FSE

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"Do you guys break everything you touch?" Asuka winked at the group to let them know she was just kidding as they filed into Astra's control room.

"Starting to look that way." Kamala sighed and zipped over to the central console. "The good news is, everyone survived, this time."

"I'm always glad to hear that. So what happened, exactly?"

"Another space-time rift appeared." Roger walked up beside Kamala and stared at the holographic projection of the Jupiter-like planet below their ship. "Right where a piece of critical equipment was located, apparently. Part of the mechanism holding the structure in the air."

"Oh." Asuka winced. "Geronimo, then?"

"Pretty much. The whole station is probably still falling." He sighed. "And since the computer's memory core had been purged, we couldn't find out what the station was for."

"There are dozens of other stations just like it all around the planet. Maybe one of Astra's probes or mech units will find something." Asuka chuckled. "But if this is an area of heavy rift activity, it'd be best if we keep our distance."

"No kidding." Shakira cleaned her glasses with her shirt and put them back on. "I'd really prefer not to end up wishing Otto and I were still stranded in the tower in that alien desert."

Astra's voice came from the speakers in the console. "I have continued scanning the planet and atmospheric stations while we were exploring, and my analysis is complete. The stations have been drawing in gasses and expelling different, heavier elements."

"It's converting the atmosphere?" Kamala cocked her head at the planet in the holofield. "Sort of like terraforming?"

"The gravity is too strong for most known sentient species to inhabit. My analysis indicates another purpose entirely."

Shakira frowned at the planet and pointed at her cybernetic eye. "I've noticed it's receding. We're moving away."

"I apologize for neglecting to notify you, but if my analysis is correct, we need to evacuate the area immediately."

"Why?" Otto stepped up to the console and stared at the projection. "What the hell's about to happen now?"

Asuka turned back to it and raised an eyebrow. The planet was now growing smaller at a noticeable rate as the ship accelerated.

"My scans of the elements being expelled from the atmospheric stations indicate an attempt to convert the planet into a star, and the process is nearing completion."

"Oh,shit," Kamala whispered. "If that's what's happening, we don't want to be anywhere near it when it goes off."

"Huh." Morrison scratched at a spot between his horns and frowned at the holofield. "I don't know how that would even work."

"I remember reading something by Arthur C. Clarke when I was a kid that said something about Jupiter being a sort of 'failed star.'" Shakira's eyes widened as she stared at the projection. "If I remember correctly, the gasses in the atmosphere could've ignited if the planet had been a little more massive."

"Whoa."

"Yeah. Except there's really nothing of value in this star system, so it seems like a weird place to spark up a new sun."

"Maybe that's why, though." Otto glanced at her and motioned at the holofield. "If someone wanted to find out whether the process works, an uninhabited system would be the perfect place for it. That way, no one is harmed if the thing blows up the whole star system."

"If it's even possible," Morrison muttered. "And if it can work with one of the stations destroyed. I can't even imagine--"

"Oh, shit," Roger said softly, pointing at the planet. "It's starting to collapse in on itself!"

"You sure we're not just getting farther away?"

Shakira shook her head. "I'm keeping my cybernetic eye on it, and it's definitely not just receding, it's actually getting smaller."

"Activating jump engines," Astra said. "Stand by for hyperspace entry."

In the holofield, the planet's darker clouds had begun to fade to paler colors and the planet's collapse was now detectable with the naked eye.

"Launching more probes," Astra said. "We'll be able to witness what happens here after we leave. Jumping to hyperspace now."

Asuka caught a glimpse of the edge of the jump vortex before the ship transitioned out of normal space.

"Switching to input from the probes."

The holofield shifted back to a view of the planet. The atmosphere had turned sickly pale. As everyone continued watching over the next few minutes, the still-shrinking world began brightening.

Shakira continued staring and raked her fingers through her dreadlocks. "Could happen any moment now. Convert the atmosphere into something heavier and the planet collapses, which generates pressure and heat. Then, kaboom."

"Seems like it'd need more than that to happen," Seth said.

"Maybe there's something else going on that we couldn't see. Some other devices positioned deeper in the atmosphere, or something."

The former planet's glow grew bright and brighter, and finally a blinding light flared up. Everyone flinched before the holofield dimmed.

"And a star is born," Astra said. "Proceeding on to next destination."

Everyone turned to stare at each other. Almost another full minute passed before Shakira turned her back to the holofield, leaned against the edge of the console, and heaved a long sigh.

"Can we go somewhere nice, next time?"

#

"Looks like we all had the same idea," Kamala said as she and Roger entered the mess hall. She glanced around and found everyone else who'd been on the atmospheric station, plus others who'd remained on the ship. The hall was nearly full and the soft murmur of a dozen conversations hummed away in the background.

"Yep," Tank said from one of the tables to the right. She took a sip from her tumbler and added, "The only thought on my mind on the way back here was, 'I need a fuckin' drink.'"

"No kidding." Kamala laughed softly and slithered over to the dispenser. She selected hot cocoa, waited for Roger to choose something, and followed him to a table with a vacant chair at the end. She coiled up beside him, braced her lower arms on the table, and popped her tumbler open. Others seated at the table included Seth, Marissa, Morrison, Luana, Otto, Shakira, and several others from the Io station's tech crew. At the next table sat Zuri, the medieval kid, the cowboys, and several people who appeared to be aliens.

_Really should try to get to know them. I don't even know their names, yet._On the other hand, she wasn't sure if the medieval kid was convinced that she wasn't a demon. She didn't want to unnerve him any more than he already was.

"So," Otto said, "any bets on how the universe will try to kill us next?"

"Well, let's see, we've already done weird space-time rifts, black holes, alien abductions, floating killbots, and exploding fucking planets." Shakira shook her head slowly.

Morrison raised his tumbler. "There's also creepy derelict spaceships infested with critters that look like a cross between spiders and centipedes, whose venom turns people into cyborg zombies."

"Fortunately, Otto and I missed that one." She shuddered. "So, what new and interesting lethal situation do you think we'll end up in next?"

Roger grinned. "Well, we could blunder into an interstellar war, or expose ourselves to a long-dormant alien plague."

Marissa snorted. "How about a species of alien sex maniacs who want to steal our women?"

"Hah!" Shakira put her arm around Otto's shoulders. "One sex maniac in my life is quite enough."

"Like that's not a bonus for you." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Never said it wasn't." She grinned and kissed him.

Chuckles rippled around the nearby tables. Silence stretched out once it faded. Finally, Astra made an announcement over the speakers.

"ETA at next nearest star system is one hundred-thirty minutes."

"Guess we've got some time to kill." Roger aimed a saucy grin at Kamala. "I've got some ideas already."

"Oh, I bet you do." She slid her lower hand behind him and gave his ass a squeeze.

"Gee, I wonder what those could be." Shakira grinned.

"I'm probably thinking the same kinds of things," Otto said.

"When are you not?"

"When I'm around you, never."

Kamala giggled and took a sip of her cocoa. "But, Roger and I just got here, so we should at least finish our drinks first."

Seth chuckled and shrugged. "I just realized we're probably going to have a lot of downtime between jumps. There are probably things we can do to pass the time, like jobs Astra's crew would've done if they were here."

"A lot of that can probably be done by her mechs, though," Marissa said. "And the jobs that require people are probably over our heads."

"I have the ability to operate every system onboard," Astra said, "in the event of the crew being incapacitated or killed. But I very much prefer your company. I would become quite lonely after a few minutes on an empty ship."

"Well, I guess it's good that we're here, then."

"I think so. I only wish it were by choice and not happenstance."

"Well, we're glad to be here, and to know you." Luana smiled. "Even if we never find our way back to where we came from, at least we have a home right here."

Others nodded or voiced agreement.

Another long silence settled over them until Otto spoke up.

"Hmm. I should check the media archives and see if there are any good movies. Or games." He snickered and glanced at Shakira. "As long as I don't get roped into another Truth or Dare session."

She burst out laughing.

Kamala and Roger glanced at each other. She arched a brow ridge and said, "Do we wanna know?"

"Unlikely." Shakira continued laughing, snorted, and laughed again.

"Okay, that just makes me even more curious."

"Another time, maybe." Shakira shook her head and kept laughing.

"Heh. I do love a good mystery."

"I figure we'll get plenty of those in the future." Morrison chugged the last of his drink and clopped over to one of the disposal chutes in the wall. He dropped the empty tumbler into it and returned to the table.

Kamala stared at her tumbler and turned it slowly between her upper hands.Hmm. Well, since I've been wanting to do this for a while, anyway, might as well get started.

"Here's a way we can use the spare time wisely." She glanced around at everyone and smiled. "Maybe we can introduce ourselves to everyone who doesn't know us, and start getting to know each other."

A few of the others shrugged. Kamala shrugged back and smiled nervously.

"Um, okay. Well, then. Uh, who wants to go first?"

#

"You've not said much at all." Zuri turned to smile at the medieval kid.

He stared at the table, hunched over with his arms crossed over his chest as if trying to withdraw into his own body, and finally shrugged. "I--I don't...don't know what to say."

"Still adjusting to everything that's happened?" Seth tried to keep his smile in place. He was still having trouble getting used to all this, himself. Especially his and Marissa's separation from Boiler. Having to get through each day without knowing whether she's okay or not, and whether we'll ever see her again....

He pushed those thoughts out of his mind for the thousandth time since that first rift had cut off an entire section of the Io station and zapped it to who knew where.

The kid twitched his shoulders again.

Zuri smiled and touched his shoulder. "Perhaps start with your name?"

"I'm...Graham." His eyes flicked toward her hand, but returned immediately to the table.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Seth, and this is Marissa."

"Hello." Marissa smiled.

"H...hello." Graham took a quick glance around before going back to staring at the table. "I still don't understand what's happening. It's like a nightmare I can't wake up from."

"Well, we're not completely sure, either." Luana sipped her drink and then drummed her fingers on the side of the tumbler. "It's hard to explain, but we've all been pulled from various times and places, and ended up here."

"Sorcery?"

"I don't think so," Roger said. "Probably some sort of natural phenomenon."

"Or," Kamala said, "if someone's causing it to happen, it's a kind of technology beyond anything we've ever seen."

"Which isn't exactly reassuring," Otto said with a chuckle.

"Well," Shakira said, "if it's natural, there's probably nothing we can do to stop it. But if it's something someone is doing intentionally--"

"The device--or whatever they're using--should have an off switch." Otto grinned. "Hope we can find out what's going on before another planet blows up and takes us with it."

"Keep on finding those rays of sunshine." She nudged his shoulder.

Graham glanced from one of them to another, and finally hunched farther over the table. "I didn't understand any of that."

"Well, let's take it slowly," Kamala said, and he locked his suddenly wide eyes on her. "Do you know where we are?"

"A while ago someone said we were in the sky." He trembled and shook his head. "How can we be in the sky?"

A large screen on the far wall came to life and Astra's voice spoke from a nearby comm panel. "If you'll focus your attention on the viewscreen, I will attempt to explain."

Graham's eyes opened even wider as he stared at the monitor. An image of a meadow surrounded by trees appeared and Astra continued narrating as the angle changed.

"This is a simulation of Earth's surface. The image will move as if we are rising into the air."

The ground descended slowly and the angle changed to a downward view of the meadow and the treetops surrounding it. The virtual camera continued rising until the curvature of the planet became noticeable. It ascended through the clouds until the whole planet filled the screen, and then the planet began to dwindle.

"This point is above the atmosphere," Astra said.

"Above the air," Seth clarified for Graham. "We call it space. Since there's no air in space, we can't breathe in it. We have to stay inside ships like this one."

The camera continued pulling back until the moon appeared, increased the speed of the zoom-out, and passed Mars.

"That was..." Graham shook his head again. "Was that the moon?"

"Yep." Seth smiled. "And the next one was Mars."

Zuri stared at the video with her head cocked. Several others, including the ones who looked like they'd stepped out of the Old West, also stared at it with varying degrees of shock and wonder as the camera passed through the asteroid belt.

"The number and proximity of the asteroids is exaggerated," Astra intoned. "They are far enough apart that they cannot be seen from one another without telescopes. In various media, they are often shown much closer together than they really are."

The pull-back continued past Jupiter.

"That's where a lot of us came from," Seth said, pointing at the gas giant. "We were living on a space station orbiting one of its moons. The station's crew were building a jumpgate and a ship like this one. Well, not nearly as advanced as this one. More like an 'ancestor' to this ship."

"We'll probably have to explain what jumpgates are," Marissa said.

"Oh, right. I didn't think." Seth chuckled and tossed a lopsided grin at her.

"I can cover that later," Astra said. "First things first."

The zoom-out continued past Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, then increased its speed until the Milky Way filled the screen.

"The simulation's speed does not get across the distances between stars. Do you understand what a mile is?"

Graham nodded twitchily. One of the cowboys muttered, "Yep."

"One light-year equals approximately six trillion miles. The Milky Way galaxy is one hundred thousand light-years across."

"That's..." The cowboy aimed a blank stare at the screen. "Uh, that's a_lot_."

"Sure is," another muttered.

"So..." Graham pointed at the image of the galaxy. "We're somewhere in that?"

"That is one possibility." The pull-back resumed and the Milky way receded and then more galaxies appeared. "There are more galaxies in the universe. What you're seeing now is called the Local Group."

The virtual camera kept zooming out until Seth couldn't count the number of galaxies, and continued even past that point.

"It's also possible that we've been transported to another galaxy," Astra continued. "We do not know even approximately where we are in the universe."

Zuri glanced at Graham and rubbed his back slowly. "And how big is the...universe?"

"The observable universe is nearly fourteen billion light-years across."

"And we could be anywhere in it? Even on the far side?"

"Correct. I need more information before I can begin to work out our exact location."

Graham slumped forward and moaned softly. Zuri patted his shoulders and glanced over at Seth and the others.

"You said we all came here from different times?"

Kamala nodded. "For those of us on the Io station, the year was 2070."

Graham lifted his head abruptly to stare at her, as did the cowboys.

"And for me and Otto," Shakira said, "it was 2047."

"Early in 2047," Otto added. "First week of February." He glanced at the cowboys and raised an eyebrow.

"1871."

Graham let out another soft moan. "992."

_Whoa._Seth looked slowly around the room and found one of the aliens who'd been on the sleeper ship just before it exploded. "And for you?"

"As measured by the human calendar," she said in a lilting tone, "4718."

And now I'm_feeling light-headed._ Seth shook his head and took a deep breath. "Say, Astra, do your media files contain any historical information? Something that can bring everyone up to speed on things like space travel?"

"Yes. I will select appropriate vids and display them on the screen."

"Thanks. Seems like a productive way to pass the time until we reach our next destination." He wondered for a moment if giving people from the past detailed information on the future was a good idea. Then he shrugged it off. It probably didn't matter by this point.

And if they couldn't find their way back home, it would never matter.