Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Too Early
"You know how to fly this thing?" asked his mom, as they reached the ship.
Dustin checked it out, and was pretty disappointed with what he found. It had three private cabins, with two beds in each, a table with two chairs for work or eating, and a couch to lounge on while watching tv, or browsing the limited entertainment that was available. There was a small kitchen to prepare snacks and small meals during the flight, and a small resting area for the staff. There was also a seating area for those who couldn't afford a private cabin, much like a commercial flight in an airplane. The cargo space was small, and the bridge was overly complicated.
"I can fly this, but I'm designing and building my next ship," he grumbled, slipping into his seat.
"By all means, just don't forget a doggy door for Fido," laughed Olivia, sliding into the second seat, to watch him.
Dustin turned to her with a surprised look on his face, "I never knew you wanted pets."
"It was a joke," she said dryly, giving him a look.
He turned back to the controls and shook his head. This thing was set up like a plane, nothing like the ships he remembered. Sending a tendril into a jack, he hacked into the system.
The control tower was trying to get ahold of him, because they were trying to reset the system, where he had programed it to not let anyone else on the ship. Seeing that they were sending another ship over to forcefully take it back, he quickly disconnected, making sure that the system looked like he was doing everything right, and warped a short distance away. Enough space separated them, they would never be able to find them, and yet next to no fuel had been used.
Now he could focus on trying to figure out how to find his dad. He knew where the asteroid belt he had found him was, but this ship couldn't get that far on the fuel it had. And without his nanobots reconfiguring things, he couldn't use the alternate fuel he had learned about from the AI. There was nothing else to do, but hit up a refueling station.
"Where are we going first?" asked his mother, sitting down on a stool she must have found somewhere.
"To the 245-SEDG hyper gate. It will get us halfway, and then we can hit up a refueling station and warp the rest," he said, pulling out of the system and turning the ship towards the gate.
"The authorities won't stop us?" asked Olivia, worry evident in her voice.
"I just changed its owner registry and gave it a new id number. They'll never be able to trace it," said Dustin as they entered warp. While it was smoother than some of the ships he had been in, he was really starting to miss the ship he had designed and built in the virtual world.
As they approached the gate, he was hailed.
"Please transfer the amount of 250 credits for use of the hyper gate, and you will be entered into que."
"How are we going to do that?" asked Olivia with a frown.
"250 credits? That's robbery!" exclaimed his mother with a shake of her head.
"No problems," Dustin said, diving into the system. It only took a moment to convince the system he had plenty of money, and then transferred the required amount.
"That's a handy skill," said his mother, astonished.
"Can we go shopping?" asked Olivia.
"Later," said Dustin, moving the ship forward to jump. He also told the system that he was a wonderful person that needed to be first in que. While this may have ticked off those who were already in line, he didn't care.
Traveling through the gate was vastly uneventful. Checking the surrounding fuel stations, he found on just inside their current range, and set the ship to head there. They should be able to get fuel and be at the asteroid belt within the next six hours.
Despite the PED's reducing their need for sleep, both the women went off to find beds, because there wasn't really anything else to do. When they arrived at the fueling station, he used the same hacking trick to pay for a full tank, and headed off for the asteroid belt. He couldn't wait to meet up with his dad again.
Stopping the ship just outside of the asteroid belt, he searched for the asteroid he had followed his dad to. Just as he spied it, he noticed his dad in his space creature form, flying towards them. Fearing his dad would attack them, he quickly ran to the airlock, and started the timer to open the door. This ship had an automatic door, that would open as soon as the air was fully out of the air lock chamber, so he began changing his form to the same as his dad. It was more difficult than he thought it would be, because this body didn't remember doing it, like his mind thought it should.
When the door popped open, Dustin flew out, and looked around. Turning, he went flying towards the ship, as his dad barreled into him. Seeing the long stinger whip out, Dustin suddenly realized this wasn't his dad, it was an actual space creature, and it thought he was invading its space.
Dodging the stinger, as it glanced off the ships shielding, Dustin changed to have claws all over his body, tipped with his own mix of toxins. The next time the creature bashed into him, in preparation of stinging him, he sliced it open with his claws and watched it seem to wither and flutter in death throes.
Flying towards the asteroid that had his dad's ship, he soon realized it was actually a nest, full of eggs from that creature he just killed. His dad must not have come here yet, and Dustin didn't have a clue where to find him.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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Sdrawkcab So, I did type yesterday, but not enough to actually release a chapter yesterday and one for today. We just started school, and I homeschool, so until I get my schedule ironed out, things will be hit and miss.
Chapter 67: Chapter 67 On the Road Again
When Dustin managed to climb back into the ship, he was met with both Olivia and his mother waiting on him, confused as to where he had been. They had seen him flying around outside, but hadn't known it was him.
"I had no idea there were creatures that could actually live in space," exclaimed his mother in wonder.
"Well, this was where I first met up with dad, but he's not here, so I'm not really sure how to find him," admitted Dustin, sitting in the pilot's seat and turning to look at them.
"You did say that everything that happened to you seemed to be two hundred years in the future. Maybe he hasn't made it here yet," offered Olivia, sitting in the co-pilot seat.
"Granny and dad seemed to have a history with each other, more than just a normal acquaintance. Maybe if we got her, she could help us find him?" thought Dustin out loud.
His mother nodded thoughtfully, "It will be odd seeing her again. When we separated, I was sure it was for the last time."
With one last look around the asteroid belt, they headed for the nearest fueling station to top off the tanks before starting on their way to the military base Dustin remembered meeting up with Granny. Knowing that it probably wouldn't be abandoned this time, he had to take the route carefully. This little ship didn't have enough of a fuel tank to get very far, and he was starting to get annoyed with all of the pit stops they were having to make.
"I need to stop somewhere and make my nanobots so I can redesign this ship," he complained on the third day.
"Well, find us a place where we can get some decent food too, I'm sick of pretzels and soda," said his mother, grimacing at a small bag of pretzels she had just opened.
Checking the map in the system's database, he wasn't finding anything in the way of a gas station type space station. There was a planet ahead that seemed strangely familiar, that the sensors were picking up on having a good atmosphere and edible food. Maybe someone lived there that they could barter with?
Entering the atmosphere, Dustin was suddenly startled to realize this planet was the same planet he had landed on, that was suffering from self-destruction. The reason he didn't recognize it, was because it was lush and densely covered in plant life. Could the crystal people still be here? Should he warn them of the possible death of their planet?
Landing on an open stretch of land, he led everyone outside to look around. It didn't take long to make contact with the native population. A tall crystal person emerged out of the trees and approached them with a long stride.
Dustin stepped forward, wondering how he was going to communicate with them. When the crystal being stopped in front of him, he started to emit different colors. Dustin sighed and held out a hand. With a moment of hesitation, the being did as well, and he borrowed some of its genetic code to change.
Looking around through the eyes of crystal, he was amazed at the new colors and sights he had missed before. Every nuance of light seemed to sing a song to him, of each things story.
"I welcome you stranger, to my home. Why have you come?" asked the being, in a series of different colors.
"We request permission to acquire food and supplies for our flying vessel before we continue our journey," said Dustin, finding that some of the words he would have normally used came out differently.
"There are plenty of foods and supplies on our planet for the small unit you travel with, we have no issues sharing with you. Why do you travel?"
"We have lost some of our unit and seek to regain them again."
"I sense that you have news that would interest me in the edges of your crystals."
Dustin thought about the proper way to tell him that his planet was doomed, but wasn't sure how to tell him, because the words didn't translate. They had no words for death and destruction.
"I fear for you and your unit here on your planet. Your planet will not be healthy in the near future," he finally managed to say. It actually came out more like it would get a disease or parasites, but the guy seemed to understand.
"This is our only home. We have no where else to travel to. If it dies, then we die."
"If I can get you a safe place to travel to, would you be willing?" he asked, thinking about how he had been setting up places around that one star. The thought also occurred to him, about why this planet had started to self-destruct. That didn't normally happen.
"We would be grateful for such help. I look forward to seeing you again."
Dustin returned to his normal form, to watch it walk back into the trees.
"What did it say?" asked Olivia as he headed back to the ship.
"They don't mind us getting supplies and resting a bit while I do stuff. I think I want to find out a but more about this place, because in the future, the planet was tearing itself apart."
"Dustin, that doesn't just happen on its own. Maybe someone tried to destroy it, or an asteroid ran into it?" said his mother.
"I wondered about that, but we shouldn't have to worry about it for now. I'm going to get busy making my nanobots. Why don't you guys gather some fruit and stuff?"
They turned to look at a few trees that were heavy with fruit and with a shrug, headed that way. Dustin settled down with the two backpacks of alien tech he had brought from his apartment, and got busy. It didn't take him very long to make the first initial batch.
With the nanobots complete, he could finally rebuild this ship into what he really wanted.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
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Sorry I was late this morning, I had to work in the garden before it decided to rain.
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