Sculptor.odt-2-

Sculptor



Without any ill effects, that is what they had promissed him. He would not even notice a real difference, but he felt like shit. He was sick to the stomach and remembered that he had dreamed. He could not remember what he dreamed about but it was a long dream.

Then he opened his eyes. Even the very dim light in the almost dark room made his eyes water.

“A wonderful good morning Dr. Whitacker. I hope you feel well.” A melodic and pleasant female voice spoke to him,yet he could not see anyone speaking to him. Small robotic arms massaged his entire body, while other arms removed hoses from artifical and natural orifices.

He was still trying to orient himself, he was completely confused. Yet as the mechanical arms reached his private parts he yelled. “Hey cut that out! Only me or a especially pretty humanoid female has any business down there.”

“You have slept 748 years, eight month, three days and four hours. Dr. Whitacker and the stimulation of all body regions is an important aspect of the reanimation sequence.”

“Sevemhundred...” now he remembered.”...we made it?”

“Yes Dr.Whitacker.”

He got sat upright and it felt good and he was dizzy for only a few moments.

He was not the only one in the process of being reanimated. There where hundreds of these light green glowing Cryo Stasis tubes. Robots and Med personnel was walking and floating around making sure everyone was alright.

Of course med personnel was up as they got their reanimation impulse a few hours earlier,

“Dr.Whitacker please remain a few more moments in the Cryo Access Tray, so all Nanites can leave your body in an orderly fashion.”

The face of a Klack appeared next to his extended CAT holding a device with attached hose. “We already have sixteen million nanites missing from the main system, because there is no dicipline among non fleet members of this crew.” The Klack swiped his device along the floor and then simply pushed the nozzle right across Benedito Whitacker's face and added. “See, you almost dropped seventeen Tissue checkers. As small as they are they are quite valuable Dr. Whitacker and everyone is needed to reanimate the 6500 crew members of this ship.”

The Klack wore the white Uniform of a Medic and his patch identified him as Medical Nanite Expert and Whitacker blinked a bit taken aback. “We just travelled 11. 7 million light years and we have been sleeping for 748 years, don't you think we can afford to loose a Nanite or two? They find their way to the recycling deck like everything anyway.” Benedito got up and walked past the Klack. “I hold four PhD's and added the knowledge of 40 additional science fields while I was sleeping. I care little about a few of your nanites.”

A new voice said. “Still the same arrogant and obnoxious prick that went into Cryo,”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He turned and saw the beautiful Saran Science Corps Commander, who was his supervisor wearing a tight Standard Board Duty uniform. She held a PDD in clipboard mode and added, “Specialist T'Thscki please scan Dr. Whitacker for any remaining Nanites in his system.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“174 nanites found, Commander Petra .”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">She said rising her head. “Computronic please deduct 174 minutes of Dr. Whitackers call privileges.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He got angry. “You can' do that, you bit...”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“Oh but I can. Now please get situated, find your quarters, take it easy on eating solid food for a few days and please be on time for our first arrival meeting.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Over one thousand beings had assembled in the main auditorium of the USS Herogos, a purpose built HALD explorer. She and her sister ships the USS Karkumin and the USS Columbus had left Union space in 4312 and travelled 11.7 million light years and had arrived at the Sculptor galaxy yersterday on the 5th of January 5060.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Captain Fierce, the Captain of the USS Herogos was also the lead officer for the expedition. Fierce

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Captain Fierce was a Demonhead of Emor, but despite his demonic appearance, he was a well respected and liked Commanding Officer. The appearance of a being meant little in the Union anyhow and the diversity was a soucrce of pride. Dr.Splena, Leedei was the scientific lead.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Both of them stood on the raised plafrom that was focus of the auditorium that was filled ti the last seat.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He raised his hands and doin so signaled that he was about to speak. The din of voices ebbed away and everyone was paying attention.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Captain begun. “Good morning everyone, after sleeping 748 years, I assume everyone is perfectly rested. If not you can look forward to the long sleep on our way back.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">That caused some laughter.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“The good news first. We arrived safe and no one was lost during the long sleep. We have also identifed a system at 17 lightyears distant that has a number of planets and shows promissing prospects for our new base. However there are bad news as well, the relay chain is cut at buoy 2214.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">we don't know why the buoy failed to activate.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Once we established the base, we intend to send the USS Karkumin back to deploy another one and thus re-establish contact. “

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He paused for a moment, to let news sink in and then continued. “We all knew that we signed up for a one way trip, and that only a handful of us will eventually return if we accomplished our mission.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He gestured to the Leedei. “Of course I am only incommand of the fleet side of this venture. Dr.Splena is the scientific lead.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Leedei thanked the captain and said. You all know why we are here, why the Science Council deemed this expedition important enough to find 15.000 volunteers that commit to an expedition that will whne it is completed last for 1500 years.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">But since we are finally here it I think it is appropiate if I recall the reason.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Withaker rolled his eyes and said loud enough to be heard.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“Just keep it short. We know why we are here. We should see if the old maps match up, set up the base and not look back and rehash the known and the obvious.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“Dr.Whitaker you are a living argument why Psycho Surgery should be permitted in some cases.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">A Blue said sitting close to him.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Leedei folded his hands in the complicated way of his kind. “Since you are one of the subject experts, Dr. Whitaker why don't you summarize our reason for being here?”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">“Don't mind if I do.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He got up and and went down to the platform and begun. “Three years prior to the expedition. Aerchologists at a new dig site on Asteroid Achilles in the Sol sytem found data crystals,two of which were still intact completewith a spatial map. The mappinting to this galaxy and a star system within.We are here to find out why the Cronin had visited the Sol system millions of years ago, who they are and for what purpose have they visited the Sol System. The Cronin are depicted humanoid and might be an important part of the so called human mystery”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The Leedei declined his head. “That is part of the reason indeed, but there is anoth...”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The scientific lead was interrupted by siren sounds and the announcement. “All hands battle stations.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">For Withaker and the other scientists it meant to proceed to their quarters, put on a space suit and wait for whatever situation to be cleared.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He had lost much of his abrasive nature when he briskly walked just behind the Saran science commander. “Dr. Ariesi what is causing the alert?” “I know as much as you, but battle stations is only sounded if hostile action is imminent.”

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<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He stood on the bridge of the lead ship of this three ship expedition to the Sculptor Galaxy.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">They had left Union space in 4312 and travelled a distance of 11.7 million light years.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">The expediton was primarily of scientific nature, but the core reason was to find the Stygmat.

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">He turned to his Purple Throat XO. “Has everyone been reanimated?” “Yes, Sir. No casualties, no reported medical problems.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0cm">Fierce stepped up to the Nav tank and gzed into the three dimensional representation of the space around them.