.”
[Captain] “That’s because he has a lock on it to keep his privet information safe.
All anyone needs to know is his name and that number you contact the Argon Navy and give them that and he’ll be taken care of.”
The Captain gave Peter a shot to help stabilize and boost his system as he showed the signs of being in the severe harshness of space to long.
[Tommy] “Will he make it Captain?”
[Captain] “I don’t know Tommy. You two go and get that ship onboard and secured it down we need to get going we have deliveries to make.”
The Captain put a strap on Peter to keep him in the bed and a monitor on his arm to tell him if he woke up or got worse and died. The next stop was the Teladi Trading Station to drop Peter and his ship off so the Argon Counselor assigned to the station could take care of Peter and give them a reward so they could get back to work.

The Cloaked ship watched as the men pulled the damaged fighter into the cargo bay of the large freighter keeping records of everything for their superiors. As the freighter turned heading pack on its course for the Trading Station the cloaked ship engaged its jump drive and vanished.

The sun in the neighboring sector leading to the sector they were in was in the line of fire for a number of meteors heading for the sun over the next three years. The Captain and Crew had just returned from a long trip of selling goods to the core sectors slipping in and out between the travel advisory’s that had been posted when they spotted Peter as they entered the sector they had called home for a while now. His ship showed the signs of being struck by a sun flare caused by the impact of a meteor. The captain and his crewmen thought Peter and his ship made it through the Gate and away from the sun flairs but not before Peter and his ship were struck by one on the trip through the hazardous sector.

The Teladi Trading Station they were headed to was over a days travel away from the Gate. The Teladi had placed the station closer to the planet they were colonizing for their convenience. The other station in the system was a smaller Station that was nothing more than a refitted TL over a weeks flight away from the Gate orbiting a giant gas planet with three moons. The largest moon had a base and several mining outpost own it. The large moon was a third smaller than a standard earth size planet but it was covered with a light non breathable atmosphere that shielded the workers from some of the hazards of working in open space. The two smaller moons were also rich in resources with mining outpost on both but they lacked the security of having an atmosphere. All three moons were a perfect place for anyone willing to struggle against the harsh environments while trying to make a fortune or find a fast death.

While the Teladi planet had some plant life and water it wasn’t much more than a big muddy planet. The Teladi needed the minerals to enrich the soil and grow the food everyone needed while changing the planet into a lush jungle for the Teladi to sale off to colonist. The other station and moons was rich in raw materials and other resources giving the freighter Captain and crew a steady job transporting supplies between the two stations each needing what the other had to offer.

As the freighter docked the Argon Delegate was weighting with a medical crew ready to take the injured pilot and place his ship in storage until a investagation is completed.

While Peter was on his way to medical the Captain filled a report with the Delegate and receved a small reward for his troubles. The Delegate looked at Peters things and tried to open his lockbox and access his PDA with no luck. Then stored them in a security locker in Peters room at medical.
[Delegate] “Well Doctor tell me is he going to be alright?”
[Doctor] “He’s in a coma and luckey to be alive. His brain looks like his ship it has so many scars on it.
At best all we can hope for is that he’ll live and be able to take care of himself. At worst he dies, your guess is as good as mine. For now all we can do is wait and see how bad.”
[Delegate] “I pulled his records he was a first class fighter piolt who did his one tour of duty. Quit the Navy and went into the privet market as a freelancer.”
[Doctor] “That’s perty much the normal isn’t it?”
[Delegate] “Yes I suppose it is. We can hope for the best I got a good filling about this one Doctor.”
[Doctor] “He’s young and in exelent health I hope your right. Time will tell.”

Peter lay in a coma for two days before any sign of movement while the nurse checks on his sensor making sure it just wasn’t a malfunction his face twist up as he lets out a cry of pain.
The Nurse hit’s the intercom. “Doctor he’s waiking up and in pain!”
As the Doctor enters the room. “Pilot do you know what happen to you?”
[Peter] “No no, my head it’s about to explode!”
[Doctor] “You’ve been in a accident with your ship do you remember anything? Your name what is it?”
[Peter] “No I don’t know ! My heads hurting so bad I can’t stand it whats happening to me?”
[Doctor] “Nurse give him the shot. You have suffered some brain damage. You’re lucky to be alive we can talk more in a couple of days the pain should be beter by then. We’ll keep you sedated till then.”

Peter eases back of to sleep from the shot as the Doctor looks over the data from Peters awakening.
[Doctor] “Nurse keep the pore boy under for the next two days the medicines seam to be working but he’s a long way from being cured. His nerves were lit up like a light show we’ll try again in two days. At least now we know he’s going to live.”
The Doctor contacts the Delegate. “Mr. Stone just woke up he’ll be here at least a week more before we can even start testing him to see how badly damaged his memory is. Does he have the funds to repair his ship if he can pass the flight test?”
[Delegate] “So he did do well then! I told you I had a good filling about this one.”
[Doctor] “The scan showed he could move all his members and he did seam alert. How much he remembers is still the question but for first impressions I was impressed at what I saw.”
[Delegate] “The station is having problems getting a signal through to the core sectors. The sun flairs in the next sector are reeking havoc on all our attempts to contact anyone on the other side of the gate.
His card show he has a little over 10,000 credits on it so he’s not without funds. But we need to verify the amount with the central hub. His ships recorder, computer and data chips are all fried so there no help. Keep me informed of his progress Doctor we‘ll talk later.” The Delegate replied as his aid brought more pressing matters to his attention about the Gate system.

Two days later the Nurse gives Peter a shot to wake him as the Doctor ask? “How is your head now Peter?”
[Peter] “It’s better but it still hurts.”
[Doctor] “Do you remember what happened or who you are or what you may be doing here?”
[Peter] “No its all a blank what happened to me?”
[Doctor] “Peter are you hungry?” [Peter] “Yes and thirsty to.”
[Doctor] “The Aid will bring you some food and drinks eat what you can. The Aid will ask you a list of questions try and answer them the best you can. Later on after you eat if your doing alright the Aid will help you can clean up and shave if you fill up to it.”
[Peter] “How long have I been out?”
[Doctor] “A freighter found you and your ship about five and a half days ago you been in here four days. Your ship whats left of it is in storage. You’re lucky to be alive Peter.”
[Peter] “What’s my last name Doctor?”
[Doctor] “I gess it will be alright to go ahead and tell you that. Your name is Peter Stone you’ll find out more tomorrow. Does it sound familiar?”
[Peter] “Yes it’s like I’ve heard it and been called it but it doesn’t fill like me. Does that make any sense?”
[Doctor] “Yes it does just don’t over do for now build your strength up and get to filling better then we’ll work on pulling you memories out of storage.”

As the next day arrived and Peter and the testing started a few small memories started coming back but nothing defining why he was their or who he was. After three days of testing and not much progress to show for it Peter ask? “When can I see my ship?”
[Aid] “I ask the Doctor if he can get it pulled out of storage and we’ll work with it tomorrow. I have your PDA and lockbox try and access the PDA and then try and open the box. Just let it come to you.”

As Peter took the PDA and touched the screen it turned on automatically.
[Aid] “What did you do it’s own?” [Peter] “Nothing I just touched it and it came on.”
[Aid] “While its own try and fine out if it has any personal information on it.”
As peter looks down the list with the aid he pulls up a insignificant list of name and rank.

[Aid] “That’s understandable it’s realy not safe to store important information on something someone can still and hide it in their pocket. Try the lockbox.”
As Peter slides the box in front of him on the table he places his hand on the pad and fills a prick in his hand. “That just stuck me is that normal?”
[Aid] “I don’t know are you willing to try again? It never stuck me when I touched it.”
Peter laid his hand on the pad again and it opened up.
[Aid] “Are these things yours?”
[Peter] “I know they belong to me but I can’t remember what a few of them are.”
As Peter looked through the box and found a small bag of tokens.
[Aid] “That’s better than we been doing. Do you remember wearing the pistols and knives or using the scanner? And how many tokens are in the bag do you remember?”
[Peter] “Yes I wore them all the time but I can’t remember using them. I know what the tokens are but I don’t how many they are.”
[Aid] “The PDA is yours keep it with you if you want and look through it. Your ship is being pulled out of storage we’ll look through it tomorrow. Count the tokens and lock them and the weapons back up in your box and I’ll place them in the security locker for safe keeping.”
Peter counted 2000 credits worth of tokens in the bag and locked everthing back up and gave it to the Aid.

Peter pulled up his ships design on his PDA when he got back to his bed looking and thanking how it all looked so familiar but something just wasn’t right. Flashes of the ship was in his memory but they all seamed so distant. Peter went to bed hopping for a better chance with recalling his memories when he got to see the ship first hand.

Peter was ready to go when the Aid showed up and took him to the storage bay his ship was in.
Peter walked around the ship noticing a his badly scorched call name Rock on the main hatch. The two went into the ship as Peter looked around and went to the locker and stared at it for a little while took out the top shelf. Looked at the bottom panel in the locker pushed the side over and the bottom poped up as he pulled it up to the opposite side. Them Peter stood up with a small box that was in the floor with a few credits in it looked at the back wall and hit the left side of it opening a back pannel which had a armored suit, assault rifle, heavy blaster and stunner.
[Aid] “That’s a lot of fire power Peter you’ll have to give it to the dock master for safe keeping until your ship is repaired or you leave.”
[Peter] “That’s fine with me. I knew it was there when I looked into the locker but my mind is still a big blank about everything else. I want to keep my ship and fix it back up it’s all I have that may hold the answer to my questions when I get out of here.”
[Aid] “That make good sence Peter I’ll have them put it back in storage for now but when we release you you’ll have to pay to have it stored.”

The two were headed back to medical when a announcement came across the stations system.
“The Gate leaving this System has just shut down cutting of all contact with the other sectors. The Teladi Company Director has just issued marshal law until futher notice.”
[Aid] “Peter I’ll call for one of our guards to bring a lockbox to collect your weapons and stoor them with ours in our section we may need them. Lets go back to your ship till he arrives.”
Peter and the Aid waited for what seamed to be hours until the Guard showed up with the locker and loaded the weapons.
[Guard] “Put these badges on and follow me I’ll do all the talking if anyone ask anything understand?”
The two agreed as they fell in behind the Guard as he pushed the locker while a Teladi Guard stopped them at every airlock until they reached the Argon Section of the station.
[Peter] “I heard some of the Teladi saying they wanted to leave the station but all flights have been stopped until futher notice.”
[Guard] “You understand the Teladi language?”
[Peter] “I guess I do. I understood him.”
[Guard] “Will you help us we need someone to monitor the lines and translate what their saying on their open lines?”
[Peter] “I’d be glade to show me where to go.”
[Guard] “Just follow me.” As the Guard escorted Peter into a room with two other people.
[Guard] “Here’s some help give him a chair and get him started.”
Peter set down and started monitoring the open lines he was given. After hours of nonstop chatter of how they wanted to leave I’ll get their as soon as I can talk to their families on the planet.

Another announcement came across the system. “We are allowing limited traffic to and from the Station until futher notice. All ships will be scanned in space before landing and before departing. We are still unable to contact the outside sectors and the Gate is still inactive. The Company Director has requested that all Station and planet side workers continue to work their normal jobs our existence in this sector depends on our production and exchange between the two stations.”

After several hours the Guard returned. “The Aid from medical said I needed to return you to them you are still under their care. I owe you a days pay.”
[Peter] “You owe me nothing I’m glad I could help.”

As the Aid walked with Peter back to medical Peter ask? “What do you tell the security guard he didn’t ask me to come back and help?”
[Aid] “It wasn’t what he ask, He ask a lot it was what we didn’t know and the secret compartments on your ship with weapons in them.”
[Peter] “So now he doesn’t trust me?”
[Aid] “He doesn’t trust anyone Peter. He was more concerned with the lack of information about you and your condition. He said you may have had some kind of hi-tech brain scan and left for dead. His mind works that way it’s what he does. We all know that your ship was struck with a sun flare it fried your ships hull and all its systems. You’re lucky your not dead it looks like a lighting storm went off inside your ship. Peter get some rest you have more test to take tomorrow.”

Peter went into his small room and laid down in his bed and thought about what the Guard had said and the not knowing bothered Peter.

[Ed Man]

please leave some coments about the new story line and how its going

[parameter]

No! Oh okay! So he is now named Peter but getting bits of pre-Peter memories flashing back...
Makes sense! I do feel a strong sense of anticipation knowing he is bound to find a lot more out but it is the story progression that keeps you hooked. Other than the rushed spelling, nothing worse than trying to spellcheck than when you are in creative midflow!, I think you have a good story going. I want more!

[collins50]

I was hoping sara could have helped him, althow he hasent got his scanner working she may pop up and give us some suprises.
good job. I dont know if I be willing to start over like that.

[parameter]

I have a feeling that Sara is close by! Something to do with all those secret compartments in the ship and the box, and the injection(?)
Anyway, anticipation is the order of the day so no second guessing on my part.

[Ed Man]

The injection! good call parameter somebodys watching in the backfield so don't count Sarah out