Splatoon: Return of the Precursors

by SoftWare Publishing

A single vessel was deployed into space. Aboard, four survivors wait out 33 hours in a black hole, then escape, making their way to Earth. What they find is shocking. What was 33 hours for them was 12,000 years for the rest of the universe. New life forms occupy their homeworld. They must negotiate with these creatures, or else take their planet back by force.

SoftWare: Yet another story that I got at random.

Jane: ...

Splatoon

Return of the Precursors

Chapter One

The Mission

(Date: June 1st, 2019, 11:00 AM)

(Location: Launchpad, Final Resort Station)

An adult male and four teenagers boarded a vessel for outer space. The teenagers consisted of two males, and two

females. They were being sent on a two-year voyage through outer space while everyone else on Earth tried to find a

way to survive the coming flood. They were a crew of five. Captain Tracy was the adult, and was to be their guardian

during the voyage across the stars. The oldest teenager was one picked from a small village in the state of Illinois. His

name was Jack Hudson, and he was dubbed First Officer. The next was a girl named Jane Hope, and she was the

communications officer. The other teenage boy was named Josh Anderson, and was the engineer. The other girl was

named Sophia Jewels, and was the only member of the crew without an actual position. All five boarded their ship,

the Agrotera, and went to their respective stations. The captain also acted as the pilot, with the First Officer as copilot.

Tracy faced his First Officer and nodded. The young Commander activated the flight shields, and did a systems check.

"Artemis, systems check. Initiate." The AI spoke up. "Shields, active." Tracy faced Lieutenant Hope. "Get ready."

"Weapons, active. Engines, active. Life support, active. Communications, active." Tracy nodded to Hope. "EV Agrotera to

control. We're ready for takeoff." Control answered right away. "Acknowledged, Agrotera. Have a safe journey." Tracy

faced Hudson. "Prime the engines." Jack pressed the buttons. "Engines primed, Captain." Tracy faced the viewport.

"Control, this is Tracy. Open the doors." The hangar doors opened, and Tracy said, "Power engines, Artemis." The AI

replied, "Engines, online." Tracy flew out of the hangar, and into the depths of space. Two minutes into their journey,

they detected a black hole. The Commander faced his Captain. "Black hole, 20,000 kilometers off the starboard bow."

Just as he said that, the ship lurched. "We're caught in the gravity well!" The Captain faced his crew. "Full speed!"

Engineer Anderson spoke up. "I'm giving her all she's got, Captain!" The ship fell into the black hole, and was thrown

about for several minutes. When the ship stopped lurching, Jack got up. Captain Tracy was nowhere to be seen. He

faced Jane and Sophia. "Where's the Captain?" They shrugged. He walked down the corridor, and found the Captain,

inspecting a panel. "Captain?" Tracy faced him. "Oh, good. Help me with this." The young Commander faced him. "What

is it?" Tracy didn't look away from the screen. "Time is slowed down for us. What would be a second for us, is a year

outside of the black hole. I've detected a weakness in the black hole, but it won't be for another 33 hours." The young

Commander faced him. "What do we have to do?" Tracy faced him. "Remember all of that training I gave you?" Jack

nodded. "Use it. I wasn't planning on returning to Earth from this mission." Jack faced him. "Why?" Tracy sighed. "I

was arrested for treason, and found guilty. My sentence was to get you to safety, then leave the ship." Jack knew

what would happen if the Captain activated the airlock access. "Captain, if you activate that airlock, you'll suck yourself

into the black hole." Tracy faced him. "Thank you for the reminder. And I'm not the Captain. You are." With that, Tracy

approached the airlock, and sealed himself into the room. Jack went back to the bridge. "In 33 Hours, the black hole

will weaken. We can use that time to prepare to escape." Jane faced him. "What about the Captain?" Jack sighed.

"He's gone for a walk in the stars, if you know what I mean." She grimaced, and Jack sat in the pilot's chair. "He's

named me captain, and for every second in the black hole, a year passes outside. Get ready." When the 33 hours had

passed, they flew out of the black hole, and Jack spoke up. "Artemis, chart our position." "20,000 kilometers from

Earth, Captain." Jack nodded. "Let's go." He fired the engines, and they flew towards the planet, to their home.

A/N

SoftWare: We'll see how they react to the site of new life on their planet.

Jane: ...

Computer: SoftWare, offline.