Chapter 3: Docked...

Proverbs 14: 15

“The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps.”

The helm hums low as Moose returns, the quiet heartbeat of the CS01 filling the bridge.  He takes off his red cap, holds it in his hands, and lowers to his knees.  Art-bot moves gracefully to her terminal, helm light tracing a soft arc across her faceplate as it retracts out of sight.  Q-bot plugs in at her holographic dock, her armor retracting, a faint hum rising as her systems recharge, her optics dimming to a patient cyan glow.  Moose bows his head to the ground, the ship’s dim lights catching the worn edges of the Bible at his side.

Proverbs 3: 9-10

“Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

The frogmanthing had been unexpected.  The Bible in its hands even more so.  It hadn’t given its name, but Moose now has the core he was praying for.  He stands with a quiet groan, pushing up from the ground, pulling his hat brim low, and sits down at the helm with Bibles all around.

“Before we do anything with this core, we better settle in.  It’s going to take some time to see what this can do.”  Moose places the glowing cylinder on the helm and wrinkles his nose.  “We better check in on the crew.  Art-bot, you ready?”

Art-bot leans forward at her station, helm still retracted, eyes flickering soft cyan.  “Ready, Captain,” she says, voice steady but curios.  “Its readings are unusual.  Energy signature doesn’t match any known system on record.  Not CS01.  Not anything Federation.  It’s… different.”

Q-bot’s optics flare back to life, pulsing once, twice, steady.  “Jericka?  But brrrecka?” she asks, voice a quick staccato of static and tone.  Her head tilts, visor reflecting the glow of the core from across the bridge.

Moose stares at the light, fingers drumming the helm’s edge.  “We’ll find out soon enough.”  Moose opens a Bible, flips through the pages, and calls up the week’s study on a monitor on the helm.

Q-bot steps closer, kneeling beside the cylinder.  “Radiation trace minimal,” she reports with a hologram from her palm.  “Resonance field expanding.  Containment stable,” all flash in rapid succession.  She looks up at Moose.  “Krilikitiy.  Reshlickit rerrrzt berekkk kalikali.”

Art-bot’s head tilts slightly.

Moose nods once, slow and certain.  “First things first.”

Proverbs 19: 23

“The fear of the LORD leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.”

“Remember what Proverbs teaches us.  We are to give our first fruits to the LORD and let’s not forget what Jesus teaches us.”  Moose flips a few pages in his Bible, the delicate pages turning quickly, gold edges slashing in the light of the helm.

John 15: 1-8

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and thrown them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”<73

“Let’s get focused.”  Moose flips the comms on.

“Morning, crew!  We’re going to be docked at the First Last Stop for the immediate future.  If there is anything you want while we’re here, don’t worry, we won’t leave without you.  Stowaways, if you want to join the crew, just keep following along.  We’r going through the fear of the LORD study this week with a background of James 1 from last week still going hard.”  Moose pauses and wrinkles his nose.

Proverbs 22: 1-4

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.  The rich and the poor have this in common, the LORD is the maker of them all.  A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.  <73.  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life.”