Realms of Sci-Fi

The Choice of Umoanjah Useshen

The light of distant stars shifted out of position as a bubble in the fabric of space formed in the orbit of an alien world. The bubble ruptured, pulling back and away like the opening petals of a flower before space returned to its original position and shape. The only evidence of anything having occurred was the flying saucer deposited in orbit. A flat silver in color, the upper and lower portions of the vessel were mirror opposites of each other with no way to identify if the ship was right side up or inverted. The saucer was flat and smooth, lacking any markings or distinguishing features with the exception of the center. In the middle of the dorsal and ventral portions of the craft, the metal hull curved upward in a dome that melted perfectly into the shape of the saucer on all sides.

The pilot, Umoanjah Useshen, sat alone in the close confines of the saucer's control center. Because of the harmful radiation that flooded the ship from the spatial distortion drive, Umoanjah was wrapped in protective layers of a dark purple isolation suit. His helmet was long and angular, composed of solid gray metal with pulsing lines of glowing red in the segments between panels.

The main control panel was one with the floor, emerging seamlessly from the metal of the ship. The screens mounted in the console showed transport had been successful and orbit achieved. Sensor displays lit up on the walls to show an analysis of the planet below. Metallurgical readings showed many refined materials, indicative of a highly industrial society, but biological signatures were zero. The planet was lifeless.

Deciding it was worth a closer look, Umoanjah prepared to bring his ship down through the atmosphere. Other than the display screens and a pair of glowing white apertures, the control console was empty. As Umoanjah buried his hands to the wrist within the luminous openings, half a dozen additional appendages sprang out from the surface of his forearms as his suit interfaced with the ship's systems. The claw-like appendages sprouting from his suit plugged in and linked directly with the computer of the saucer, transferring the pilot's wishes into the system faster than any manual input was possible.

The flying saucer descended, its thrusters easily compensating for the turbulent winds and preventing any disturbance within the vessel. When the saucer slowed to hover over the ground, the metal of the outer hull segmented in several locations and folded down to create spidery legs underneath. The ship settled upon the barren soil as gently as a leaf touching the surface of a pond.

Umoanjah powered down the engines and marched to the airlock for a closer inspection of the alien world. An entire section of hull between two of the supporting legs folded down, placing the stairs on the interior side in the right position for use.

The world was silent and still. The sensors built into his suit and helmet sampled the outside atmosphere and found it unbreathable. Although the sensors failed to detect life in any recognizable form, he knew there had been some here once because only a short distance away was a building. Towering into the sky, the structure was composed of artificial stone and rusted metal. Glass had previously covered the numerous windows, but age and wear had destroyed most of them. He estimated the planet had been a level six or seven on a technological scale, so it made him wonder if they'd managed to colonize any other worlds before this one had ended.

Umoanjah halted at the base of the steps leading out of his ship and knelt down to get a better look at the native soil. The dirt was iridescent green and consisted in layers of brittle and slightly transparent material that snapped like thin sheets of ice between the fingers of his glove. The scanning unit at his wrist studied the material and found the green glow was caused by a form of plasma bonding, indicating the soil had been exposed to intense levels of energy. The reasons behind it mystified him currently, so he dropped the handful of glowing, crystallized dirt and continued his investigation.