In a darkness, sounds of quiet waves lapping against the hull outside. There was sound of gulls quietly calling and he could smell fresh sea air. Warmth of a loving soft body pressed full against his muscular form, soft firm female flesh touched him. Fully aware and aroused.,

Xzedd opened his eyes to find a dank coldness in the absolute silence of this disused living space. A pinging attracted his attention from the hand unit laying beside him. He was zipped into a sleeping bag. The hand light was under his cheek. It blinded him for a moment as it popped on. His warm hand grabbed at the comlink. It only displayed text instructions.

Grumbling his way out of the bag, he found the head. Cold decking under foot made the walk more of a comic dance. Fingers drummed impatiently as he finished his business. What the hell was going on..it all seems like a dream. Thoughts of the dream that woke him made him promise to find that feeling. for real He had.get through this and that will be his reward., somehow someway.

He found chow-bars there on the counter. A wrinkled space cover-all was hanging on the hook beside the bunk. The chow-bar reminded him of tasteless emergency rations he once ate..somewhere...His mind was still foggy. The first instruction said to get dressed, get fed and go topside...follow the map. " Map?" he stared at the screen. " show me the map!" he demanded. Happily the map appeared. A compulsion to break something seemed like a good idea..he fought that urge. Thirsty he found some water from the space suit. Pulling it on glanced at the small screen, he followed the map. "Okay...this way?" He slid the door open. It didnt move easily, the portal made a scraping sound like a rusty drawer. "lovely" He was glad the suit had boots built in that seemed to form fit his feet. It was a long hike up sweep ramps in the old space wreck.

Later...Xzedd found himself facing an immense dark cavern, maybe a hanger". The air was not fresh...His hand-light beam disappeared into the vast chamber. His map showed an access port. His foot slid down the first step. His light showed the stairs he almost fell down. The portal was at the bottom. "great."

It was hours later when the last of the first list was complete. The tanks were not filled on the 5th step. Xzedd rolled them into their hangers anyway. The hoses were stiff, but the valves held. Sounds of gases hisses, the old-school manual gauges bobbed up and down then held in the green zone. Tubes began to flicker and energize. The room lit in greenish glow. Pipes made creaking sounds over head. The hand unit vibrated in his hand, the map was replaced by another set of instructions. The first instruction was to go down the hallway and try the turbo elevator.

In a few steps Xzedd stood before the double wide doors he guessed were the elevators but there no response to the controls . Somehow a desire to smack the panel came over him. The impact of his fist dented the surface, but the red light on the panel did pop on. The doors slid apart showing the elevator platform was about a full step lower than the floor. He checked the instructions, it said to get in and select level SBB. An uneasy feeling came over the old soldier. The Engineer inside him hated trusting someone else's work, but he stepped down and into the elevator car pressing the button marked SBB. The car fell.

There was a moment of weightlessness and then the slight gravity pressed to his feet..more and more until normal gravitation was restored. The moment of error washed away. " Maybe it is supposed to do that." he reassured himself.

The copper doors slid apart to reveal a small chamber with blast doors filling the walls. The only opening in the door was just about the size of his hand unit. The small rectangular hole was pulsing with a yellow glow. The hand unit screen was pulsing with the same frequency, a quiet voice coming from the unit said, " insert unit now". Xzedd didn't want to put his map in the slot for fear of losing is only reference tool. Reluctantly he pushed the glowing top into the slot. It pulled away and disappeared. Thankfully it returned and pushed out of the slot. As it was drawn out of the rectangular opening the doors slid open. As the blast door slide into the frame the same greenish glow pulsed from tubes on the walls of the interior space. As Blues and reds danced int e air scenes emerged human shapes materialized in 3D projections. The one who appeared on the first screen last-night was standing in the middle of the scene. His shape scintillated, the eyes were not hostile but the bearing was commanding. The voice seemed to be heard inside Xzedd's mind. " Fear nothing, I know you have many questions. We were not expecting you, but we are glad you are here." Anger swells in Xzedd's gut, " Who the hell are you? The voice continues verbalizing Xzedd's questions, " why am I here and where the hell is here" answers are coming." The voice was reassuring, but the atmosphere was tense. "Patience." "Patience my ass! You have done something to my mind!! I am not your slave!" "No you are no slave, but from what we can discover you are a walking dead man." "Oh a zombie." "To be honest, maybe, yes...A combat engineer designated Zedd Alpha or Jed Alfie, the matrix in your augmented memories changed neural pathways. Artificial memories and super imposed synapse over write made your subconscious mind control your physical functions; something or someone brought you here...Do you understand what I am telling you? "Brain washed." Essentially, correct. And we have to be sure who did this before we give you complete access to this system.." So, what you are saying, is I have been "hacked!"

Space junk, "

'derelict' is property left for good by the owner (permanently abandoned). The practical effect of these definitions is that almost any item, aside from military, archaeological or inherently dangerous objects such as military ordinance, unstable fuel cells can be a "wreck" and subject to a salvage claim. Stars End Space Authority guidelines states that a reward for salvage is to be fixed with a view to encouraging salvage operations and is to take into account fact ors which include: the salved value of the vessel; the skill and risk of the salvors; the measure of success obtained by the salvor; the risk of liability and other risks run by the salvors or their equipment; and the promptness of the services rendered." The grizzled old space captain barked reading the text off the screen that was the bartop there in the Stars End Bar. He continued, "Salvors, that means salvage operator and thats me! Charles Japt. My wreckers hit perimeter mines workin' that old piece of crap depot!! That was ten years ago and Starliner or You is paying for that equipment !" You rep for Star-liner" I thought they was all dead. I'm talkin' to you Alpha! " He was yelling at a quiet guy in a plain brown flight jacket." Ya I know your name, I been talkin with Receiver of Wrecks at Space Port Authority."

Xzedd Alpha set his beer on the interactive bar top, he winked at the bar-keep and pointed to his empty mug then made the sign for two and pointed to the bar in front of the irate salvage operator. The half shaven brute poked at Xzedd's shoulder, I aint drinkin' with you. "You owe me for that damaged equipment, Pay up!"

Non-plussed, Xzedd turned on his stool and shook his head, " Have a beer, that's what we are here for. I'll buy, we can talk business later, or in the morning".

Several ugly others, maybe operators working for the angry salvage captain stood up like a brawl was about to erupt. The barman lost his smile and fingers the safety off a hidden blaster, " Boys, let's all relax. Drinks on the house." The room was tense.

The old Captain exploded," No, I have waited long enough, WE TALK now!" He grabbed for Xzedd collar, the hand didnt touch the fabricas it was batted away like one might swat away a fly. The fist that came from the other direction aimed at Xzedd'd jaw was blocked by the same fist that swatted the hand. The dumbfounded look on the angry Captains face was only visible for a moment as Xzedds fist bopped the man on the fore-head. The move was fast and a bit comical, but the impact was hard enough to make the old salvage man drop to his knees. "Pa?"Two of the ugly sailors rushed to help the old man. Xzedd sat relaxed on the stool looking apologetic. " Oops, sorry..." He was looking concerned for the old guy he just biffed. " You guys looking for work?" That question seemed to confuse one of the men, the other spat curses..

"Hey, Star-liner might reopen the depot, I need people who can work. I am not looking for enemies". A fast foot kick came at the seated Xzedd Alpha, which was caught, and lifted up taking the second off-spring of Japt off his feet. The boyish brute hit the floor flat backed. Xzedd was now standing facing the group." I am needing a crew, a good crew." He looked at the men at his feet." I need people who will show up for work and who will not be wanting to kill me. I seem to have enough of that going around." The room lightened up, although the Japt boys were not happy, the old CPT Japt was cursing as he was helped to his feet. " We have business with you Alpaha!" The old man's speech was slurred.

Xzedd Alpha, shrugged to the bar-man." I am sorry, I didnt want to make trouble. Trouble seems to be following me.?