The Last Ship (18+)

Chapter Three: Solar Sun.

"Luna, are you alright?"

The blonde had finally awoke. She sat up in the bed; looking about in a rather confused manner. Next to her, Professor Reed sat looking over at her. The dark skinned male had a kind smile as he spoke to her, "You passed out after you heard the news. I know it's a lot to take in, and honestly, I'm surprised you don't remember getting on the ship. Though, memory loss is one of the effects of being asleep for nearly two hundred years. You'll gain your memory back with time, but honestly, I wouldn't try. The past is the past, and right now, we need to focus on what is ahead for us Miss Luna. Those brutes wanted no harm to come to you. It was strange, and something none of us have ever witnessed."

Luna sat up. She looked over at Reed before pulling her legs up against her chest. The young woman sat quietly as she listened to him speak before giving a soft shake of her head, "After seeing those pictures, I don't think I want to remember." She smiled lightly, but it quickly faded. "You're a group of scientists, and I'm just a girl with no idea where I am or what my home was. Could you explain things to me, please?" She spoke to him, "Why did you bring me and no one else? Did I have any family?"

Reed shifted in his seat, leaning back as it reclined comfortably for him, "Professor Jewel and I saw something in you that cannot be humanly explained. Those creatures and you have some sort of connection. With you unable to remember, it's going to prevent us from some extensive research, but I'm sure you will remember with time. At least we can only hope."

Luna seemed confused. Reed was being rather vague with her and it left her with concern. One of those things had wanted to protect her? Why? The blonde smiled before nodding lightly, "So, this ship we're heading to, the Solar Sun, you said? Is it a dangerous place? Doctor Garret said that they were attacked?" She sat up as Reed continued to look over her, as if looking for anything strange.

The older male smiled; giving a light shake of his head, "If you wouldn't had gotten light headed on us, you would had also heard that they had gotten it under control. Some of the spores released and now parts of the ship are under quarantine until they are completely sterilized." Professor Reed pulled up a screen, showing the Solar Sun's interior. "The Solar Sun is broken into four sections. It's Base, holds the fuel, it's engine components and also serves as a docking for smaller ships and cargo. The ship itself is solar powered. As long as it has a star to draw energy from, she'll stay a float and well powered." Reed chuckled softly, "The first floor is basically a large shopping complex. It's full of farm growers, livestock, diners, and where people can find a work. Going up to the second is where citizens sleep. There are still quite a few empty holds, but currently they have been closed off due to the spores attack. As for us, we will have special quarters amongst the captain and his personal crew. The third floor is strictly off limits to anyone without a badge or card. What the captain says on this ship, goes, you understand that Miss Luna?"

Luna looked over the diagram of the ship. She listened as he explained where she could and couldn't go, but when he mentioned the top floor, she became a bit confused, "Professor Reed, I don't know if you've noticed yet, but I'm not a scientist." She mumbled, "Why would they let me come up there with you?" The blonde brushed her hair back behind her ear. The more in depth he went, the more confusing it became, "I'm just some person you decided was special enough to bring." She rubbed her arm lightly as she spoke. Luna lowered her head and muttered, "The captain? What is he going to do?"

Professor Reed shook his head, "The captain that we spoke to is long gone, Miss Luna. His job was to give the orders to the next captain. We are about to meet a generation nearly two hundred years into the future, my dear. Things could had changed, but we know what hasn't. The Irinaut seem to still not be a fan of us, or our weaponry. According to Doctor Garret, the Solar Sun has been left alone for a very long time. The fact that the Irinaut have just started attacking is quite strange, but this will be a start for us. Our current job is to go in and obtain the spore that is in the quarantine zone in tact and get in a air locked area. From there we can begin studying it and quite possibly learn of a way to destroy it or even be able to cure the early symptoms of the infection, "As for you, my colleagues and I believe you have some sort of connection with the Irinaut. When we found you, one of their Yeti's were actually protecting you from the harm of the spores. It seemed to have you in some sort of encasement. Once we saw that you were human, it led us to a few off set theories that could possibly even explain why you are even having issues with your memory. The safest place we can keep you is with us, and that's how it will be. All of us agreed that you are a vital key to understanding the Irinaut. We just, have to figure out why."

Luna tensed a bit as he told her what had happened. The girl lightly tilted her head with curiosity. After a moment, she started to feel dizzy again. These creatures had protected her from the very thing that they had set loose on their home planet, but why? The blonde nodded softly before she stood up. She brushed herself off before turning and looking at Reed, "Alright Professor, how long before we dock on the Solar Sun?"

Professor Reed grinned, "We're already here."

__________

Her eyes widened, "Here? I've only been asleep for a hour! Are you sure?" Luna suddenly felt rather dumbfounded and for a moment, didn't believe him as he explained that they were already preparing to dock during Garret's slide show. Luna looked about the white room before giving a soft nodd, "Alright, then where will we be staying?" She looked at him curiously. The young woman tried to stay calm about the situation, but everything seemed to leave her in quite a blur. We're already here?

Professor Reed stood up, looking over a few documents he had on hand, "Well, the crew and I will be staying in a private quarter. The only way they would allow us to bring you on board is if you stayed in this room. For now, until we can make the captain understand that you are not aggressive. After a few tests we should be able to prove to them that you have no interest in the Irinaut. Two hundred years ago it was approved for you to stay with us, but since the current event, you'll be staying here if we aren't running tests."

Her eyes lit up. She shifted back against the wall; leaning against it with a soft thud, "Tests? Why would you have to run any sort of test on me? I-I haven't done anything wrong, Professor Reed. I-I didn't even ask to be on this ship!" Luna sulked; crossing her arms before she turned her back to him. Luna was beyond frustrated that she was being held there against her will. She hadn't done anything to anyone and truly had no sort of intentions to, "So when can we actually leave the room?"

Professor Reed seemed just as upset as Luna with her current state. None of his team members saw her as a threat, but the Irinaut's Yeti was protecting her had some sort of reasoning behind it, and the group wanted to know, "We have to run some tests in the lab as well as take a look at a specimen they preserved for us. We'll see where Captain Strong takes it from there, alright?"

The door began to beep. Luna and Reed turned their attention to the door, and then back to each other, "Come, I'll show you what a Irinaut really looks like."