Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 2

SEG002

“So, this is where the SEG extraction facility will be built?” Gabriel said.

“That is correct,” the Ship replied.

“Seems sort of ironic,” Ginny said, “given that so much of the planet is dry and barren, and this part seems to be so lovely.”

The starship was hovering over an expanse of rich jungle. The leafy canopy glowed bright green as this section of the planet currently bathed in the rays from its equivalent of the Earth’s Sun.

“Are there animals here?” enquired Gabriel.

“It is highly likely,” said the Ship. “I do not have information with that regard, since the early mining planet selections did not collate that sort of information, but I would suggest that there is a very great likelihood of there being life-forms on this planet.”

“Life-forms?” queried Gabriel. “Do you mean that there might be intelligent life on this planet?”

“Gabriel?” Vicky interjected. “If you remember from your reading of the SEG journal, the early SEG missions did not register whether there was life on the planets that they logged. They only looked for significant deposits of the resources that they wished to extract. It was only later, when the idea of generating a tourism service took hold, that SEG started looking for more picturesque planets, ones with interesting life-forms.”

“For your clients to either shoot or shag,” Ginny said, with evident disgust in her voice.

“Yes, that is true,” said Vicky, somewhat un-easily. “It is good that you have read up on the details about SEG and ACME INC,” she continued. “That puts you in a better position to understand what you might be facing when we reach our destination. If ACME INC still exists, there may still be people there who made those ... er ... business decisions.”

“Shall we land and suit up, Ginny?” Gabriel said, hoping to avoid a discussion about what they might need to do when they finally reached their goal.

“Ok Ship,” Ginny said. “Can you bring us down in a suitable clearing, please.”

She scrutinised the console display which showed the terrain below them.

“I think that one there looks pretty good,” she said, putting her finger on a specific section of the terrain map.

The starship tilted in the direction indicated by Ginny, gently drifting down towards the ground.

Gabriel pondered on how Ginny now seemed to assume command on any issues involving flying the starship.

Also, the Ship had stopped replying verbally to Ginny. Gabriel was sure that it wasn’t that it was being discourteous. It was more that it just got on and did what she requested.

It assumed that she knew what she was doing.

It was like some sort of rapport had developed.

The ship drifted down into a clearing within the jungle, floating lazily just above the ground. Gabriel pulled on his space suit and looked over to see Ginny tugging on her own.

“Do we have some sort of air-lock?” Gabriel asked to no-one in particular. He felt a bit self-conscious, like it was a piece of knowledge he should already have known.

“On opening the cockpit door, a self-sealing air-lock will activate automatically,” the Ship replied. “It wasn’t activated on the Earth, since it was unnecessary, but on SEG002 you will be able to observe the air-lock as the door opens.”

“You ready Gabriel?” Ginny said.

“Good to go,” Gabriel replied.

“Ok Ship, please open the door,” Ginny said.

“Hey guys ... before you go ... please be aware that the space suits that you are wearing will offer very little protection,” Vicky said. “They will not rip or tear easily, but they will not offer you protection against very sharp objects.”

“Ok, we’ll be careful,” Ginny said.

“And please remember,” continued Vicky, “that should you incur a serious injury, I will not be able to get you to the ACME MEDI-CARE unit.”

“We understand that,” said Ginny.

Gabriel had heard Vicky’s words, and he felt a sense of dread; not for himself, but for Ginny. He couldn’t imagine what he would do if ...

“Come on, let’s go,” Ginny said.

Gabriel could hear the excitement in her voice. She was clearly relishing every moment of this. He could see her eyes through the clear suit visor. They were shining

The cockpit door slid open; a veil of force seemed to cover the opening. To Gabriel it looked like a shimmering mesh of electricity. It was the colour of amber. It was like when you see an insect trapped in a block of amber resin. It seemed to vaguely shimmer and pulsate. He reached out his hand to the mesh and his hand passed through it with no resistance, but he felt a slight prickly sensation on his skin.

Ginny took hold of Gabriel’s hand, tugging him gently towards the doorway.

“Come on boyfriend,” she said. “I’ve been taken out to places before, you know, but not like this one.”

Gabriel smiled and stepped with her out through the doorway and onto SEG002.