Ghosts on the StarSmasher: The Voyage of the StarSmasher, #2

By Aksel Erzinclioglu

Captain Kaquina Bempin is growing tired of her years of solitude stranded in deep space. But when the ghosts of her former crewmates begin to emerge, is she simply losing her mind or is there something far more sinister afoot? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aksel Erzinclioglu
• Release date: Jan 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393319122

Book preview

Written by

Aksel Erzinclioglu

Published by Aksel Erzinçlioğlu

©2020 Cambridge

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or modified in any form, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Part 2

Ghosts on

the StarSmasher

Captain’s Log #3657

Oh, for fuck’s sake, do I still have to... shit, you’re recording... alright. Alright...

Shit, OK hi. This is Captain Kaquina Bempin of the fuckin’... whatever, look I don’t know why I’m still doing these. Over three thousand of them.

Three thousand, ffff... fudge.

OK, yeah, still alone, still on this ship. Haven’t seen any sign of life now for... I think about two years or three years or two and bit years or something. Whatever. It’s been a while.

No one’s ever coming...

No one...

Ugh... yeah... look I’m gonna die here. Whoever you are, if you find this, know that the last, however-many-years, have been the worst of my life.

OK, over and out.

The only thing that Kaquina was not short of was food. Equipped to be virtually self-sustaining, the systems in place for feeding the thousands of crew members were as advanced as any piece of technology the StarSmasher possessed. Freeze-dried foods, fresh foods and a synthesiser that could create dishes when enough ingredients were poured into it meant the StarSmasher had a near infinite range of meals. And Kaquina had a near infinite appetite.

Staring through the glass of the synthesiser, having poured a multitude of ingredients inside, Kaquina watched as the laser began creating and her meal took shape. She licked her lips as she watched the food form and her stomach gargled loudly. Her foot tapped the ground impatiently as she gazed longingly through the small window and started humming a tune, trying to take her mind off the hunger.

She stood alone in the mess hall with around two hundred seats behind her all neatly tucked behind the several tables that filled up the majority of the hall. What had once been a vibrant and bustling room, sat empty and miserable. With its high ceilings, this hall had been a grand place for dining, each crew member eating whatever took their fancy while regaling each other with tales, anecdotes or mishaps from the day they had just worked. It had been a happy place but now had nothing more than cold steel walls, bland tables and equally dull chairs. All this made it a lonely place to eat.

Kaquina had eaten countless meals during her time stranded on-board the ship and had enjoyed them in practically every corner of the vessel, trying to find the perfect spot. Sometimes, sitting in her Captain’s chair and gazing into the unending void of space was suitable. There were times when she would put on an old movie and laugh along to some classic cinema. But there was something about sitting alone in the vast hall that offered her some strange comfort. Eating alone and talking aloud to herself, pretending she was surrounded by laughing crew members, each revelling in the stories she had to tell.

She was a hero in each scenario, the centre of attention. The crew would hang on her every word and praise her stories for the fun-filled thrill rides that they were. But usually, when she had finished eating and when the reality and hollowness sunk back in, she would find herself hanging her head, sometimes with tears streaming down her cheeks as she returned to her bleak existence.

But today, something was different. There was a spring in her step, and she jigged in front of the synthesiser as it buzzed at her, preparing her dinner. For some reason, Kaquina was full of life, prancing with anticipation as she watched her dream meal come to life before her eyes.

DING!

Like a flash, Kaquina opened the little door and reached her hand inside, removing the plate and marvelling at what had been created. Six delicious burgers, each more intricate and exquisite than the last. She started off with a standard cheeseburger; a beef patty and strong cheddar cheese. A mayonnaise and mustard mix with a few chunks of diced pickle made up the sauce. Simple but delicious. She had two of these on her plate.

She then had a Hawaiian burger of her own creation: a pork patty that was mixed with Hawaiian sea salt and Hawaiian spices. It was topped with a single slice of grilled pineapple and a sweet sauce that finished the dish, all inside a purple sweet-potato roll. She had what she liked to call her Meatball Burger: diced red onions and fresh basil all mixed