Chapter One: The Two Old Birds and a Final Wish.

Mr Goggles smiles and nods.

"That is a great observation and also shows that my cousin has been on certain ships, and not on others. This is indeed what we call the bridge. As it is not just a cockpit but also a ship management area and meeting point. This isn't the largest ship around, but it is bigger than others.

He quickly sketches the ship.

This is a really rough drawing of the ship. You will explore it at your leisure and there are better maps in the system and downstairs. And you can of course change things around if you need to after it is yours. But the basics are these.

F - is the fuel. This will keep you in the air for some time but don't push it.
1 - The engine room.
2 - The cargo area with your extra smaller ship.
3 - Bunks enough for 4 comfortably and 8 uncomfortably. You can also use one of the bunk areas as a prison if you need to. Its reinforced as mother needed it a few times.
4 - Living spaces. Kitchen, bathroom, gym etc.

I'll need one of you to put your finger print and eye scan into the computer so that you can set passwords for everyone. There is a great tutorial on its use that was set up for noobs. And I assume at least on of you can fly?

Li is impressed at how complete and compact the gym is. Everything is solid but made in such a way that it can be packed down to save space for whatever reason. The chin up bar is very solid, there's cables, dumbbells and bar bell plates for a whole range of skill levels and a play back camera for checking form.

As Mr Goggle gets one of you to scan fingerprint and eye into the computer, you set passwords for all of you to be able to access the computer. Mr Goggle says that you can change its name when you wish but for now the computers name is BeefBeef Md but it answers to BB if needed. Computer gives you access to everything on the ship, an impressive library of media and the longway communication system. Quick with text, Slower with video and audio.

As you all get acquainted with the ship BeefBeef MD has already been keyed in to make its way to the butchers station. The computer has set course for there many times will begin setting up for take off. It advises everyone straps in for the first hour and then the journey will slow down somewhat.

Veya takes over the controls to position the ship into the take off lane and gets instructions from the take off commander in the offices at the side of the exit dock. Veya recognizes the voice from a time before memory but thinks nothing much about it as she stresses a little bit being "at the wheel" of a new ship. Everyone straps in and gets comfortable for a quick one hour trip toward the station.


As the Sargasso glides silently through the vastness of space, its sleek silhouette cuts through the starlit void, a testament to advanced engineering and design with an added bonus of the occasional creek a sign of it age and experience. Engines hum softly, a rhythmic heartbeat that propels the vessel forward. After a fast 1 hour and a what feels like a slower 4 hour journey the BeefBeef MD comments "We approach"

Through the viewport, you begin to see the Mesininkas Alpha, a not giant but definitely not tiny sprawling space station orbiting a large dark rock. Its structure is adorned with shimmering solar panels and a main docking port. As the Sargasso approaches, navigational beacons do not flicker to life, guiding it toward one of the vacant docking bays. It seems that there are no lights on at all.

BeefBeef MD robotically mentions over the PA "We will now commence docking. But it seems the bays are deserted so I will need assistance from one of you"

During the discussion with Beef, Veya very quickly learns a lot about the ship. How it moves, it's limits, how to track fuel etc. The scanner can be controlled from the bridge, but Beef explains that sometimes it gets stuck so to be careful and slow when maneuvering it.

Li finds the spacesuits very quickly. There being 12 in a locker packed away and the generic sizes should fit everyone on board. They are very straight forward to use.

Logging into the computers scanners, Beef start to comment on some things. Beef has been to this location a few times and they cannot help but point out some differences.

"Currently there is very little life on board. Some. But not as much. Last time we were here, in human terms, it was a hot house of activity. Not it seems more like a few tents in a snow storm. Ships are missing, there is some damage to the far side of the station. A lot of damage. But the scan shows that the area has been isolated. There is debris floating around the main dock, you will need to be careful there. But, the docks to seem clear to land, you may not get much response so you will have to land it further in for me to anchor.

Secondary scan shows a ship left very quickly from this area within the last three hours."

Beef quickly guides Veya how to dock using the override. She has used similar controls before on smaller ships and as she glides toward the docking bay, the crew begin to hear some of the debris bounce off the outside.

"Don't worry about those, they sound worse than it is.... I hope" Beef says. The ship gliding further toward its goal.
Li, already into his space suit hands the other two theirs.

"Those suits are a good idea. I am not sure what their air systems are like now, but if the damaged part of the ship is damaged any further, these suits will give you 2 hours of air before you..... don't have any more air I guess is the polite way to put it, Veya can take a earpiece to stay in contact with me. I can access the scanner and the ships computer for you but cannot do anything outside of the ship while you're away"

Beef then directs Veya further who deftly lands the ship into the dock and runs it as close to the inside wall as possible and is then direct to clamp it to the ship.

Outside the main windows the crew sees a worrying desolation of gear and debris. Like a battle between groups of commandos was fought and then deserted. In the dim light of a few LEDs at the edges of the large hall they see shapes that could be anything. Ones imagination would find elephants dead on their sides or a pile of human bodies. A ship smashed to the side and in pieces and some black spots from explosions.

As the ship starts to power down for now a silence descends on them. What has happened here? And where to go first?