Welcome to the Journal of Now and Forever. This Journal is a collection of my Star Control and Star Control 2 fiction. Note: Some of this material is, by necessity, extrapolation from the slim information provided by canon sources.

New fiction is posted first at My Livejournal before it appears here. This story is in response to 15 Minute Ficlets' Challenge #70.

[recording begins]

- start this thing -

Well, I suppose you remember last time how we had to start doing extra exercises, right? I guess because of your soldiering and stuff - they want us to be in shape mentally and physically too. Anyway, it's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be. I mean, it's still boring, but it's not anything I can't handle. Actually, I can't think of anyone up here who can't handle it, which probably means some captain is going to think the same thing and ratchet up the requirements.

So, the new thing now is to show off just how Billy Badass you are by exercising yourself into exhaustion, which, I dunno, I can't see the appeal of it, but hey, I'm a gunner, y'know? I'm good at shooting stuff. I exercise, but it's not like I knock myself out for it. Just do what I need to, maybe a little over so it doesn't look like I'm lazy, and that's it.

Thing is, that still means it's kinda boring up here. I know, we should be thankful it's boring. Boring means no Earthlings or probes or weird aliens are attacking us. But sometimes I do think maybe it'd be a bit easier to take if... aw, I don't know what I'm saying here. Let's face it, I need something to do, and there isn't that much to do up here. I'm a gunner. I don't even have the nav or piloting or stuff like that to keep me busy, and there's only so many rocks to blast, since they don't fight back.

Maybe I need to put in for another session of ground time when the ship gets back to Starbase. Maybe I should take a whack at coding funroms. Maybe I should find some way of keeping myself busy before I strangle someone.

Not that I've ever actually strangled anyone, y'know. Mostly I've shot 'em. There was that one back on Earth, though, the one I told you about? 'Cause I wanted to make 'im suffer. I think I did okay on that.

You see the problem, though. We can't do anything against the Earthlings right now, and we're stuck out on our own, and there's nothing else to do. I guess I'm asking if you can think of anything to help me out, maybe something I can do or can pick up next time we're at Starbase.

How's things on your end? We don't get a lot of news from the planet unless it's important. Something to do with the communications systems... maybe radio silence... I dunno. I'm not even speaking right today. I'm all on edge. Bored.

Well, I know you're not gonna get this right away, but think about it, and meanwhile I'm gonna go talk to some of my crewmates and see what they suggest. Let's face it, I'm sure they don't want me homicidal either. [laughs]

[disconnect]

Comments? Email me: laridian at aol dot com