Tragedy in Blue
It purred with newfound energy
“Everything alright, Ava? You look shocked.”
“It’s this small blue planet, Captain, the one we’re approaching. The readings I get are strange. I suggest we…”
The pilot started shaking in her seat.
“Ava? What’s wrong? Ava!”
Blood dripped out of her eyes as she tore at her hair and shrieked. The Captain and the Navigator tried to catch her before she collapsed to the floor. The Captain stood up with no time for the dead.
“I want to know what just happened and why.”
The ship lurched forward and lost power. The bridge sunk into a darkness that was gradually replaced by the soft blue glow of a shimmering, translucent, aquamarine world.
“Captain, the last readings of the planetoid suggest it’s liquid, through and through,” said the Science Officer.
“A water world?”
“Not exactly. Definitely no core, but its material is thicker than water, like some kind of gelatinous goop. A mix of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric compounds, and silica. No atmosphere. All its elements are contained under the surface.”
“I’ve never looked through a planet before,” said the Navigator.
As the blue ball got nearer, what once seemed like lights on the surface revealed themselves as stars behind the planet shining dimly through.
“Nor have I,” said the Captain, “Engineering? Engineering? Is anyone there?”
“All systems are down. Including Communications. All we have is backup life support. We’re adrift and caught in that jello blob’s gravitational pull.”
“Go see if you can help get the power back.”
The Science Officer forced the bridge door open and headed aft.
“Can we send a distress signal?” asked the Captain.
“No, but we can launch a beacon,” responded the Communication Lieutenant.
“Do it.”
The ship fell headlong toward the blue dwarf and a low audible sound vibrated the eardrums of everyone aboard.
“Ãaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….
“Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
“Üuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…
“LLLLLLllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll……”
The Coms Officer fell to the floor in a convulsive fit, the Navigator curled into the fetal position, and the Captain desperately attempted to do something, anything, with the nonfunctioning controls. A pulsing, solid blue field encompassed the forward view.
“Brace for impact!” shouted the Captain to deaf ears.
The ship penetrated the surface and sunk deep into the goo. They slowed to a stop and the crushing pressure of lower depths began to crack the hull. No one heard the screams as acidic cerulean gel oozed through, consuming everything in its path.
The orb circled its star, the ship slowly dissolved, and the sleeping entity purred with newfound energy.
