As Captain Keith stared out the window at the surface of
Planet Nebulong V, he focused on his breathing. Years ago, as a cadet, he’d mastered the ancient Tibetan art
of Sh’ow Wei, or “Mindful Breathing,” a respiratory technique that gave a man
power over his emotions at a time when they might otherwise overwhelm him. He had quickly become so adept at this
method of self-control that his instructor had turned the reigns of the class
over to him.
A great many men, faced with the prospect of setting foot on
a bizarre alien world such as this would feel panic rise in their throat; feel
sweat dotting their brow; feel a tiny trickle of urine leaking into their space
suit. Captain Keith was as far
superior to those men as an Andromedan Stallion was to the Taint Beetle of
Arcturus IX.
With his emotions fully in check, Keith was free to focus on
the task at hand: an inventory of the supplies he’d be bringing for this
initial exploration of the world’s surface. In his head, he went through each of the necessary pieces of
equipment.
Space suit and helmet, both checked for potential leaks. The Rebreathifier 2000, without which a
Space Explorer would quickly find himself without the necessary oxygen to
survive in hostile climates. Fully charged ZX9 Laser Gun, the weapon that kept
every star-faring daredevil safe from enemy aliens. Captain Keith was so
proficient with a laser that he could shoot the wings off of a Martian Fruit
Fly from a mile away and not disturb the delicious Lk’thok Berry the fly was
resting on. Rocket Pack, extremely
useful when a speedy retreat was required. Captain Keith had worn a Rocket Pack on every mission he’d
every flown, but he’d never once used it to retreat.
Inventory complete, Captain Keith stepped into the
airlock. Touching a contact on his
wrist, he closed the doors behind him and sealed himself off from this ship,
seconds away from being the first human being to set foot on this fantastic new
orb.
Briefly, his mind flashed back to his last mission, during
which he’d encountered the Lava Men of Fremulon IV. He’d been challenged by their leader Gorpfap to singular
combat, a battle that he’d won handily.
He’d so impressed the Lava Men that they’d begged him to stay and be
their new chief. Gorpfap’s
daughter, Princess Klipfap was a luminous beauty, with long, flowing hair of
fiery red; full, pouting lips; breasts like a Jovian Ultramelon; taut, sinewy
thighs and legs that could thaw a Plutonian Ice Lizard in January. She’d thrown herself at him, as so many
women had before her--and he had to admit, he’d been tempted for a
nanosecond--but, in the end, his sense of duty kept him on the right path.
He wondered, would Nebulong V hold any of that same danger? Would it prove to be another amazing
adventure? Or would it be a
routine data-gathering trip of the sort he seemed destined to never know.
Captain Keith chuckled dryly to himself. “Only one way to find out,” he said as
he punched in the access code and felt the dust-filled Nebulong V wind blowing
the dust of the planet into the airlock.
“Banzai.”
