(Posted 3-09-2000)
A Hidden Legacy
by: Scott Lee or Jake101
Based on the universe created by Peter Cartwright.
Chapter 1-A Low Life With No Life
Carefully I slipped the disc into my pocket, knowing what it contained. What kind of future it would bring, knowing what kind of practical plague it would unleash.
A lump grew in my throat, my eyes became blood-shot, though I was not tired. Fear, more powerful in words, text, a computer screen. No matter where the words, the sight. . .never as horrible, terrible, and nightmarish, as the words. The words have imagery, the disc, I held. The words in the disc, I held. I would escape if it was possible, but the sun, though it was never as dark as it was now, still burned brightly in Sol. Sol, the beginning of glory, the beginning of mankind.
I was trapped, I had no idea, what they would think of me, or what I would think of me.
PLANET EARTH(sol)
"You don't scare me, Doc," the man's face was calm, and I was so tired of the arguing endless conversation, I groaned, kneeling over my seat.
"Then what will it take, sir?" I asked, my eyes rolling at the annoyance of the commander.
He looked at me with a face of anger. His eyes a practical crimson red. His cheeks were shaking.
"The answer is no!" He screamed, filled with rage.
LATER THAT DAY. . .
Of course, what I am about to tell, is a cunning story of my life, I know now, what I must do, in order to achieve what must be done. I am bored. Seriously, I am totally bored. I have transported passengers my entire life, hoping there would be some discovery. Where the people were from, where they were going, how far they had travelled. I always thought, even as a boy, that finding the futuristic discoveries of the universe would always brighten my eyes, making them large, and round watching the glistening wonder of the universe. The universe, the technology, the excitement.
Excitement, it was now a dull word for me, old, and tiring. The commander, I did not know his name, worked for the United Earth forces. The standard protectors of Earth.
I never really did like some of their pilots. You fly by, and in the cross fire, one of them thinks you shot them. I've had to delete my legal record once, now. The escape pod, heck, that thing was cramped! I had payed 3000 credits for a piece of junk! They said it was delux, oh delux, my butt!
Anyway, what little friends I had, they weren't people I went everywhere with, nor where they people I even talked to a lot. They were never my pal, my bud. Someone I could always look up to, or that I could count on.
No, the universe is not a dark age sort of thing, but it does have it's disadvantages. That's just the way it is I suppose.
Geez, enough with this poetic stuff. Let's get with what you have come here to hear, or read, whichever is happening.
I walked away from the commander, hoping that he wouldn't notice the disc, the thing that contained a easy million for my poor account. Stealing, yes it was a sin, of course, it always has been.
However, I thought it contained money, not information that I was never meant to have.. . .
Of course, you don't know what I mean do you? No, it does not contain money, however the key to the only happiness or excitement, I will ever get in my entire small life. It contained a navigation warp point that I could jump to. I put the disc into my ship, now travelling through the Sol system, my present mind only thinking about the disc, the back of my thoughts controlled the ship.
I was looking at the small computer screen that was maybe the size of an old 1990's make-up box. Hey, come on, I cruise around in a battered old shuttle!
Anyway I was ready to see the information that was numbers. The numbers of the sweet, sweet, sight of money. Although the information, the numbers, it wasn't there. The disc was encrypted! Ahh! No!
This was the part where I thought I was either going to put this down the toilet, or give back and say,"I'm innocent I tells ya!"
Hell, oh my devil, I never wanted it to be this way. Although I turned my head to the navi-computer, ready to make a jump, and set course for the Lait system.
I turned back to the computer screen, and about to make the jump, I still sat pondering, what the password might be, or how I might be able to hack into it or something. . .suddenly, before my eyes. The computerized voice said the words aloud,"Access granted."
The holy words of the computer that let you know you had been welcome, accepted, the words that let you know that the sweet, sweet, candy was right there in front of you.
My ship's name was:The Doc. Pretty creative huh? Well, the Doc had done it again! This time, I knew the money was there, waiting for me, but when I looked at the tiny computer screen, at the green shaded letters, my heart sank.
A warp point I said? Could I be in over my head?!?! It's not money? Could it be a critical element of the war against the Voinians?!?!
The ship jumped, and was still travelling through space. It would take about a day or two for me to arrive. Although with this in my mind, how could I go to the replicator, get something to eat, or drink? Heck, even go to the bathroom!
I looked closer, and the man that I stole it from in the Luna bar was obviously a very, very special dude.
I inserted the warp point into my computer, and I searched where it was on my map. Then when I saw the small little purple black circle about 60 system away from where I was, I think I could hear my stomach wanting to spew. A useless piece of-I looked closer, and saw that the government that was in the system was called,"Karticel." It displayed the docks, and economic information. Although the unknown government that I had never heard of was something that I could never imagine. I have stumbled opon the biggest pickle that I could ever stumble opon, I thought, looking at the navi-computer.
Nothing to do now, but wait for the arrival at the Liat system. I just hope, and I mean hope the United Earth Forces have never heard of the government!
Chapter 2-Liat Is A Key
When I arrived at the Liat system, I had no more patience to be in my ship. I was getting so irritated at how I had to stay in my ship. I wanted so to talk about it, and tell everyone at the bar. Although I knew I couldn't do that,and I knew that there was great risk if I were to go to the system. I had not wanted to even think about it. I docked at the spacestation, and got a drink at the bar. I sat down, and pulled out my portable news terminal. Pocket-sized! Anyway, there were the usual things. Rumors about the Miranu, who most people never have known exsisted. Before my shuttle, I had just bought a scoutship, and on my return voyage I got nearly killed. Yes, that was the cramped escape pod. I never knew that single event was such an amazing one of my life. Well, what can I say? Seeing a new alien race for the first time, being one of the few to see it early before everyone else. At least I have not always been a lousy trader low-life with no life.
Other than rumors, I looked down to see the headline,"Renegades Destroy UE Destroyers." It didn't interest me. I scrolled down more, and more, to find nothing but unwanted information. At least to me. "Can I sit here?" I heard a voice come from the other side of the table. "Sure," I said, but not in too friendly of a voice. Yet not a harsh one either. He sat down, and opened a bag of varied snacks from the replicator. I continued to look back at the news. "So, you read the news eh?" he said, his mouth half full. I put the news device back into my pocket, and finally looked at him. He was wearing a shirt that had a Miranu frieghter on it. His hair was blond, and he was around 20 years old.
"Yes," I finally said,"you?"
"No, nothing interesting ever."
"I hear ya."
"What's your name?"
The conversation was turning into a indeed friendly one. Although I didn't trust him, and he was not a friend just yet.
"Doc," I said.
"Mine's Jade Reib."
Suddenly my eyes turned into circles.
"Jade Reib? As in a relative to Elizabeth Reib?"
"Yes, I'm her unknown son, I suppose that's what you could say."
I paused. Unknown son?
"How can you be her quote unknown son? Giving birth isn't just the kind of thing you miss, you know."
All he did was laugh. I was getting curious. . .
"You are related to Elizabeth Reib?"
"Always have been."
"What do you mean? How could she not know?"
"I'm was made in a lab from her genetics. A skin tissue of her's was left at a bar. The science workers went around and picked up dead skin from people randomly. Elizabeth just happend to be one of them. I escaped, because they wanted me to work for them. They nearly destroyed me, my escape pod landed on an uncharted planet.
"Is it still uncharted?"
"Yeah, but I'm not tellin' you, I don't even know you, um. . .Doc."
"Jade, listen, I have a boring as hell, and I do mean boring as hell life, I don't want to die that way, please."
"You don't convince me. .friend."
The conversation went on, and on. It seemed like it would never end, but then, when I had nearly lost hope, I offered him the 2, 000 cr that I still had left in my account. I was desperate, looking for a solution. A chance, a second chance. That was all I wanted. However with the 2, 000cr, the lousy amount, of money, from me, all he did was reply with another. . .no. He got up to leave, getting a bottled drink before he left, and walked out to his ship, which was what looked like a modified UE Fighter.
"Please! I'm begging you!" I shouted over to him. He looked back at me, his face calm, but yet starting to get annoyed at me. He took out a gun from his pant pocket, and pointed it at me.
"No, I'm sorry, please!" He shot right next to my foot, missing it by inches.
"Quit buggin' me," was all he said, and then boarded his ship.
Quickly I ran to my shuttle, jumping in as fast as I could, trying to take off, and follow him. But wait! Was I out of my mind? He was in a United Earth Fighter! No way, I'm not turning back. I may seem disturbed. However, no one, only I knew how I, and only I felt.
Chapter 3-Mysteries Coming
As I had said before, I was trapped. Not only by the situation, but by something else I could not quite grasp. It wasn't greed, and nor was it jealousy. I could not figure it out. All I knew is that some urge inside me told me this was what I had to do. This was the way it was meant to be. I never knew, even to this day why I felt compelled to follow him. Although before I tell you about the chase, and how I nearly got killed in the process of doing it, I want you to know this one thing: I never had a life of excitement 'til this point. Never. . .
His UE Fighter took off, and simuoltaneously followed by my horrible shuttle, which was half out of fuel. His ship hovered over the ground for a moment. At first, but only at first I thought he was going to turn around and shoot my ship, which was directly behind his. But that wasn't what happend. Instead he took off slow, and I had to hover dangerously close to the ground for him not to pick me up on his scanners. I targeted him, and tried to scan his ship for what weapons he had. Though I scanned, when I saw the display I was amazed at the ship. Every single weapon was unidentified.
"A man of mystery, I see," I said to myself inside my cockpit.
I looked down again at the scanner, and all it could come up with is that the vessel had some sort of launcher, and two unknown cannons. And instead of the ship having the gatling gun type cannons, they were long barrels. The ship was blue instead of red, and the cockpit was tented in the canopy.
He finally rose about 40 yards off the ground, still hovering and moved forward slowly, but then he sped up gradually. He went up and through the atmosphere, I was still hovering on the ground. I waited about three seconds, and then took off, and start to follow him, trying to stay as far behind him as I could, but still pick up his ship, and see it. And of course during all this I would be trying not to be detected or seen.
Up in space I was following him still, waiting for the right moment to possibly hail him, and beg him more. The thought snapped into my mind, but I flashed it out, not wanting to do this, not wanting to not do this, I was struggling with myself. I knew that if I had been noticed, that friendly conversation at the bar would seem all too unforgiving. Spying was always a sin, just like stealing. If I erased my legal records, it would be because of all this. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. A shuttle, if not a freighter, a shuttle going after a UE Fighter in which I had no idea what it was capable-the scanner dot for his ship disappeared. Now looking for him, he was straight in front of me. A cloaking device? No, I looked over at my scanner display, and it was offically stated:SIGNAL JAMMED. I saw the words in the lower right corner of my tiny computer screen. My stomach jumped back in horror. Who was this guy? Yeah, a lab creation was what he claimed, his name Jade Reib, I know. However, where did he get all this technology, or the rights to carry such wierd weapons? Maybe they were Miranu, no! They couldn't be, my scanners picked up Miranu ship componets, and weapons. It was driving me, crazy! I couldn't figure this guy out! Any why did he always hesitate before saying my name in just about every single response he made to my questions? It would always end in a ". . .Doc." I didn't under-No!
I saw his ship take off into hyperspace, and my ship still drifting through the Liat system. But quickly, I opened my navi-computer, only hoping that the next system I chose was the one he went to. My life depends on this, I thought. I could feel the urge all through me now. I was struggling, to keep myself from just screaming. I felt like I was about to have a nervous brakedown.
I closed my eyes, and hit a key on the console. My ship jumped into hyperspace, and only I knew what would happen. Only I felt this kind of wanting, this kind of urge. I couldn't imagine one other person that felt this way. . .
Chapter 4-Thoughts
The urge seemed to get stronger and stronger, the wanting was killing me. I could feel it all through me. I didn't know how I was going to do.
I spent about 5 minutes, floating in the newly entered system, just sitting in my cockpit chair, and thinking about the whole situation. I wasn't quite sure what I would do if he had been taking another course. I wanted this so badly. Whatever. I suppose I could just sit here, maybe eat, maybe sleep, maybe look at-THE DISC!
Of course! I had forgotten all about it! I cannot believe I forgot about it! I sat thinking about it. My mind was practically exhuasted. I felt as if I was about to choke. I felt a strange sensation in my throat. Then a lump formed. I blinked once, and the tears started to slide down my cheeks.
"The stress," I said, baring the burden of my life. Why was I bent on being so desperate? Why? I had asked myself this what seemed like a million times and yet I always answered myself with the reply of ignoring it. Well, now it's time to face it. It's not pity, it's the-whatever the thing was, I did not know.
I reached over to the disc slot of my computer. I then inserted the disc, started up the computer, and looked at the pint sized screen I had gotten so used to. The green startup text came up, and the menu appeared. I went to the disc slot, and pushed a small red button near the slot. The computer screen opened a window in the blink of my eye.
It had but one file, and I knew what I had to do. I had to take that file, and see what it was. Maybe this whole thing was meant to be. Something told me that though, it may be so confusing to me now, that somehow I would begin to see it clearly. The urge of excitement was probably not only going through me, but maybe this guy, Jade Reib, a lab experiment never wanted the kind of life he was supposed to have. Maybe he had felt the same urge.
Jade Reib was after all, a lab creation. This means that when they told him he was to live a life of total boredom, of slavery, and working, that he became so angry, and so desperate, he escaped, breaking every law just to escape a life of boring activity. Why would someone do that?
Life is something that we value all too much. Mankind is, after all, a species of imagination. We, the creatures of Earth, are given this godly gift, and they can do such wonderful things with it.
Choices are things that always can make your life go from black and white, straight to color. Being able to choose is a very excellent thing. It is a very wonderful privelege to have, and even more so, having a job that you like, that earns you your living. Your food. Your clothing. Your present, past, and future.
Everything, all depends on choices. It has always been said, that the choices to make early in life affect the rest. Why? Why did I ask myself why? Why was I asking all these questions to myself, when deep down, I knew I had already knew the answer.
Jade could have experienced the same thing. Yet he got through it by getting an awesomely armed ship, and a wonderful gun that he nearly shot me with at the bar. That gun was shiny, and well polished.
I got up, and turned to the replicator. I went over to the replicator and set it to make me a Pepsi Rich. As it was making the drink, I thought for a couple of seconds about Jade's ship, and whether or not I was going to be able to catch up with him. I took my drink, and went back to sit down.
I looked at the file type. . .it was a warp point, not money. My heart jumped back in horror! Not money! I had no idea, but some guy at a bar was the one I stole it from! My lord! What have I done?!
At this point, I remembered the last movie I heard about on Earth. It was called: Beyond the Proxima Nebula. It was pretty cool, too. Although, it was science fiction. This is real!
It inserted the point into my navi-computer. I turned over to the navigation computer screen, and it automatically scrolled over to the added warp point. I looked over and saw that it was a system with lots of life, and it was called:Karticel I.
Name:Karticel I
Stellar Objects:2
Shipyards:CONFIDENTIAL
Trade Goods:NONE
I was stunned. No trade? Top secret shipyards? Ahh! What have I stumbled upon?! I'm doomed! Someone is probably already after me for this information. I looked down to my feet, and saw my dirty, brown boots. I was breaking down, and my life was coming to either a new beginning or an end, and I couldn't tell which.
(This message has been edited by Jude (edited 03-15-2000).)
BTW, have I sent you chapters 11 and 12 yet?