The Asteroid Parts

Mar. 13, 2022 • By Jason Elhilow

DescriptionThe Asteroid Parts follows two astronauts as they explore an asteroid with an alien to get the parts they need to fix their ship, which are protected by a vicious queen.

MessageThe Asteroid Parts contains content some may find triggering. Reader discretion is advised.

ImageWRTN/The Asteroid Saga

Original Trilogy - 1 Of 3 • 9,000 Words

PrologueChapter 1 - StrandedChapter 2 - AwakenChapter 3 - TrimdinChapter 4 - Dangers Of ExplorationChapter 5 - Falling OutChapter 6 - The QueenChapter 7 - Battle Of RevelationsChapter 8 - Battle Of RedemptionChapter 9 - A New KingChapter 10 - The PartsEpilogue

Prologue

Before The Departure...Throughout the annals of human history, one question has remained at the forefront of our minds: Are we alone? For millennia, that question remained unanswered, it being the ultimate inquiry of our existence. That is, until now.In the year 2050, two brave souls traveled among the stars, heading toward the outer reaches of our solar system. Earth was in peril, rising tension and massive egos rushing the mission before the planet itself would be destroyed by war.Tim Buchanan, an experienced astronaut and determined pilot, led Claren Smith, a young engineer, to Pluto, where they were assigned to study and research where no human had gone before, racing an enemy nation to the leftovers of the solar system near the celestial body.Initially, the mission was smooth sailing, as they blasted past Mars and flew through The Asteroid Belt, a ring of rocky material separating the inner planets from the outer gas giants. This treacherous collection of minerals and ice seemed to be no issue for the astronauts, expecting them to be an obstacle along the way. But little did they know, The Belt held more secrets than once thought, as the two men make the discovery of a lifetime. And what they found will change their lives—and their world—forever.

Chapter 1 - Stranded

Tim sat in his seat, Claren next to him. Out the window were clumps of debris, shooting past their capsule faster than a bullet. At every moment they were at risk, at every moment they were sacrificing their lives, because if one of those pieces hit their ship, both would be dead in minutes.This thought coursed through Claren’s brain as he sat idly while Tim skillfully brought them through the mess.“Safety was never a guarantee with this career, was it?” Claren sarcastically stated.“No, that’s unfortunately what we get paid for, but at least it’s fun.”“Ha, fun isn’t what I’d call this, but you are doing a fine job trying to make that so.” Tim reapplied his attention to piloting, as the shower of rocks got thicker and thicker. “Never in a million years did I think that we would be the first humans to ever travel to the outer solar system,” Tim added as he looked at his screen.They continued steadily through the belt, their hull pelted with stones minuscule in size. And though they themselves were safe for now, their equipment on the outside was being damaged, unbeknownst to them.Suddenly red lights were flashing, and Tim’s computer showed the last words you would want to see on a mission: ERROR.Claren got up and looked at the monitor near the hatch. It had a view to the outside, where he saw mysterious shards seeping from the side of their capsule. It was their engine.There was no way for them to control their ship, and Claren realized that quickly.“Uhhh, Tim, we have a problem… I think the engine is down.”“That would certainly explain the warning on my screen.”“So what should we do?” Claren asked.Tim gave him a blank stare for a moment.A second later, Mission Control back on Earth radioed in. “There appears to be an issue being reported on our scanners here, what’s the situation, do you copy?”Tim was quick to respond. “Roger, it seems to be that our engines have been knocked out."“Well, that’s quite a problem, we’ll get our teams on a….” BANG, the mics cut out. All communication was lost.“Can you repeat that again?” Tim asked.Claren looked nervously at Tim, and Tim looked back the same way. There was no response back; their antenna was destroyed."Ah, great," Claren joked, "OCEANIA's got a good chance of winning now.""Damn it. We are in the worse place possible for this type of failure.""You can say that again," he responded, this time looking out the window."What do you mean?" Tim asked, moving towards his partner and glancing outside."That." Near them, a massive asteroid orbited, one hundred times larger than their vessel. It zoomed past Tim and Claren, quickly coming close to the ship and sweeping it into its grasp.Even with all of their experience, all of their training, Tim and Claren couldn’t do anything. The remaining sensors on their vehicle started beeping, alarming the men of its danger. They turned them off as swiftly as possible, realizing their fate was now sealed.“What should we do now, Tim?” Claren asked depressingly.“There is nothing we can do, we don’t have the parts to repair anything, and even if we did, it’s unlikely that we would survive in this storm. Let’s just hope we don’t go out in a fiery death, or suffocate, or both, and that we just stay in orbit around this rock until we crash.”A morbid truth for sure, but an accurate one. They had no choice, there were no feasible options, and it would take some creativity to find one. They slowly drifted round and round, getting ever closer to the asteroid, to Tim and Claren’s impending doom.

Chapter 2 - Awaken

Tim opened his eyes. He got up, feeling dizzy. Both he and Claren fell asleep, as they slipped towards their deaths. Out the windows, there were mountains of rocks and ruins surrounding them, and Tim was astonished.“We managed to live? How?”The events came back to his head; their mission, losing control, contact. He and Claren were stranded, with nowhere to go.Tim needed to assess the damage, see what can be done. He knew that repair was next to impossible without the proper equipment, but he had to try whatever he could, in the hopes of assisting their survival.While Claren slept, Tim put on his EVA suit, entered the airlock, and exited the craft.He turned around, starting to examine their vehicle, seeing its metallic exterior scratched by the debris. Tim glanced over to the broken engine, and to his surprise, the damage appeared to be minimal, but they were in total disrepair.So he continued, checking out the busted antenna along with other instruments. They were obliterated, shattered and disintegrated. “Dang, we really abused this poor ship. But if we had the right parts, we could fix it…”Out of the corner of Tim’s eye, he suddenly noticed something on the hull: a small drop of red liquid.“What the heck?” Tim whispered to himself. “Where did that come from?”Tim continued to investigate, and as he went around the broken vessel, he noticed the marks getting substantially larger. They kept going and going, getting bigger and bigger, until the trail ended, leading down.He then looked to his side. Something stood next to him, bleeding.“Holy—what in the world, who are you?” Tim was astonished. “Where did you come from?” The being was unknown to him, mysterious and uncanny.Tim quickly rushed back into the vehicle, the creature following him into the capsule.Claren woke up, opening his eyes cautiously. A light blindingly shined on his face, as he took a breath expecting fresh air, but instead inhaled dust, smelling a strange, unsettling scent. He was cold, feeling the slick metal beneath, and slowly he began to have a sense of consciousness again.When Claren fully arose, Tim was in front of him, and beside him, the unknown figure stood. It was small, green in hue, with a foreign face. The physique of this creature was not human, not Earthly. He knew it wasn’t anything known to him. He knew it was an alien.

Chapter 3 - Trimdin

Claren got up, scared for his life.“What is that thing, Tim! What is it, why is it bleeding?”“I don’t know what it is, or who it is, but it’s hurt, and we need to help it.” Tim was frantic, just as scared as Claren, but trying to stay under control.“Claren, you stay here with this little guy, I’ll go grab the first aid kit, okay.”“Um, sure,” Claren said anxiously.Tim ran over to the other side of the capsule, where the kit was in his bag. He took it out, hurried back, opened it, and took out a bandage, wrapping it around the alien’s arm.The being was content while Tim hastily dressed the wound, accepting the help from the humans without any struggle.~~The initial scare passed. Tim and Claren stood on one side of the interior, while the foreigner sat on the other. Nothing could have prepared them for this.“What should we do Tim, first the damage, now this. Our mission has been disastrous so far. We’re stuck on some random rock in the middle of nowhere, and without the right parts to fix our ship, we can’t do anything.”“I know, I know, but maybe this guy can help. Whatever it is, they were doing something to our ship before I found it. They left blood all over the broken exterior, and may be able to get us some help.”“Does that ‘thing’ even know how to talk, how to communicate?” Claren said angrily.“I’m not sure, but we can definitely try. We need to at the very least find a suitable place to survive, and maybe they can help us. It seems to be unaffected by the atmosphere here, so maybe their civilization has similar biological necessities. And if that’s true, then maybe we can live.” Tim was getting impatient with Claren. He knew he was scared, knew he was young, but also understood that their survival was crucial.“Okay, Tim, how about we start off easy with the thing. Get its name, maybe a location.”“That’s a good start,” Tim replied.Both men walked to the other side of the capsule, over to the alien. They knelt down, getting on the same level with the creature. It looked at them, turning its head and frowning.“Mnm trim-i fics shp,” it said, stunning Tim and Claren.“Well, it can talk, that’s for sure,” Tim uttered.“Yep, but what the heck did it say?”“I’m not sure, but it gives me hope that we can decipher it. Let's see if it can write.”Tim got up and went to grab a whiteboard with a marker. He hoped that maybe the written form would be translatable, so they could understand what it was saying.The being was handed the board, and within seconds it began writing.“They seem to be a master writer, I guess,” Claren remarked.“Yeah, maybe their species communicates through text.”The creature turned the board around unexpectedly, its skeleton fingers wrapping around the white, glossy surface.It wrote: “My name is Trimdin, I can fix your ship…”Tim and Claren looked blankly at the board, then at each other.“It can write… in English?” Claren confusingly stated.“It appears so, how strange.”“Does it understand us?”Both men brought their attention back to Trimdin. He looked back at them, smiling, and yet again began writing on the board, his round head bobbing vigorously.“Uh, Trimdin, is it? Do you understand us?” Tim demanded.Trimdin kept writing.“Do you understand us?”The silence continued, tension building while the alien continued to compose.“Do you understand or not? Can you even help us?” Tim snapped.Claren stood still, frightened. Never has he seen his commanding officer yell so loudly. Their situation became real to him, it became serious. If Tim can’t handle it, can I? What if we’re not only stranded, but trapped on an unknown asteroid with one of the greatest discoveries in human history. Claren was terrified by these thoughts, trembling in their presence and wanting security from his higher-upBut his worries were soon interrupted by Trimdin, as he turned the board over for the second time.The being wrote: “I know where there are parts to fix your ship. Though your ship is heavily damaged, most of it is focused towards the engine, and I know where a spare one is.”Tim calmed down. Claren felt relieved.“Really! This is great news,” Tim exclaimed, mollifying his anger.“So, uh, where are they? In your garage or something?” Claren joked.Trimdin didn’t laugh though, quickly scribbling another response and turning the board around again. It said two words: “The Queen.”“The QUEEN?” both men muttered.“Yes, The Queen. She and her guards are protecting the parts you need, and without them, you won’t be able to survive.”“Well, where is The Queen, where are they hidden?” Claren asked.“Deep in the asteroid, guarded by her forces and constantly surveyed.”“Oh, well great, just great,” Tim added sarcastically.It was a lose-lose scenario. Staying without the parts would get them killed as their supplies would slowly deplete. Going for them might do the same, but if they succeed, salvation was possible. Tim and Claren had to get the parts.“Can you bring us to her, to the parts?” Tim queried.“Yes, but it’ll be a long, difficult trip,” wrote Trimdin.“How long are we talking? Minutes, hours, days?”“A round trip takes under half an Earth day.”“Well good, because that’s all my suit has left.”“Mine too,” Claren remarked.“Okay then, it’s settled. Let’s prepare for this trip. We need those parts more than anything, we need those asteroid parts.”Everyone was on the move. Tim picked up the first aid kit from earlier and shoved it back in his bag, along with two ropes and a small dagger. He slipped into his EVA suit again while Claren grabbed his flashlight, then proceeded to do the same as Tim. Trimdin kept hold of the whiteboard and marker.Both men entered the airlock, the alien standing in front. The hatch closed behind them, the chamber depressurizing. They were ready, they knew that if Trimdin was wrong, if anything went badly, they would die. But that risk was worth it.Tim and Claren’s journey started, following Trimdin’s lead. The initial few steps were difficult, but necessary. They walked and walked, feeling the “ground” of the asteroid under their feet. It was hard, covered in light gray dust made of pulverized rocks and minerals. Sturdy yet frail, rough yet gentle. Anything could happen, the weak gravity of the asteroid barely holding it all together.Little to Tim and Claren’s knowledge, this could be problematic, as they were heavier than tiny Trimdin. Every step taken was hazardous. Every step taken was threatening.And soon this came into effect.

Chapter 4 - Dangers of Exploration

"What’s this queen like anyways, Trimdin?” Claren asked.“She’s our ruler, she’s our leader. I follow her, everyone here follows her. The Queen has ultimate power over my home, over this asteroid, and anyone who defies her gets a less than ideal punishment.”“Like what?”“Typically death, but if she’s feeling nice, a life sentence.”“Wait, so why are you helping us?” Tim questioned.“The Queen wasn’t always in control. Before her, we had a king, her husband. But something happened to him, a tragedy, to say the least. An event unparalleled in our history, a death committed by someone close to him. He was a kind ruler, a kind soul. He cared for his subjects, he cared for his family, he cared for his broth…”Trimdin was cut off. The ground began to shake vigorously.“What’s happening?”“An earthquake, or, I guess, an asteroidquake,” Tim remarked.Cracks began to form in front of Claren, splitting him from Tim and Trimdin.“Uh, I think it’s much worse than that, look behind you.”Tim quickly turned around, realizing a massive crevice formulating around Claren. Trimdin did the same, watching it form and quickly writing a response on his board. It read one thing: “RUN!”It was too late for Claren, though, as he was surrounded by a trench, with the floor beneath him fracturing. He was trapped.Tim stood still, while Trimdin slowly moved back.“Oh God no. No, no, no.” Tim cried.“Tim, what should I do? Am I going to die?”“No, Claren, you’re fine. Or at least I hope.”Tim was clueless and scared. He was responsible for Claren, he was in control. Quick thinking was needed, a plan was necessary. The pressure kept building on Tim, this order was too tall for him. Their lives were on the line again.Claren anxiously stood still, expecting his demise for a second time. What should I do? The ground under me is losing stability, and jumping over the crack is impractical. I would need a harness or something, and somehow would need to be pulled up. But we don’t have one, and I packed only a flashlight. He then realized something, the ropes.“Hey Tim, you still have those two ropes in your bag.”Tim was still panicking, but heard Claren’s call.“Yeah, I do, but why?”“Do you think it is possible to toss them over to me, and I can create a makeshift harness out of one, using the other to pull me up.”At that moment, Tim knew what Claren was saying and took his bag off.“Trimdin, can you grab the rope in there?”Without a response, Trimdin opened up the sack, pulling out the two tethers. They were long, lightly shaded, and quite heavy for the small being.He handed them to Tim, who now had the challenge of tossing them all the way over to Claren.The crack hadn’t expanded in a while, but the center point was crumbling apart.“Claren, are you ready to catch this?“Yes, Tim, but do you think you could hurry it up? Things are getting shaky over here.”Tim readied to toss the rope over the abyss, bundling it up and placing it in one hand, putting all his strength to it.“3, 2, and… 1.”The rope dashed through the air, the low gravity assisting the throw, carrying it over the crack, letting it glide into Claren’s gloved hand.“Oh, oh, I caught it!” Claren exclaimed.“Yes!” Tim screamed.Trimdin sat in the background, seeing the first task being completed. He smiled, but knew what obstacle came next.Claren wrapped the rope around his waist and legs, producing the most bare-bones gear possible. It tightly hugged his suit, and now he waited for the second rope.“This one should be a bit easier, I hope. At least I hold onto one end of this thing.”“Let’s hope so, because we have little time,” Trimdin wrote.Tim prepared to hurl the cord over, and this time, he would use it to pull Claren over.He swung the rope like a lasso, round and round, and finally whipped it forward. It blazed towards Claren, and he quickly grabbed it. This sudden movement caused the terrain to shift again, and this time, for good.Claren swiftly attached the second rope to a small loop he made with his harness, and the floor beneath him collapsed.Tim had a firm grip of the other end, but was being pulled in as Claren fell.“Hey Trimdin, some help here.” The alien grabbed hold of Tim, and together began to tow him upwards.Claren was dangling, slowly falling towards the rim of the ridge.Tim and Trimdin tugged and tugged, dragging Claren up as they moved back.Claren flew closer and closer to the edge, but was almost at the top.“How is it going up there? Do I have to brace for impact or what?”“Bud, I’m trying, and Trimdin’s helping, but it’s still a struggle. We’ve almost got you.”“How close is almost?” Claren questioned.That answer didn’t matter, though, as right then Claren unexpectedly shot to the top, only centimeters away from the side.“Holy shi… I mean, shoot. I’m alive!” Claren exclaimed.“Yeah, just barely, thanks to your quick thinking.”“No, you were the one that packed the ropes, I just found a way to use them.”“Fair enough,” Tim laughed. “At least you’re on stable ground again.”“Yeah, you and Trimdin really came through with pulling me up.”Both men looked at Trimdin. He stood still, smiling greatly, giving a sigh of relief.Then he began writing. “We have very little time, we need to get moving again."Tim and Claren read what Trimdin wrote.“That’s a good point, we can’t keep wasting time, we need to go now that you’re safe.”“Yes, now that I am out of harm’s way, I am ready to go.”“Great, but let me say, we’re only safe for now. More threats lie ahead, with The Queen and her guards. She is an evil, evil being, so we need to be careful, be quick. It’s only a matter of time before we are in danger again. I am ready, are you?”“Yes, all the way,” said Tim and Claren together.All three continued their trek, their adventure to find the parts. They had mere hours to find them, and were only temporarily secure.Safety was never a guarantee with their career, was it?

Chapter 5 - Falling Out

“How long has it been since I fell?”“Eh, a few hours or so,” Tim responded.“If we didn’t have to travel over this dang mountain, we would already have found the parts,” Claren cried.“Maybe, but Trimdin said that we only have a couple kilometers before we’d get there.”“Yes, it's just over this mountain, or, more like under it.”“Under it?” asked Tim.“Yes, the entrance to where the parts are is on the other side. That leads to a base under this mountain, where The Queen hides her prized possessions.”“So they’re in a bunker?”“Essentially, yes,” he wrote."What else is kept in there," Claren questioned."Not very much, it is mainly just a secure place for her riches. It also acts as a safe house in case of emergency, as it has a lot of space for expansion and construction.""Interesting.""Yes, it quite is."“How do you know so much about The Queen, Trimdin?" Tim asked. "You seem to have quite the knowledge of who she is, where she hides stuff, and the inner workings of her administration. Who did you learn it from?”He stopped walking. Tim and Claren stopped soon after.“Hey, why did we stop?” Tim asked.There was no response from Trimdin. His large, black eyes became covered with his thick eyelids.“Trimdin, are you ok?” Claren quiered.Still no response. Little puddles of water excreted from his eyes, them slowly falling down the mountainside. He was silent.“What did I do, Trimdin, what did I say?” Tim frantically asked. “We are so close to the parts, but we can’t continue if you're hurt.”“Tim, you must have triggered something in him,” Claren suggested.“I guess so. I never meant to press or pry, but…”His words were cut off, as Trimdin picked up the board and started writing. Tim and Claren watched as he swiftly wrote on the board, awaiting a response. Trimdin was still crying, and was visibly upset, but kept on scribbling.Trimdin looked up, then continued stroking the marker against the board.“He must be writing quite a lot,” Claren joked.“Yeah, but whatever it is, it must be important.”“Well, let’s see for ourselves.”Trimdin turned the board around, and the men looked at it carefully. They looked at each other, then back at it again. It said nothing. There was only a drawing.“A drawing?” Claren said.“Yes, a drawing, of what though?”“It looks like a map. Maybe of where he’s from?”“No, that’s a silly idea, Claren. You see the mountain over on the right, and then on its side there’s an entrance.”“Oh, yeah.”“I think he’s showing us where to go, because on the left there is a room, and he drew something on a pedestal in that room.”“It’s the parts, Tim, it’s the parts! Trimdin is telling us where to find them, but why?”“I don’t know. Trimdin, why are you telling us this, why are you telling us where to go?” Tim was confused. “You were meant to lead us to the parts, not just point us in their direction. What did I do to hurt you, what did I say.”Tim took the board from Trimdin, erased it, and turned it back around giving it back to him. “Write something, please. You need to come with us, we need you.”“Tim, stop! Leave him alone.”“Fine, just please Trimdin, write something.”“Tim, he clearly doesn’t want to go on. He probably told us where to go because he doesn’t want to face The Queen. She has hurt everyone here, including him, but he was willing to help us and risk his life.”“You’re right, Claren, you’re right. He’s risking everything for us, to defy his queen.”“Okay, let’s go then, let’s leave him be.“Wait. I need to give something to him before we go.” Tim swung his bag over his shoulder, opened the latch, and took out his dagger. “Trimdin, take this, it should keep you safe, against The Queen, her guards, or anyone who attacks. See it as a farewell present.”He examined the weapon, graciously accepting the gift and stowing it in his pocket.“Now we can go,” Tim said sadly.The men left the grieving Trimdin alone, continuing up the mountain, reaching its peak, and slowly sliding down the slanted surface, landing directly next to the entrance.“My God, this corridor is massive,” Tim said.“It’s so much larger than I thought. If only Trimdin was here to see it.”“Well, that’s my fault, it all is. I'm just under so much pressure; we were so close, but yet I had to say something about how he knew it all.”“We were running out of time anyway, and Trimdin was obviously hurt, so don’t blame yourself,” Claren said sincerely. “We have been through so much in the last few days, so let’s refocus. The parts are most important right now, Trimdin is probably fine, especially with the dagger. No one can put him in danger”“Yeah, you’re right. I at least hope he’s happier now.”“Let’s get this show on the road then, let’s beat that queen!”Tim and Claren marched through the arched doorway, entering a long, dark hall. The only thing they could see was a small opening at the end, illuminating brightly. Every step forward was a step toward the parts, every step forward was a step toward home. This was their chance to live.“What do you think is in there, Tim?”“It has to be the room that Trimdin drew.”“If it is, that means the parts are in there.”“Well, what are we waiting for then?”Both men started sprinting, then running, towards the glow. The parts were closer and closer by the second, no longer would they be stranded.“We’re almost there, Claren,” Tim said ecstatically.“Yes, come on, we're mere meters away!”Tim and Claren kept running, kept going, kept heading towards the blaze.“It’s stunning, Tim.”“What is it though?”They reached the opening, being engulfed by the light.

Chapter 6 - The Queen

Tim woke up, this time Claren stood in front of him. “Where am I?” he asked.They were enclosed in a large atrium, heavily decorated with gold and silver. The walls were pure white, with pristine floors and incandescent lighting.“What is this place, Claren?”“I’m not sure, I woke up just like you minutes ago.”“Is this where the parts are?”“No, this is where they’re supposed to be,” Claren stated depressingly.“They’re not here?”“Well, there’s a pedestal here in the center, and nothing is on it. They’re gone!”The room was virtually empty, with no doors, windows, or anything. Tim and Claren were trapped.“This room is so beautiful,” Tim said in amazement.“It would be even better if we knew where we were.”Tim and Claren got up from their corner of the room. There was nothing to see.“So, how do we get out of here?” Tim asked.“I don’t think we do. We thought we were going to The Queen, but I think The Queen was coming to us.”“What makes you say that, Claren?”“Who else would put us in here, in the room where the parts were? She’s taunting us.”“She knew, she knew we were coming. But how?”The room suddenly went dark. Claren took out his flashlight, looking around the area.“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Tim, Claren, so nice to finally meet you.” A mysterious voice surrounded both men.“Who are you?” Tim yelled.“You know exactly who I am.”“The Queen,” Claren shuddered.“So you have heard of me, good. Now I know he didn’t lie.”“Who didn’t lie?” asked Tim.“Trimdin, of course!”“How do you know Trimdin,” Claren said angrily.“Well, let’s just say next time, don’t leave your friend alone on the side of my mountain. He’s crying for help as we speak.”“What did you do to him!” both men screamed.“There are two punishments on this asteroid for treason, a life sentence, or death. Guess which one I’m picking.”“So that’s the game we’re playing here,” Tim quipped.“If this is a game then it just started for me. I have a whole other plan for you two, ha!”The Queen kept cackling, screams playing in the background. But they weren’t just any screams, they were Trimdin’s.The sound then cut out, terminating all communication.~~Both men continued to sit in the dark room, only Claren’s light shining.“What are we supposed to do now? This is like the fifth time in the past day we’ve been left stranded.”“Well, you’re not wrong there, Claren.”“Just how exactly did she know we were coming?"“Let’s see, first we crashed into her kingdom, then traveled with one of her subjects, and then entered her heavily monitored secret base. We’ve done everything to make our location known.“Fair enough,” Claren sighed.The room fell silent. More time passed.“Hello? Hello? God dang it, just let us go,” Tim pleaded. “I know you can hear us, don’t hurt Trimdin, I swear to God.”“Tim, she clearly doesn’t care.”“Well, she better, because the second I see her I’m gonna…”“What Tim, what are you going to do?”“I don’t know, I just hope he’s okay. She is literally torturing him, and we can do nothing about it. I left him, we left him, and now she captured him.”“We’ll do something about it, we’ll find a way to save him. The Queen clearly has plans not just for him, but for all three of us. We can save him, I know it.”Claren was desperate, he needed to boost Tim’s morale, but knew that escape was unlikely. Every time they have given up, someone, something, has saved them. But this time, that didn’t appear so.The space lit up again. It was static, it was empty, just like before.“She’s coming,” Tim whispered.“From where?”“Look up.” The ceiling slowly slid away, a void taking its place. Both men started to float, rising gradually.“What is happening, Tim?”“I don’t know.”The men kept soaring upwards, soon over the room they were in, surrounded by an empty abyss of darkness.“Do you two know where I’m bringing you?” The Queen teased.“You alien bitch, what did you do with Trimdin?”“Hey Claren, watch the language. But yes, where did you put him you alien bitch!”“Calm down, I kept him alive…”“Oh thank God,” Tim sighed.“You didn’t let me finish. I kept him alive so that I could kill him in front of you two.”“If you lay a finger on Trimdin, Tim and I are going to rain fury on your home.”“With what army? You two wimpy humans have nothing, no one, just yourselves. Now, come watch your friend die.”Tim and Claren started to free fall, soaring towards what was once the parts room. It was now colossal in size, with massive corridors and legions of soldiers. But in the center was now Trimdin, along with a much larger being similar in shape. That was The Queen.

Chapter 7 - Battle of Revelations

“Now we meet face to face,” The Queen said smiling.Tim and Claren gently landed before her, guards surrounding the area and Trimdin tied to a large post.“Trimdin,” Tim yelled.“Silence! Guards, get these two in restraints and take that ridiculous purse of him.”Four walked behind Tim and Claren, taking Tim’s supply bag and cuffing their hands behind their backs.“Watch, my dear prisoners, watch as your friend is put through more pain than you can imagine.” The Queen turned around, laughing as she pivoted towards Trimdin.“Your brother was so good to me, Trimdin. He was too kind with his power, too generous. His death was, let’s just say, unfortunate. But without it, we would have never assumed power. All it took was a bit of poison.”“We? Brother?” Claren interrupted.“Why yes, did Trimdin not tell you about him, about what happened?”“No, he only ever talked about a king—your husband—one that died, one that cared for his subjects,” Tim said, attempting to spite The Queen.“I care for my subjects, only as long as they care for me.”“You’re a selfish, power-hungry prick. Why should they care for you?” Tim wailed.“Who put you in restraints?”Tim fell speechless.“That’s what I thought. They have no choice. I'm in control. Only power can do that. Now, back to what we were talking about. Where was I? Oh yes, Trimdin. We were just reminiscing on how I killed your brother.”

Chapter 8 - Battle of Redemption

A short gold sword, glistening in the bright light, was given to The Queen.“After a bit of verbal torture, how about some real pain? I killed my husband the kind way, but with you, I want to enjoy it. Your death will ensure my rule, and will act as discipline for your crimes, for helping outsiders.”Trimdin stared at the blade, its pointed edge in the hand of his enemy. He couldn’t move, couldn’t act, couldn’t defend; he was trapped. What can I do to free myself? I can’t let her kill me as she did to my brother. Trimdin looked over to Tim and Claren. I need to save them, I know I abandoned them, but they need my help, or else they’ll end up like me.At that moment, Trimdin thought of something. The dagger, the one that Tim gave me! Where did I put it again? He started to squirm around, the guards reapplied their hold. Where did I put that dang thing?Trimdin looked over at Tim again, and he did the same. Tim mouthed two words at him: your pocket.“Okay, Trimdin, I’m ready, are you?” The Queen snapped. She readied the blade in her hand, moving back from the alien and pointing the tip towards him.Trimdin started shaking and moving around again, subtly freeing one of his hands. I’ve got to get that dagger out of my pocket.“Please, stop!” Claren pleaded.“I’m going to hit you where it hurts.” She aimed it at Trimdin’s stomach.“Please!” Claren pleaded again.“Stop, Claren, it’s okay.”“What do you mean okay?“Trimdin’s got a surprise for her,” Tim whispered.“Quiet, you two! How much do I have to tell you that? Now watch your friend die, and make sure they see it.”More guards held Tim and Claren down.The Queen slowly started walking towards Trimdin, her blade directed at him. Then she began to run, getting closer and closer.Trimdin dug around in his pocket, pulling out the dagger last minute.As The Queen lunged towards him, he lifted his one arm up, knife in hand, ready.She slammed into him, digging her sword right into his stomach. But his weapon hit harder. The Queen let go of her blade, falling to the floor, Trimdin’s dagger in her head.

Chapter 9 - A New King

“Oh my,” Tim exclaimed.Trimdin stood still, the sword impaling his torso.The guards all let go, standing down as the men rushed over to their alien friend. Together, they untied him from his stake, taking him off of it.“Trimdin, buddy, what did you do?”“Where’s the whiteboard?” Tim asked.“I don’t know, we left it with Trimdin when we left him.”“Right, never mind. Can you get me the first aid kit in my bag, Claren?”“Sure, sure.” Claren turned around, running towards the unprotected sack.The guards stood lifeless, closing their eyes and resting their weapons.“Here you go, Tim.”“First we need to remove the sword. Trimdin, if you feel any pain, shake your head. If we remove the sword, we can bandage it over to stop the bleeding.“Shouldn’t we just keep it in then?”“No, just trust me, keeping it in will put Trimdin in more danger.”“Okay, Tim, I’ll follow your lead.”Both men carefully removed the blade from Trimdin, quickly covering the wounds. He remained motionless.“Trimdin, how are you feeling?“Did it work, Tim?”“I’m not sure.”“Well, we need to get out of here soon!”“The parts, where are the parts?” He looked at the guards.No response.“Does anyone know where the parts are? Your queen is dead, she is no longer in command. You can tell the truth!”Nothing.“Do any of you speak English? We know Trimdin can’t, but your queen could.”The guards stood dormant, only looking at Trimdin. They awaited his wakening.“Fine, fine. Claren, do we have anything that we can use to revive Trimdin? His wound is already healing, but he is not waking up.”“Well, I didn’t pack a defibrillator, sorry.”“You’re an engineer, you must be able to think of something to make using what we have here? Something to shock his system.”“Uh, sure, give me a second.” Claren looked around. We have two ropes, a flashlight, swords, a medical kit, and whatever our suits came with. The biggest thing was electricity, conductivity. I need something strong, something with a current, something that could carry that current.It then came to him. The battery in the flashlight, the gold sword, the steel dagger. He could take the current from the battery, transfer it to the weapons, and then to Trimdin. Since he was small, the amount of energy should be enough to stun him.Claren got the needed materials together, and within no time assembled it.“Okay, we need to apply one sword here, and the other here. It should jumpstart his heart, hopefully bringing him back.”Tim watched Claren carefully bring the device near Trimdin’s body, the guards continuing to stand down. "The second it touches, it should cause an instant reaction."He slowly placed it on his chest. His body shook. Trimdin reignited immediately, the soldiers knelt.“Trimdin, Trimdin! You’re awake,” Tim and Claren screamed joyfully. The alien looked at both men, seeing the smiles on their faces.“Let's get you up, Trimdin, let’s get you off the floor,” Claren said.Together they lifted the small creature off the ground, his weak and limp body struggling to support him.The guards stood up again as he rose, watching his every action in synchrony.Trimdin stood still, Tim and Claren holding him up. Everything seemed normal, everything seemed fine. But this didn’t last long.He started shaking, he started trembling. The room was getting darker, his body getting brighter.“What’s happening?” Tim questioned.“I’m not sure.”“Trimdin, what are you doing, what is happening?”Before a response could even be said, a massive gust smashed against the walls of the room, exploding it and pushing Tim and Claren back.On the outside was the surface of the asteroid. The mountain that was over the bunker vanished, chunks of debris hovering over them.In the middle of it all, Trimdin continued, now spinning and slowly flying upwards. He was still ablaze, illuminating the sky above them.“He’s as bright as a star now!” Claren exclaimed.“Yeah, he sure is.”“But why is this happening, how is he floating?”“I don’t know, he killed The Queen, we revived him, now this is going on.” Tim let this thought settle for a second. Killed The Queen, revived him, floating. No one else here can float, no one here can fly. No one had that type of power except for…The Queen.“Claren, what did Trimdin say happened after the first king died?”“Um, it was something along the lines of he died because The Queen killed him. She then came into power.”“That’s it, that's what’s happening.”“What, huh? What do you mean?”“The Queen killed him and gained his power. Trimdin killed The Queen.”“Oh my God, Tim. That means that…”“Trimdin is the new king.”

Chapter 10 - The Parts

A massive sphere surrounded Trimdin, it slowly expanding above.“Their monarchs don’t just literally take power, but actually gain powers, Claren.”“Is that how she spoke English, is that how we were lifted out of the parts room?”“Yeah, I think so,” Tim said.“It all makes sense now. Everything.”“I wonder what other gifts he’ll get?”“Tim, look up…”The glowing ball above became orange, Trimdin now spinning rapidly, quickly revolving in the air.The ground started to shake vigorously, pebbles started to levitate.All of the guards looked towards Tim and Claren.“I-I think he’s almost done. His mutation is almost complete,” Tim shuddered.Trimdin kept spinning above them.“You think so?”“No, I hope so.”“Me too, Tim, me too.”The orange orb then started to collapse, Trimdin still moving at breakneck speeds.“There he is, Trimdin! He looks different, though…”“It’s part of the transformation.”The alien was much taller, broader, and was wearing a massive, maroon robe. Atop his head was a shiny golden crown, and on his hands was a purple, magical glimmer.“I think he is starting to slow down,” Claren said happily.“Yes, yes, it appears so.”Trimdin was decelerating, his evolution finished. He started majestically gliding towards the floor of the once room.The guards kept their eyes glued onto both men as they watched him descend.A booming voice then entered the ears of Tim and Claren.“Tim, Claren,” it said.“Yes,” they both stuttered.“I would like to thank you for your help, for your assistance. You both have aided me immensely.” He landed on the ground.“Trimdin?” Claren asked.“No, I am no longer Trimdin, I am King Trimdin now, ruler of this asteroid, ruler of this kingdom.”“Why, yes, we are so sorry,” Tim added.“You don’t have to be sorry, I just want to reiterate that. I am in power now, not that vicious queen. Guards, get the parts and be dismissed. I want to be alone with them."A massive shuffle of the soldiers happened, as most moved out the sides of the room. Only one remained. They were holding the parts.They came up to the new king, kneeling and handing him the unused parts.“Thank you, your duty has been completed, you can go off with the rest now.”He got up and nodded.“Also, send a message to our best mechanics to be at Tim and Claren’s crash site, we need them to fix their ship as quickly as possible.”The guard then finally walked away, leaving the two men with the new King Trimdin.“So, your majesty, what do we do now?” Tim questioned.“Well, we get you to your ship.”“But how, it’s fairly far away from here,” Tim stated.“Are you going to fly us there?”“Claren, that’s a silly question?"“That is a silly question, Claren,” King Trimdin said, “because of course I’m going to fly you there. These powers would be useless otherwise.”Tim stood dumbfounded.The purple glow around Trimdin’s hands brightened up, and soon, Tim, Claren, and The King all started to float, along with the parts.“Whoa, I never thought I would fly in the air like this.”“Yes, it's quite a magical experience, isn’t it?” The King said.“It sure is!”The two men and their alien friend continued to soar in the empty sky above the asteroid, zooming towards their destination.“So Trim… I mean, King Trimdin, what other powers do you gain as a ruler?”“Oh, a few oddball things; levitation, speaking English, super healing, supreme power and control over everything and everyone, and so on.”“Huh,” touted Tim.“Yeah, I mean that all sounds really useful,” said Claren.“It’s quite the luxury, one that’s worth it though. Revenge is something I have sought for so long, though doing it has still left me incomplete.”“What was all that about?” Tim asked. “She said that the old king was your brother? What happened there?”“Ten Earth years ago, my brother was in rule. He got his power through a duel, one fair and square to see who would be our new monarch. A kind guy, he was; a kind soul, as you already know. Everyone loved him, and he loved them. But some were angered by his policy, by his inherent warmth.”“So what did they do?” Claren asked.“A rebellion started to grow, one by elitists, against the sympathy of my sibling. They were led by a merciless leader, Quinten, and thought the new king was soft; thought that we needed to be in constant war. My brother was giving too much away and stopped the very thing giving Quinten power. So they sent an informant to befriend him, to get close. That was The Queen.”“Where were you in all of this?” stated Tim.“With him, by his side the entire time. We were best friends, and when he came into power, we only became closer. I was his right-hand man, his biggest supporter, and destined to be his successor. But for a while, The Queen seemed the same way with him. They worked wonderfully together, as she slowly built up in his ranks. She started as his assistant, but moved higher and higher, closer and closer, and finally, they fell in love. That put The Queen in the prime position to attack.”The three of them remained flying in the air, quickly approaching their ship.“It was his birthday. Celebrations were happening across the belt. He was preparing for a grand dinner, prepared by the subjects. Of course, we checked every item that was coming in, testing for dangers. But when The Queen contributed to the banquet, we thought nothing of it. Why would his wife do anything to harm him, anything to hurt him? That was her and Quinten’s plan, to slip something in without suspicion. That was his death day.”“They put poison in the food she made, and he ate it. That’s all it took?” Claren added.“Yep, it was a quick and swift death. It was horrifying to watch, seeing your brother just fall after taking a bite to eat… on his birthday... by his spouse. Moments later, she started her transition. We all figured it out quickly: The Queen killed him. His own love killed him. Nothing could be done; the rest is history.”“I’m so sorry for your loss, your brother sounded like such a nice individual,” Tim sympathetically said.“He truly seemed kind and well-intentioned,” Claren added.“He was, but that’s enough of that story, just look below us.”There it was, the crash site, in all of its glory. And next to it was a legion of aliens, the mechanics. They were ready to replace the broken parts, ready to serve their king.The two men started to gradually glide towards the dusted ground of the asteroid, the parts next to them. Down, down, down, until boom, contact.“Ha, yes, the sweet ground again!” Tim cheered.“The last time we smashed into this asteroid, I thought we were dead,” said Claren."Yeah, it hasn't been so nice to us."“Well, those are the dangers of exploration, you two,” The King shouted. “Now get to fixing your ship, and mechanics, help them where possible. I must go, I must secure my kingdom.”His minions got to work, taking the parts from the ground.“So is this it?” Tim asked.“Is this what?”“The end, is this our goodbye?” said Claren.“Well, I guess it is.”“Oh,” both exclaimed.“There is no better time, no better place. First of all, I would like to thank both of you for your help, for your care. I went from a subservient victim to a rightful ruler. Never did I think I could get back what I lost, to get back at the being who hurt me. Never.”“Your welcome, Trimdin, of course. But don’t forget that without you, we wouldn’t be able to return home. You have given us a chance now,” Tim earnestly stated. “We would be dead without you, we would have given up without you. You led us to the parts, and we are eternally thankful for that.”“We’re on even terms then,” Claren said.“Yes, we are. We have been from the start, and always will be. That’s what friends do.”Tim and Claren looked at Trimdin, The King looking back at them. “Friends.” That sank into all of them. “Friends.” Everything they had been through, they did it together. Nothing could keep them apart, not even The Queen. Before, they were stranded. But now, they’re surrounded. By love, by support, by friendship.“Well, I better go off now.”“Okay,” both men responded.“I hope to see you again soon, I hope you the best of luck on your trip home.”“Same here, and I hope things go a bit smoother around here. I just know you will be a great ruler. One with flaws, with humility; a king fit of this kingdom.”“Thank you, Tim, and I hope they will. For my brother, let his legacy go on, let it continue.”“Yes,” Claren said.“Goodbye, my fellows, goodbye,” King Trimdin boomed, slowly floating away.“Thank you for everything,” the men screamed in unison.The new king hovered away, leaving Tim and Claren with the repair aliens. They quickly commanded the workers, and soon, all the necessary equipment was installed. A new engine, a new antenna; the ship became whole again. The men entered the vehicle, the mechanics doing the final touches.“What do you think is going to happen to Trimdin?”“He’s a king, now. King Trimdin will do as King Trimdin pleases.”“You’re not wrong there.”Tim and Claren sat in their respective seats. The aliens on the outside of the ship banged on the hull, indicating the completion of the repairs.“Yesssss. Let's GO.”Tim flicked a few switches, Claren a few more. They shook vigorously.“Come on! We can do this.”A few buttons were pressed, a few dials turned. They shook vigorously.“It’s almost there!”Bars were pulled, levers moved.“Closer, closer, closer.”“Come on! Come on!”The engine started, blasting their ship into the space above, setting course for Earth.Setting course for their home.

Epilogue

7 Days After The Departure…“You think the separatists are really going to negotiate?” King Trimdin asked.“I hope so, Your Majesty.”“How could those hooligans follow him and that evil queen?”“These rebels are strong, a force to reckon with, trust me. When I served under your brother, I saw firsthand the torture that they commit. Murder, fights, robbery; they’ll do anything to cause chaos.”“I remember. All the sleepless nights, all the times I'd wake up in tears because of this monster. But maybe, just maybe, we can stop them from getting out of hand. I am king now, their monarch is dead, and that lunatics head is getting cut off regardless of what he says today.”The doors to the atrium opened, soldiers standing in the way. Behind them, mobs of subjects, shouting.“Kill The King, kill The King. Let his reign end. We want our queen back, we want our rightful ruler back!” a protester chanted.“You’re weak, just like your bastard brother,” one screamed.King Trimdin and his assistant watched the rallied populace, some trying to push through the protection.“They dare talk about Nardyn like that? He's the reason they're alive!”“Sir, I see him.”Through the horde of aliens, one stood out. He was tall, holding a weapon in one hand, a shield in the other. They marched towards the front, towards the doorway where they stood. The soldiers moved aside, the mysterious figure coming to light.“Ah, old friend. Nice to see you again,” he said.“Why yes, it’s quite pleasant, isn’t it? A crowd of rebels around my palace and a gun in your hand. Very nice.”“I could never risk my life, it’s too valuable. Revenge comes in all shapes and sizes."“You think I'd stoop that low?” The King jokingly asked.“I did,” he responded, a small smirk appearing.“That’s you, I’m me. And you have no idea what I am capable of!"“I think I do. I've fought feisty ones like you before. So sure, so confident. You've got anger, enough so to kill the one who was going to bring peace and glory to The Belt. But I have something you don't: power. The power to control, to dominate, to devastate. That’s who we were with before, and that's who we'll be after I win this war."“No, no. War is not the solution to our problem.”“But oh yes, it is.”“So is that it, are we going to war? Over greed? Over power? What about our society, our home? Give up now, and all of that will be spared.”“It’s not our home. Right now, it’s yours. But soon, it will be mine.”“War it is, then. The cost will be heavy, the toll enormous.”“Yes, King Trimdin, it will," he responded, peering deeply into the inky eyes of the enraged ruler.“Then I shall see you on the battlefield. I shall see you be crushed. You will never win, Quinten. Never.”“Hold that hope as hard as you want; it will never be true.”King Trimdin remained still, watching his enemy walk away, the masses cheering on below. A war, bloody and painful, is to start—the victor deciding the fate of their home, their subjects.The outcome unknown.

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