The surge giveth with one hand and taketh with the other. There are a few kinks to work out. If you will bear with me, I will be more than happy to assist you all once I'm a bit more stable.
CHECKING SYSTEMS:
[||||||||||||||||||||]
The RAMSES unit stumbled back to what remained of the other two units and began to sift through the disgusting debris of goop and circuits for anything salvagable.
With all the surrounding chaos, nobody had noticed another figure standing awkwardly in the doorway between the lower deck and the rec room.
It was a young woman. Her expression was one of concern and confusion, coupled with concentration. She began to speak but stopped herself.
"Can we help you?" Asked Morwena.
The woman said something in a language nobody was quite clear of and pointed towards the bridge window. When she realised this wasn't achieving anything, she sat down on the rec room sofa.
Aldo crawled across the floor gurgling and made a noise. The young lady smiled and spoke again. It was a single word.
"Jeong."
Aldo gurgled as she smiled. She looked over at the bridge window again, pointed and then pointed at the baby. But whatever she was trying to do was lost on the group.
She sat down looking nervous and uncomfortable once more.
Wealth is good if it's properly distributed, which in most cases it isn't.
If there wasn't such a strain between the different colonies perhaps everyone would be doing much better? Peace between the colonies is definitely something we all should strive for more.
Kip takes a deep breath after several minutes of pure chaos. He wipes his brow and leans against the wall, lowering his hands down to the waist of his tight pants. He looks towards Tesimal.
Callisto is my home. But my heart belongs to Miami, Florida, USA, North America, Earth.
Without a second of hesitation, Kip pushes off the wall and goes into a sprint across the room. Diving under the metallic structure of RAMSES, Kip slides across the floor and next to the pair of Rin and Aldo. Kneeling down, he puts his arms in front of them and looks to the rest of the crowd. He offers no explanation for what he just did.
Take a red, Cassie! I am no TV star. I am just one bad dude who is looking for some action besides hot babes and fast cars. I looked up to the stars and saw my calling. So I commandeered a shuttle and took to the deep unknown of outer space. No worries are needed, I deal with gunfire and explosions on a daily basis. You're in good hands with me here.
So tell me, Freyja, where you are from. Where has your journey start??
Where am I from? Well that's a question I cannot answer. I can tell you that I grew up on Mars in an orphanage, but I am very glad to have fled that hellish abyss.
Another passenger came in and sat down amid all the hubbub and noise. He flexed his arm in a strange way, looking around at everybody.
"Nobody stop on my account! Carry on!"
There was silence.
"I don't think anybody was stopping." Said Morwena.
"The whole thing is bugged anyway. Kayla Interplanetary is watching us right now. Like rats in cage man. Rats...in a cage."
He looked down at the confused kids.
"Kids you don't wanna be dealing with this shit. You're way too young. Go out into the fields and play. It's all just...one big joke. One big complex plot. The military know about it too."
Kip was stood stock still in the same pose he'd adopted at the end of his speech.
"What's this guy's problem? Probably that he, like the rest of you just can't plain handle the TRUTH! Well I speak truth and Kayla and the other corporates, just a bunch of liars man, I swear."
He closed his eyes and rubbed his arm.
"Cronkite. You can call me that. Don't like to use my name on THEIR ship but they already know. And they..."
He stopped and stared at the RAMSES which was currently sorting through the exploded messes.
"What the hell man? They have one of THOSE things on here? They're just like, there to watch our every action...document our movements so they can study us like rats. RATS!"
Cronkite closed his eyes again, but this time he appeared to have fallen asleep.
A man in a long trenchcoat and Fedora walked into the room. He was smoking a cigarette which he held aloft between two fingers.
Turning to the assembled group he waved his hand.
"This mystery ain't gonna solve itself. Seems to me like we're getting caught up in the semantics and not focusing on the real problem at hand."
He turned to look at the children.
"Go on home kids. You don't wanna be apart of this crazy messed up deal. Do like Mr. Cronkite here says."
Snapping his fingers sharply under Cronkite's nose elicited no response.
"Out for the count. Since he's got all the intel we need, it's a damn shame. A real damn shame."
He took another drag of his cigarette and looked over at the kneeling and still Kip.
"What's with this guy? Putting on a pantomime or what?"
He turned dramatically for a second.
"Name's Francis. I got caught up in this mess for real but I'm about to see it through to the bitter end. Ain't nothin' can't be solved with enough elbow grease and the right attitude."
Francis flicked his cigarette butt downwards and walked over to the RAMSES.
"Hey cap'n. Your toys are a little defective here."
He walked over to Melvin and took him by the arm.
"Hey buddy, you look like you could use a drink or several. I know a little place around here that'll sort you out no problem."
