I found myself on an icy landscape, the night sky illuminating my surroundings. The air breathed crisp and pure and was invigorating to my senses. How long has it been since I last drank in the alien atmosphere...how long since my skin bathed in the wash of an early morning dew? Has it ever been?
In the distance, some shadows flitted between smooth shining obelisks, no doubt inlaid with complex crystalline quartz reflectors. An earthen rock...oxygen...fauna. This place was like many others; so foreign yet so familiar...it is an homage to long since colonized planets, before intelligence slowly carved its trail through the stars. I sighed slowly, knowing that my time here could be as long as I wanted, yet understanding that this moment would soon turn to fleeting memory. No, my place was on that trail of humanity, among the twinkling orbs above. The aurora of the planet showed off a spectacular red glow.
Beeping . . .
An alert?
I pulled my visor down to register the information, but it refused communication. Just an empty screen. I almost, just almost felt relieved at being given another chance to look without seeing the near constant overlay; but I also felt uneasiness at the black. It felt as if a hand pulling me back into the reality of my existence. I wasn't ready, but it was time.
Beeping . . .
Beeping . . .
I don't understand.
Then came a knock.
A sudden jarring rush of warmth flowed over me, sharply contrasting with the cool air as I opened my eyes to see a grinning scientist looking slightly warped through the concavity of my water tank. Reality came back too quickly.
"Well good morning sunshine! Or rather, er, good afternoon"
I looked around the room, still a little puzzled. The ceiling was lined with a thousand bulbs and dials and the room was heavily plated in metallic. Cords and wires ran along every surface and a red glow winked in and out above me. This scientist didn't look very familiar. Was he Federation?
"Here, here, uh, let me get that for you". He switched off the alert light.
I stared at him, thankful for the oxygen mask that did well in hiding most of my face from his. At least it felt like I was in my suit, even though I knew that was not the case. I took a deep breath of oxygen. Just where was I?
He frowned for a second and flustered with a few dials before looking back at me suddenly.
"Oh right! I'm Hank, but everyone here calls me Snow on account of my hair. It's nice to meet you" He gestured his hand up and down as if pretending to shake my hand. "I'm guessing you're wondering where you are".
I suspiciously eyed this grey haired...boy...it seemed. He was so young.
"You, my dear, are a guest aboard Federation Colony Station 12 on planet Vulgin, a beautiful M class, in many respects very similar to our own Earth...so similar it seems that you had decided to go for a walk among the alien atmosphere without your suit to protect you from the environment. Needless to say, heh, well, you ended up here." Why am I here?
"It was a Federation detachment that just arrived 3 days ago that found you out there. Seems they're old friends of yours... Alan, or some such, I forget, but that's not important, you'll see them soon."
I looked down, unsure of the situation.
"Just take a rest and enjoy yourself. I'm injecting some locally found nutrients and particles into the water filtration to help you more quickly adapt to this very similar, yet dangerous different environment. Sleep easy, and we'll see you and all your friends very soon"
