Kal
Between panicking and pacing the small spacecraft, I slept so that I could be rested for more panicking and more pacing. I didn’t know how much time had passed, or where I was currently, or what I was supposed to do next.
During one of my panic-induced dozes, the sound of shrill beeps woke me up.
“Your flight has commenced. Please state your final destination.”
My final destination? I had no clue what my final destination should be. I wasn’t supposed to be on this trip in the first place!
Without any luck, I had tried multiple times to reach my unit’s command center for further instructions.
Anytime I was able to reach someone, the signal was too choppy to make out more than a couple of words at a time.
Even more frustrating, those few words were all some form of admonishment from Sel.
Eventually, after the third or fourth “What in the ever-living universe is wrong with you, Kal?” I decided to ignore all incoming comms for a short while. If my coworker wasn’t willing to help me, I wouldn’t allow her to hurt me, either.
So, I took matters into my own hands. Or, tried.
A real travel pod, it turned out, was nothing like the games or simulations I’d played as a child.
Which severely challenged my long-held belief that, even without training, I would have the innate skills to pilot a spacecraft.
I was quickly humbled by that notion as soon as I sat down in the pilot’s chair.
I stared in terror at the control panel and decided on a change in tack.
If I remembered correctly, Xaerean ships were equipped with a computer and built-in artificial intelligence. I would ask the ship for help.
“Computer?”
No response.
“Ship? Sir? Madam? Captain?”
Silence again.
“Please?”
Nothing.
Well. Back to Plan A—slapping buttons and turning knobs until something happens.
The mechanical voice responded, “Flight path set to planet Earth. Please enter final destination.”
Finally, a response! If the computer was alert, I could talk to it and explain the situation.
“Computer! Can you hear me? This is Kalexdyorn Tirinn of planet Xaerea, identification number 01672. Listen, I’m not authorized for this flight. I need you to turn around and—”
“Enter final destination.”
“No! Return to planet Xaerea,” I shouted. “Turn around! Go home!”
The control panel lit up red.
“Please?”
Again, the computer didn’t respond to my command. I was beginning to understand why this model of solo pod was being decommissioned from the fleet.
Without a plan and without comms with someone who could help, I didn’t have much choice.
Ships were stocked with a limited supply of nutritional formula and supplements for terranauts in case of travel delays.
There would be a reserve tank of fuel for the same reason.
But it wouldn’t last very long out here.
If my options were to die alone in space or finish the trip to Earth and face the consequences there, the choice was simple.
Besides, Xaereans had multiple outpost stations on Earth where I would be welcomed with open arms. Or, perhaps, not open arms, but with the resources to send me back home as soon as possible.
Sitting back in the pilot’s chair, I mentally scrolled through a list of options: Capilla del Monte, Pori, Great Falls, Petrozavodsk, Rio de Janeiro, Washington, D.C., Roswell.
Roswell.
Of course! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of that sooner.
If I set the destination to Roswell, I would land where the Xaereans carried out our largest operations.
Based on what I had observed as an administrative assistant, the Exploratory Unit always had pods coming and going from the Roswell outpost. There were even a few permanently stationed full-timers to keep everything in order and make sure humans didn’t get too suspicious of our comings and goings.
“Enter final destination,” the computer repeated.
Decision made, I cleared my throat. “Set destination to Roswell…Roswell…” The full name of the destination was on the tip of my tongue. It was in the United States of America, I knew that much. But what were the specifics?
“Destination not recognized.”
“I said Roswell, for the love of—”
“Destination confirmed. Flight path now set to Roswell Falls, Tennessee, United States of America, Earth, Milky Way.”
“No! That’s not what I meant,” I shouted, jumping up from my seat.
Roswell Falls? I had never heard of a place called Roswell Falls.
And what was a Tennessee? My memory of the full list of Earth-based Xaerean stations was a little fuzzy, but I knew enough to know neither of those locations featured in it.
I needed to reset the final destination before it was too late.
But before I could get the chance, the pod began to rumble. Vibrations racked my body through my hu-suit, through my own flesh and muscle, hard enough that my bones rattled and my vision shook.
“Entering warp speed in thirty seconds.”
“No! No no no no no no no!” My heart thumped, and my stomach felt near to emptying. How could everything go so wrong, so quickly?
“Please ensure all items are stowed away, and passengers are secured in their seats.”
With shaky legs and zero other ideas, I settled into the pilot’s chair. My elbow bumped against a lever, catapulting me into a full recline. Flexible straps snaked across my body and clicked into place.
“Passengers may experience dizziness, vertigo, memory loss, temporary loss of vision, hearing, smell, and feeling in their limbs. Though it is rare, some passengers may experience a disintegration of all bodily particles once the vehicle reaches full speed, resulting in gelatinization. In such cases, the passenger may or may not re-coalesce upon reaching the final destination.”
“What?”
“Keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times, and please enjoy your flight!”
The control panel flashed bright green before going completely dark as the pod launched into warp speed.
Echoes of my scream lingered as I drifted into unconsciousness.
* * *
There was a nonzero chance that I was dead. Lost, alone, and dead. Pain radiated through my body, and my breathing was labored and shallow. The only thing giving me hope that I was still alive was the pressure in my bladder. I really, really had to pee.
But first, I had to confirm signs of life.
I grunted and managed to wiggle my fingers through the hu-suit. That was promising. I moved on to my toes. Then limbs, lifting first my arms, then legs gingerly off the armrests of the pilot’s chair. Slowly, I peeled my head from the headrest and sat up.
My surroundings swirled around me before settling into place.
The ship’s speakers crackled when the computer announced, “Good morning, passenger, and welcome to Earth!”
And I leaned over the side of the pilot’s chair and retched.
At least I’m not dead, I thought as I wiped my mouth with the back of a hand. An increased chance of survival only for Sel to kill me when I get back to Xaerea, but I would take what I could get.
The computer began a countdown, big red letters flashing across the console.
Self-destruction? Stars above, this spacecraft was ridiculous.
I definitely understood why these pod models were being replaced. And for one short moment, I felt a kinship with Sel for looking down her nose at them.
It took several moments to gather my thoughts and jump into action.
If the pod was prepared to self-destruct in—I looked at the screen—sixty seconds, I needed to hurry.
I hustled to a locker by the door and dug through its contents.
Nutritional supplements, first aid kit, portable camping gear.
Things a terranaut might need if they ever got stranded.
I pulled out a bright green pack and shoved the items inside.
In a slot by the steering wheel, I found a comms deck.
I slid it out and checked the charge. Still full.
If I was lucky, I could use it to communicate with a nearby Xaerean base or try to call in help from Command.
And that was about it. Not much, because obviously I didn’t get a chance to pack for this trip. At least I had enough critical survival supplies to get me through several days, possibly a week or more if I was careful.
Proud of myself for keeping my cool in the face of unprecedented circumstances, I slung the pack over my shoulder and stood at the threshold.
Despite the unconventional way I ended up here, I couldn’t deny that I was excited.
I’d made it to Earth, the planet I had been obsessed with since a young boy.
The blue and green dot, with all of its oceans and mountains, flora and fauna, and people. So many people.
The next step I took would be my first on Earth’s soil, and I was determined to savor it. Because it would probably also be my last, if Sel and the higher-ups had any say.
My shoulders slumped at the realization. They would not let me get away with this back on Xaerea; I would never live it down.
The screwup. The mess. The Xaerean who accidentally launched himself to an unknown location on Earth and forced us into an intergalactic search mission. Yes, that Kalexdyorn—the one no one likes.
“Computer, open the door!”
The alarm blared, the computer’s countdown continued.
“Computer?”
The door stayed firmly closed. Okay, so it was panic time. I resorted to my tried-and-true method of pressing lots of buttons and pulling levers at random with no regard to order or direction.
Miraculously, there was a hiss, then the click of a lock unlatching as the door swung slightly ajar. I placed a hand on the cool metal, closed my eyes, and inhaled.
My first steps on Earth. A moment to be remembered fondly, regardless of what happens next.
Exhale. The door swung open. I stepped over the threshold…and immediately stepped into thin air, tumbled forward, and hit the ground, barely catching myself before I hit my head.
Oof.