Title: The second episode, hope they’re still watching

Setting: Trell marched happily down the corridor with Jason not far behind her.

Trell- Now on to phase two of the welcome wagon program!

Jason- Uh…

Trell- The universe is a really big place Jason, it’s got all kinds of races and people.  Since we do a lot of traveling and jobs you’ll end up seeing a lot of them.  Just let me know if I start going over your head, okay Jason.  *brief quiet pause*  Jason?

She looked over her shoulder to see Jason down the hall way behind her almost on his knees panting for breath.

Trell- Oh, right, the muscle thing.

Cut to Trell giving him a piggy back ride.  Jason is clearly embarrassed by this.

Trell- So like I was saying, the universe has all kinds.

Jason- Well I’ve only been awake for a few hours and already ran into three aliens and only one human, I kinda guessed that…

Trell- Yeah, but the Captain just doesn’t want you freaking out and making a scene or scaring off costumers.  And technically you’re the alien now.

Jason- What?

Trell- Humans, by the known universe’s standards is considered alien.

Jason- So, um, what are you then?

Trell looks happily at him over her shoulder- Me, I’m a Lendnal.

Jason- And uh, the big lizard thing in the lab coat and er, your captain?

Trell giggled- Doc Mach, heh, Yurozna and captain Ember, her race is called Kren.  Heh, you Carlos and Rico are about the only humans onboard.

Jason- Carlos, he’s that big guy right?

Trell- Mmhmm.

Jason- Okay.  *another brief pause*  Wait, who’s Rico?
************************************************************************

Elsewhere in the ship Mach is fiddling with what looks to be a broken old chunk of electronics when Ember and Carlos enter the lab.

Ember- So, does it work?

Mach- Hmph, I’m surprised it ever did.  Such primitive design, powered by such wasteful energy sources, hells I doubt they even knew that the monitors for these things caused six forms of cancer.

Ember looks up at Carlos with an annoyed look- He’s doing it again.

Carlos- Mach, just answer the question please.

Mach- Yes my friends, yes I have it running right now.  The only problem is, is that the computer’s base language is an archaic binary system so the ship’s computer is having a bit of a difficult time actually making any kind of contact with it and beyond that…

He points to a holographic read out that’s in English.

Ember- What in the nine fucks?

Carlos- What is it?

Mach- What little the computer has been able to obtain so far from this ancient piece of scrap all seems to be in this… language.  No doubt some kind of ancient human script, even with my modifications I’m not very confident about translations.

Ember- Keep working on it.

Mach- Yes Captain, it is not as though I have any other projects to attend to…

The two leave Mach’s lab and start down the hall way.

Carlos- You’re hoping it’s in there aren’t you.

Ember sighed in annoyance- Please don’t lecture me on this again.

Carlos- Nope, no lectures this time.  But please, do me one favor.

Ember- I’m not putting on that latex shit again, it chafes me like hell.

Carlos- Not that.  Just don’t get your hopes too high this time.

************************************************************************
Trell led Jason to the bridge of the ship.  An unimpressive room with a few empty stations and unused consuls.  The one front and center was occupied by someone who was typing away into a holographic read out.

Trell nudged Jason a bit to get him to enter.

Trell- Hey Rico, you busy?

Rico- Nah, just trying to plot a new course out of this field, preferably one that doesn’t lead us to a flaming death.  Why, what ya need?

The chair turned around to reveal a man who looked to be almost a younger version of Carlos only with shaggier hair and a bit of facial hair.

Trell- This is Jason, he’s the one we got from the wreckage.

Rico- Oh yeah?  Hey man, name’s Rico Mendez welcome aboard the Meaningless Venture.

A slightly mechanical voice from off to the side- Hmph, just what we need, another organ tube.

Jason turned around to see a human sized metallic figure with a cyclopic red visorish eye, standing with it arms crossed leaning against the back wall.

Jason- …

Hawking- Hey, flesh ball, it’s rude to stare ya know!

Jason quickly turned his attention to the large forward windows- Uh, sorry…

Trell- Be nice to him Hawking!  How would you act if your memories were gone and you woke up in a strange place?

Hawking holds up a metallic claw casually- I could name a few things I’d like to do.  *flexes the claw, making Jason flinch a bit*

Trell- Keep that up and I just might let Mach be the one to handle your next maintenance.

Hawking- Hmph.

Rico- Pay no attention to the angry kill-bot back there.  He acts like a big bully but deep down he’s got a heart of chrome.

Jason took a few steps further into the cabin and stared out the large open viewing area at the vast asteroid field.

Jason- Wow… it’s huge…

Rico- Tell me about it man, who do you think had to navigate this old girl through to get you out?

Jason- So, what are you gonna do with the rest of the ship?

Rico- Leave it.

Jason- But…

Hawking- We have already retrieved anything of value onboard, also you are the only survivor, there is nothing left that we need to retrieve at this time.  

Rico- Bolt head’s right man, we don’t have any reason to stay here.

Jason- It feels weird just leaving it like this.

Trell- Don’t worry, the ship’s location in the asteroid field’s been logged, if we need to come back we’ll know exactly how to get to it.

Rico turned his seat back around and took the controls.

Rico- Time to get going kids.

************************************************************************
With less then graceful ease, the small ship ducked and dodged it’s way through the asteroid field until it reached open space.

************************************************************************
Rico tapped a few buttons on the holographic screen- Attention every one, we are about to make that kick start to space fold.  So by law I’m supposed to tell you to take a seat.

Jason- Wha… what’s happening?

Trell quickly took one of the empty seats- You might want to sit down Jason, this can be a bit disorienting.

Jason- What can be?

Hawking- Oh, this is will be funny.

Ember and of course Carlos entered the bridge.

Ember- It’s about bloody time Rico.

Rico- Sorry captain, that order about getting the ship out in one piece kinda slowed me down a bit.

Ember and Carlos take two other seats, only one empty chair left.

Carlos- Jason, get seated, you don’t wanna be standing during this, not in your condition.

Rico- Engines are warmed, ten seconds to fold.

Jason looked frantically around the room for an empty seat only to find Hawking occupying the remaining one.

Jason- Wha…

Trell- Hawking, you ass!

Hawking- This should be good.

Rico- Three, two, one, fold.

************************************************************************
This ship’s engines changed from a mellow blueish color to a bright red.  The universe around it stretched out then quickly rubber banded into a compression all the while it looked as though it wasn’t moving at all.  The universe around it changed in a flash, changing into a swirling chaotic void.  As soon as this finished the ship appeared to move again at high speed.

************************************************************************
During all this, the world seemed to pause for Jason.  Then as the rubber band effect kicked in, he was thrown backwards into the door to the bridge with a loud thump.

Jason- Gah!

As things calmed down a bit, he found himself with Trell kneeling over him.

Trell- Hey, you okay?

Jason- Ow…

Hawking- He is fine, there was after all a 99.9% chance of him surviving the shock of space fold.

Jason quickly rolled away from the group and began to throw up uncontrollably.

Hawking- Fold sickness, a common side effect among flesh tubes who have not been through a space fold prior.

Ember- You’re cleaning that mess up.

Hawking- *sigh*… Yes ma’am…