Frank is questing! Episode 1/25

This adventure takes place mostly in Outerspace and on a few far-flung planets.

List of main characters: Jeff, Ships Captain and a Green Life-Form from the planet Equalive. Herbert, crew mate, a gentle, smiling, Tripple from the planet Joyex. Frank a Petland resident.

Log—One.
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Fair. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three.

The morning was dry and warm and promised a clear take-off. Packing up all the gear, gifts, and the Pod House—Herbert and I had lived in for the past few weeks—was taking some time, and we had an unexpected addition. One of the Petland residents wanted to come along on Little Bastion to visit my home planet, Equalive.
Herbert and I—Captain Jeff—had been visiting Petland. Chatting with the locals to learn about their home with a view of Petland becoming a vacation spot. In turn, we shared stories about Equalive. It had been a very productive time. One resident was so excited they asked a million questions. So, we offered to take Frank with us and return them to Petland in a week.

Frank is questing! Episode 2/25

Log-Two
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Fair. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three.

Finally, everything had been stored. We were all set for take-off. Frank had been dancing around, saying goodbye to their friends, and wondering if they had packed enough stuff. I had to tell Frank numerous times that the Little Bastion was a small, old Spaceship, so there was limited space, and to only bring the most necessary items.

Frank is questing! Episode 3/25

Log-Three
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Fair. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Take off

Little Bastion lifted off from the surface with no problems—she may be old, but she is reliable. Herbert and I gave a tour of the ship to Frank. When we reached the bridge, Frank looked out the window and gave a farewell wave, to the planet we had just left. “Goodbye, Petland. I will return with some exciting stories.”
Looking around, Frank spied our one decoration on the bridge. “What is that?” A glowing green gem floated above the stand it was placed on. “That,” said I, “is a floating gem from some planet we stopped on years ago. They are said to be a great source of energy.” “Wow,” said Frank, “it really does give off a lot of light.”

Frank is questing! Episode 4/25

Log-Four
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-No comets. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Ship running perfectly. Just above Petland.

I set the coordinates for Equalive, and we left the bridge. “I think we all need a nap, it has been a busy few days, and it will take some time to reach Equalive.” I showed Frank where we lived. The lower decks of Little Bastion functioned as a cargo bay and living quarters. The House Pod was set up to sleep in with an eating/cooking area nearby “This is so cool and exciting,” said Frank, “I don’t know if I will be able to sleep.”

Frank is questing! Episode 5/25

Log-Five
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Comets. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-ship running well. Close encounter with comets.

We all woke up a few hours later and felt refreshed. Heading for the bridge, I told Herbert and Frank to get some food and then meet me up on the bridge. Everything looked good.

Tink

Tink

The sensors had picked up that a foreign body had hit the ship, no damage was registering. Gazing out the window, I saw a few comets whizzing by.

Herbert and Frank had just arrived on the bridge. “What was that sound just now?” Frank looked a bit scared. “Just some debris off of a comet, no damage, and it does not appear that we are in danger. “Does this happen often?” Frank asked. “Yes and no, it depends on the area. Little Bastion is travelling in space, and other bodies are also travelling in space, so it makes sense that now and then we would meet up,” I answered.

Frank is questing! Episode 6/25

Log-Six
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Space anomaly. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Encountered space anomaly, losing control of the ship.

The next few hours were uneventful. Herbert and Frank decided to go to the lower deck and play a game of cards. Another day should see us on Equalive. I am looking forward to being home and writing a report on what I found out about Petland. I think the council will be pleased.

Suddenly, alarms sounded—blaring loud and insistent. Pounding feet running up the stairs, Herbert and Frank appeared on the bridge. “What is that?” yelled Frank. I told them both to sit down while I input some commands to try to get Little Bastion away from what now I knew to be a space anomaly. The ship was erratic and not responding. “The Warp Field has collapsed. Hang on.”

Frank is questing! Episode 7/25

Log-Seven
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Space anomaly. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Lost control of the ship, crash landing.

Little Bastion has crashed. We don’t know what the situation is at the moment. “Herbert, Frank, are you ok?” I hear sounds. Everything seems upright though the lights are flickering, and I fear soon to go out. Herbert is the first to stand up. "We crashed? Are we ok? How is the ship? Does it still work?” Frank chimes in, “Whew! That was super scary. No one appears hurt, but the ship is a bit tilted.” I looked at them both, thankful they were not hurt. “I will see if I can find out where we are—nothing seems to be working right. I can’t get any information on my monitors. The ship controls won’t respond. Thankfully the ship doors have an override so we can get outside.”

Frank is questing! Episode 8/25

Log-Eight
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Space anomaly. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Crash landed on an unknown planet. Lost power. Assessing situation.

We stepped outside the ship. The air was breathable, and we took a moment to survey where we had landed. “This looks slightly familiar,” I said. Herbert nodded, “I think we have been here before. It was a long time ago.” Frank, of course, would have no idea where we were, but they seemed excited to explore. “What do we do first?”

The ship had become buried in the dirt of a field. Digging it out was our first task. I went back into Little Bastion and got some shovels. “This will be hard work, but we must clear the ship first. Since we have lost power, we need to find a new power source. Something is in the back of my mind, but I will think about that later.”

As I worked, I felt eyes on me, but when I looked around, I could see nothing. There had to be life on this planet. After we free the ship, we can make an excursion and see if we can find some help. Herbert is excellent at languages, so we should have no problems communicating.

Frank is questing! Episode 9/25

Log-Nine
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Crashed on an unknown planet. Dug ship out. Must find help.

Herbert and I finished up the digging. Frank had wandered off a short distance, and when I next looked, I saw him gesticulating at a small creature. Bells went off in my memory. I know this creature—it is a Squooshie. Of course, this planet is where that green crystal came from. Herbert must have come to the same realization. He took off running on his little legs and started talking very quickly to the Squooshie.

I walked over and tried to make sense of what Herbert was saying. “This Squooshie can help us. You know, this is the planet with the floating crystals. We can find a power source here. Squooshie says others can help us too, one will come along with us, as we have to travel up into the mountains for the largest gem, and the others can see to any work the ship may need.” I thanked the Squooshie and told Herbert to relay the message that we gratefully accept any help. The ship had a few dings—a few of the outside antennas had come off in the crash, so any help with those repairs would be helpful.

A few more Squooshie gathered around us, and Herbert explained the plan. We would also need to find some metal to make a new antenna. The Squooshie had the furnaces but lacked the base metals. The anomaly we encountered had caused problems for a few other spaceships, and base materials had run low.

Frank is questing! Episode 10/25

Log-Ten
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. The planet is now familiar. The ship sustained minor damage. Our group heads out to find a power source.

We set out. Frank was chattering away about the different plants and how amazing the sky looked—it was certainly different from anything seen in Petland. The Squooshie was happy to have Herbert to talk with, and I was feeling optimistic as we would be able to get our ship back in running order.

The terrain was changing as we walked. We were entering a more wooded area with flower patches and more rocks. We started to find small floating crystals—not many—but they were a welcome sight. The small crystals would not be able to power the ship, but they would be useful for powering other devices and to have on hand as a spare power source.
These floating crystals were a wonder of nature; they grew in the center of crystal flowers and were very rare.

Frank is questing! Episode 11/25

Log-Eleven
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. We are finding some small floating crystals. No sign of any metal yet.

We were entering a different terrain now—it had the feel of a jungle. The air was hot and humid. “Look out!” shouted the Squooshie, “Those plants have teeth, and they carry vines to wrap their meal up in, to save for later.” Frank looked up and then ducked and ran to where there were no overhanging plants. “I love excitement, but I don’t want to end up wrapped up. Are there likely to be more dangerous plants?” “Plants, probably not,” Said Squooshie.
We gathered a few small floating gems, but did not linger, as the plants with teeth were setting my teeth on edge.

Frank is questing! Episode 12/25

Log-Twelve
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. We are finding some small floating crystals. No sign of any metal yet. We spy a cave.

We exit the jungle-like terrain, and the land becomes flatter and rockier, with the formation of small mountains. Herbert spies a dark spot on one of the small rocky mountains. “Could that be a cave? Maybe we will find some metal in there.” Herbert rushes ahead with the rest of us trailing. We peek inside—it is very dark, and there is the sound of dripping from below. “Does anyone have a light?” I ask. The Squooshie shakes his head, states something, and Herbert translates, “You have light—those floating crystals are light.” “Of course.” I smile at the Squooshie. I am too focused on what we need to find and keep us safe. We all grab a crystal and hold it up. The light is not bright, but it is enough to let us see where to tread.

Frank is questing! Episode 13/25

Log-Thirteen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. We enter the cave in hopes of finding something we can use.

We all troop into the cave cautiously. Holding our gems to light the way—we venture deeper—this seems like quite a big cave. Plant life is growing on the cave walls, though none with teeth, and we hear a squeaking noise. I stop and speak to Herbert, “Did you bring your laser with you?” I hold mine up. “We don’t know what we will find here, and I think we might need to go a lot deeper before we find anything—if there is anything to find.” Herbert produces his laser from somewhere deep in his fur. I wonder if he has a pocket under there.
We continue on and head downward. The dripping sound becomes louder, and so does the squeaking. The cave floor becomes rockier, and Frank slips on a rock, “Careful Frank,” I say, “We don’t want to have any accidents.”

Frank is questing! Episode 14/25

Log-Fourteen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. We made it to the lower levels of the cave.

We had travelled quite a distance downward, and the air had a funky odour. The squeaking was quite loud now, and something flew past me in the dark, and it was dark– If not for the crystals we held, we would not be able to see a thing. Something glinted in the light as I walked past a rock. Herbert spotted something too. “I found some metal laying here around these rocks.” Frank and I joined Herbert. The Squooshie, in an excited tone, was talking with Herbert and pointing at the metal. “Yup, this is the metal we need, lets's gather a bunch and get out of this cave.”

As we gathered the metal chunks, I felt more things flying past me. “Those almost seem like bats, but they have glowing eyes,” I said to Herbert. Lasers at the ready, we retreated back up the path and made for the cave opening.

Frank is questing! Episode 15/25

Log-Fifteen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. Found the metal we need, now to find a power source.

We put away our lasers, thankful we did not have to use them. Those bats, or whatever they were, may not have meant harm, but we could not take a chance. The Squooshie told Herbert where we should head next, and as we trudged along with Frank lagging behind to admire the view, we soon had a clear view of the mountains we were headed for.

” Are we really going up into those mountains?” Frank asked, looking unsure. “Herbert smiled and said, “No worries, there is a path going up the mountain that is travelled by many Squooshie, so though it is quite the climb, we do not have to blaze a path of our own.”

Frank is questing! Episode 16/25

Log-Sixteen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. Heading up into the mountains.

The weather was holding just fine, and I asked Herbert to get some information from the Squooshie about the weather in general. Herbert relayed that usually, it was fine, sunny, but not hot, and rain, when it came, was more in the latter part of the year. I had so many questions about this planet, was a year the same as in Petland? Did they have earthquakes or other natural disasters—what about volcanoes—were any of the mountains volcanic? It might be a good idea to come back to this planet at some point and do some surveying, maybe stay a year or cycle.

We had found the path up the mountain, it was narrow, and we could only travel single file. There were floating crystals now and then, and we did pick up the ones we could easily reach. A strange form of what we took to be an insect kept a watchful eye on us, but they did not pose a threat; they seemed more interested in the plants—that were growing out of the rocks. We had enough crystals to share with those back on Equalive if we ever got back there.

Frank is questing! Episode 17/25

Log-Seventeen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. Are we nearly there? We are all getting tired.

Squooshie is pointing further up the path. We reach him and look to where he is pointing. There, nestled in the rocks, is a Diamond. Herbert and Frank are very excited. “Does this mean we can head back to the ship now?’ Frank asked. “I am really hungry, maybe we can get some food in Squooshie’s village.” That sounded like a super idea. Herbert talked to Squooshie and let us know that we were invited to join Squooshie at his home for some food and rest. I picked up the Diamond and marvelled at the hum coming from it. Surely this would be able to power our ship and let us continue on our journey. We were hopeful.

Frank is questing! Episode 18/25

Log-Eighteen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. A Squooshie has joined us. Current status-Crashed. Found the Diamond. Headed back down to a village.

The lights—from the floating crystals—could be seen from a distance, a welcoming sight. Squooshie ran ahead, calling out, heads popped out of doors—the Squooshie lived inside trees. They gathered around us, and Herbert explained who we were and why we had ended up in their village. A scurry and flurry of activity, and before we could blink, we were being ushered to seats and offered a wonderful feast. Herbert translated for Frank and me, so we could enjoy some conversation. It was getting late, and our guests showed us to bed and promised a hearty breakfast in the morning.

Frank is questing! Episode 19/25

Log-Nineteen
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Sunny, air breathable. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet, we hope. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Crashed. Today we will repair the ship, hopefully.

Frank woke us. “Good morning Jeff, good morning Herbert, it’s another nice day. I smell breakfast cooking, come on, hurry.” Someone was anxious to start the day, and truth to tell, so was I. Herbert was never bothered by circumstances. It is the nature of Tripples to be mild-mannered, very helpful and caring. The three of us set off to eat; we felt refreshed after sleeping and ready to start the day.

Breakfast was over, and we walked to the crash site and began to work on Little Bastion. Sometime during the night, a new antenna had been crafted from the metal we had found, and all we had to do now was insert the Diamond and see if that would power up the ship.

Replacing the old power source with the Diamond was a simple process, and we all held our breath as I turned the switch. Lights started flickering, and I ran to the bridge to grab my control device. Yes! We have power. The lights steadied, I input the commands and could feel Little Bastion come alive, so to speak. Now, all we had to do was say goodbye to our new friends and take off. All systems were working. Frank is very happy and busy talking to Herbert about what we would find when we landed on Equalive. I was excited; it had been a long time since I had been home. We thanked our new friends for their help and hospitality. We promised to keep in touch—or rather Herbert would, until I could learn the language of the Squooshie, and we would visit again.

Frank is questing! Episode 20/25

Log-Twenty
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Ship is repaired. We land on Equalive

The views are spectacular, and Frank is glued to a window, watching the galaxies and suns as we zip by them. I think Frank would make a great addition to our team; not once did Frank complain or exhibit much fear, a born space traveller. I tuck that thought away for later. We have arrived on my home world.

Equalive is a planet that is very modern and up to date in technology. Equalive is not much different from Petland; the grass is a bit different, and the sky holds stars unique to this part of the universe. There are many spaceships in the air as that is the mode of travel—even inworld. On Equalive, there are many different species, some were born on this world, and many from other galaxies have come to call it home.

I gather a basket of floating gems to give to friends and some for the council, which is who I work for. Frank is so excited he can hardly stand still. We don’t have unlimited time because of the problems we encountered, and we have to leave by tomorrow evening, still there is enough time to tour the city.

Frank is questing! Episode 21/25

Log-Twenty-One
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear. Departing-Petland. Destination-Equalive/Home Planet. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-On Equalive.

Starting the morning with a meal at my favourite restaurant, which serves the best breakfast on any planet I have been to thus far, home is always best. Fueled for the day, we head off and start to give out floating crystals and chat with my friends. Herbert reminds me to make sure we take Frank to see the museum. Which is far older than any museum in Petland—and holds some of the rarest artifacts found in the universe.

There is so much to see. Frank is darting around—in and out of shops—buying souvenirs for his friends back in Petland. We stop for a lunch break and watch as the inhabitants of my home world bustle about their day.

The museum was a great hit with Frank, and answered many of the questions he had. Herbert and I sat a lot in the museum while Frank wandered around, we had both been to this museum many times, and it was the perfect chance to rest our feet.
Night has arrived, we have given our floating crystals, Frank bought a lot of gifts, we ate some great food, but now it was time to board Little Bastion and head back to Petland. Frank seems loathe to leave. I will talk to him about joining us when we are back on the ship.

Frank is questing! Episode 22/25

Log-Twenty-Two
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear. Departing-Equalive. Destination-Petland. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-On route to Petland.

Little Bastion is performing perfectly. I think the new Diamond power source has renewed this old ship. I sit down with Frank and talk to them about joining Herbert and me. Frank lit up, I have never seen anyone so happy to be asked if they want to join a space travel team. That was settled then; after Frank returned to Petland, there would be a few days to take care of whatever business Frank had, and then we would be off again to explore new worlds. It is understood that Frank will maintain a home base in Petland, and be able to return from time to time, but he is so excited to travel with us that I don’t think they gave it a lot of thought.

We have one scare—on our way back to Petland—the space anomalies are still around. From the radio transmissions I am getting, the anomalies are causing problems for many ships, even causing one to crash into another spaceship. Thankfully we don’t encounter any serious problems and make ready to land on Petland.

Frank is questing! Episode 23/25

Log-Twenty-Three
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear. Departing-Equalive. Destination-Petland. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Landing on Petland.

We have arrived back in Petland, right on schedule. Frank is happy to be home and wants to meet up with all his friends and tell them about the adventures they have been on. I give Frank a floating green gem to show his friends and to use in his house. I ask Frank what is their favourite part of the trip. “I think meeting the Squooshie and looking for the Diamond, there was even a scary moment in the cave. It was a real adventure.” I tell Frank that I will be around to pick them up tomorrow as we set off on another trip. This time we will be going to a planet that will take us a few weeks to arrive at and is known to have some rare specimens of plants that give endless fruits.

Frank is questing! Episode 24/25

Log-Twenty-Four
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear. Departing-Petland. Destination-X109 is a planet with rare plants. Crew and passengers-Two. Current status-Picking up the newest member of our space travel team.

The morning in Petland is fresh and clear. We have had the best weather. Herbert and I meet up at Frank house. I have brought along a House Pod; there was a spare one in the cargo. Frank can use it in their home or out in the backyard. It will remind them of the travels they have been on now and in the future. Everyone should have a House Pod.

I ask Frank if they had enough time to meet up with friends and pack anything new they need on the next trip. “Yup, all ready to go. My friends were amazed that I would go on a spaceship. They say I never exhibited much interest in travel before—but I kept it a secret as I never thought I would get the chance.”Frank grinned. We got ourselves all situated in Little Bastion, and I entered the commands for our next destination.

Frank is questing! Episode 25/25

Log-Twenty-Five
Captain-Jeff. Spaceship-Little Bastion. Weather-Clear. Departing-Petland. Destination-X109 is a planet with rare plants. Crew and passengers-Three. Current status-Take off.

I ask Frank how it feels to be leaving his home for the unknown.” Frank responds, “It can be scary, but if you have a dream and you don’t try, you will always be wondering what if. I had a lot of fun on my first adventure, and no one can say what will happen in the future, but I want to try.” I handed Frank a special egg, “I hope this reminds you of many things. Keep it safe, and thank you for joining our team. Let’s go on that adventure and see what the stars hold for us.”
Frank has completed their Alien Escapade! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also take part!