by Genae Jefferson
... coming
The Fantastic Voyage
Dr. Jefferson, Stardate: 41254.7
My name is Dr. Genae Jefferson, the year is 2369, and the universe has exploded with interplanetary travels. Due to an overabundance of personal space vehicles, the Intergalactic Transportation Agency (ITA) has increased efforts to produce more “Space Commuters”, or Space Coms for short. This allows those, like myself, that must often travel throughout the galaxy for work (sometimes pleasure) to sit back, relax, watch a holographic movie, and just enjoy the ride. You see, I choose to live in the beautiful suburban planet called Earth because the property values are so much better here!! However, my job requires me to travel to Ceres, a dwarf planet in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Sure, I could travel using my own personal vehicle, but the traffic!! The horror!! People are terrible drivers around the asteroid belt, they warp speed just a little too dangerously for my taste. One thing that I’ve noticed is that the Earth Angels (our nickname) mostly have a stigma against Public Transportation, but that seems to be shifting as you get more and more drivers in the space lanes.
So, I commute instead. And, since most seem shocked and unknowing, let me share for you a day in the life of a Space Commuter.
I begin my commute in the early morning at the historic Universe Station—the largest hub of public transportation lines anywhere on Earth. It’s so beautiful and elegant inside!! Here gathers your professional Space Commuters, amateur Space Travelers, and entities of all shapes and forms coming to vacation on our beautiful planet (alien tourists always crack me up buying cheap Earth souvenirs). All day long are the numerous HoverTrams, Passenger Pod lines, and MetroRocket lines coming and going. As for me, I wait for the 682 MetroRocket to Ceres at 06:45am, sharp. Usually, the MetroRocket leaves right on time. However, sometimes we get the weirdest solar flares or celestial event that forces delays. We take those events in stride, after all, who wants to get caught out there with no Wi-Fi signal because a huge solar flare jammed all electronics on board?? As you board the MetroRocket, there are a plethora of “Hellos” and “Great weather today!!” and “Hope we arrive on time!!” The best part about space commuting is definitely the camaraderie from other professional Space Commuters; we all form a certain bond from surviving the commuting game.
I usually spend my commute reading from my Virtual Reader an exciting hard core science fiction book or catch up on current Intergalactic events, it helps the time to go faster. Turn your head to the right, and you can see the universe of stars whizzing by at an impressive speed. Turn to the left, and Earth’s azure image is fading away. Sometimes, the MetroRocket will hit delays due to the Freight Rockets because
And what if public transportation had taken over the Galaxy; how would commuting or traveling be in space?
We join Dr. Genae Jefferson, who is a Spaceologist and Galaxy-trotter as she tells us about her adventures, and her use of public transportation.
A Game of Minutes.
Or the space Commuters...
Photo by Lands of Void
103 - Ceres Magazine - Winter 2016