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| Lpnet1-100 The Lost Planet Chapter 1: Accident with an Asteroid Chapter 2: Stranded in Space Chapter 3: Survival in Solitude Chapter 4: The Ancient Temple Chapter 5: A Virtual Reality Experience Chapter 6: The Crystal Records Chapter 7: The Knowledge of Tranqua Chapter 8: The Meta- Hydrovector Chapter 9: The Long, Hard Work Chapter 10: The Project Complete Chapter 11: The Crystal Fantasy Chapter 12: The Key of Vitreos |
The Lost Planet
Chapter 5. A Virtual Reality Experience Both Mars and Jupiter were far out of conjunction with the asteroid now, and there seemed little chance of making contact. For over a period of 8 days, it got more and more hopeless. For the time, I turned to alternative concepts of survival. Under the extremities of the circumstance, that was quite a task, both on the nerves and the mind. I constructed a 'greenhouse' inside the cavern, and placed some hope in the conjunction of Venus, which was due to occur in approximately 4 months. Venus had 3 artificial satellites, and so there was a possibility of making a 'relay' on the distress. Sure, I knew it was a long shot, but it was the only one I had. After that, there was an approximation for a right-angle with Mars, after which the 'windows' between the many islands of stone would widen, but that was any where from 6 months to a year away. Because I had no exact reading on the velocity of the asteroid through space, many figures were uncertain. I could make general guesses, but the further away they got, the less exact they could be. Conjunction with Earth itself was anywhere from 1 year to 18 months away. Facing the heavy reality, it was obvious that I was on one of the longest space-rides of my lifetime (if one could call it living) and there was a shortness of the very sustenance of life. Nevertheless, I had to try, and a tiny piece of my self managed to keep me going, never quite giving up hope. The greenhouse was one possible alternative concept for prolonging that life. It was also a saving grace to my sanity. I worked hard on it for 10 days taking time out to rest, check the vitals systems, and realign the radio-dish. During that time, I also installed 2 extra dishes dug out of the cargo-hold. When the greenhouse was complete, and the seeds were planted in the fertile soil also bound, my interests returned to the mystery of the asteroid's ancient past. The mysterious dreams that continued to repeat, ever since the second day, preoccupied my thoughts. Every time I slept, the last dream before awakening was always about wandering through caves and making interesting discoveries. It was as if my subconscious had seriously become involved with the 'mystery'. Every other day, as I studied the assortment of artifacts and gemstones taken from the treasure, I had the insatiable urge to return to the cave and get more. But without another air-lock, the loss of air was much too costly a price to pay for curiosity. So, after the greenhouse was complete, I decided it was time to install another air-lock, in the corridor leading from the temple to the treasure. As I was constructing the frame in the temple, I made another interesting discovery. A bowl of assorted gemstones under a lamp began to glow. At that point, my interest in the potentials of rare crystals became sparked. Light could be magnified and intensified by rare stones. The rubies for instance, were known to be useful with high-energy lasers, as well as sources of heat. As heat was an excellent catalyst for a greenhouse, one of the first uses that came to mind was just that. I placed an assortment of gems all about the soil of the greenhouse and observed the reaction with the intense sunlamps. As a heat source, the stones proved quite valuable. After the air-lock was complete, while resting I experienced another strange dream. In it, I discovered a small stone statue of a deity in humanoid form, with an exotic dress. As I examined it, someone or thing appeared to sneak up behind me, as if it reached out to make contact. Turning in the fear of an unknown, I shied away, and awoke. Shortly after breakfast, as I made the rounds of the temple, and contemplated the day, I experienced a nervous-collapse. It was time to realign the radio dishes again, and the hopelessness of my survival became too heavy to hold on to. I very nearly lost my temper, but the reaction led to a sickness in the stomach, and I doubled over onto the cavern floor. Everything I'd been through after the crash flashed through my mind. For a moment, I thought for sure I would die, but instead, it merely served as a reminder of what might occur in the future if I failed to survive. Then I recalled the Virtual-Reality unit and realized it might help to pass the time. The VR-unit was good therapy for the mind during deep-space voyages. This was the deepest space voyage I'd ever been on. Perhaps it could help. I was feeling closed in, too confined, and I recalled that was one of the more prominent symptoms of the nervous collapse, so it was almost certain the VR unit would help. One of its most magical qualities was, it took the walls away. I went to the Valkon and got one of the VR-units from the cargo. An hour later, I was having an intimate relation with a VR Venusian beauty, by the side of a pool of water, in a garden of paradise. |
Chapter 13: Contact with Mars Chapter 14: The Asteroid Miners Chapter 15: T’rwani and Tranqua Chapter 16: The Europan Pirates Chapter 17: A Clone for a Companion Chapter 18: A Skirmish in Space Chapter 19: The Story of Tranqua Chapter 20: Dealing with the AMV Chapter 21: The Tranquan Transverser Chapter 22: The Trouble with Martians Chapter 23: The Martian Consulate, Zykura Chapter 24: Hexnot, Mars Chapter 25: The Final Cataclysm |
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