Cycle Above

(Note - I can't tell if this is the complete story yet, a part of one, or just some random stuff I typed up. Also note, I posted life content earlier today.)


Daniel walked through the sliding airlock door, connecting the two buildings in perfect harmony. As he entered the room, he heard the proud soliloquy cease, and the undertone in the room change from a rushing tide to a stunned acquiescence to his presence. He nodded once to the group, before striding towards the colonel's office, and knocking shortly.
"Enter." More than permission, less than a command, the colonel's clipped tone revealed that he knew exactly who was knocking, and what the reasons were for Daniel's presence.
As Daniel thumbed the button, a groaning mechanism slid the heavy door open, revealing the spartan office of Colonel Jansen.
"Sir." Daniel's tone was respectful, but behind it was the cold from a hundred missions to the Belt.
"I have no words for you, Taylor. Take this. Don't expect anything for your actions. None will commend you, none will molest you." Jansen held out a small data stick.
"Very good, sir."
"Get out of here, Taylor. May you die tenfold for your cowardice."
"Very good, sir."


Daniel Taylor left the Mars Colonial Authority base on Demios on 13 August, 2178, three years after the MCA Bresnik left for Titan on an exploration mission. He took a civilian transport to Phobos, and rode the elevator down to the surface. On the surface, he rented a powered suit, walked to a certain hillock in Arabia Terra, broadcasted a specified set of packets on a pre-specified frequency, and walked back to the elevator. On 16 September, 2178, he bought a personal transport capable of deep range missions, filed a flight plan for the L5 station, and left on an outbound trajectory. His ship was found passing the Kuiper Belt on 28 March, 2913. He was not aboard.