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Deep Space

“Deep space hates you, it wants you dead with every element of its empty being, it’ll freeze you, it’ll make your blood boil, it’ll pop your eyes, it’ll irradiate you, it’s smash you into pieces, it’ll drive you mad. Deep space hates you.” Those were the words of my old man, when I have a moment to reflect I can’t really fault his words, while the giant orbital structures that over 99.99% recuring of the human species lived in were safer then when the it was anchored to the solid ground of the Earth leaving their comforting safety was taking ones life in ones hands.

Which of course was why he and many other did it.

He was laying in a low gravity cot checking when the call came in.

“Dexter you read me?” A voice came over his neural link. Dexter initiated the comlink, the captain’s avatar was projected into his vision via the power of direct brain manipulation. There wasn’t really an image of him there, his brain just saw it. Dexter had found the technology fascinating a half century ago, now it was just life.

“Aye Captain.” They were a search, rescue and, salvage ship.

“The deep space relays have picked something up, we’re going to have to crank up the drive and push out to intercept. I need you to double check the med tech situation, supplies and, armoury.”

“Aye Captain. We’re setting an intercept course for a contact, the drive is being cranked. I’ll double check the med tech, supplies and, armoury.”

“Good, Major out.”

Their ship was operating out of Tombaugh far station. The last of the big stops inside the system, the next were outside the Kuiper belt, they were built to monitor the seed ships and the auto manufacturers. Tombaugh operated as the main way station for belters and outer habitats that for one reason or another didn’t want to live with the rest of the species. He registered the time in chronometer and got out of the cot, he knew that he was in peak form and ready to go.

“Harah, check that our standard checklists are updated with the latest from Tombaugh and report.” He said in his mind.

“Confirmed.” A soft lilting female voice responded. It took him fifteen minutes to reach the main med tech and supply bay, he’d checked the small emergency weapon cubbies on his way, the ship had thirty in total. He’d covered off ten on way here, all present and correct.