"The second part states that if a starship is left derelict or is not operated by its owner within three hundred years then the ship can be salvaged and the previous owners have no claim to it whatsoever." Spector finished.
"Wait three hundred years, but before you told me?" Adam repeated in shock.
"Yes, to be accurate I have been hidden here for thirteen hundred and eight years, nine months and twelve days by this plant's calendar."
"Why didn't you attempt a return trip? I mean you must have had enough fuel provided?" Adam asked.
"The amount of fuel provided for the experimental drive was just enough based on the predicted calculations, however because of the error that occurred I ended up using more fuel than necessary and being stranded here."
"The fuel is not available anywhere within range of my sensors and it is something I am incapable of reproducing myself."
"I see, so does this mean your open salvage for anyone to take complete ownership off?" Adam asked with slight excitement.
"Possibly, the three hundred year rule goes by universal standard time as decided by the universal senate. Because I don't know the time difference between this planet and the universal standard I can not give a definitive answer, but considering that I have been here for thirteen hundred years it is a high possibility."
"Oh!." Adam replied hopefully.
"That does not change the fact that I am in need of a captain and operator right now however."
"Why? You can obviously function without them." Adam asked.
"While I can operate in automated mode I am limited by my programming. Certain functions can only be executed with the captain's authority and command codes. Also universal law states that no starship's are allowed to be fully automated with the exception of small unmanned fighters which are controlled by an individual on a larger starship."
"So you want me to become your operator or captain so that you can leave Earth and go find out what the time difference is?" Adam asked.
"Affirmative."
"And what happens then?"
"Two possibilities, first in the unlikely scenario that I am still within the three hundred years salvage law, I will have to report it and Solarian special forces research and development division five will almost definitely want to reclaim me and as such you will be compensated the amount I am worth which would be a considerable sum of credits, more than enough for you to by almost any other starship that's available to the public. The second possibility is that the three hundred years will have passed and I will now belong to you by universal salvage law and you decide what happens after."
…
Back to the present.
"So what do I need to do?" Adam asked?
"Your bio data is already in my memory and in order to register you and it as my operator and captain place your hand anywhere on the control panel before you."
Adam did as instructed and as soon as his hand touched the control panel screens started rapidly opening and closing so fast that Adam and the stream could not follow it.
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Someone clip this quick so we can go over it later.]
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Idiot 3 horns, don't you know anything?]
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Who you talking to bitch?]
[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): Ok that's enough calm down. Superior clipping it wont work. There are safeguards in place that prevent this sort of data from being visible in recordings. Plus with how the streamers stream mutes certain words and blurs his image in clips, do you really think clipping it would work?]
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Damn.]
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): As I said idiot.]
After several moments all the screens disappeared until only one remained showing Adam's details.
[[Name: Adam Spencer]]
[[Age: 18 (Earth Calendar)]]
[[Age: Unknown (Universal Calendar)]]
[[YOB: 2007 (Earth Calendar)]]
[[YOB: Unknown (Universal Calendar)]]
[[Race: Earthling.]]
[[Species: Humanoid]]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): So the streamer really is from Earth.]
[Noobkiller9000 (Earth): Dude found a starship lucky fuck.]
[SciFifanboy (Earth): THAT'S SO SCIFI, AND I'M SO JEALOUS.]
[Sparesomechangebro (Earth): Bro you have a starship, surely you can lend me some change right… right?]
[Superhearofangirl (Earth): Will he go into space?]
[Whostolemyduck (Earth): Most likely, I mean who wouldn't.]
[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Remember little Earthling friend, I invite you to visit me on my planet.]
[Celebrityhunter69 (Earth): Why is his name not showing though?]
[Whostolemyduck (Earth): It's probably the stream blocking it again.]
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Told you stupid 3 horns.]
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): STFU bitch 4 horns you didn't tell me anything, it was Prestigious.]
[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): Sigh.]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): @Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2) you have my sympathies.]
Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): Thank you.]
"Registration complete, please input your command code captain."
"Errr how?"
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Lol guy doesn't know anything.]
[Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): Why would he you idiot?]
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Laughing emoji.]
Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): Face slap emoji.]
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2):...]
"State your command code out loud and I will record it."
"Hmmm." Adam said as he began to think before finally saying
One, seven, three, four, six, seven, three, two, one, four, seven, six, Charlie, three, two, seven, eight, nine, seven, seven, seven, six, four, three, Tango, seven, three, two, Victor, seven, three, one, one, seven, eight, eight, eight, seven, three, two, four, seven, six, seven, eight, nine, seven, six, four, three, seven, six. Lock.
"Command code accepted."
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Damn the command code was muted, lame.]
"It seems you muted my command code from the stream, right Spector? Kind of wishing you hadn't since SciFifanboy will love it haha." Adam said with a chuckle.
[SciFifanboy (Earth): Wait what what tell me tell me.]
"Would you like for me to reveal your command code to the stream captain?"
"What no no." Adam said in a panic.
[SciFifanboy (Earth): Booo.]
[Forever1stCommenter (Earth): Booo + 1.]
[Noobkiller9000 (Earth): Booo + 2.]
[Whostolemyduck (Earth): Booo + 3.]
[Puntanghunter69 (Earth): Booo + 4.]
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): Booo + 5.]
[Sparesomechangebro (Earth): Booo + 6.]
[Gunlovergirl (Earth): Booo + 7.]
[StealthAssassin9 (Earth): Booo + 8.]
[Superhearofangirl (Earth): Booo + 9.]
[AlamoMatador4thewin (Earth): Booo + 10.]
[Justiceistruth: (Earth): Booo + 11.]
[Celebrityhunter69 (Earth): Booo + 12.]
[Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): Booo + 13.]
[Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): Booo + 14.]
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Booo + 15.]
[Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): Booo + 16.]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): Booo + 17.]
[Beczontop (Imperial Down): Booo + 18.]
[Solarianpride11 (Solarian 4): Booo + 19.]
[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Booo + 20.]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): @Beczontop (Imperial Down) Why are you here? You're supposed to be at work on the bridge.]
[Beczontop (Imperial Down): Hehe.]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): Don't let the commander catch you.]
Beczontop (Imperial Down): No worries.]
"Command code accepted. In the future when your command code is needed please state your surname followed by the command code."
"The Spector is now under your command captain. What are your orders?"
"Prep the ship for departure and then take us into space." Adam replied excitedly.
"Affirmative." Spector replied before speaking throughout the ship even though there was no one else on board."
[Condition Blue]
[Neutron reactor online]
[Anti-gravity Drive online]
[Shields Online]
[Sensors online]
[Artificial atmosphere online]
[Artificial gravity online]
[Weapons systems to standby]
[Defensive systems to standby]
[Star Drive to standby]
[Subspace Drive to standby]
[All hands brace for launch.]
[Noobkiller9000 (Earth): WTF.]
[SciFifanboy (Earth): This is sooooo SciFi.]
[Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): A neutron reactor? Seriously?]
[Tessisdabest (Imperial Down): A subspace drive?]
[DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): How big is this ship?]
[Solarianpride11 (Solarian 4): …]
As Spector finished speaking the ship started to shake even with the artificial gravity so Adam quickly sat down in one of the chairs and held on.
…
"We're thirty seconds out." The pilot of the helicopter reported over the comms.
"Prep for disembarkation team and no funny business, we don't know what we will find down there." The squad leader shouted.
"YES SIR."
"Errr sir we have a problem." The pilot said over the comms.
"What is it?" The squad leader asked.
"Well sir, it's the ground we can't land on it?"
"Why the hell not?"
"Because it's not the ground anymore."
"What?" The commander asked before going into the cockpit and taking a look.
What they saw was that the earth where they wanted to land and in the surrounding area had started to rise up into the air.
As it rose higher and higher the mud, stones, trees and grass near the edge dropped back down to the earth below.
The helicopter crew stared in shock as a massive object, primarily dark grey in colour except for the forest still atop it, was rising into the air.
The sheer size coupled with their close proximity made it impossible for them to make out exactly what they were seeing.
As they continued to stare in shock the object started increasing its speed as it began moving away from them before all of a sudden it shot up into the sky and disappeared from view.
"What the fuck was that?" The co-pilot asked.