Convalescence

: to recover health and strength gradually after sickness or weakness

//He is convalescing from influenza.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/convalesce

Finally caught up with the Luna Hyperlight , she was in orbit around Hypoe Flyi HX-T e3-295 A 1 A, what a system. After some minor repairs to my face, arms, legs and of course my left shoulder and a quick change into the Hiraeth I headed out and take a good look around.

I didn’t get much further than planet fall on A 1 A, with doctor’s orders to get plenty of exercise I headed for the nearest moon to enjoy the surrounding nebula from sold ground.

This planet is certainly interesting to say the least, with scorched craters, the strangest purple hued rock and mountains that look like those cones you see around stations and carriers, after the floors have been cleaned. Hanging above in the sky is a great, dark class iv ringed gas giant, Hypoe Flyi HX-T e3-295 A 1 seem to be lurking where ever you turn.

Off in the distance hovering shamelessly by the side of a mountain (Perspective is a funny thing). was what I can only assume was planet B, it was dark.

I dropped the Scarab SRV out from the Hiraeth, road trip time. I was going to climb a mountain, see if I could get a closer look at a planet B. Doctor said I needed exercise, climbing a mountain should do it.

I took off towards the target mountain, the terrain proved challenging and would have been quite enjoyable, had it not been for the jolts of pain flashing through my shoulder with every jump and jitter.

There was an abundance of evidence indicating to the planet’s violent history, craters and what appeared to be solidified lava fields were every where. Not to mention those very, very pointy mountains, I thing they were volcanos at one point.

The SRV bounced out of the crater and we landed on a relatively flat plain, in the middle of which, stood several stones arranged in a broken circle. Was this possibly a sign of a lost civilisation, not that there was anything additional to suggest this. If I had noted the co ordinates, I would have planned to come back to perform a thorough investigation, with drones and probes. I blamed my lack of judgement on my morning tea being off today.

Trundling closer, the full scale of the mountain revealed itself. Reconsidering doctor’s orders and my stoic position of a brisk climb, I thrust the Scarab into drive and full power and took a punt at scaling the behemoth on 6 wheels instead of two feet.

Dust and debris ejected from the mountainside as the little SRV pounded away at what I later discovered to be a literal vertical climb. Coasting backwards down the mountain, I concluded it was time for Plan B, drive around the base and look for a shallower angle of ascent.

I had no flag with which to conquer the mountain, or the planet for that matter. But I dobbed it The Brutus. From the summit those cone mountains looked more like a camp site.

I imagined that these valleys and mountains were home to a cool mythic army. I reasoned if any they would have been the ones to leave that stone circle.

With my convalescence in full swing, it was time to recall the Hiraeth… she landed at the base of The Brutus. I crawled the SRV forward towards the ledge, this SRV can travers anything with gravity on its side. On reflection, it was a long way down. He reminded me of the stories the my mothers and fathers used to read to me, “The Little SRV that Could”.

Once the Hiraeth was in orbit, I opened the navigation console, plotted a course to the Great Annihilator, what could possibly go wrong.