Babys day out...

Science fiction lovers of the early 20th century had always assumed or maybe hoped that in 100 years from then the human race would have made contact, the big influences being Asimov, Star trek and so on. It has been 340 years since the dawn of the 21st century and the human race remains the only species capable of even primitive radio transmission in the whole alpha quadrant. The human race has spread to colonize a minuscule part of the Milky Way galaxy. Starting with the planet mars the human race has never really looked back. We have now reached the Alpha Centauri system of stars. Three planets of Centauri B and a couple of planets of Proxima had been found suitable for human inhabitation. Another thing that the people from the 20th century were scared of was the third world war. In that assumption too they were wrong. The fact was that by the end of the 21st century every government in the world had second and third generation immigrants from either China or the Indian subcontinent. There was no question of a war. Of course you might not know where China is located or where the Indian Subcontinent is huh- Luke... Luke

“Shut the fuck up and fly this goddamned garbage disposal crate… god… man ... can’t you ever stop about the 20th century,,, no wonder you can never get laid man… if it were up to me I would put you in an escape pod and dump you on the second moon of Gaya” Saying so Luke took off to find his bunk. I smiled. My father had been in the garbage business, as had been my grandfather, as had been my great grandfather- who was among the first settlers. Things had been much tougher then. We for generations had run garbage crates dumping them into the proximity of Centauri A. The family had made itself quite a bit of money. My father had great plans for the business and for me. But I wanted nothing to do with this. This was not where my dreams or aspirations ended. I had wanted to be a historian, dealing with the 20th century. And to pursue my hobby I continued to operate this crate because it gave me time to pursue my hobby – away from the eyes of my family who thought me to be loony. Ah well now that I was alone on deck I started work on my paper on the influence of Quentin Tarentino’s movies on the late 20thcentury society. I had been secretly preparing to apply to the Martian university of arts and culture in quadrant beta Z. That was when I heard Luke scream.

I brought the crate to a standstill. We were about 1.247 light years from Gaya, the fourth planet from Proxima. I walked into bay 2. Luke was there looking at me horrified. He had the monitor on garbage crate 2. I saw why he was convalescing. There was a distinct shape of a body there. I asked Luke to calm down. I started to suite up. I asked Luke to radio ahead to the authorities. I got into the pressure chamber. It still took about 23 minutes and 7 seconds to get the body acclimatized to the pressure change. Finally I was able to maneuver myself to crate 2.

I got back to bay 2 a bit out of breadth. That did not stop me from vomiting all over the floor as I took off the shield protection. I called out for Luke. Luke was right in front of me. His face was blue but he lay there serenely. I pulled myself together and checked for a pulse. Luke was dead. Oh my god- this could not be happening. Luke was like a half brother to me. We had grown up together. I ran out of the room into the lavatory- Puked all over the floor and started crying like a baby. A part of me wanted to keep doing that. But something inside me made me crash me head into the stern and brought me to me senses. I washed me face with some cold water. Oh and did I tell you why I was puking before I saw Luke? NO- I was not suffering from diarrhea and my guts are not equivalent to a little girl who has lost her lolly. I had found the body in crate 2 all right. And I knew whose it was too- Senator Seldon- Hari Seldon. This did not make any sense. I got back to the deck and switched on to a news channel. It was all over broadcast channels all right. There was blood hunt on for the kidnappers of the senator. And that was when I heard the name of my crate being mentioned and that the authorities were on the lookout for us.

I got hold of a paper bag and started breathing into it. I wasn’t afraid of the authorities but was sure that my father would murder me. I sat down to think. I closed my eyes and started to think of Sara. That calmed me down. I got myself together for the second time that night. I checked to see if Luke had indeed followed my orders for once and radioed for help. For the first time in my life I felt gratitude to the fact that Luke had not followed orders! Luke –poor Luke… I had to do something. I knew I could not land on Gaya with 2 bodies on board. I could just go ahead to Centauri A and dump my cargo with the bodies. But then all the routes would be monitored and I wouldn’t get as far as a parsec. I was a sitting duck either way. And that was when it struck me. Luke had been doing some idle banter earlier in the evening and all of that started to make sense. I chartered a course to Gaya and radioed ahead to the authorities-,” Enterprise to Watch tower 2... Enterprise to watch tower 2… Just heard the news. I am coming in with cargo… I am not a fugitive… I repeat I am not a fugitive… I am coming in… Hold off any fire …” I got an acknowledgment from watch tower 2 within seconds,” Enterprise this is Polize chief O Brien… acknowledged… this might be a mistake about your crate… but in every quadrant you still are a fugitive of the law. I would advice to ease your crate in…” I had about 27 minutes to Gaya. I had to act quickly. I dragged the senators and Luke’s bodies into the escape pod. You see there was a so called blind zone as you go around the dark side of beta K – the second moon of Gaya! And as we rounded the second moon I dumped the pod. Exactly 7 minutes later I landed on Gaya.

7 Days later...

Luke was sitting in front of me with Sara by his side. “You know you outdid yourself kid by figuring it out” I looked at him and looked away and got back to my drink. He smirked,” Common don’t be a baby. I couldn’t have done anything else. I gave you a fighting chance kid and I knew you would figure it out. I had my own ass to protect too. The plan I came up with was perfect… ” I continued as he continued to smirk,” So you injected yourself with paraketenomycin. That cut killed your sensories but kept you brain function intact. And you had Sara waiting on beta K with the ketamone antidote that restored all function. You also managed to get rid of the senators body there and then stop by to corroborate my story that you had missed the junk in the last space station which you needed no guessing at thanks to the powerful media that had my fantastic story on every galactic channel. You got paid off well for carrying out the perfect assassination didn’t you. I can’t tell anybody cause I can’t corroborate the true story can I after all I did to get off meself… “ I drank … He looked at me and said,” Kiddo you take care… enjoy yourself on Mars… you aint cut out for this business… for that any business.. ” He smirked and walked out with Sara arm in arm…. I looked at Sara’s fleeting figure and got back to my 4th….