Ad Astra 5: The Fight for Ferb
Chapter 1: A New Undertaking
IF YOU HAVEN'T READ AD ASTRA 4: SACRIFICE OF THE ANGELS, YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THIS STORY!
Yes, the danger impending has been unspecified, but I do tell you that there is a danger soon-to-come around the place where Phineas and his crew must go to revive Ferb. Just read on. Do not question me…
"Well, now, Phineas, first you must be able to travel by a means faster than you have ever known…this will buy you some time, but barely enough for Ferb to be revivable…" said S'lar's voice. "How are we gonna revive him?" "Leave the time to me…look through your viewscreen at the bough…well, more like where there was a viewscreen…" Phineas looked and saw that some portal was forming in front of him. "Irving…report" said Phineas semi-formally. "It appears to be a transwarp wormhole…essentially, speeds faster than anything we've ever been able to come near." "Perfect. Isabella, put me on to the fleet." "You're on, sir." "This is Captain Phineas Flynn of the starship Phineas. I am taking the wormhole somewhere else. You can take your time and return to earth, but we ourselves of this ship must leave immediately. Prepare to receive the engineering and security complements, as well as remaining refugees. Flynn out." After about a half hour of getting all but the skeleton crew off the ship, Phineas then had Vanessa turn the ship into the transwarp portal, the ship's top speed barely up to one quarter impulse power. It entered and was sent zooming through space at speeds off the charts. "Engineering to the bridge…some of our damage is…reversing itself…like nothing I've ever seen before!" said Baljeet in mystification. Phineas then saw the viewscreen repairing itself; he felt gratitude towards S'lar, who, reading his mind, said aloud in his disembodied voice, "well now…I would say that deserves a thank-you, no…?" Phineas nodded and begrudgingly began "alright… thank… …" "Spit it out, mon capitaine…" "Thank you." "Anytime…"
In five minutes, they arrived at their destination. "Wow…you outdid yourself, I see…" "Oh, believe me…there are a number of wonders out there that you will never get the chance to see that dwarf this simple one…this is a favor and part of a moral obligation of mine to be the tool I was created to be…" The location was a diverse earth-like planet that seemed familiar to Phineas… "This place…I feel like I'm…remembering something special that happened here…but what was it?" thought Phineas. S'lar's voice then said "I know this place will seem familiar to all of you in a little while…do you remember how 29 years ago you went on an 'exploration mission' as children…? This is that system…while you were en-route those many years ago, I created an invisible transwarp rift and illusions on your computer monitors and viewscreen to make you think you really weren't too far from home…this system is really 5,000 light years away from the farthest edge of Karon space…" "Isabella…are you seeing…?" "Yes…yes…I am…" she said with eyes of wonder. "This planet had more wonders than you were looking for…it is physically as diverse as earth, but has one of the greatest wonders of the physical universe …" "Bridge to engineering: Mr. Rai, send your wife up here as a temporary replacement for Primary Science Officer and Acting First Officer. And by the way, you're hereby Acting Captain for when I'm gone." "Uh…sure thing, Captain…" said Baljeet in astonishment. Ginger was soon up on the bridge and in Ferb's seat at the Science console.
"Sir, I am picking up an anomalous radiation reading from the whole planet…a pattern I've never seen before…" "Visual says there is much vegetation all over the planet, sir…" said Irving. S'lar's voice then said "That is metaphasic radiation that slows aging and gives everyone exposed to it the sense of youth…as two of the people on this bridge can testify…I mean Phineas and Isabella Flynn, who were the first to set foot on this planet…you now have your task…you must expose your brother to the radiation of the planet's atmosphere for a whole day before he can be revivable…I will give you further instructions when you are on the surface…as you say at times, Captain…make it so…" With that, S'lar's voice ceased to speak. Phineas then informally said "Isabella, you and Buford will accompany me to the planet surface below. We'll send Baljeet up here to take the conn and then send Gretchen up to take the Communications console. Ginger, you have the conn until we get Baljeet up here." Phineas, Isabella, and Buford went to the turbolift in the back, all filled with mixed emotions of worry and excitement.
Yeah, the danger's not on the planet's surface. The major thing to worry about here is time…and how much it will take for them to expose Ferb's body to the radiation and then get back to the ship before…I'd better not give it away yet. Read on!