by Derek Baker
Chapter 1 – April 2134
“What’s the year on that wine?”
“2115. Nineteen years, same age as us.”
“Okay, let’s have that one.”
She cradled the bottle in one arm, two glasses in her other hand, carrying the set as I carried a blanket and my favorite telescope out to the back patio of my apartment. Luckily for us, it was a dark night out on the edge of the sprawling metropolis of Baltimore, late in the evening when most lights had gone out. Despite the annoying light pollution, a few stars here and there could be seen without the moon in the sky.
If I played my cards right, this would be the evening I’d been waiting for. Not to sound desperate –though I was– but it had been a long time since I had slept with any member of the opposite sex. Trying not to get my hopes up however, I thought I might get lucky that night if I managed to woo her with a romantic evening, showing her the cosmos through the lens of a telescope and simultaneously getting her loosened up with a bottle of wine.
I don’t know how I was able to convince her to do this, not being the most suave guy when it came to picking up ladies. I had gone through the string of relationships-gone-wrong. She was different though, and I liked that about her. One fateful morning I happened to be enjoying a hot cup of coffee at a café downtown, sitting in my usual spot checking the news on my pad computer, when in she came.
At first glimpse of her, I made a nonchalant stare without drawing attention, shrugging to myself, indifferently thinking: She’s cute. Oh well, too bad I don’t stand a chance.
I brought my attention back to reading the headlines on the pad, completely forgetting what had just transpired in my mind. I took a sip of my coffee, a taste enhanced with cream and sugar, just the way I liked it.
I didn’t notice a few moments later that she was practically standing over me until I suddenly caught her in the corner of my eye. I sat up with a start.
“Excuse me, sorry,” she said, a sweet nurturing tone.
“Ha, don’t worry about it,” I said awkwardly, trying to avoid eye contact.
“I just wanted to say, though, I like your shirt. I went there too.”
I looked down at what I was wearing. Besides my casual blue jeans, I was wearing my grey Poston University shirt. In big, black letters, it read: Poston University / Est. 2089.
“Oh, thanks. I just graduated last semester,” I replied.
“Were you two year or four year?” she asked.
“Four,” I said, with a new confidence in my voice.
Four years was almost unheard of, most degrees only took two years at that point.
“Wow,” she looked taken aback suddenly, “what was your major?”
Then my confidence shrunk a bit. “Astrophysics,” I said almost quietly.
Instead of the scoffing noise I half-expected, I heard: “Ooooh, impressive. You’re into math?”
My confidence returned. “Yeah, and science. What did you study?”
“Well, now, I don’t want to seem lame to you,” she hesitated.
“Oh, come on, it’s fine,” I urged.
She took a deep breath, “At least I graduated.”
“Yeah, of course,” I said unreassuringly.
Not many people really went to college much in those days. Mostly because the economy didn’t really require it anymore like it used to. Earning a living was more important by far; college was a waste of time.
“Okay, my major was Human Services.”
I attempted an interested nod. “Cool,” was all I said.
“You think it’s stupid, don’t you?” she looked at me accusingly.
“No, not at all,” I protested, finally giving her eye contact. Her eyes were hazel, her hair flowed down, a chestnut color. Very attractive. “At least it’s a lot more practical than astrophysics.”
“But you’ve got to be smart to do that,” she countered.
“Ha,” I raised an eyebrow, “I’m pretty ignorant in other aspects of life.”
“Oh,” she gave a sarcastic face, “like what?”
“Like…” I hesitated, took a deep breath, deciding to go for it, “like talking to pretty girls such as yourself.”
Her face became an instant sea of red. An embarrassed smile curved her lips upward. “Oh, well… I think you’re doing a pretty good job.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh really?”
“Yes really.” She extended her hand to shake, “My name’s Claire, by the way. Claire Newcome.
I returned the gesture. “Awesome. My name’s Delvon. Delvon Galihue.”
The chemistry was instantaneous. Somehow I managed to ask her out and she agreed. A couple of dates later and there we were, on the back patio of my apartment, three stories high and using my telescope.
“So, what do you want to see first?” I asked, setting up the telescope.
“You’re the astrophysicist, you tell me,” she smiled sweetly.
“Okay…you ever heard of Jupiter?”
“That’s a planet, right?”
I suppressed a sigh of agitation. I was part of a rare breed; no one cared much for what was outside of their own little world in those days.
“Yep, it’s got a giant red spot on it too, with four visible moons orbiting around it that you can see with a telescope.”
“Cool, show me that.”
So I did. I showed her what Galileo had seen when he looked through his primitive telescope centuries ago. What we needed were more people like him. He wasn’t afraid to explore the unknown. He wasn’t afraid to go against the establishment. He wasn’t afraid of the ring of men punishing him for what they considered an insult to their beliefs. He found the wonders of space fascinating. Sure, someone else might have come along eventually to discover the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. I’m certain someone would have also noticed the cycle of sunspots on our star. But would they have been as daring or courageous as Galileo? Who knows?
At that point in time, it was all I could do to stay away from my telescope every night. I looked at everything: galaxies, nebulas, constellations, comets, moons, planets, etc. I was the only person I knew who did this.
I was in a transitional period of my life, fresh out of the educational system and in search of work. Unfortunately, a degree in astrophysics wasn’t going to get me very far. I may have been better off following in my father’s footsteps and getting a job in the factories. Slaving my life away just to support the family. But no, I couldn’t let that happen to me. Not another generation of Galihue’s lost and depressed, trying to find a purpose in life. I had yet to find my purpose though.
It was a strange time for humanity. People were too into themselves, focused on the trivial. In those days, “progress” was increasingly becoming an extinct word. Superficiality was the trend and corrupt religion was the game. Technology only mattered if it made you look prettier. Personal achievements weren’t earned but rather handed down depending on who you knew. I didn’t know many people. I’d always been the awkward one growing up, keeping to myself and, as is obvious by now, going out on a back patio or backyard with a telescope.
Ignorant as I was with women, it was she who made the first move. After seeing beautiful rings around Saturn, she leaned over to me, planting a kiss on my lips. I of course returned the affectionate gesture.
It didn’t help that we were already somewhat under the influence of the wine. We forgot the telescope existed, our arms wrapped around one another in a tight embrace. The chill of the spring night surrounded us as we lay down on the blanket I had carried out earlier. Yes, this girl was a keeper.
Things intensified quickly. She was soon on top of me, our lips locked. The wine was kicking in even more now.
I tried my luck at dirty talk
: “So, uh, let’s see you put that ‘human services’ degree to the test. I think I might need some service.”
She choked up, laughing uncontrollably. I started laughing too. We were clearly a little fogged up.
“Look at you, being a pervert,” she playfully smacked my chest.
“Oh, I can be, in the right situation,” I said.
She stood up abruptly, making sure to keep her balance. Her finger made a waving gesture. “Come with me,” she said seductively.
I would have been a fool to refuse. I followed her through my living room that basically doubled as a kitchen into my bedroom. It was a basic room, but it had all my needs: a bed, dresser, closet, and desk. I kept the lighting at a relaxing level with a dimmed lamp.
Once in there, the rest of the night proved to be a blur, a mixing of pleasure and confusion…
Chapter 2
“Who can tell me what year the Financial War began?”
The teacher looked around the class for a hand to rise, but none popped up. Seeing that no one else cared to answer the question, Alexander once again reluctantly shot his hand in the air as he’d been doing the whole session.
“Alexander,” said the professor, unsurprised to be calling on him again.
“I believe it was 2029?” He said with uncertainty.
“That’s correct. Let’s hear from someone other than Alexander,” the professor said.
Alexander could almost feel his classmates glaring at him, rolling their eyes. It wasn’t that he meant to seem like the teacher’s pet, but if no one else was going to participate, he figured he might as well be the one to look good.
Oh well, thought Alexander, It’s not like I give a shit what they think.
The professor continued lecturing: “The Financial War began because the United States had reached the point where it had to default on its debt. When we saw that we couldn’t pay other nations back for what we owed them, we decided to go with a ‘make me pay’ attitude. The results can be seen to this day. The war lasted until 2036 and proved to be the most costly in history in terms of human lives. Does anyone know the name of the Treaty that ended the Financial War?”
The professor scanned the room once again, seeing a desolate wasteland of students before him. To his and Alexander’s surprise, a girl up front slowly raised her hand.
“Yes, Hannah?”
“The Treaty of Athens?”
“Good guess, but nope. The Treaty of Athens was the one that ended the Middle East Nuclear War. The last time and only time in the twenty-first century that nukes were used.”
Another hand shot up in the back of the room. The professor was elated. “Yeah, Vince?”
“Is it true the Iranians stole our bombs to blow up their own country and blame it on us?”
The professor’s face lowered, “Hm, a good question. But no, I think it was really us that bombed them. Unfortunately, though, that ended oil as a reliable resource. That’s why we have expensive electric cars. When they ran on gas, it was a lot cheaper and most people had more than one car, unlike today.”
Seeing things were getting off topic, Alexander once more raised his hand.
“Want to add something, Alexander?”
“Well, I was just going to say that it was the Treaty of Tokyo that ended the Financial War.”
“Ah, yes. Good.”
The remainder of the lecture was much a bore for the students, excluding Alexander. Being a Political Science major, he was fascinated by what the professor had to say. He was a student at Poston University in Baltimore, a dwindling university in recent years.
One of the impacts the Financial War had on society was that the world powers had ended up reaching a stalemate. No one nation held too much power after that; it had been equal since then. This affected society because there was no longer competition on an international level to be successful academically. The United States devolved into an earlier manufacturing economy, keeping to itself in many respects. Young people saw more value in going to work the factories than getting an education.
Alexander was starting to see things this way. It didn’t help that his friends had all dropped out. They were joining that new “civil religion.”
A few years before, a new figure had immerged, calling himself Johnny Haven. He fed on the lack of motivation, encouraging a lifestyle and philosophy of pursuing pleasure or living in the moment. His advertisements were blatant and unapologetic. The tall blonde man who called himself would always say something about living life to the fullest and end the commercials with: “And remember, you can enjoy life’s offerings when you join the Havenist Cause. God bless.” His sickly voice echoed constantly through Alexander’s mind.
The signs of the Havenist movement were everywhere on campus. It was especially popular with young people seeking an escape rather than contributing to the stale society. Alexander often saw the signs and protests, people gathering in opposition to the otherwise stagnant state that the nation and government were in.
As a political science major, Alexander saw this movement in progress as both interesting and disappointing all in one. He often speculated in his mind how the Havenists may impact American politics, whether for good or bad. Potentially, they could compose a force that could stand up to the conservative right and upset the power that had long kept the country together since its near collapse following the financial war. The future was unclear, especially in unclear present circumstances.
When class dismissed, Alexander was the last to leave the room, giving the professor time to hold him back.
“So Alexander, you’ve really impressed me lately in this class,” the professor complimented.
“Oh, thanks, I guess it’s just something I’m passionate about,” Alexander said.
The professor smiled warmly. He wore glasses, and as he took them off to clean them with a cloth, he continued, “Are you involved in any clubs or anything here on campus?”
“Not currently.”
“Pft, why not? I know a perfect club you could use that mind for…”
He went over to his podium, grabbed his tablet and came back to where Alexander was standing right by the door.
“Here’s a flyer for it,” he said, showing Alexander the screen of the tablet.
Alexander scanned over the flyer. It read: “Join the Club everyone’s been talking about! The Student Wellness and Recreation League!”
It was a Havenist-like club. Disguised as a meeting to address student concerns, it was really just a bunch of students getting together and taking narcotics. Not exactly Alexander’s cup of tea.
“Oh, I think I’ll pass…” Alexander murmured.
The professor seemed surprised. “Are you sure? I mean, you seem like you could use some of that ‘wellness.’” He winked. It dawned on Alexander that his own professor, teaching his favorite subject, was a part of this.
This is…disturbing, thought Alexander, starting to back away towards the door.
“I think I’ll be fine without, but thanks for the consideration,” Alexander said.
“Oh sure! Anytime!” exclaimed the professor.
As Alexander walked out and started down the hallway, the professor poked his head out the door and called: “If you change your mind, come find me!”
“Will do!”
This Havenist business was becoming a growing concern for Alexander. A few days prior, his friend had called him and the conversation that had followed was perhaps equally as disturbing as the one that had occurred between him and his professor.
“Hey Alexander, what’s going on?” his friend Pete said.
“Oh, I’m doing alright…just studying, man,” he replied, not looking at his tablet.
“Heh, I could think of better things to do,” Pete remarked.
Not showing his annoyed expression, Alexander tried to hurry along this transaction: “So what do you need?”
Pete lowered his voice. “Well,” he started, “what are you doing this weekend?”
Alexander thought for a moment. “This weekend…this weekend…oh right. Actually, what are you doing?”
Pete sounded surprised. “Well, I’m going to a party Saturday night. I was gonna see if you were interested in coming. Free drinks.”
It would have been a lie to say that Alexander wasn’t tempted. He had other plans in mind, however.
“I don’t think so, Pete. I kind of wanted to take my truck for a drive.”
“Oh? Where to?”
“Out of town.”
“Okay…” Pete made a confused expression.
“Let’s just say that I have a once in a lifetime experience coming up,” Alexander said, further mystifying his friend.
“So what? You’re gonna get laid?”
“No. Don’t worry about it, Pete. I’ll catch you later.”
Pete shrugged. “Okay, Alexander. Later.” And he hung up.
Alexander was growing increasingly more frustrated with his friends. They too were falling prey to this new movement. They were one-by-one dropping out of school, only to loaf around, inducing themselves with conscious-altering chemicals. A waste of time was the way Alexander thought of it.
The truth was, Alexander was debating on whether or not he wanted to go and see Halley’s Comet. It was the most famous of visible things in the night sky, flying by the Earth every seventy-five years or so. It had last appeared in 2061; it was due to appear again that very weekend.
Besides his usual interest in political science, Alexander was also quite interested in astronomy. The problem was that nobody he knew shared this hobby. No one cared to dabble in politics either, for that matter, which was his major. And so he was caught at that point in time in a dilemma of whether to pursue his own goals or to inevitably join his friends. Would he decide to go after his personal dreams? Or would he too decide to drop out of school, disregard any opportunity to work and smoke the narcotics all day with those people he loosely considered his acquaintances? All the work in college he was putting in was starting to shift him towards the latter.
His decision was ultimately made when he attended an advisory meeting later that day.
