[outgoing transmission]
Hello?
Is anyone reading this?
If anyone out there is picking up this transmission I… we need help.
Ling stared at the cursor blinking innocently on his communication device, praying for someone, anyone to receive his transmission. He'd been at this over an hour already without luck. The talk to text feature still worked but his earpiece was damaged. Every time Ling tried to raise one of his crewmates on comms he got an earful of static accompanied by godawful screeching. Finally, three little dots appeared on the screen, indicating someone was in the process of responding.
[incoming transmission]
[establishing connection]
[receiving message]
Yo, who's this?
The lonely astronaut leapt up from his seat on a dusty boulder in the lee of the escape pod. Ling crowed in triumphant before responding to his new best friend.
This is Ling Yao of the starship Paracelsus. Our ship crash landed on a moon, at least, I think this is a moon.
Hold on, you're saying I'm talking to a real, live astronaut? I'll be damned. How the hell'd you get on this frequency?
Technically, a taikonaut but yes. Strictly speaking I'm a student in over his head at the moment.
Wait a sec. How old are you kid?
If you must know I'm fifteen.
What moron let a pissant like you get shot into space?
Look, I don't have time to play twenty questions with you! The long and short of it is I need an adult to help me get out of the mess I'm in. I have no idea where I am, or if the rest of the crew is even still alive. I made it to an escape pod thanks to a friend, but I don't know if she made it off the ship alive.
Ling's voice cracked. 'Don't start with that,' he told himself. Lan Fan had to be alive. The Elric brothers, too. He was less optimistic about the fates of the commander and 1st lieutenant. They were in the cockpit doing all they could to hold the ship together when the Paracelsus hit atmosphere. It was no use. The ship broke in half about as easily as a damn kit-kat bar. As for the rest of the crew Ling had no idea.
The three dots appeared once more before ceasing without a transmission.
Hey, you're still there, right? I swear, this isn't a-
[communication terminated]
"No! No no no," Ling attempted to reestablish the connection to no avail. "Damn it!" In his frustration the taikonaut picked up a rock (a moon rock? He still wasn't sure on that count) and hurled it as hard and as far as he could. Ling sat back down hard on the boulder and hung his head in despair. For all he knew he was the only survivor of the Paracelsus. The only person he'd managed to get a hold of just hung up on him.
He lifted his head at the telltale beep of an incoming transmission.
[secure connection established]
[receiving transmission]
The name's Greed, kid. If you want my help you'd better be ready to follow my orders to the damn T. Got it?
Ling's eyes burned with unshed tears. He laughed in relief.
Don't scare me like that! I thought you'd abandoned me. [sigh] Greed, huh? If it means getting off this rock alive I'll do whatever you say.
That's what I like to hear! All right, pissant, what are we workin' with?
Um. Hold on a second.
In Ling's desperation to hale someone on comms he had yet to take stock of his supplies and equipment. Once again Ling got up from his seat. He hauled himself through the open door of the escape pod.
Well, for starters my IEVA suit and helmet are intact.
IEVA?
Intra/Extravehicular Activity suit. My spacesuit.
Why the hell didn't ya just say spacesuit? Lay off the jargon.
Fine, fine. My spacesuit isn't ripped.
Within the escape pod Ling found a modest collection of supplies.
All right. I've got a spare helmet. Um, half a dozen glow rods but it looks like one of them cracked on impact. According to my IE… according to the suit's sensors the air is a bit high on argon but safe to breathe. Let's see. Three days worth of rations (if I'm careful) in the form of nutrition bars I'm guessing probably taste like cardboard. Aha!
Something good?
Distress beacon! I can send an S.O.S. I've just gotta… oh come on! Damn it! It's busted.
Can you fix it?
I'm no electrical engineer but it looks fried. The other escape pods should have them as well. I think at least one other was deployed from the Paracelsus.
Edward must've gotten on one with Alphonse. The Elrics were close. Closer than Ling had ever been with his sister. Half-sister. Ed either got the two of them into an escape pod or died trying. Ling feared it was the latter. 'Maybe Lan Fan was in their escape pod. They knew she was still on board. They wouldn't have left her to die,' he thought.
Ling hoped.
The black box from the ship should also… that's it! If I can track the signal of the flight recorder I can find what's left of the ship! Any survivors would head there, too.
Now you're thinkin' with portals!
Huh?
Never mind. Not important. All right you've got a plan but you got a direction? Can you pick the black box up on sensors? Goddamn, I sound like I'm on Star Trek.
Beam me up, Scottie [laugh]. Yeah, I'm picking up a ping on my sensors. It's pretty far off though and I'm losing the light. What do you think? Should I hole up here for the night or try to beat the sunset?
That crash survival kit of yours got water?
Hold on. Yeah, I've got roughly a liter of water.
You'll die of thirst long before ya die of hunger. Least at night you won't have the sun beating down on you. Those glow rods should come in handy.
Then I guess I'd better get moving. I'll let you know when I get to the crash site.
Happy trails, kid.
Thanks.
[Ling is busy]
Ling checked the composition of the air one more time before removing his helmet. The air was dusty on his parched tongue. Using his teeth he tore open a nutrient bar and went to town. He hadn't eaten in hours. Feeling a bit lightheaded he sat on the edge of the escape pod and took in the view. The sky was a dusky pink. Burnt orange clouds dotted the expanse. Below that the terrain was barren. Nothing but rocks and dirt as far as Ling could see.
He wondered what kind of guy would call himself Greed. Maybe it was a radio handle. It couldn't possibly the man's real name. If he was a man at all. It was hard to tell over text. Once he'd finished the food bar Ling took a few small sips of water. Just enough to wet his whistle. There was no telling if he'd find water at the crash site or if there was any to be found on this planet.
Planet. Moon. Whatever.