Like a Comet

The Inventor rushes to the storage shelf and grabs the tablet and turns it on, initiating a connection to ART.

“How do you know how to do that?” asks the Rocket incredulously, “This technology is centuries ahead of what you have in your time.”

“I don’t know,” answers the Inventor, “Technology has always been intuitive to me, and you aren’t the first time-traveler I’ve run into.”

The ship shutters as martian lasers impact the deflector shields of the Phoenix Dawn.

“Hey guys we can have a question and answer later but we have bigger issues right now,” says the Hero sarcastically, standing next to the Rocket’s chair and pointing at the passing Martian interceptor.

“Heard that,” replies the Rocket, banking the Dawn to the right, pushing a couple buttons and then slamming the throttle forward. The Dawn leaps forward whizzing through space, throwing the Hero back into his seat.

“Sir, previous calculations show that the Dawn will not be able to outrun the interceptors,” says ART.

“We don’t have to outrun them, we just have to beat them there,” says the Rocket pointing out into space. The Hero and the Inventor follow the Rocket’s finger and stare out into space. The Rocket points toward several glowing lights.

“What is that,” asks the Hero.

“A cluster of comets,” answers the Rocket, “The comet tails should mask the Dawn’s heat signature. I might get a better shot with these cannons and give you a little more time to get the gun pod back online.”

The bright lights quickly grow larger as the Phoenix Dawn hurtles toward them. Green lasers fly all around the Dawn as the Rocket expertly twists and turns around the incoming fire. The Rocket banks in behind the lead comet and then rapidly decelerates to fall in behind a comet on the far side of the cluster and match its speed.

“This will only work so long,” says the Rocket, “How much longer will the gun pod take?”

“I’ve mapped a series of sensors to allow the Inventor to control the pod,” answers ART, “I am now working on building an application interface to allow him to track enemies and aim the gun pod.”

“Well it doesn’t need to be too fancy,” says the Rocket. “They’ll be sniffing around any second now.”

The Rocket creeps the Dawn around the front of a comet to take a peek just as a Martian interceptor flies around the front of a comet. The Rocket pulls back behind the comet and begins to pull back behind the comet.

“We’re out of time,” mutters the Rocket. 

“We just need another minute,” exclaims the Inventor glued to the tablet. 

“We don’t have a minute,” says the Rocket. The sheer intensity glows on his face. He takes a deep breath, his knuckles white on the stick. 

“Here we go…” says the Rocket.

He exhales hard, jerking back on the throttle and the stick…

Narrated by Brandon Warner