Caught In Orbit || Mactermined [Trope Extravaganza]
Determind’s Personal Log
Stardate 199616.1
Today is our 107th day in deep space. Just a day over our half way mark to Mars. Like I said in my last log, no one wanted to celebrate the occasion with me, so I did it on my own anyway. It went well! It certainly cheered me up, knowing that we are only a few months away from reaching those who have already forged ahead of us. Having those markers have made it easier to keep track of the days since we don’t really have a solar and lunar cycle to help me out with that anymore.
The crew are doing well, despite their lack of enthusiasm for the smaller pleasures in life. But I guess that’s what you get when you send a writer up with a bunch of astronauts/engineers/scientists. They are all very focused on their work, which is good. They have a mission, I understand that. But sometim
Toby looked up from the screen he had been typing on, a loud bang having resonated through his room. After a few seconds passed and no noise followed, he went back to finish his sentence only for another noise to emerge, this time closer. He saved his progress and placed the device aside, standing up from his bed to go see what was going on.
He poked his head outside his door but the hallway was completely empty, the buzz of the dimmed lights for the night time routine the only other noise. Toby jumped, hand clutching his door when the noise came again. Then he realized that he was just being stupid and paranoid. Obviously that noise was the sound of the door leading from the living quarters to the other part of the ship opening. Someone on the night shift was probably just coming back to get something! Toby stepped out into the hall, wanting to see who it was and if he could help them. It wasn’t like he was getting much sleep anyway.
Except what came around the corner was not one of the crew. What came around the corner was not even human.
Toby froze on the spot as it seemed to notice him. How, he didn’t know, since he could see any thing that looked like eyes on it. They both stood there, unmoving, for what felt like forever. He glanced sideways at one of the comm stations that sat on the hallway wall. Ever so slowly he inched toward it. The thing in front of him did not move. He reached up. It didn’t move. He pressed the button.
“Uh, Determined here,” he said, speaking quietly, voice warbling with fear. “Sorry to bother you all but I seem to be in a bit of a situation.”
“What kind of situation?” Barnett answered.
“Well there seems to be an alien on board, ma’am.”
“Determined, we don’t have time for any kind of pranks. This channel is for serious matters only. Now go back to bed.”
The raise in volume seemed to provoke the thing, it giving out a blood curdling noise that vibrated the walls and floor beneath his sock clad feet. Toby yelled, turning around and making a run for it, heavy footfalls close behind him.
