ASTRO S2 - Part 4: Showdown, Doctor Belfor, The Interference Signal E-Book

Martin Wintersberger

• Herausgeber: Astro Entertainment
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 65

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Between triumph and betrayal! In an operation of unprecedented precision, an elite unit led by Jonathan Fraser takes control of the Moon Station. But their triumph is soon overshadowed by a new, life-threatening crisis. As the dark schemes of the Corporation are revealed, the true power of unity and friendship shines through in the darkest hours. Meanwhile, Lilly Winter delves deeper into the fascinating and unpredictable world of artificial intelligence. At the same time, the fragile alliance with the Brotherhood of Wolves is put to the ultimate test.

Leseprobe

Authors: Manuela Wieninger · Martin Wintersberger

Illustrations: Midjourney

Cover: Acht Schätze & Sasha Schlöglhofer

astro-entertainment.at

This work, including all its parts, is protected by copyright. Any use outside the narrow limits of copyright law is prohibited without the written consent of the author and is punishable by law. This applies in particular to reproductions, translations, microfilming and storage and processing in electronic systems. ASTRO and all persons appearing therein and their names, all actions, circumstances and laws of nature are fictional. Any resemblance to living or dead persons or fish is purely coincidental and unintentional..

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Copyright © 2020, 2025 Martin Wintersberger

First English Edition 2025 – Based on the 2021 Austrian release

Published in Austria by ASTRO Entertainment e.U.

Based on an idea by Martin Wintersberger

Translated from German with DeepL

All rights reserved

ISBN 978-3-99119-055-4

SEASON 2

SPACE STATION 236

Episode 10: Showdown

Episode 11: Doctor Belfor

Episode 12: The Interference Signal

»THE MOON IS JUST THE BEGINNING!«

EPISODE 10SHOWDOWN

A strolabius and his friends stared spellbound at the sky and said not a word. The Mondians interrupted their conversations mid-sentence, paused in their activities, and parents picked up their children. Then they stood motionless like mannequins, only the soft splashing of the stream and the deep vibration of the oxygen system could be heard. A tense, eerie silence descended on the Lunar Station. All eyes were fixed on the inexorably approaching fleet of spaceships.

Eighteen Special Forces ships under the command of the Alpha Prime government and four escort ships carrying government officials and mission commander Jonathan Fraser were approaching the lunar base. When the black ships broke formation with their menacing landing lights and descended all around the Lunar Station, panic spread and the Mondians began to flee to their homes. The LCC made an announcement that the Mondians should remain calm, but it was too late. No one listened to the voice coming from the loudspeakers anymore. Even the Corporation's security guards ran around in panic, past the smiling families on the advertising monitors.

Astro and his friends felt hot, and at the same time a shiver ran down their spines, but they continued to watch the scene. At the main airlocks, four spaceships each held their diamond position at a precise distance from the building complex. Mission commander Jonathan Fraser ordered two more shuttles to circle counterclockwise above the base. The Lunar Station had been captured!

The operation was planned with precision; nothing was left to chance. All take-offs and landings were blocked for the duration of the operation. Incoming cargo pilots were denied landing and assigned a position in geostationary orbit far away from the Lunar Station. LCC officials were ordered to let the Special Forces into the station. The Special Forces, in their black combat suits, took up positions at the entrance to the school and in the main camp of the Lunar Station. They quickly captured the individual niches of the camp and moved dangerously close to the Corporation's production facilities on the ground floor behind the laboratories of the old Lunar Station.

Astro and his friends had changed their position from the playground and retreated to a sheltered corner between the promenade and the main square. Astro's heart was beating wildly, his face was red, but he was sure that nothing would happen to them. As long as they sat on the ground, moved as little as possible and were perceived as children. Behind the special forces, two recorders ran alongside, checking off the names and photos of the arrested members of the Corporation line by line. At one point, Astro and his friends were eyed sharply by one of the recorders, but after glancing at his list, he hurried on. The clerks' calls were occasionally drowned out by the arrested Corporation employees, who were hurried away in handcuffs.

In the camp, Karl immediately threw himself on the ground, while Sonja remained standing and put her arms on her hips: ‘What's going on here?’ she barked at a clerk. ‘Lie down on the ground immediately and don't resist!’ Karl pulled on Sonja's trouser leg and whispered urgently: ‘Do what he says, Sonja!’ As she reluctantly lay down on the floor next to Karl, the clerk compared their faces with his list and asked for their names. ‘Karl Wolf and this is Sonja Bachmann,’ Karl gasped, completely sweaty and trembling with fear. Before he had even finished speaking, the special forces moved on at a rapid pace. Sonja had already gotten back up and was watching the officers leave. Then she turned back to Karl, who was crouching on the floor: ‘Well, those are humanoids to my liking! What speed! And that energy. Did you feel that? Well, I did! Why can't YOU be faster? Hm? I'll ask where they did their training. Maybe we'll send you there!’

The elite soldiers were so intimidating that the corporation's security guards immediately knelt on the ground, put their hands behind their heads and surrendered when they appeared. The troops secured one area after another at lightning speed, precisely and relentlessly. The remaining Mondians were instructed to go to their homes and not leave them for the duration of the operation. Astrolabius and his friends looked at each other fearfully. The words ‘Residents of the Lunar Station. Go to your homes immediately. This is not a drill!’ echoed continuously through the Lunar Station. The main square emptied and Astro quickly stood up: ‘Come on! Let's go home!’

Astrolabius opened the door to the flat. When he turned around, a Special Forces soldier waved him inside. His mother embraced him: ‘There you are at last!’ Claire clung anxiously to Lilly's arm. Only now did Astro realise the gravity of the situation and let his emotions run free. His eyes glazed over and he stammered, ‘Mum... what... what's going on here?’ Lilly knelt down to be at eye level with her son: ‘Everything will be fine now, children. I'm here. Come on, I'll make you some cocoa!’

Given the mission at the Lunar Station, which was surrounded by a vacuum, mission commander Fraser did not want to take any risks and armed his team with non-lethal weapons that fired rubber bullets. Although a hit hurt like hell, the person hit got away with a bruise. The projectile did not damage the outer walls or the safety windows of the Lunar Station, so there was no danger of endangering innocent humanoids through a leak. Jonathan had no intention of hurting anyone, but he expected resistance from the Corporation.

Lennard Cordes, whose information had made the operation possible in the first place, asked for a weapon. Jonathan looked at him in surprise: ‘You can handle this baby?’ He handed him the weapon. Lennard's pride was hurt: ‘Of course!’ He held the weapon awkwardly in his hand and even looked down the barrel. Fraser shook his head: "Give it here, Cordes. Before you seriously injure someone." Lennard wanted to give the gun back to Jonathan, but accidentally pulled the trigger. A rubber bullet was fired under high air pressure and hit Lennard's toe so hard that you could hear it crack. He opened his eyes wide, and Fraser held his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing.

Meanwhile, a few brave Corporation officers attempted to recapture the main square and also fired special ammunition at the Special Forces from the first and third floors. However, the Special Forces took cover in a flash and returned fire. The resistance of the security officers on the main square was eliminated in a matter of seconds. The element of surprise still lay with Alpha Prime's team. They continued to advance towards the Corporation building.