.Space Stories Proudly Presents

Return

Written By IXI
 
[Starting up system]
[Opening Link]
[Initialising Data-stream] 
[Receiving new message}
[Loading]
[Open message?] Y/N
[Awaiting command]

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It was...quiet, nice. Robin was glad he was back on Earth. He had been gone for too long.
But now he had returned to his home and his girl. He lay in bed, Naomi's head on his shoulder, his hand running through her hair. As he was overlooking the city, Tokyo, from their appartment, he thought about Evans. He was good. Robin's thoughts were somehow, relieved. He thought about Joseph: After he had heard what had happened on Granah he couldn't believe he was gone. But he wasn't coming back either. Ofcourse, they didn't tell him the whole story. But Robin didn't need to hear it. 2 friends lost, Robin sighed. He closed his eyes and he went in the deepest sleep he had in a long while. 

Naomi was already awake, she had made Robin some breakfast. Robin sat down and sipped his tea: "Thank you." He said. "No problem at all." Naomi sat down on his lap. "I'm just glad you're back in one piece." She kissed him on his forehead. She noticed that there was something wrong: "What's the matter?" She asked, looking Robin in his eyes. Robin, who couldn't resist her look, answered: "I...don't know, there's something about that whole Granah incident. Now that I have the time to think about it...it all seems so...odd." Robin looked as he was searching his mind for an answer. Naomi didn't know what to do about it. "If you need anything..." She said, comforting her man. "I know..." 

Robin put on his clothes and checked his face in front of the mirror. I'll shave tomorrow. 
He liked his somewhat rough look. He smiled. Dang it's so good to be back. His face had changed. He had this scar on his cheek. This was actually the first time he saw it. The rest of his face seemed...older. Strange, he looked older than he was. 29 years...He sighed. He thought he would find some rest but after all that has happened, but all these questions were floating in his head. He felt two arms embracing him. "Why don't you go and get some fresh air? Clear your head." Naomi suggested with her warm voice. Robin saw her in the mirror, head resting on his shoulder, always this natural smile. "From all things, I've missed this the most." Robin said, his head laying on hers. He gave a her a kiss and left.

Robin walked through the city. It hadn't changed a bit. People busy, hovercars flying everywhere, large Holo-signs covering the walls of the buildings. Robin smiled a bit. He had really missed this place. He walked over a large skybridge connecting 2 buildings. He was going to see his baby again.

"Hello?" Robin opened a garagedoor, a red logo with a tuned-up hovercar covering it.
And there she was. A red Edelbrock Hovercar. Robin had a big fat grin growing on his face.
"Hey this is off limits..." Robin turned around. His friend stopped talking. "R...Robin? Is that really you?" A short, Japanese man slowly stepped forward. "Hello 'Meka'." Robin still had this grin on his face. "My God...it is you!" 'Meka' was astounded. 

Meka was Robin's best friend. He was a master under the hood and he could get his hands on the best aftermarket parts. If they were better than his own. He had been in the tuning-scene for the major part of his life. "Ionized fuel runs through his veins and he breaths exhaust fumes..." That's how his father described him.

Robin grinned: "You did take good care of her didn't you?" 
Meka grinned back: "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

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Robin took his car for a spin, trying to get that old feeling back. He got it back, but not all of it. There was still something bothering him. A strange twist in his mind. He couldn't put his finger on it. He parked his car near a beach and stepped out. The wind blew the fresh smell of the ocean towards him. He took a deep breath and sat down in the sand He stared at the ocean for hours and hours, trying to clear his mind. This feeling was getting the better of him. There was something wrong, and he was going to find out what. Just when he was about to stand up, his PDA began to ring. "Great..." Robin muttered. Robin grabbed his PDA "Naomi ^^;;" was displayed. He pressed a small green button: 
"Robin?" 
"Yes?"
"You better come back, there's something really strange going on here."
"..Err...okay then, I'll be there in 10 minutes, see ya!"
"See ya." Naomi closed the link with a kiss.
Robin smiled a bit. He turned the PDA off, got in his car and flew back to his home.

"So what seems...?" Robin opened the front-door. The room was dark, there seemed to be no one. Suddenly all the lights went on. "Surprise!!!"
All of his friends were standing in room, drinks in their hands, smiles on their faces.
"..Err..." Robin didn't know what to say. Naomi walked up to him and gave him a big hug: 
"I though you could use a nice welcome party."
"Well...Thank you." Robin gladly returned the hug and sighed: "Just what I needed."

The night went on, full of laughter, fun and old memories. Robin had the time of his life and he seemed to be forgetting this feeling inside of him. The party lasted for over 6 hours. 
The last guest left around 2 in the morning. Tired, but happy, Robin was about to lay down in bed next to Naomi. He stretched his back when he noticed something weird. The screen of his PDA was on, while he had turned it off. 

He picked it up, there was no sound coming from it, nothing. "Weird..."
The display suddenly changed:

[Opening Link]
[Initialising Data-stream] 
[Receiving new message}
[Loading]
[Open message?] Y/N
[Awaiting command]

Not exactly knowing what to do, Robin pressed the 'Y' button.
Suddenly all kinds of symbols flashed onto the screen. The PDA began to shake.
"What the...?!" Robin yelled. Then power surged through his arms. Robin was electrified and fell to the floor.

White...

...

...

...

Open your eyes.
Who said that?
Who was that?
Robin opened his eyes. There was white all around him. "Place could use a new color." Robin said to himself while looking around. This place, was this...heaven? Was he dead? He slowly moved forward, venturing into the unknown. A very white unknown. 
Stop.
"What?" Robin said, his voice echoing forth. There was something about that voice.
He turned around and saw a figure walking towards him. As he came closer the figure began to take shape, arms, legs and finally...the face. Robin's eyes grew: "Holy..."
Joseph was standing there, like nothing ever happened. He had this grin on his face. The type that just couldn't be wiped off. Robin's hands trembled: "Is this a...dream?" His eyebrow slightly raised. "Still down to earth I see, but yes, sort of." Joseph replied. There was something about his eyes, he had seen beautiful things, experienced something only few had.
"Where...is this?" Robin asked, looking around. "To tell you the truth, I don't know."
"Am I still home...?" 
"Yes, right now you're on the floor of your appartment."
"So...I'm dreaming...?"
"Like I said before, yes."
"Okay let me get this straight, my friend who has been lost for quite a while, contacts me through a dream." 
"That about sums it up." Joseph said. "But there's one thing..."
"Ah great..." Robin knew that there was something bad coming.
"You need to come pick me up..." Joseph said.
Robin sighed
"...from the Dead Zone." Joseph finished his sentence.
Robin went silent...

The Dead Zone. Robin had heard of it, it was the Bermuda Triangle of the galaxy. He had never been there, but he had heard the tales of people who had. The Zone was mostly empty but there were atleast a dozen solar systems in it, most of the stars were dying and all of the planets were dead. Spacial distortions filled the sector and he had also heard of...phantoms living there. Creatures who were not alive, mostly sticking to the planets. 

"The Dead Zone..." Robin repeated Joseph's words, thinking them over. 
Joseph smiled a bit, he knew that this would prove to be a challenge for Robin, but Robin always liked a challenge.
Robin had this grin growing as he looked up to Joseph. "You're on." 
"All right, well..." Suddenly Joseph was fading away.
"Oh crap, I was afraid something like this might happen. Robin, you need t..."
It seemed like Joseph was being sucked away from the dream. The ground under Robin's feet was crumbling. "Oh....Shi...." He fell into the abyss and blacked out.

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There was a voice in the distance, who was that? Slowly his blurry eyes sharpened and he saw the figure that was looking at him. "Na...omi?" 
"Yes, I'm here." Naomi said softly.
Robin looked up. "Where am I?" 
"You're in the hospital, you passed out. Don't you ever scare me like that again." She smiled.
Robin smiled back, faintly. And then he realised: "Oh damn...Joseph." He got up.
"What...?" Naomi didn't understand.
"He's alive, Joseph's alive." Robin got out of his bed. 
"W..." Naomi didn't have a clue. Robin laid his hands on her shoulders: "Naomi, I have to go."
"N-N-N-No, you can't go, you just got back." She was getting tears in her eyes. 
"Naomi don't cry." Robin held her close.
"I'll be back soon, I promise" He kissed her on her forehead. 
Robin took his clothes and left the room. A doctor was trying to stop him, Robin didn't even listen. He put on his clothes while he was walking down the stairs, he didn't even realise he forgot his socks and shoes. 

Naomi was standing by the window. Robin got in their hovercar and looked up. The look in his eyes calmed Naomi down. He was a pilot, he belonged in space. And he'll be back, he never breaks his promises. She smiled. Robin smiled back.

He started up the hovercar, a deep rumble coming from under the hood. He made hsi way back to their apartment. He opened the door and realised he had no shoes and socks on...
"Oh great..." Robin went to his room and rectified this.
He put on a pair he had never worn before. "Teh, atleast they've got some use now."
"Keys, keys, keys..." He grabbed the keys on his desk. 
"Great now all we need..." He looked around. And grinned when he saw it: A disc containing the entire discography from Frank Sinatra. "Can't do it without you..." He said, grinning

He slowly left the room, took one deep breath and closed the door. Didn't he forget something? He opened the door and looked around. "Hmmm..." He decided that it was probably nothing.

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He turned the switches on in his cockpit, each making its own distinctive sound.
The engines powered up with the roar only matched by a Siberian Tiger.
But they powered down, Robin looked to his right. Naomi...
He opened up the cockpit. She looked at him and walked over.
Without saying a thing she handed him a small collar. 

It was gold, shining like the sun. She had given it to him some time ago. 
That was it, he had forgotten his most cherished posession. He chuckled, how could he forget that? He held it in his hands and looked at it for quite some time. Then he looked at Naomi.

She wasn't sad, but confident. She knew he will come back. He loved her more than anything.
One tear did make it down her face. Robin smiled: "Hey, hold the tears till I get back." 
She smiled too, Robin always knew how to take away her sorrows.
"Just don't make it too long?" She said.
"Come here." Robin beckoned Naomi to climb onto the side of the Valkyrie.
"I always keep things short." Robin embraced her.
Naomi chuckled: "Liar..."

It was time to go. Robin closed the cockpit, and started up his ship.
The same Siberian Tiger let out a loud roar. The ship slowly ascended.
"I love you..." Naomi's voice was overpowered by the ship.
"I love you too..." Robin answered. He held his hand on the cockpit window.

The ship let go of the roof. Naomi watched as the Indigo went into orbit.
Robin sighed. He looked how the stars slowly came closer. "Okay next stop..." Robin punched in coordinates in his navicomputer, "Tervania." 

He smiled.

Space seemed to be pulled into infinity as the hyperdrive activated. 

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To be continued...