The Golden Space Age

The "Lost Star"

"Sir you need to see this." Said the officer breathlessly after dashing into the brightly lit control room, disturbing the symphony of clicking and whirs of the computers flying the ship. "A star has just vanished without a trace." Kline turned his chair massaging his temples, sighing in exasperation and disbelief. " Stars die. All the time." his tone becoming sarcastic and condescending, smiling as a shark would after cornering it's prey. The officer, startled out of his mind because of all the stories about Kline and his psychopathic nature. They said that he once killed a man for failing to keep a dog from peeing on his uniform. The officer stuttered "um . . . well the engineer said . . .", "Out with it." Kline exclaimed knocking over his drink spilling the contents over the comfortable black mink carpet that led to the bridge. "They think it could possibly be a new weapon the Kharians have produced." the officer finished meekly knowing that he would be reprimanded for having no evidence and trying to convince him that it was a race that is usually treated unfairly. Kline was a man who may be insane but he always stressed equality, education, and had a famously low tolerance for bigotry. Kline got up and walked directly up to the officer pushing him into a wall and said softly "do you really think that the Kharians are a war loving race just because of a single war that happened hundreds of years ago? Because if you do, you are more inept than I originally thought. If you barge into my control room like that again without any proof to support your claim about any race, you better pray that I don't have a gun in my hands. Catch my drift?" And without waiting for a reply stalked back to his chair to take a nap allowing the officer to do his job, for now.

A vicious buzzing woke him up and Kline grimaced when he realized where it was coming from. He picked up his tablet reluctantly and answered the video call that was no doubt from the top brass. "Kline we got another complaint from one of your staff.  It states that you threatened to shoot him, is it true?" Knowing that it was futile to deny it because of his past records Kline proceeded to say "It was no idle threat." Sitting up straighter in his chair staring straight into the Senior Commander's eyes "I did what was necessary because I will not have my subordinates being disrespectful to anyone unless for some reason they have directly earned that disrespect. I will not tolerate racism, remember how it plunged the human race into chaos?" The Senior Commander was quiet for a time as if pondering what Kline was trying to get across, then he said "This is your final official warning, the next report you get we are going to have to remove you." Then the screen went blank leaving Kline in a more vile mood than ever. "Get me to Durisma and soon." He shouted, knowing that the planet was in a state of a revolutionary war. He also knew fully well that they were going to be attacked so he could stage an unfortunate "accident" for a certain officer. The crew immediately changed the star ships course to the right coordinates not even daring to ask why they were going to such a undesirable place.

The sun was setting over the planet's ocean like atmosphere as the ship started to land. The ship's glossy black finish gleaming as the silver symbols of the federation flashed in the unrelenting sun. The ship had no name painted on it's side like most others. No one knows why, but everyone  assumes Kline had some role to do with it. The ship was setting down in one of the outposts built and manned by Grimboths, St. Bernard sized aliens that crawled on all fours. They are similar to wolves with claws protruding from the back of their paws and three rows of spikes jut out of the top of their backs. Grimboths are physically superior to most races but they haven't figured out how to use or make technology putting them at a distinct disadvantage with the other races. Although some of them possess mental capabilities such as mind reading, foretelling the future, controlling someone's emotions, and telekinesis, they only prevented annihilation by offering their recourses to other races. There was a pack of them waiting at the gate way connecting to the star ship. A blue and black one walked up to Kline and said "what brings you to our outpost?" in a sharp voice that was putting everyone on edge. Kline stepped forward and replies in a commanding yet respectful way "We need some supplies like food, water, and the ship needs a plasma recharge and some shock coils that have been burned out." The Grimboth stared at Kline for a moment, then said "We have all of that but it will cost you in weapons."  "That's only to be expected. How many do you want" said Kline starting to become impatient. "We only want five nuclear powered pistols, one for each of us." Kline becoming bolder says "We accept your price but we will only give you half of them until you give us the plasma recharge and replace the shock coils.The deal was finalized and they were escorted into and old dilapidated building but it was the only one that had a working air conditioner. There were shouts outside as a group of the Grimboths equivalent of Native Americans came rushing into the camp. There were five of them and they all were brandishing spears and bows.

The Grimboths fought with their new pistols but they were so hopelessly out numbered that they all retreated into a cave howling like wounded dogs. Kline saw the desperated Grimboth's running toward his ship. The rest of the crew were unaware of the conflict on the higher floors so Kline got out his assault rifle and shotgun plus a couple of grenades just in case he couldn't handle them with the guns alone because he saw no reason for his crew to get involved. Instead of heading for an all out attack Kline grappled to the top of the archway in the back of the outpost and holstered his assault rifle and took out one of the Grimboths with a shot to the head. The strange iridescent blood spattered all over the others in the attacking group and they all turned around and stared straight at where Kline just was but he had already was gone inside a building and looking out the window shot another one straight through the heart. two down seven to go he thought to himself as he rushed out the building and into a mongoose truck which was, as luck would have it, and older version that was built so sturdily that a tank couldn't  take it out. He hacked into the starboard domain and used the emergency start capability so he didn't need to have a starter chip. He grinned as the vehicle started and started driving as fast as possible smashing into three out of seven in one go using a shotgun to pick off two more leaving the final two for the most brutal fight so he can settle his blood lust for a while. he got out of the Mongoose emptying the shotgun so it wouldn't go off and stood next to the building waiting for them to make the first move. The silver one strikes first running straight at Kline extending his hidden claws and snarling showing his yellow teeth Kline calmly steps back and swings the butt of the shotgun so hard int o the creatures head it flies three feet backwards. Not giving up the Grimboth runs at Kline again who dodges and lets the creature straight into a wall. Seeing an opening Kline jumps on top of the poor thing in a rage using only his bare hands to do as much damage to the thing as he can. With one swift upper cut to where he thought the kidneys would be and then placing his foot on the creature's stomach launches it off throwing it right into the air. Then a sharp tearing sound fills the air as the second one rips at Kline's back with it's teeth. Kline roars and with a ferocity never seen before tears the creature's head from it's body in one swift motion and turning onto the first one he was fighting who was trying to get back up beat it to death with it's mate's head.

Kline staggers back into the main building and found that his entire crew waiting him in the main foyer. "Sir what happened" said his first officer Johann rushing to his side. "Where is that doctor, Zanire, get him here now!" The doctor came forward quickly and pushed Kline onto his back. "Will he be okay?" asked Johann in a keening  pitch that showed he was on the point of hysteria. "I can save him as long as we get back on the ship and to my supplies" came the doctor's deep soothing reply as he was probing Kline's wound. The crew started back the doctor and Johann carrying Kline between them holding him as if he were on a stretcher. Crossing the hot tarmac was difficult enough but the howling winds started throwing dust into the teams' eyes. When they finally reached the ship they hauled Kline in first then everyone else jumped in. Kline was taken to the infirmary and lain on his back, half dead, as Zanire worked on his wounds.

Johann made the crew get ready for take off and even though he didn't have Kline's permission he ordered them to leave the planet as soon as possible. After everything was set and the ship was starting to lift in the air Johann headed toward the infirmary to see how Kline was doing. When he walked into the pristine ward Kline was sitting up on his bed scowling "Zanire wont let me out of here until I have another set of tests done and they come back clean. I want to know why no one thought to bring the medical supply trip, especially since we were going to a hazardous area." Johann waited for the Captain to finish ranting until he finally said "where would you like to set our course." "Tell the ship and crew that we are going to investigate the missing star. We might as well do something useful. Make for a stop at the base in Salamance so we can get our ship, and ourselves upgraded with the newest weapons, technology, and knowledge so we are ready to take on whatever it is. Although I believe it is just an error." Johann walked out with his commands, and a better mood because they were finally going to uncharted territory and seeing what no man has ever seen.