Finding Hanna: Escape from Arbitraria

By M.E. Champey

Space Commander Ned Rogers was on a mission to gather resources on the pink planet known as Arbitraria. While in orbit around this planet, his shuttle began to experience mysterious malfunctions forcing him to land on the planet sooner than expected. To make matters worse, his A.I. generated assistant, Grace, was also acting strange, telling him

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.E. Champey
• Release date: Mar 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9781088101124

Book preview

1

Ned Rogers had been orbiting the planet Arbitraria for the past twenty Earth months. He lost communication with the Earth consulate and was limited on fuel, though he had enough to last him another few weeks. Of course he could always venture to Arbitraria to look for more resources. More specifically, its liquid green crystal that the Earthlings desired greatly.

Arbitraria was a desolate planet, but there had been rumors of life remaining here. Many back home believed there to be signs of life, especially with the enormous amount of liquid green crystal that flowed throughout the planet's caverns.

The ship Ned was on was called the SS-70 spacecraft. He excelled in his cadet training and was part of the first round of commanders selected for this mission.

Every morning, the shuttle’s engine check was routine, and after that, Ned had the rest of the day to himself. So after the engine check he gracefully floated away as the gravity was turned off, giving him the ability to float his way back to the living quarters of his decently sized space shuttle. The space shuttle was composed of four sectors. The living quarters, the engine chambers, the resource room, and last but not least, a large sector full of plant life, giving him somewhat of an outdoors feeling.

So as Ned returned to his living quarters, he did his usual morning routine. This included going on his large computer and watching the news from back at home, listening to classical music, and of course, trying to contact anyone who might still be able to pick up a signal, cause it was his home he wished so badly to return.

Though he appeared seemingly lonesome, he in fact had a few friends on board. The plants for one gave him good company, not only for oxygen, but good company and something to talk to. He had a holographic pet dog named William who he loved to see run happily around his living quarters. And last but not least, he had Grace. Now Grace was somewhat of an interesting character. Grace was an artificially created program in which Ned could talk to every now and then or whenever he wished. Grace had the voice of a very calm and soothing speaking female, and it was Grace who Ned found comfort in from time to time.

Good Morning, Grace, Ned said politely.

Good Morning, Ned. How are you today?

Oh I’m fine. You know, the usual. Watching all this terrible news going on back at home and trying to make contact with the consulate.

I see, Ned. Are you having any luck?

No, Ned said aggravatingly.

I haven't had any luck this entire time. Why would today be any different? It's always the… Ned caught himself in his negative tone and continued, I apologize Grace, I do seem to be off today. There was somewhat of a loose screw back in the engine chamber; it gave me quite some difficulty.

Oh, would you like me to read a diagnostic report on the engine to check for any updates?

Sure that would be lovely, thank you so much, Grace, I’d really appreciate that.

Ned started to search on his computer for any other malfunctions. He quickly stumbled across a photograph of his wife. Her name was Hanna. He paused and looked at the photograph, missing her a great deal.

I see you miss your wife very much, Ned.

Yes, of course Grace. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her. I don’t even know if she’s alright or alive. The feeling is uneasy.

Well, Ned. you have been here for quite some time. Have you ever thought about moving on?

Of course not, she's my wife! I can’t move on. There’s no way! I will return to her. I will find her. I will find Hanna once again.

The odds of you being found out here are 235 billion to one.

Geez, thanks for the pep talk, Grace.

Not a problem. Is there anything else I can do for you today?

No, that will be it. Just run that diagnostic report and check for those updates. Make sure all the connections in the engine chamber have been installed. I do wish to return home, Grace.

Of course, as you wish, commander.

Oh and Grace, try to connect with the consulate. I believe your programming can still send a signal.

Yes, of course, commander. As you wish.

Ned swiveled his chair away from his computer that was attached to his desk. He then walked into the eastern part of his living quarters, where he was so kindly greeted by his holographic dog named William. The dog jumped up and down and joyously ran around his legs. Ned happily and gently petted William upon his head, as the holographic image had touch sensors, giving Ned the true feeling of having a furry, adorable K-9 friend.

Ned grabbed a holographic tennis ball up from the ground, picked it up, and threw it across the room, in which William quickly scrambled after. The holographic pup retrieved the ball and happily returned it back to Ned. Ned crouched down low and continued to pet William as he retrieved the ball out of the dog’s saliva filled mouth.

Good boy, good boy, Ned said as he continued to pet William upon the head and scratch him behind his ears.

Ned stood from his crouched position and continued to walk further into the eastern living quarters. It was where he had a small gym with a treadmill, an elliptical, and a holographic squash court. After a few minutes on the treadmill, he walked to the holographic squash area where he put on his goggles and knee pads.

After gearing up with his equipment, he approached a control panel on the bare wall to his left. He set the game's difficulty level and hit start. Seconds later, a series of holographic images appeared on the bare wall in front of him. Out from the wall came a holographic image of a man who went by the name Steve.

Hey, there Ned, ready to play another game of Squash?

Yes, let’s go, Steve. I’m up for the challenge! My goal is to beat you today!

Very well, Ned. Let’s see what you got? Would you like to serve first?

Well yes I would, thank you very much, Ned replied.

The two stood in their positions after Steve tossed Ned the blue holographic Squash ball.

Ned bounced the ball and prepared himself for his first serve. The wall before him now appeared to have squash lines on it as the simulation continued to create three other walls, closing the two in a small Squash arena.

Ready at last, Ned tossed the ball in the air and served the ball. The ball slammed against the wall before them and began to bounce around the simulation’s holographic walls. His holographic partner Steve made it to the ball first and smashed it in return, causing the ball to soar against the wall in front of them once again. The ball whizzed by Ned’s face, causing Ned to break a sweat. He quickly charged after the ball bouncing off the wall behind him and was able to return the ball as well, smashing it back against the initial wall in front of them. And a good shot it was as Steve could not catch up and failed to return the ball.

Good shot Ned! I see you’ve been improving.

Well I have been playing for the past 20 months here. It’s about time I reached a more advanced level of gameplay.

Steve’s holographic image twitched and glitched as he stood to his feet and readied himself for another serve. Ned continued to play with his holographic partner for the remaining one and half hours. When the two were done, they shook hands. Ned returned to the control panel and shut the game off as he saw his holographic partner retreat into the wall. A second later, the other remaining walls quickly disappeared as well.

Ned walked to a counter near the workout equipment and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off his face. He returned to the living quarters of the shuttle where he had a modern styled bathroom. After his shower, Ned prepared himself for the day. He ventured off into the resource room, looked inside the shuttle’s fridge, and searched around for something to eat. Much of the food was designed for astronauts like Ned. Food that was created from a synthetic fiber that included all the nutrients required to survive. Ned picked a packet of synthetic eggs, synthetic bread, and a container full of a blue liquid that resembled the viscosity milk.

Ned brought the food back to his living quarters and walked to the area that was furnished similar to that of an Earth kitchen. It had a glass round table with silver chairs, however, there was no conventional stove, microwave, or refrigerator. It simply had a small cubed machine, in which Ned could place the frozen synthetic foods inside it and heat the food to a satisfactory level.

He set the time and then asked, Grace can you please turn on the News on screen 11? which was another viewing screen located in his kitchen.

William, his holographic pup, entered the kitchen and again started to run around with joy.

Hey there William, you are very rambunctious today, aren’t you?

Ruff, Ruff! the dog barked.

Ned pressed a button to his right, which showed the image of a holographic box coming out of the wall. The box then dispersed William a holographic bowl of dog food into his already holographic dog-bowl on the ground.

William quickly ran to the bowl of holographic dog food and began to chomp away.

You must have been hungry boy! Enjoy pup! Good dog! Ned said.

Ned returned to the cubed machine that prepared his synthetic food into an edible state, suitable for Ned to consume. When the food was done, It played a gentle classical piece, indicating that the synthetic food was ready. This machine served the same purpose as a microwave back on Earth. It was sleek, thinner, and only one by two feet in size.

He found a plate inside the kitchen’s elevated cupboard and removed his food from his futuristic fiber forming machine. He brought the food to his glass table. To his right was screen number 12.

Grace, could you please display screen number 12, 13, and 14?

Yes, of course, commander, as you wish.

On these three screens now appeared the view of an Earth exterior, showing the sun on a warm lake in the distance with green grass that rested below. Screen 11 had already been turned on by Grace, which again showed Earth news, Earth sports, and other Earth related news reports.

While watching the news, Ned suddenly realized a familiar looking image on the screen. It appeared to be that of an Earthling female. This Earthling shockingly had the resemblance of his long lost wife.

But the lady was not in the forefront of the story, no, she was in the background. This startled Ned, as he quickly continued to eat the synthetic fiber held in his hand. He immediately placed it down on his table and quickly swallowed the bite he had already placed in his mouth.

Grace, pause screen number 11!

The screen instantly paused on the image that had the familiar looking lady on it.

He continued, Grace, please zoom into the top right sector of screen number 11.

As you wish, commander.

Grace immediately zoomed in on screen number 11. Grace zoomed-in-on the top right sector, where the Earth female stood in a large crowd. It seemed to be a group of protesters. He didn’t quite know what they were protesting. All he cared about was knowing if this lady in the crowd was his wife.

Grace, bring clarity to the zoomed object.

As you wish, commander. Clearing image...

The blurred image quickly became clearer and clearer. He could now see that this woman looked exactly like his wife.

My God! Is that? No, it can’t be.

It can’t be what, commander?

Grace, run a profile on that woman’s face on the screen. Do see if it is who I think it is.

Running an identification scan as you wish, commander.

On screen number 15, Grace began to run a diagnostic profile of the female’s facial features. Ned could see a green scan going up and down a now 3D image of the woman found on the screen.

Instantly, information about the female began to scribble across the screen. Some of it was just algorithms and nonsensical data, but at last, the data flowed into a descriptive profile of the lady that Ned had just found and it was indeed his wife as her name matched that of his wife in the profile. It