Astro Adventures
Astro Adventures is a fiction series by Mathew Robert Ignash.
Contents
Astro Adventures Vol. 1 - A Commander is Born
Part 1
Narrator - Astro Adventures! Follow Commander Astroblast in his relentless battle against those who endanger freedom of the Space Republic - but Commander Astroblast was not always the leader of the Protectors. Once space ships were nearly powerless to combat the menaces that terrorized the black skies, and then in a universe fallen to chaos there appeared a leader! This is the story of a man whose courage and dedication expanded to all the planets, and of how Captain Astroblast became commander of the Protectors. Our story begins when Captain Astroblast piloted a cruiser on a routine patrol mission off his home world, Hirano, with him is bio-mechanical Tech Drone R-Brand, assigned as his personal assistant. During the mission R-Brand receives a tachyon telegraph message which he quickly connects it to Captain Astroblast.
R-Brand - Space Senator Alvarez for you on the tachyon telegraph Captain.
Captain Astroblast -This is Captain Astroblast of the cruiser C-202, what can I do for you Senator?
Space Senator Alvarez - Captain Astroblast, I know this is quite unusual, but there is no one else I trust with this mission. I need you to meet with the interplanetary cargo ship Alexandria when it reaches your patrol zone perimeter and escort it to Hirano spaceport. The ship is already inward bound and will from planet Mori.
Captain Astroblast - Senator? My mission is to protect all space traffic in the zone around Hirano. It is very unusual to divert from my patrol to escort one ship.
Space Senator Alvarez - It's carrying the plans and miniature prototype for a hyper secret experimental space propulsion drive. Once the construction yards on Hirano start to build ships with the new drive we can have smaller, more efficient ships with a much longer range. Our patrol zones will be able to extend to the limits of the interplanetary transport lanes themselves.
Captain Astroblast – That’s excellent news Senator, there is no escort assigned to the Alexandria?
Space Senator Alvarez - The original plan was to send the drive below the radar of those who might be tempted to steal it by transporting it on a common cargo vessel, but recent intelligence reports show that the information leaked and now the mission is in danger. The Alexandria will be without escort until you meet with it. We simply do not have the resources get another patrol ship there before you could arrive. I am sending you the intercept course.
Captain Astroblast - Acknowledged Senator. Setting course and proceeding as directed. (Rocket sound effect)
Part 2
Narrator - As the C-202 hurries to meet with the Alexandria, another ship is moving to intercept. Commanding this bizarre green space zeppelin is the scarred form of Professor Splice, and at his side his loyal minion D-Chop, an axe wielding bio-mechanical Tech Drone.
Professor Splice - That's the Alexandria on the scanner. Get the zero ray generator activated before the escort arrives.
D-Chop – Da Zero Ray is ready Professor! It’ll completely disrupt their propulsion, weapons and tachyon telegraph.
Professor Splice - Good, our bio-mechanical equipment is immune to the effects of the ray, so it won't effect us. ACTIVATE THE ZERO RAY GENERATOR! (zero ray sound effect) It's working just as planned. Their propulsion has shut down. Now let's get over there and relieve them of the propulsion unit plans! Extend the boarding claws!
Part 3
Narrator - As Captain Astroblast and R-Brand sight the Alexandria, the ship looks to be dead in space. The C-202 links up with the Alexandria, Captain Astroblast and R-Brand enter the ship and find the whole crew passed out and floating and unconscious. Several of the internal bulkhead doors cut open, as if by a powerful axe. Captain Astroblast is able to bring around the pilot, who tells him the power failed and none of the weapons worked just as they sighted a strange green ship on an intercept course.
R-Brand - I think the Alexandria controls will work now Captain, everything checks out. I recovered a partial recording of the ship they encountered from just before everything went dead. Running a recognition check (computer bleep sound effects). We have an identification Captain!
Captain Astroblast – No need, R-Brand, I’d recognize that menace anywhere, that’s the ship that hybrid-making madman, Professor Splice. I thought we heard the last of him when we defeated his plan to take over Hirano with an army of trained missile launching techno-rabbits. Seems he’s up some new tricks, but what does he want with the new space drive? The Alexandria seems back online. Rumor has it Professor Splice has a base in a nearly asteroid field. Let's get back to our ship R-Brand, and I won't rest until we get those plans back.
Part 4
Narrator - Blasting off the C-202 makes it way cross the space lanes to the asteroid field.
R-Brand - Captain, there is a ship registering on the scanners, going into the asteroid field.
Captain Astroblast - That's Splice! Cut in the boosters to intercept, R-Brand.
R-Brand - But we are nearly at our return fuel limit now. If we fire the boosters, we may never have enough fuel to return to Hirano.
Captain Astroblast - We can't worry about that now. He can't be allowed to escape with those plans.
Narrator - Using the last of their fuel to catch up with the Professor's ship, sending a message to them on a local tachyon telegraph line to halt.
Captain Astroblast - This is your final warning Professor Splice. Give yourself up and turn over the plans.
Professor Splice - You're out of your league Astroblast. Go back to your pathetic little world before you hurt yourself. Your ship will soon be rendered dead thanks to my zero ray generator. I'm going to low your ship to pieces.
Captain Astroblast - R-Blade, stand by to fire lasers... Fire! (clicking sound).
R-Brand - Nothing is happening Captain! Something must be wrong with the ship... what happened to the rockets? It looks like we are finished sir. The propulsion, weapons and tachyon telegraph are all dead. All the electronics are dead!
(sound of ship exploding)
(insert commercial for Astro Crisps cereal)
Part 5
R-Brand - Nothing is happening Captain! Something must be wrong with the ship... what happened to the rockets? It looks like we are finished sir. The propulsion, weapons and tachyon telegraph are all dead. All the electronics are dead!
Captain Astroblast - We are not dead yet. It seems like most systems are out, but you are still running. Seems bio-mechanical systems are not effected by whatever type of radiation field the Professor is using. Your arm has a built-in tool kit for repairs including a cutting torch, right? I'm going to get in my space suit and cut our way out of our ship and into the Professor's!
Narrator - In his crimson space suit, Captain Astroblast goes to work with the cutting torch arm from R-Brand to get out of his ship and into the Professor's, in an rear compartment. Checking the compartment he finds a weapons locker, quickly opens it and takes one.
(sound of ship exploding)
Professor Splice - That's the end of that space-bound do-gooder!
D-Chop - Professor, da air pressure indicator for the rear compartment says it's dropped briefly.
Professor Splice - Go check it out!
Captain Astroblast - All right hold it you two!
Professor Splice - Astroblast! Get him D-Chop, his weapons won't work in the zero ray generator field.
Captain Astroblast - Not so fast (action whip sound), I figured you own weapons would be immune to your ray, so I got this rifle and energy whip when I got on board your ship from your own weapons locker!
Professor Splice - You think you can stop me Astroblast?
D-Chop - I'll get 'im Professor! (sound of missiles firing, and action whip sound)
Professor Splice - No, D-Chop you fool, don't fire your missiles inside the ship! You've fractured the fuel lines. (alarm bells sound, countdown engine overload begins)
Captain Astroblast - Looks like your Tech Drone did my job for me. Come on R-Brand, grab the plans and prototype and lets go. This ship is dead in the sky Splice, your welcome to come with us, there is a nice little cell waiting for you.
Professor Splice - I'd never give myself up fool!
Captain Astroblast - Suit yourself Professor! When I get back to Hirano I'll send a ship to pick you up. (sound of the airlock cycling).
Part 6
Narrator - Several days later Captain Astroblast is meeting with Senator Alvarez in his office.
Senator Alvarez - That was some amazing work you did there. Not only did you save the plans and the miniature prototype drone, but tying the drive into your space suit with your Tech Drone and using it to get yourself back to the space lanes where your suit's short-range tachyon telegraph could get a signal to the nearest ship with a stroke of genius.
Captain Astroblast - Thank you Senator, but I wasn't completely successful, Splice wasn't there when the Hirano ship came to pick him up. I can only guess he was working with others who rescued him.
Senator Alvarez - That's what we need to talk about. Now that we have the drive plans we are not only manufacturing faster more efficient cruisers, but we've worked on a design based the modifications to your space suit. The technicians have come with a suit with the power of a patrol cruiser thanks to tying in the drive and your Tech Drone. We are putting together a team of specialists to hunt down Professor Splice and whoever he was working for, and protect the space. What do you say, would you be willing to don that armor and lead the team... Commander?
Captain Astroblast - Commander?!.. Sir, I can't think of anything I'd rather do.
Narrator - And so Commander Astroblast, the leader of the Protectors was appointed in his never ending battle against the menaces of deep space. Tune in next time for another Astro Adventure!
