The Sapphire Navigator.

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October Knight

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Original poster
LURKER MEMBER
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
Genres
Fantasy, Horror and Sci-fi. I'll try basically anything though. I also love strange and unusual RP genre concepts. Different is good!
~The Sapphire Navigator~

With October Knight as Lance Silver And Magentara as Terra Calores



6010, early April.

In the vast outreaches of space, a lone ship travels towards the great unknown.
Endless blankets of stars dot it's path as it
bravely makes it's way into yet uncharted territory. Among the distant planets and solar systems, one beacon stands out in the distance. It appears to be nothing more than a spec in the horizon, but to the trained eye's of Captain Lance Silver its a landmark of great importance. It is a space station, one that is or was at one time occupied by a human colony.



Sitting at the main Controls at the head of the ship, Lance zeros in to the distant Space station. As the thrusters kick in, regulating the flight path to the new destination, Lance stands up and heads to the small kitchen area located directly in the back of the ship. He pours himself another cup of instant coffee, it seemed like that's all they have had to drink for the last week. Powdered. Instant. Coffee. Supplies were running low, and if they wanted to survive they would have to stop soon.

Lance glanced at the small mirror hanging over the sink as he sipped his Coffee. Staring back at him was a handsome man of 25. His almost always present 5 o' clock shadow gave way to a cut jawline and thick neck. His eyes were blue and bold, always his best feature, so his mother used to say. His hair was light brown and hung loosely around his ears and forehead. He smiled into the mirror revealing a set of flawless teeth. Apparently happy with what he saw, Lance headed back towards the front of the ship, Passing Terra as he did so.

"How we looking, Ter?" Lance asked as he walked by his over-qualified Navigator.
 
Terra smiled at the old nickname. She had been working as Captain Lance's navigator for years now, since he'd helped her escape slavery. She'd been owned by a lot of overseers, but one particular individual, Marick had figured out her one secret that she felt no one ever needed to discover. If he found her again, knowing what she hid, she would be dead before any plan of escape was possible. Fortunately, there were a few secrets on this ship that they flew, such as a ghost crew that instantly killed intruders. But that was only one secret. Terra herself was another; with strawberry- blonde hair to her back, a heart-shaped face, with gorgeous eyes the color of violets. "There's a blue-grey planet not even a foot from where the ship is. We'll be landing in approximately 1 hour." She told Lance, staring out the window as she continued to steer the ship.
 
Lance Silver watched as the small, blue planet came into view. It was blue, with a tiny hint of gray, giving it an almost "misty" appearance. Lance hit a few switches that activated equipment vital for entering the planets atmosphere. A indicator light shot on the overhead monitor, signaling that a radio signal was being transmitted to their small ship.

"State your business on Planet Klabor as well as how many crew you have."

The voice ended in question as Lance gave a comical look to Terra, mouthing the words "Business" as he did. Lance was always joking around, it was one of his better traits.

"We need to stop for fuel and supplies, our crew is two" Lance answered then awaited response

After a few minutes the voice again filled the receivers in the ship.

"After entering atmosphere proceed to 151N by 31W, then land at air dock 34b" Lance shot a look over to Terra, making sure she got the coordinates before signing off.

As they flew through the Atmosphere, Lance noticed that the structures on this planet we're unlike anything he had ever seen. Giant domed buildings covered in what looked like some sort of mirrored panels were among the majority, but here and there a large tower could be seen. Lance figured they were most likely transmitting towers.

They followed the coordinates and found the air dock. Two large steel doors opened and they made their landing.

"Alright" Said Lance getting his off ship gear ready. He carried a small pack containing some basic essentials and a chrome platted .45 mag. "Let's get what we need and get out of here as soon as possible" Lance was in a hurry to back in space.
 
"Yes Captain," She said evenly as she watched the coordinates. She did more than that as they were automatically stored in her memory. Her eyes took on an almost eerily bright silver-toned glow the moment she safely landed their ship exactly in the spot they were told, before following Lance out the door, leaving the protection under the care of the ghosts. Sometimes she had to sweep out decapitated heads or mangled bodies from the doorway whenever she came back from even brief gathering expeditions like this one.Terra didn't exactly feel -pity- for intruders, she just wish more of them had better sense to tell when a ship was cursed. Even if it was in the captain's favor. And partially, hers. She was slightly dwelling on thoughts, so of course she didn't realize her eyes were glowing. She figured it out as she passed a glass window however, and paused to shut her eyes for a second, before catching up with Lance.
 
As they exited the ship they were immediately greeted, or rather interrogated, by a group of armed guards. The native race of this planet seemed to consist of tall, lanky beings with bluish skin and long pointed ears. Their eyes had no iris and they wore long gray robes. The guards had some weapons that Lance had never seen before.

"Are you armed?" asked one of the guards

"No, except for this?" Lance pulled out the Chrome plated .45, pulling back the slide and handing it , butt first to the guard. The guard inspected it then handed it back. They talked for a minute in their native language before, with a slight wave of his hand, signaling them on their way.

"As soon as you exit the Dock you'll be right in the main plaza, you can get most of the supplies you'll need there."

They Exited the dock Via a small staircase, it led down to a narrow walkway and then to a large double door. Lance pushed the door open and they were outside.

What they saw reminded Lance of an open market or a bazzaar, with many different booths selling a wide array of various goods. Some of the shops we're in little buildings, while the others we're along the street in open stalls. He took a second to look at the people and noticed among the native people on Klabor, there were also Humans.

"Alright, I'm going ot get our supplies. You can come with or I'll see you back here in an hour." Lance paused, as he often did, and looked into Terra's eyes. They we're beautiful, and there was something unique about them that Lance couldn't quite putt his finger on. He blinked, and reminded himself that She was part of the Crew, there for off limits. He shot her a wide smile and put his hand on her shoulder.

"So, about an hour ok?"
 
Terra smiled back at Lance, liking that she had a chance to explore. "Alright. You be careful, Lance. I'll be back at the ship in an hour. If I don't see you then, well I'll be looking for you." She replied seriously. It was normal for her to worry over him, though he did surprisingly well at staying out of trouble, something she had issues with from time to time. She squeased his hand lightly, before walking off and disappearing in the crowds. She knew there were supplies she needed to find as well.
 
Lance walked down the Blue dust covered street, taking in the local environment. People rushed here and there going about there day to day business. He spotted what he thought to be a shop where he could buy bulk goods, but it turned out to be a bar. Should he stop for a drink? No, no time for that now. Had to stay Focused, must stay focused. He turned and found that directly behind him was a supply shop. Perfect.

Lance walked inside and saw a man behind the counter who was eying him nervously. Lance flashed a wide grin, his usual defense in situations such as this. The man behind the counter threw his hand up in a "what do you want" gesture before picking up a piece of paper and pen to write it all down.

Lance ran his hand through his feathered hair before answering.

"Lets see, I need two boxes of oat bran. Your largest size of Dehydrated milk and....." He put his finger to his lips, obviously thinking. "...And, how about some bulk Grits as well as raisins." Not the most appetizing menu items, but they would do. Especially since the two were looking at several days travle before reaching their destination.

After lance paid and was heading back to the ship, he noticed something on the ground, it appeared as if the ground below him was moving. It came up in small ripples as chunks of dirt and rock were dislodged. How odd, thought Lance.
 
Terra managed to gather up additional food supplies, along with enough instant coffee and fresh water to see them through a few months. Not to mention extra first aid kits and medical supplies. She paid upfront, earning herself less hassle. After loading supplies onto the ship however, she went to investigate a little more, also looking for Lance. There was a sudden rumble below her feet however, that made her and everyone around the area, freeze. What was -that?-
 
Lance barely had time to take the supplies back to the ship when a tremendous rumble shook the ground under his feet. His hand instinctively fell to the butt of his .45, although it would do little to no good in the current situation. He ran out of the Dock to look for Terra. Outside people were running in terror. Some had dropped their items and others had fallen to the ground in prayer. Thoughts few through Lances head, It felt a little like a earthquake, but at the same time....different. It was if something under the ground was moving, kinda like an under ground subway system, like the L in Chicago, but more violent.

Lance stopped a man as he ran by, grabbing his arm to get his attention. The man's face had gone completely white as he stared into Lance's eyes

"What the hell is going on." Lance asked. The man just stood, with an empty expression on his face; unable to speak. Lance let him go and looked for another Human who was less terrified. Just then the ground took a ferocious leap, knocking Lance over. Only one thought was in his mind as he scrambled to get to his feet.

"I must find my Navigator, I must Find Terra!!" He thought
 
Terra unfortunately, happened to be at the wrong place, the wrong time. As soon as the rumbling died down, she was ahead of Lance in discovering just what people were freaked out about. The air had a death-like atmosphere in a matter of moments, there suddenly emerged out of a haze, at least 20 figures dressed entirely in black from head to foot gliding across the ground. Floating might have been a better word. As she watched, stunned, the creatures moved right towards her as if -summoned- somehow. They surrounded the navigator as if knowing she wasn't from their planet. Their minds sensed another being who was labeled as 'intruder' but he didn't interest them nearly as much. This soul seemed a hundred times brighter; and they were hungry. Most of the people in the street market had already fled to their homes. Worst of all, Terra felt as if she'd been frozen in place with just one glance of the closest figure's eye. Naturally, it glowed bright yellow.
 
Lance stood up and quickly dusted himself off, his right elbow bleeding just slightly from the fall. He looked to his right then to his left, seeing nothing, he looked straight ahead. That seemed to be the general direction people were running from, As Captain Silver made his way towards the commotion he saw it; Several figures floating across the ground, their dark dress drifting behind them. Below them, huddled on the ground, was waht disturbed him most; Terra.

She looked like she was in trouble so Lance had to act fast.

Lance went from a walk to a full out sprint in less than a second. His powerful legs kicking up dirt as he ran towards her. In one fluid motion he drew his pistol and fired five shots into the cluster of beings, they quickly dispersed as Lance picked up Terra and turned towards the Ship, firing two more rounds as he fled.
 
Terra hadn't even realized how close she was to being killed just yet, until the bullets fired off from Lance's gun. She grabbed his arm in the next instant, before running with full speed back on board the ship. She didn't waste any time in securing the doors and taking them up into space again, leaving the unfortunate people of that planet to deal with those soul stealers. She wanted nothing to do with them! "Thanks, captain... you just got there in time. Where to now?" She asked, not wanting to show how unnerved she was.
 
Lance was breathing heavily. Sweat was pouring from his neck and chest as he jumped in the Pilots chair and regulated the thrusters. The small blue planet of Klabor faded into the black masses of stars and finally Lance took a deep breath. He looked over at Terra and raised an eye brow.

"Well, at least That wasn't close." He laughed and looked out the window.

As he gazed out into the blackness he checked a few gauges and screens.

" It looks like we'll be getting to the space station in a couple days, just enough time to relax." He got up and started making up some - COFFEE!!! - Thats waht he had forgotten, well it looked like several more week of powdered instant.

" You're not going to believe this Ter, I forgot to get the Coffee."
 
"Lucky for you while you were getting supplies, I was too. You'll find coffee -real and instant- under the kitchen counter. I also got extra food, and medical supplies. Looks like you need patching up before we land on the space station." She smirked a little on that note. Lance drank more coffee than anyone she'd ever met. While setting the course for the space station, she walked over to Lance, patched him up faster than he could blink of any scrapes or bruises, then wandered back to the steering controls. And yes, that whole incident had been -too- close for her liking. She was just glad there weren't two more ghosts on this ship.
 
Lance sipped his long awaited coffee, it was strong and black, just the way he liked it. He was always amazed by Terra's sensitive yet thorough healing abilities. The cut on his arm was felling much better, and not in the least bit of pain. Lance grabbed some strange baked bread from the food Terra had bought. It was crumbly and sweet; perfect for dipping in hot coffee. It seemed like he was always getting the bare essentials when supplying their ship. He had to count on her to get the good stuff; typical guy when it came to shopping.

Lance stared out the window and gave thought to the many reasons he had started exploring space, and more than that, became a captain.

Lance was only 3 when his father and mother passed away; victims of a vile space plague that reaped havoc just after Lance was born. His parents had been merchants that made a small fortune trading various goods. Since there passing had been no surprise as many were dying at that time, he was left with the primary rights to the estate.

Just after he turned 19 (lying about his age to get into pilots school early) he was a certified space pilot and began his life, all expenses paid, as an outer space and deep space explorer. He had spent his first years doing the entire job himself, navigating, piloting,as well as keeping the ship maintained and operational. It wasn't until he Met Terra, who at the time was a run away slave with the unique ability to navigate, that he realized he needed the help. He rescued her and she helped him. He only preyed that she would never leave.

Lance was yanked from his day dream to find himself staring at Terra, he quickly turned his head and took the last sip of coffee. He got up and went to pour himself another cup, as well as get another one of those tasty treats to go with it. HE leaned up against the counter and stared out one of the port windows. Space had always fascinated him and he could honestly say it was his one true love.
 
Half of Terra's slave training had involved anticipating as well as quickly learning other peoples' needs before her own, so she just naturally tuned in to Lance's likes and dislikes. It had become a habit during their expeditions for her to get just what they both needed, then get a little extra for Lance on the way. It was a platonic relationship by any means, but she was practically qualified as a perfect house wife. Not that slaves ever experienced those life styles. She only knew how to work hard without breaks, until her body collapsed from strain. She usually needed to be reminded she was -human- not an owned slave anymore, but it was still hard for her to break certain habits. Relaxing just happened to be one of them. She focused on getting them both back to the space station, having been steering for days already.
 
Lance wanted to eat, he was starving actually. Although he had some grits for breafast it seemed like he hadn't eaten for days. He sat in his Captains chair and and looked over to Terra with his best "Please, do this for me" look, and then said

" So, do you feel like cooking us up some dinner?" He knew, that as captain, he could just tell her, but their relationship was different. He awaited her answer, hungrier than he had been in a long time.
 
"Sure thing. What would you like to eat?" She asked, setting the controls on cruise for an hour while she went to the kitchen, rummaging for pots and pans. She wasn't ordered around by this captain, and that made her help out especially because their relationship was formal, yet a bonus to both of them. She got to wander freely around space without anyone literally whipping her, and he got use of her helpful navigation skills. She also maintained the ship after the crew died, but never minded the extra work. She hadn't even realized she was hungry till Lance mentioned 'food.'
 
Lance thought about all the things he liked to eat, but wasn't sure what she had gotten. It was like him to only get the bare essentials and think of nothing else.

" I don't know, how about surprise me?" With that he headed towards the bathroom, a hot shower before dinner sounded good. He went in the bathroom and hopped in the shower. The hot steamy water felt so good on his boy, it was very relaxing. He lathered up a sponge and squeezed a small amount of body wash on it. Lance had a routine while taking a shower, First came the pre-soak, which usually lasted about 3 minutes. Next came the soap-up, dempending on how much Dirt he had accumulated between showers, this step could take anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes. Next came the rinse - another 3 minutes - and then a quick blast of "full knob turn cold" to get the blood flowing. That was it. Lance, just like everything else in his life, had showers down to a well timed art.

He came out of the bathroom, bare chested (not really caring as Terra had seen him shirtless many times) with a pair of well fitting Cargo pants tucked into black lace up boots.

"So, what did you decide on, I'm starving?"
 
"Well, since you're pretty hungry, and you just made the shower look good, I just made a simple pasta with beef and broccoli." She replied casually. She'd bathe later that evening. They were about a day or so from the Space Station, that is if all went well and they weren't intercepted by other ships. Space Pirates were no joke. She wasn't all that sure this ship was exactly safe or secure in weapons either, but so far they hadn't had to use any.
 
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