"You can stay behind, commander," Chris said. "If it's too spooky for you."
"Chris," Laura said. "He is not scared."
Gampu stared at the long, thick starship.
"I find that preferable," Gampu said. "It doesn't feel right."
Chris looked at the starships.
"Feels all right by me," Chris said, his hands on his hips.
Gampu looked away from the view screen toward the two.
"Take a medical kit with you," Gampu advised. "It's your first mission after all under my charge. I must step back and see how you can improve on rescue missions."
Laura was by the doorway.
"Sure," Laura said, brightly as Chris joined her with the kit.
"And turn on the collinears, cadets," Gampu said. "Provide me with up-to-date information."
"Oraco," Chris said, with a smile then walked on into the ship.
Gampu closed the door then piloted the seeker back aside then sat down into the pilot's chair cupping his hands together into his lap appearing to be rather relaxed despite his danger sense being on high alert. The academy was exploring a recently discovered anomaly and had quietly passed by the ship. It was quite alarming that it didn't move so they had to change course missing the starship. It was a ship that had to be checked upon.
Gampu looked on toward the vastness of space rather fondly, his face softened, looking back. His eyes slowly opened and closed. His senses screamed danger so loudly that it stopped him from taking a nap. But not enough to disturb being relaxed surrounded by comfort and warmth. A protective outer shell equipped with laser beams, hand lasers, and the seeker itself. Gampu was certain they were going to come out of it alive. The collinear buzzed in his belt then he took it out and whipped it out of the compartment.
"Gampu here," Gampu said.
"Commander, we. . . we. . ." Chris didn't sound that well. "We have found a really bad crime scene. And lots of destroyed robots."
"Good heavens!" Gampu exclaimed, leaning forward appearing to be concerned yet confused at the same time slightly tilting his head and clenched onto the arm rest holding on to the collinear. "A crime scene?"
Gampu leaned forward then checked the systems.
"Yes, sir," Chris said. Gampu's eyes grew big then he moved toward the space monitor to spot that a unique space mine had hooked it self on. "Is that the proper use of the word crime scene?"
"Affirmative," Gampu said. "Cadets, please wait at the hatch. I will be on my way momentarily."
Gampu turned it off with a click feeling familiar panic and dark thoughts. Was he too late? Was it going to go off in the next few seconds? Leaving Laura and Chris alone on a ghost ship. Quiet, Zachary, Gampu thought, you have removed a space mine. . . once, hundreds of years ago. Space mines looked very different nowadays. He moved toward the front then hailed the space academy.
"Seeker to Academy control," Gampu said. "Come in."
"Academy Control here," Tee Gar appeared.
"Please bring over the specs for a space mine," Gampu requested.
"Century?" Tee Gar asked.
"24th century," Gampu said. "I need it immediately."
"Oraco," Tee Gar said, moving out of the way.
Gampu relaxed, relieved, looking up toward the view screen listening to the sound of ticking.
It could have been a hell lot worse, Gampu thought, a lot.
"I got it!" Tee Gar placed the specs on the screen.
Gampu studied the screen.
"Thank you, Tee Gar," Gampu said, then moved out of the front seat taking out a life support badge from his utility belt.