Atlas & Frigate by Hex

Vastus, The Graveyard Planet

~PROLOGUE~

The storm pushed through the rigid landscape of the abandoned shipyard, gusts of wind so powerful that large metallic debris flew from one side to the other. The winds brought upon sand and gravel, obscuring everything in sight yet it could never hide away the presence of this ship who stood proudly above all the junk that had crashed on this planet. It was a prototype of a transport ship capable of carrying thousands of cargo goods, the T-7X Transporter. Now, only known as a myth, a legend. No one knew why it failed and was left here but no one really cared to find out anyways. Regardless, it endured the climate and the harshness of the planet to this day and it still stands among the rest.

"Warning: Oxygen tank decreasing to 10 percent. Warning: Suit power reaching critical, anti-gravity boots disengaging, planet gravity will be taking effect in 30 seconds."

It felt like the weight of the world was looming onto her body, the gravity of the planet was at 4.36 G, Rachel and the people who left her here knew this full well. At 5 seconds, Rachel had fallen onto her knees. After coming so far, she had finally found the ship but now fate was taking its toll on her, it was impossible to survive on such an extreme planet. Where there is nothing but old, damaged, or used freighters and ships that no longer have any place among the modern commercial ships.

With little known power that her body could muster, she crawled closer and closer to the ship before her, if she could get inside that ship then her chance of survival will increase, if only slightly.

"Warning: Planet gravity will be taking effect in 10 seconds"

"No...Not like this. Just a little more." Rachel's vision was blurring out, the more she struggles, the heavier the blood pumping through her veins will feel. Had she stood still, the effects of gravity would not be major and she knew this but her oxygen is low and she needs to get inside that ship before the weather gets worse. She sees the hatch door in front of her and tries to get up on her feet to reach the door handle. Finally, she got a grip on it and tried turning, but the handle wouldn't budge.

"No..." Rachel gasped. "No, no, no! Shit!"

"Warning: Planet gravity is now in effect. Oxygen levels decreasing to 5 percent"

The exertion of the planet gravity became too much for Rachel as she fell back on her knees.

It's over, there was little chance for her to fight back against the heavy gravity of this planet. She stood as still as she could, taking slow and heavy breaths. All I wanted was to explore, to meet new people. Where did it all go wrong?

As the force of gravity weighed heavily on Rachel's shoulders, and the cold climate of Vastus began to seep into her body. Rachel sat still, hopeless and waiting for the inevitable...or so she believed until she caught a crimson red light at the corner of her eye.

It was made of metal yet it's geometric shape flexed and formed unnaturally, the machine-like creature slowly levitated towards Rachel with a red ray of light shining upon her as if it was scanning her. The light changed to bright blue and her suit started to react, "Suit Energy charging. Oxygen levels have been refilled. Anti-Gravity boots engaged."

The pressure of gravity is lifted as Rachel rises from the dust and sand-ridden ground. She looks over at the metallic creature in awe. That must be some sort of Guardian technology. Maybe it's a Guardian Construct...what are the chances of finding it here??

"Th-Thank you..."

"⏚⟟⌿⟒⎅⏃⌰, ☌⎍⏃⍀⎅⟟⏃⋏. ⊬⍜⎍'⎐⟒ ⍀⟒⏁⎍⍀⋏⟒⎅!" The Construct remarked in an alien language, its words so visceral with each sound could be felt vibrating through her body.