I don't own Aliens or anything related to it. I do however own the characters in this story,especially Chris, because that's me
and Michelle, who is my real life girlfriend
Now that the copyright stuff is over and done with, on with the story ;)
A L I E N S A l p h a & O m e g a
Chapter 1 Blackout
Click! Whirrrrrr................Beep!
He was so sick of hearing that sound. The sound of his keycard being swiped through the machine, followed by the whirr of it being processed, and then the beep of the metal security door opening. But such was the life of a scientist. He wished he didn't have bother with this damned security crap.
He went through the door into the Physics R&D section of the Atlantis SpaceLab. The SpaceLab was the result of 15 years of hard work. Magnus Industries was its proud owner.
The SpaceLab was a gigantic space station, held in orbit over the great gas giant of Jupiter. It consisted of a central hub, with four long arms sprouting out from this hub. Each arm was dedicated to a certain area of research, while the power for the entire station was located in the hub itself. The station was held in orbit by four grav generators.
The scientist sighed. It might be the most advanced space lab in the galaxy, but he didn't care for the same surroundings every day. He much preferred his old post, back on good old Earth.
He walked through to the main labs section. There were several rooms, each with a large glass window. The area was lit by white lights, which gave off a strange glow upon the white steel walls.
Chris Appleyard sighed again. "They need a colour change." he thought to himself. Chris was 21 years old, and a junior scientist on board the Atlantis. He'd been there for 4 months now, and he'd been sad to say goodbye to his old post in Japan on Earth. He was under the tutelage of Samuel Morrissey, THE most respected physics scientist of the entire human race. He'd already picked up a few of his skills - Chris was now a technical whizkid with most machines.
He brushed back his long brown hair, and blinked his bright blue eyes. Chris and Morrissey were currently working on an experimental light speed engine. They currently hadn't worked out all the bugs, but if they could, space travel would take far less time than it already did. It would be a huge boost for mankind in general. However, not only were there the bugs to contend with, but also the red tape. Magnus Industries was directly linked to the government, and Chris knew too well what the government liked to use science for - weapons, usually of the mass destruction kind. He and Morrissey were being diverted to adapt the new light speed engine to one of these weapons, a state of the art missile. The people in Weapons R&D would be having a field day, no doubt.
"Hey, Chris!" He grinned. The voice was that of a good friend, Alex MacGuire. He always went by his nickname, Mac.
He turned arond to see his friend. Mac was a former Colonial Marine, but had left that job in favour of becoming one of the many security guards on board the Atlantis. Chris knew that people could try to steal their research, but no-one had ever tried. He saw little point in the security guards.
"Hey Mac!" Chris called, smiling at his friend. "How goes the job"
"Dull, dull...oh and did I mention, dull?" Mac laughed. "I saw more action in the Marines!" Mac was tough looking but really a softie at heart. He was from Ireland, and spoke with a distinct Irish accent. He was a great fan of the countryside, so being stuck on a space station for months was not his idea of fun.
"Yeah, well I wouldn't want to be a soldier. It's just not in me." Chris remarked. It was true...he wasn't cut out for that kind of action.
"Hey, come on! You've been doing good in gun training! You're almost as good a shot as me!" Mac grinned. He insisted on taking Chris to gun training every chance he got. "It might save your life someday!" was what he'd said upon Chris' initial refusal. Chris had reluctantly agreed, but the likelihood of him ever being in a combat situation was next to nothing. However, he'd turned to be a pretty good shot, which had surprised both of them.
"How about you come down after you're done today? we could have a match!" Mac smiled. Last time, Chris had beaten him, but it wouldn't be like that today!
"Yeah...why not? Crap..." Chris checked his watch. Even scientists had to be on time. "See you at 6, man!" Chris dashed off towards his lab, waving bye to Mac.
"How is it reacting so far"
"Sir, th-this is astounding! Muscle strength has increased 100! Carapace toughness by 150! Brain functions by 200"
"Amazing.......we finally have it.......but how is the control device"
"We're not quite there yet, sir. So far it has barely responded. This could take some time"
"No worries. I'm pleased with your progress so far."
"Adjust the primary link....." Morrissey instructed his pupil.
Chris did as he was requested. "OK, let's give it a shot"
Morrissey pressed the red button on the control device of the engine. The light speed engine, or rather a simulated model of it, roared into life. On the holographic simulation, there was a speedometer.
"200 Lightyears....." Chris read from it as it counted up. "300"
Morrissey was also watching. It looked like they'd finally solved it!
"600.....700.......800!" Chris read excitedly. This thing was approaching the 1000 LY barrier! If it could break that, it would be a defining moment in physics science!
"900.......1000!!!!!!!!" Morrissey cried! "We did it, Chris"
However, all of a sudden, section of the engine turned red. The simulation showed a status display of the engine. Sections of it were turning red, and that meant only one thing: Failure.
"Damn it!" Morrissey hit the simulation table in frustration. The engine had finally broken 1000 LY, but had de-stabilized and quite literally, died. If it had been on a real ship, in real life, the resulting malfunction would have sent the ship spiralling out of control....probably to its destruction.
"Damn...." Chris said under his breath. He then looked at his crestfallen mentor. "The secondary links failed again....and yet, they fail at ANY setting"
"I don't know, Chris....." sighed Morrissey, who seemed to have calmed down a little. "I don't think this engine can work"
"We can't just give up!" said Chris, even though that's what he felt like doing.
"We can for today." Morrissey shut off the model. "Can you get a progress report done? The boys at the top are gonna need to know. They are gonna be so pissed"
"No problem, sir. See you tomorrow." Chris said goodbye to his mentor and friend.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Chris. Get some sleep....we'll both need it." Morrissey left the room, and Chris did shortly afterwards.
Chris went back through the big metal security door, doing the same keycard ritual again, before taking the main lift to the Quarters section. This section was where all the staff of the Physics R&D section lived. It wasn't luxury, but it wasn't the crap that the military got either. Chris found it to be perfectly acceptable.
Chris found his quarters, with his nameplate on the door. Finding your quarters was always easy. He stepped inside to his rather customised room. He'd had the walls done in blue, his favourite colour, and had various electrical equipment strewn about the room. Chris wasn't a very tidy person. He changed into the blue jeans and dark blue shirt he'd left ready....he was ready to get out of his 'egghead' garb, the white shirt, black trousers and trademark white coat.
His computer sat on the desk at the north wall of the room. These computers were operated by touching the screen, and all had an uplink to the ATLANTIS main system, located in the central hub. Through this, the station staff could monitor their experiments, order room service, and talk to other saff online. Chris was here to do the latter.
He touched the button marked 'Planetology R&D'. He then requested the list of staff from that section. Sure enough, she was online.
Michelle Campbell, another junior scientist, aged 19. She worked in the Planetology R&D, doing stuff with plants and whatever. That section was the one section that seemed to be about science rather than military applications.
Michelle had transferred to the Atlantis SpaceLab along with Chris. They'd met in Japan..they'd just happened to be working in the same place. Michelle had requested to be transferred to the Atlantis along with Chris, and for very good reason - they were in love.
"Hey, cutie." Michelle spoke from the screen. They could choose to talk in a message box, or by audio. Also, they could see each other on the screen. Michelle smiled at him.
"Hey sweetie." Chris said. "How was your day"
"very good!" beamed Michelle. "We made a heck of a breakthrough today! It's all celebration down here"
"Better than my day...." said Chris, glumly. "The engine broke 1000 LY, but it failed again"
"Awwww, that's too bad." Michelle did her best to cheer up her boyfriend. "Hey, I know how I can help you forget about it. I'll be getting off early tonight, and I'm going to be all alone in my quarters. If you swing by, I'll give you a little project to work on."She gave Chris a little wink.
"I'll hold you to that, honey-bunny." Chris smiled. "Man, you can be naughty." he thought to himself.
"Heh...I'll be waiting, cutie!" Michelle blushed a little then, and blew a kiss to Chris. "See ya"
"Bye, sweetie!" Chris pretended to catch the kiss with his hand. Michelle then logged off, and Chris followed suit.
Chris sighed, smiling. They should get safer, less dull jobs. It would be nice to enjoy life with her back home on Earth.....
"All parameters are at 250! It is now at full readiness, sir"
"Excellent. However, without that control device, it's useless, and a potential danger to us all. You know what would happen if that thing got loose"
"Yes, sir. Every precaution is being taken. By the way, what do you wish to have done about the remaining specimens"
"Get rid of them. We have no more use for them now"
"Yes, sir. I'll check back with you later."
Mac had just ended his shift for the day, and was heading towards the labs. Chris should still be there, and there was no way he was getting out of this match! This time...he would win!
As he walked into the lab area, he felt a shudder...at least he thought he did. "Is it me, or did this place just shake?" he thought to himself.
Michelle smiled. "I love you...." she thought to herself, about Chris. He was such a sweet guy, always treating her good. That included in the bedroom too. She grinned to herself, remembering three nights ago. "That was so special"
All of a sudden, the entire station seemed to shake. It was only slight, but it felt worrying. Something must be wrong.
She heard the crackle of electricity, a constant crackle. It sounded like it was comng towards her.
The next thing Michelle Campbell knew was darkness.
Chris felt the shudder about 12 seconds after Mac did. He'd felt earthquakes in Japan, but this couldn't be an earthquake...he was in space.
All of a sudden he heard screams and yells, and then an explosion or two. It sounded like a hundred bombs had gone off! He heard the sound of electricity, and it sounded like it was getting closer.
Then he saw it. It looked like a wave of electricity coming down the corridor outside his quarters. Before he could react, bolts of electricity lanced through into his quarters, trashing everything. He ducked, but one of the bolts jumped and hit him.
"Ahhhhh!!!!!!!" he yelled, as the searing electricity tagged him. He then lost consciousness, and blackness engulfed his mind.
Well, I hope that was good. Chapter 2 will be on the way shortly
Chris the Phoenix Knight