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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Sdrawkcab Sorry I was late this morning, I had to work in the garden before it decided to rain.
Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Granny, Again
"This looks nothing like it did," Dustin said, looking around at the ship after the nanobots were done redoing it. He would be able to jump to his destinations now, instead of having to warp everywhere.
"It looks much better than that glorified airplane we were in," said Olivia, getting back from checking out the interior.
His mother came up to the ship, her arms full of some kind of purple fruit that tasted a little like bananas, and ignored the outside of the ship completely, until she had gotten inside and found herself lost.
"Where do I put these?" she hollered back at them.
"Oh! I'll show you!" said Olivia, rushing to help her.
Glancing around one last time, Dustin climbed onto the ship as well, and prepared to leave. Sliding into his seat, he couldn't help but smile at the familiarity. Double checking on the systems, he missed his AI computer from the military science station. Leaving the planet behind, he prepared to jump to the military base where Granny was currently. Making sure that the cloaking was on, he jumped.
If anyone had ever seen an angry beehive, they would have found similarities with the military base when he first arrived. Ships of all sizes were flying all over the place, and he couldn't help but having to change his location several times to keep from being hit. He didn't think that, had he jumped in uncloaked, anyone would have questioned his presence.
"What's going on?" asked Olivia, sliding into the seat she had sat in, in the virtual world.
"If you look over there, you'll see that there are space worms attacking their station," said Dustin, remembering what Granny had told him about why the station was abandoned.
His mother joined them, and they all craned their necks to see the worms as they ate holes in the solar collectors. The military was in the process of evacuating the station, and that was why they were zipping around like crazy.
"Why don't they attack them?" asked his mom.
"They can't. All of their weapons are dodged, if they are solid, or absorbed if they are energy," said Dustin, moving the ship again, to avoid a collision with a large hauler.
"They eat energy?" asked Olivia.
"Yea, and it is delicious, if you change into one of them. Swimming through space is so much fun. It's like swimming through water."
"But how? There's nothing out there!" exclaimed his mother.
"Sure, there is! There are so many different energy waves, from the suns, and everything, you just can't see them."
"I think I'll take your word for it," laughed Olivia, as his mother shook her head and sat in the seat his father had used.
"I'm going to dock over there. That should be the closest port to where Granny was being kept, when I found her," said Dustin, moving the ship towards the port. The military had moved to a different section of the station to evacuate.
"What if we run into anyone?" asked his mother, looking worried.
"Don't worry, I'll have everyone turn into crystal lizards, to keep any of their weapons from bothering us."
"Crystal lizards?" asked his mother, not looking very relieved.
"Trust me!" laughed Dustin, connecting to their PED's and sharing the form he intended to take.
The three of them made their way towards the air lock, as the ship finished docking by itself, their new crystal lizard forms catching the light and sparkling. Stepping onto the military station, Dustin couldn't help but notice that the emergency lights hadn't been flashing the last time he was there. It also wasn't that cold, which meant the heaters and air systems were probably still working, too.
"We'll follow you," said Olivia, running her tongue over her sharp teeth, as she fell in behind him.
He made his way quickly to the room that held the containment tanks, and paused when he came face to face with his dad. His mother gave a shriek of delight, and went to throw herself at him.
Several things happened all at once, which Dustin would later blame himself for.
His father, believing that he was under attack by a strange crystal lizard person, raised his weapon to defend himself, shooting her point blank in the chest. Because of the crystal scales, the energy beam bounced off of her, and hit him, in the chest, blasting him back onto his butt.
She screamed, slamming her hand down on the PED, changing herself back to her human form, and grabbed him up, sobbing.
Dustin could only sigh and rush to his dad's side. The poor man!
Not knowing if he had perfected his ability to change yet, Dustin could only hope that his enhanced speed at healing would help. Calling his nanobots from the ship, he had them bundle his father up, and take him and his mother, who was too busy sobbing to do much of anything, back to the ships medical bay.
Almost twenty minutes later, Olivia stood by his side, waiting for him to show her which of the floating creatures in the various tanks around them, were Granny. Dustin couldn't help but look around in amazement. All of these creatures had been dead and decayed, by the time he had come to the station. Right now, they were all still asleep. Could he rescue any of them, too? Better wait and ask Granny, first.
Finding her tucked away in the very back, just like he remembered, Dustin started the sequence to wake her up and let her out.
"Who the hell are you, and do you have anything to eat?" she asked.
"I'm Dustin, and this is Olivia. If you come with me, I'll explain everything, and feed you. I know where the cafeteria is, and they left a lot of food behind."
She looked at him for a moment, the slimy fluid she had been floating in was still dripping off of her, before finally nodding. Olivia gave him a careful look, when she turned to follow, but didn't say anything.
Dustin only hoped this went well, because Granny didn't know who he was, and Gooblens were not to be trifled with!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
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Here's hoping Granny remembers his parents!
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