In Space...

In Space... When You Think All Is Lost There Still Is Insanity!

The crew of the spaceship Fortuitous waited patiently for Captain Zaine to announce his grand plan. A plan to save them from being stranded and vulnerable in an asteroid belt.

Captain Zaine stood with his hands on his hips, staring in to space, literally.

It was navigations officer, Sudury, a moon priestess from one of the seven moons of Atoria who broke the silence.

'The plan Captain?'

'You see the plan is this...'

There was another awkward silence, the crew of the control room shot each other glances of confusion.

'You don't have one do you? You do some massive speech about how you have this great ship, which you stole...' Curtis began but was quickly interrupted.

'We borrowed it!' AJ the ships first officer shouted back defensively.

'I do in fact have a plan Mr Young.' Zaine replied with a grin on his face, 'what we are going to do is... Consult with The Oracle.'

Sudury, Curtis and AJ all let out a large groan.

'Captain Zaine, if I may?' Sudury asked.

'Go ahead moon priestess.'

'To put this as bluntly as I can sir, The Oracle is an insane... creature, we keep locked in a high security cell in our brig. She was an escaped prisoner, that if we let lose on this ship she would destroy it and us along with it. The chances of her having a coherent day, a day where she actually remembers she's an oracle blessed by the gods of the ancient world are pretty slim. She has actually been intergalacticly deemed, more than once, as space crazy, a shape shifter, a mind charmer and highly dangerous. If she is having a "bad day" who knows what havoc she may cause, the safest place for her is in that cell and the safest place for us is outside of that cell.'

'You raise a valid point,' the captain replied. The three-crew members smiled up at him, 'however,' then groaned again. 'I'm the captain so I get final say. So, we're going to ask her for guidance.'

'Good luck fearless leader.' Curtis said sarcastically.

' I don't believe you heard me correctly time traveler. I said "we're going" as in we are. We're all going down there.'

'Who is going to watch the control room?' AJ asked.

'She's on complete stop we wont be moving anywhere. I'm sure you should be able to handle things by yourself AJ, you two with me. Move Out.' Captain Zaine smiled to himself impressed with his decision and watched Sudury and Curtis trudge out of the control room as he followed behind.

Captain Zaine, Sudury and Curtis entered what appeared to be a quiet, small, almost empty room. The four walls were gray sheets of metal tightly bolted together, their footsteps echoed on the hard metal floor as they entered the doorway. In the center of the room there was an octagonal prison, although you couldn't tell unless you looked closely. It was a clear glass like prison, each of the eight cell panels were reinforced with force field so nothing could penetrate the cell. On the ceiling above there were a few white lights that flicked now and then, and air shaft with vents that blow down cool air, on the floor was a little hatch that lead to the cells sleeping quarters. In the center of the cell on a wooden crate sat a beautiful woman with her back to the entrance to the room, she wore a sparkling white gown and her long golden locks ran down the her back.

As the trio entered the room, Curtis just shook his head, 'I knew this would be a waste of time.'

'Come now Curtis, the Lady Penelope is your favorite out of the crazies the insane oracle turns in to' Sudury sarcastically replied.

'Oh I do believe we have company,' the woman in the cell said still not turning to greet her guests. Her voice was so elegant and graceful; you could tell she is woman who was brought up to be prim and proper. She continued to what look apply make up using a hand mirror no one could see., 'I shant be a moment,' she called out.

Captain Zaine had a grin spread across his face, Curtis looked up at his Captain in disgust and baffled why Zaine went along with the crazy oracle's antics. He turned from Captain Zaine and took a step towards the imprisoned woman.

'Look Lady Crazy, we're in a bit of a sham and Captain Hero insists we speak with the oracle so lets cut the candy. Now morph, or whatever it is you do and turn in to her.'

Captain Zaine's grin turned to a look of shock, Sudury laughed to herself shaking her head 'Oh you're in for it now.'

The woman instantly spun around, her face was so soft and white, her blue eyes sparkled however the expression on her face was one of rage.

'How very dare you young man! Do you not know who I am? I am the Lady Penelope! I will not be addressed in such an inappropriate manner. If you wish to speak with me in future you know the correct procedure. In fact I implore you to not address me at all.' The Lady Penelope's eyes stared down in to Curtis's but he stood firm not willing to back down.

It was Sudury who broke the staring contest, she stepped forward and raised her right elbow in to the air. Lady Penelope caught site of this and turned to Sudury.

'Thank you my child, how may I aid one of such beauty?' The Lady asked.

Sudury lowered her arm and began to speak, 'my gracious lady, we are but seeking the guidance of the one known as The Oracle. Have thou heard of such an oracle?' Sudury turned to Zaine with an unsure expression on her face shrugging her shoulders, he just nodded and smiled back.

'A woman such as myself who indeed known to interact in many social circles, I have heard of such an oracle you speak of. Alas this one oracle was kidnapped and wrongly imprisoned by a group of thieves and renegades. They claim she was...oh what was it now...the word has seemed to slip my mind..."Space Crazy"' as she said the words she opened her eyes widely.

'Oh, now that is a shame,' Curtis said rolling his eyes.

'Did I say you may speak!' Lady Penelope boomed at Curtis, 'Captain I demand you place this crewman in the brig at once.'

'I apologize my Lady, the brig is currently some what occupied.'

There was a sudden crashing sound and the ship jolted.

AJ's voice came through Curtis' gadget he had strapped to his wrist, 'Curtis, tell the captain get back up here. Space pirates are shooting asteroids around us causing the debris to fling in to our outer hull.' Curtis lifted his wrist to his mouth and spoke back. 'I hear you loud and clear AJ, heading back up.'

'Again he speaks.' The lady says infuriated and begins to pace around her confinement. This is a followed by a continuation of crashes and the ship shaken up again.

'Come on Captain, we tried she's not in there today,' Sudury said and the trio turn to leave the room as they do the lady's form begins to change, her hair turns from a blonde to an aqua blue color. She turns to face the departing crew her eye are a deep blood red.

'It maybe time to get wild Captain,' she says but her voice is now a lot deeper then the soft elegance they have just heard. Curtis pretends he has not heard the word just been spoken and leaves the room, while Sudury and Captain Zaine spin around just in time to see the oracle change back in to the form of the Lady Penelope. The ship takes another hit and is knocked around once again, during this blow the Lady Penelope is knocked to the floor. 'Oh it appears we are going to be in for a stormy night,' she says to herself while brushing off the dust.

Captain Zaine turns to Sudury with that gleam of I told you so in his eyes.

'I know what needs to be done.'