Episode 8 - Attempted Re-Entry

Don't you just hate it when you find answers, and they turn out to be homicidal spaceships?

# Attempted Re-Entry - Synopsis

## In open space

Capac and Splitsie panic and try every evasive action in the book. The RX-39487 and the RX-394 are on a collision course. Splitsie steers the smaller ship through the larger ship's exterior struts, bisecting some. As they fly towards the sun at break-neck speed, Capac worries that Splitsie's girlfriend is really mad now. Splitsie repeats she/it isn't his girlfriend.

If she has jump drives, how are they supposed to escape? Capac compares the chase to cheesy shark movies and suggests a plethora of sci-fi solutions. Splitsie likes the idea of disguising the ship in the asteroid belt, so that's their next goal.

(View through security cameras) Splitsie pilots and Capac entertains himself by asking questions, pushing buttons, playing hide and seek, and winking at the camera. While Capac does his shift piloting, he looks at a ship diagram of RX-394 and writes a movie script starring RX-394 and himself.

## In the asteroid belt

After Splitsie rejoins him in the cockpit, they speculate about what the AI wants. The AI might not be wrong about them being employees under her jurisdiction. The RX-394 and the Impostinator ship definitely looked familiar.

Capac reports what he found out about RX-394: Most of the crew escaped, judging by the low number of bodies. Splitsie worries the crew might have been ejected into space. (Floating hearts appear on the ship diagram.) Capac counters that the escape pods had been deployed. (The floating hearts pop like soap bubbles.) But how long would refugees survive out here? The interference prevents tracking emergency beacons. Regarding how to "ditch the homicidal space hulk", Splitsie reports that his parley was unsuccessful. The mad AI kept lecturing him on regulations and operational policies.

A beeping proximity warning gives Capac flashbacks of forklift attacks. The RX-39487 is coming up on the asteroid belt. Capac is disappointed that the asteroids are not densely packed like in the movies. Splitsie flies closer and across the asteroid surface. He parks in a crevasse and shuts everything down to hide their signature. Splitsie shushes Capac and they wait nervously.

RX-394 has found them. Splitsie takes off and races away once more. Even Capac is out of ideas. Capac considers surrendering. Splitsie figures that RX-394's sensors have got to be like theirs -- not able to penetrate the atmosphere on the desert planet. RX-394 would be too large to land on the planet, whereas RX-39487 would have a chance. Maybe they would even find survivors there.

## The desert planet

(Bright lights and swooshing sounds outside) RX-394 has caught up with them again. They avoid the collision but their sensor array is sheered off.

Down in the planet's atmosphere, Splitsie and Capac prepare for re-entry. Splitsie turns the strongest thrusters downwards because they can't simply "beam down" (and Splitsie doesn't like the thought of basically killing oneself, making a copy, and sending it off). While they are falling blindly past mountaintops and burning in the dust storm filled atmosphere, Capac keeps quoting movies and asks for peanuts.

Considering that their current read-outs claim their altitude is underwater, they wish they had their old computer back. They brace for impact and Capac recites inapplicable safety guidelines. They're alive but the ship lies askew, stuck halfway in a sand dune. Capac is looking forward to building a sandcastle.

At least no one could have followed them down here...

Above the planet, the red satellite orbits. (Bright lights and swooshing sounds) Three large ships jump into the satellite's proximity. The ships are white with yellow and red highlights. Inside, the crew is dressed in black with red or yellow helmets.

> Minion: Someone's been messing with the relay satellite boss. Sensors picked up a ship just before it hit the cloud layer.
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> Boss: Follow that ship!
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## Epilog

Splitsie and Capac climb out the air lock onto the stormy sand dunes. Capac opens his helmets and breathes the atmosphere without hesitation. Splistie eventually opens his visor as well.

> Capac: Mm, tastes like battery acid
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> Splitsie: How do you... oh... forget about it...
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