You get towards the ship in a couple of minutes. Naturally, it is a configuration that you don’t recognize. It is fairly large, clearly meant to house about forty to fifty people. But when you scan the ship, you find that it is utterly devoid of any life signs. But you can’t think why. The ship is undamaged.
“I don’t like this,” Rachel says.
You don’t either, but you see no reason to admit that. “Who cares if there’s no one there? All that means is no one to tell us no when we take a few things off their hands. With a little alteration, I’m sure the ship’s systems will be compatible with ours.”
Despite some pleading from her, you soon get her to put on a spaceship and follow you out into space. The entrance hatch slides open with no effort, you find yourself inside.
Everything seems to be in perfect repair, except that it is all strangely dim. You tell yourself that it’s possible that whatever species made this ship might be photosensitive, but it still creeps you out a little.
Rachel presses her body against yours. “It’s cold.”
You take the hint and wrap your arm around her. Suddenly, you hear something from behind you. You whip around.
Standing there is a humanoid figure with eerily pale skin and very long fingers. It smiles, far too broadly for its mouth.
“I see you’ve joined me,” the thing says. “How wonderful it is to have visitors.”
“What are you?” you say. “Scans showed there was no life on this ship.”
The thing smiles. “Of course. But what makes you think I’m alive?”
Suddenly, it’s eyes flare red, and it seems to lift slightly off the floor. |