Excuse

     So, I haven't written anything substantial in a while. This is why I can't go to Orientation Tomorrow. (It's pretty bad...). And that first sentence is not a typo.



     Tomorrow I was kidnapped by a band of Space Pirates. On board, I was taken to one of the lower decks, and was locked in the hold to be dealt with later. Somehow, I fought my way out of the hold, and through a full level of the ship, until I got into the escape pods. I shot myself through the main hull of the flagship, and into a nearby corvette. I commandeered the corvette, using the Charged Plasma Cannons mounted port side to destroy the engines of the Space Pirate Flagship. But that wasn't enough. I steered my ship hard to port, on a direct collision route with the pirates flagship. I shut the blast doors at the rear end of the cabin, bracing for impact. My engines hit the Flagship broadside, igniting a fire that quickly spread to all parts of both of our ships, except for my cabin.

     And so, I floated for days through the vacuum of space, unsure where my future would lead me. Until I was picked up by a Type-72 Transporter en route to Vega. It picked me up, astonished that I had survived so long with such little food and in zero gravity. In truth, it was only my optimism that someone would find me that kept me going. And so they took me on my way to Vega. The journey should have taken years, but through the deft maneuvers on the part of the captain,and some wormholes, we reached the star system in three and a half weeks.
     We flew in to Vega's only true planet, where I explained my story to the governing Party.And they vowed to seek vengeance upon the Space Pirates for abducting a 14 year old, and thereby breaking universal law c section24A. They offered to transport me on the next shipment from Vega to HD 173416, and the friendly planet HD 173416 b. I accepted their offer, hearing rumors of a time-bending facility located in the lower reaches of the massive planet. However, when I arrived, our ship was held in orbit for a week, due to the risk of potential contamination. I eventually made it to the surface of the planet, and was scheduled to meet with a leading scientist to discuss the possibility of me arriving home.
     But just at that time, there was an assassination attempt on the recognized scientist. Somehow, I burst through the crowd and tackled the diminutive gunmen, avoiding being hit by his particle accelerator, effectively subduing him. The assailant was taken into custody, and the Scientist was rushed from the scene. I stood there in astonishment, while gradually the sounds of applause came to my ears. The people of this planet lauded me for my heroism, and offered me the Religious Position of Xochtte, I could not refuse, and accepted the offer.
     And so, my life went on, I was respected in both the Religious and Science communities, and feared by many in the Political Realm.But my mind wandered back to the years I had spent on Earth. I had travelled the galaxy, but still I had seen nothing more beautiful than my home planet, and my people, not those of some alien species and culture, but those of humanity. I awoke one morning, and checked the news, to find out that the scientist who's life I had saved was bedridden, presumably at the end of his life span. I dropped everything I had to do, and took a private shuttle to the ailing Scientists house. I was greeted by a butler, who promptly showed me to his room. Whilst I knelt by his bed, the scientist's eyes seemed to light up seeing me again. I held his hand, a feeling so familiar, yet it wasn't human. I inquired about the time machine, his life's work. He whispered the story in my ear of how he had abandoned the plan publicly after the assassination attempt, and locked them away in his home. With his dying breath, he told me where they were, and that I shouldn't fail him.

     My resignation from office had caused a public uproar, but I had grown closer with the scientific community. Over the next couple months, I collected immense amounts of money and resources for the completion of the project, and had some of the brightest minds within four Par-secs on the project. After close to 18 years, the machine was operational, but the news had spread quickly. Relations between the Religious and Scientific Sects had been deteriorating since I had left my office, and this spark ignited an all-out civil war. But, the testing went on, under the constant threat of bombing. Until, finally, I was ready to depart. I called for the end to the conflicts, as did the surrounding Star Systems, and the conflict lost momentum, though I did not stay until its closure. I wished farewell to my compatriots, and all those of the Interstellar Concurrence that I had inhabited, and entered the completed project.

     There was a flash of light, then no light at all. There was an Earth-shaking tremble, and then it ceased. I opened my eyes, to find myself alone on a rooftop in Brooklyn. I went down several flights of stairs, emerging on the bustling city streets. I ran to the News Paper stand, checking the date. Monday August 29th, 2010. I had never read a better sentence in my life. I looked around, and realized that I was in the Paradise in our mixed-up galaxy, an oasis of humanity in a glowing universe. I was home.