Stargazing The Final Frontier

chapter 3

Amelia woke up with her forehead in her hand, feeling the effects of the hangover she was experiencing. She grabbed her clean uniform as she changed into her uniform, remembering the night before all the people she met, and then her mind went a little fuzzy after she left with Sarah. She cleaned herself up as she dashed towards the door. "I'm gonna be late," Amelia said to herself, racing into the lift as she smashed the lift button to deck one.

The doors opened as she walked onto the bridge. "Sharp with your time as always number one," the captain said with a smile. "I do try captain," Amelia said humbly, walking down to her chair as she sat down. "We approaching the M class planet captain?" She asked as she looked over to the captain "an L class after more detailed scans," the captain said. The Nova slowed into orbit of the L class planet "Captain," Amelia said as Jonathan turned to face his first officer, "permission to assemble an away team?" Amelia asked excitedly as he smiled back.

"Very well, number one, but please let me keep most of my bridge crew," he joked as she got up from her chair, slowly walking towards the lift "Sarah you coming?" She asked with a cheeky smile, grabbing her hand as she dragged her towards the lift giggling "Amelia I can't go. I have to stay here on the bridge," Sarah excused, "Liutenet commander," the captain caught her attention. "Live a little. Go explore before you get to my age and rank, then you can't," he said as Amelia pulled Sarah into the lift.

"How did I let you drag me into this," Sarah said, going down the lift. "You didn't," Amelia smiled as the lift doors opened. Amelia raced to the second lift, followed by Sarah, Amelia grabbed her communicator as she activated it "to any ensigns or Liutenets wanting to explore come to the hanger bay and I'll select four of you to explore the planet below," she said as she entered the second lift as she slipped through the doors of lift as they were about to close on her "You need to slow down Amelia I can't keep up," Sarah said. "Sorry, I'm just excited. This is why I wanted to explore Space in the first place," Amelia explained. "My father was a captain of a star ship and explored so much, and I wanted to live his legacy," Amelia said.

"Preparing drop ship four commander," the engineer officer said, checking stuff off his list on the data pad in his arm as Amelia walked by him with Sarah in tow. "Good good well let's see who's interested in the mission," Amelia said excitedly, rounding the corner as she saw multiple ensigns and Liutenets waiting for their chance to go on their first alien planet. "Right, I need a scientist, so step forward if you have any experience in that field," Amelia said, seeing five to nine people step out from the crowd. "Now out of this group, who's an ensign?" Amelia asked as a group raised their hands, Amelia picked one of the ensigns from the group, then did the same with the group of Liutenets, as she then selected two engineers of the same two ranks.

"Thank you all for volunteering, but I now have my team maybe the next time," Amelia said as all those who weren't picked headed back to their duties "now we get ready changing rooms this way," Amelia said leading the away team to prep themselves. They entered the changing rooms as the boys and girls separated into their respective areas. Amelia grabbed the leather padded uniform that fit her size. She began taking off her ship uniform quickly.

"Right, so plan is I take us down for touchdown on the planets surface with the engineers accompanying us for if we need to repair the drop ship at any point. The scientists will be doing what I'm doing, which is basically geeking out over scientific data we collect," she finished as she began putting the leather uniform on over her undergarments. Amelia zips up her uniform as the others do the same moments later, Amelia turns see Sarah in the corner with her hands rubbing her arms. "Right, everyone, I'll meet you at the drop ship," Amelia said, looking at Sarah, who shyly kept her head down.

"Hey Sarah, is everything okay?" Amelia asked as she lifted her slightly, making eye contact. "I'm just a bit.... self-conscious of people seeing me.... while I change," Sarah admits, looking embarrassed."It's okay. I should have asked if everyone was comfortable?" Amelia told her. "I wish I had your confidence," Sarah says, looking at Amelia, whose eyes darted down. "Sometimes I don't like how confident I am cause then I have to back up everything I say when it's questioned," Amelia tried comforting her. "I'll leave and let you get ready," she said, walking out, leaving Sarah to change.

"Captain, drop ship four requesting to disembark," Liutenet Jackson said as she turned to the captain. "Give them the go-ahead, Liutenet Jackson," the captain said as she turned back to the communication system as they tapped a few digital buttons. "Drop ship four has begun decent," she informed the captain. "God speed," the captain whispered under his breath, watching the sonar scanner pop up the viewing screen, seeing their decent pattern gradually decrease.

The drop ship flew down upon an opening amongst the orange tinted tree like plants as the sound of the rotors filled the sky as the four propellers spread the grass that burnt the colour orange as the drop ship touched the ground. Amelia pressed a few buttons as the engines turned off. The rotors began to slow, as Amelia and Sarah jumped out piolt sitting walking into the back where the others were still sitting checking their equipment again. "Everyone ready?" Amelia asked as they all nodded she walked to the wall where a control panel had been placed as she pressed a button "Nova this is drop ship four we have touched down on planet surface waiting your confirmation to proceed?" Amelia asked.

"This is Nova permission granted you may proceed," Amelia heard the response with a gleaming smile. "We'll report in two hours," Amelia said before pressing the button again. She turned to her away team before looking at the door she entered a code as the air lock depressurized as the locking mechanism began releasing as the door began sliding open.

Amelia jumped off the drop ship onto the soft ground. The propellers are still spinning, creating a light overhead breeze as Amelia gazes at the orange covered land. The mountains burnt with beauty as the purple coloured sky created a stark contrast between them, making the stunning scenery so much more breath taking "its so... atmospheric. its beauty unlike any other," Sarah said, walking up behind Amelia. "Couldn't of put it better myself," Amelia replied, taking out her camera and taking a quick picture of the landscape.

Amelia turned back to the away team her moment of fun over as she looked at the scientists setting up their equipment. "Right, you two just walk around and find out anything you can within the two hours we have. Keep your communicators on you at all times. Check in every ten minutes oh and take the engineers with you teach them something," Amelia told them as she grabbed her own equipment, setting it up. They all headed off into the strange new world.

"Amelia?" Sarah asked as Amelia looked up to her "yes Sarah?" Amelia said a bit more like a question than she originally intended. "Why did you bring me along?" She asked. Amelia thought for a moment, "Because... I didn't want you to stay cooped up on that ship ....and cause I wanted you with me," Amelia mumbled the last part as Sarah couldn't hear it properly. "What did you say?" She asked genuinely. "Maybe we could have a few pictures, you know, as memories, our first alien planet no one has ever been here before we are the first," Amelia said excitedly.