Pilot Sun: Episode Three - Breakdown

This is a more humorous approach to the Pilot Sun series, hopefully you'll like it! Pilot Sun travels to Saturn in hopes to find a new Jump Drive.

Pilot Sun placed his head on the back of the driver’s seat of his spacecraft. He rested away his battle-worn muscles and stressful lifestyle as he aimlessly floated through space. He loved to take a break from his adventures and stare out into deep space. He loved all the colors of the stars and galaxies around him. As he stared, the telecom system began to blare overhead. “Pilot, we need you on Pluto, Space Pirates are attempting to burn our precious space cabbage! How will we live without our space cabbage!?” a voice said from above. Pilot rolled his eyes and got ready to fly. With the flip of a few switches, the ship was ready to go. Then, Pilot moved his hand to the switch with the words, Jump Drive. This was the engine that allowed Pilot to travel at very fast speeds, and also acted as the main thruster of the ship. He flipped the switch, but to his dismay, the engine didn't start. Pilot Sun placed his head on the back of the driver’s seat of his spacecraft. He rested away his battle-worn muscles and stressful lifestyle as he aimlessly floated through space. He loved to take a break from his adventures and stare out into deep space. He loved all the colors of the stars and galaxies around him. As he stared, the telecom system began to blare overhead. “Pilot, we need you on Pluto, Space Pirates are attempting to burn our precious space cabbage! How will we live without our space cabbage!?” a voice said from above. Pilot rolled his eyes and got ready to fly. With the flip of a few switches, the ship was ready to go. Then, Pilot moved his hand to the switch with the words, Jump Drive. This was the engine that allowed Pilot to travel at very fast speeds, and also acted as the main thruster of the ship. He flipped the switch, but to his dismay, the engine didn’t start. He flipped it on and off over and over until finally he punched the control board out of anger. He prepared to exit the craft to examine the outside of his ship. He strapped on his boots and put on his surgical mask. Many creatures of various planets had adapted to an atmosphere in which had little to no air, and could go on for almost a whole week without needing to re-enter an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Being born on a planet with a severe atmosphere, Pilot did not need to worry about attaching an oxygen tank to his mask. He exited the spacecraft and hovered to the back of the ship, where the drive control box was. When he looked, he noticed a meteor shard was lodged into it! It needed to be repaired, and Pilot only knew one place where he could get a new Jump Drive. Saturn.

Pilot slowly flew his ship to Saturn, his least favorite planet. He used the backup engines installed in the case of an emergency, which could carry the ship short distances if needed. He approached the planet; it looked nice from the outside, with its bright colors and rings, but the surface was much more menacing. As the ship reached the atmosphere, purple and green clouds began to encompass his ship. Stray pebbles caught within the wind storm bashed the ship, creating menacing clatter noises. Visibility outside the craft was little to none as the acidic clouds swelled beyond. He pulled a lever, closing all the vents on the ship. When he passed the first layer of clouds he could finally see the ground, barren and empty. Everything was made of rock, and nothing had color. It was as if a giant force had scraped all color from the land. He landed, and pressed a button on the side of his surgical mask that allowed him to breathe in these conditions, and stepped outside.

It should be noted, as the common space traveler may not know, that Pilot’s surgical mask was not just a mere piece of cloth. It was a technically advanced piece of equipment. It was originally made solely for Advanced Unity Medical Personnel, but Pilot Sun, in his humility and gusto, took it upon himself to “borrow” one of these masks for their advanced technical uses. The members of Unity know that he has taken this, but they find it only fair that they lend it to him for his participation in their many operations. Additionally, the mask was made for both surgeons and combat medics, as it could protect the user from hazardous weather conditions, and could even be connected to a fuel tank to provide oxygen. It is a lighter alternative to the full suit of armor the Unity Warriors wear but is not very common.

He observed his surroundings, unsure of what could be dwelling around him. Rocky mountains and deep, dark caverns surrounded him. A mysterious path lay before him, with an ominous, unreadable sign pointing to the right. “This must be the way…” He said to himself. As he walked down the path, he made sure not to make too much noise, and he drew his laser pistol in the case of a threat being present. Fast moving pockets of orange gas moved about around him. These pockets were deadly, as they were made of an acidic gas that could burn through almost anything, and there was no telling which direction they might turn. They almost seemed to have a mind of their own. Suddenly, a gas pocket to his right quickly shifted and turned towards him. His head shot to the right and he cursed to himself. He began running down the path. Multiple pockets of air covered the path as he ran. Finally, he reached a clearing, where the hills on the side of the road sloped to nothing, revealing an open path. He had reached his destination: Carl Jr.’s Spaceship Repair Shop.

The shop was old and torn down and looked like it hadn't been used in ages. The sign was ripped apart, and every piece of the building was metallic and rusted. The planet’s dust piled upon one side of the building. Pilot put his weapon back in its holster and he walked up to the building. The front door was made of glass, broken of course, and the inside of the building was dark. He stepped inside, through the hole in the door, quietly, and was worried of what might be inside. “Hello, anybody home?” He asked. Then, from the shadows, came a fat human man. He looked horrible, his belly hung out of his shirt, over his pants, and he reeked of a rancid unidentifiable smell. Pilot took a step back, “Carl Jr., I presume?” The man hopped one leg over, which was bandaged and looked like it had been injured. He spoke slowly with a grumbly voice, “That’s me, what can I do ya for?” “I need a Jump Drive, for my ship. Got anything like that?” Pilot said, with trepidation. Carl looked around, and hopped over to a rack with miscellaneous parts on it. He picked up a piece and held it up, then walked back. “Is this what yur lookin’ for?” He handed the piece to Pilot, and he observed it. “Yes, I think this should do just fine. How much do I owe you?” Carl looked around suspiciously. “Actually err… I need ya to do me a job.” “What would that job be, exactly?” Pilot said. Carl replied, “There’s a critter, a little ways back. Could you take care of it?” “Yea, where is it?” “Well uh… I think it’s by your ship…” Pilot gasped, his face reddened with anger, and out of anger, he punched Carl right in his fat stomach.

Pilot ran out of the shop, Jump Drive in hand, and turned his rocket boots on. He flew down the path, swerving around numerous gas clouds, until he reached his ship. A monster, two stories tall, stood upon his ship, munching on an antenna. Pilot pulled out his laser gun, and pointed it at the beast. “Get off my ship you butt!” The monster screeched. This isn’t Pilot’s first encounter with a Draegan. He’s always hated how ugly they are; their three pairs of arms, oversized face and teeth, and slime covering everything. The monster jumped down and yelled again. Pilot lured the monster away from the ship, and then ran right towards it. He slid under it, covering him in slime. He ran toward his ship, tore out the broken Drive, and replaced it quickly. The monster ran towards him, claws and teeth gleaming in the sunlight. The monster was getting closer and closer by the second. Pilot quickly boarded his ship and took off, just before the monster could get him.

He flew away, swearing never to return to the wretched planet. Then, the telecom blared once again, “Uh… Pilot Sun? We’re running out of cabbage here.” He picked up the radio, “No one likes your cabbage!” he yelled, and smashed it on the ground, completely forgetting about the monster he had left behind.