Asteroid Enterprise

by Seth Kinstle

  Chapter Five

  Way Out There Where The Stars Live

  The nice part about making deliveries is once you’re done you can kick back for the most part. The autopilot handles most of the ship’s routes anyways. I’ve heard of pilots that just punch it on autopilot and get drunk. I like to be aware in case I need to take some action or something.

  I mean I have a few books and a T.V. set up on my little bridge. Yet mostly I just sit back and listen to talk radio. I even have access to some killer futuristic video games if I want. There’s a ton of time to pass and the ships do travel relatively fast. Just sometimes you have a long way to go.

  I have a few interactive A.I. robots around to keep me company. They clean up the ship and I like to have conversations with them. They’re actually really intuitive and handy with a huge database of knowledge. They have different settings you can put them on to your liking as well.

  Aside from deliveries the Asteroid Enterprise also operates some resource gathering operations. They harvest minerals and other useful materials to sell on the market. For the most part that’s pretty much all they do. They also have a security company they’ve been beefing up to serve their business.

  There are tons of aliens and humans that would love to work for the Asteroid Enterprise. The company just has great benefits and such good pay. Most of the time if you’re on deliveries you can just sit back and relax. So that’s pretty much why I took the job in the first place.

  I wish I had more than those robots around. Don’t get me wrong they’re nice to talk to and good company. Still at the same time I would like to have a girl around the ship. There’s nothing like being in the presence of another human being. Especially when you’re around as many aliens and robots as I am.

  I’ve been hanging out on a planet close to where the main Asteroid Enterprise space station is. It’s a nice little inhabited planet not too far away with some enjoyable scenery and beings. There are some humans there but not too many as far as I’ve seen. There have been a few females but nothing ever really sparked or presented as a good opportunity for me.

  You would think that a human seeing another human would be different. That they would come up and they would talk about earth. That we would have a direct connection and all that. The thing is that not all humans are from Earth and the universe isn’t exactly a trustworthy place.

  I can make friends but there are tons of shady characters out here. Not many beings that you can be sure to have your back. I just don’t like leaving myself open for some alien to come in and rob me. Still, I’m sure I could meet some decent folk if I tried hard enough.

  It’s a fine life to live and the stars are always interesting to look at. All the structures and advanced technology is mind blowing. The vehicles are very interesting as well as the ships. It’s actually quite nice to be alive and see it all.

  I guess it’s not such a strange thing to feel the want to fall in love. Maybe not even just fall for anyone but just have someone there. I think it can really depend on the type you are though. Still, I think I’m the kind that would like to settle down.

  The whole idea of being around aliens and on strange planets is growing on me. It’s sort of intimidating to be experiencing everything being from the past. It’s sort of like moving into a new city or something. Only it’s way more mysterious than it would 've been if I was in my time.

  I think no matter what there will be criminals to make things questionable. There are always good and bad beings no matter what time you live in. In time I hope to maybe warm up and be more comfortable here.

  I’m heading to the nearby planet for the weekend. I plan to hang out at the club and try to do something other than sit there. Some people that’s all they do at bars and clubs. They just sit there but they really want to meet someone. They want to have some fun but not everyone likes to dance. If you want to get in and meet friends you have to put yourself out there.

  I’ve had a few aliens from work that I could’ve got drinks with. I just never really get around to asking any of them. Most of the time I think they’re just there to get paid. It can be quite different with aliens, not knowing their culture.

  Really, I’ve just been focused on my job. It’s a serious gig considering you can get killed on the job. It’s important for me to be able to maintain this position here at Asteroid Enterprise.

  I want to get my own home eventually and get out of the ship more. I can practically live on the ship but it’s nicer to sleep down on the ground. It gives a little less worry that I’m going to get my ship robbed by pirates. I suppose I just want a girl and a house somewhere.

  This weekend though I really want to kill it and come out of my shell. Maybe get on the dance floor and just put myself out there. I mean since I’ve gotten here, I’ve been sort of stiff. Just absorbing everything and processing it all can be a little much. I’m just not used to all these space ventures and aliens yet.

  I don’t think I’ll ever really get used to it all. I mean it’s so much different and it makes me a sort of foreigner. I’m from a completely different time and place. All I want is to just try and settle in the best I can. And try not to get myself killed in the process.

  Chapter Six

  The Weekend Everything Changed

  After that newbie gave me a bit of a scare, it was nice to return to normal. Having a red flag go up like it did sort of made some waves. As the week went on it all seemed to smooth out. After watching another newb almost die it made me stoked for the weekend.

  I have to admit I was getting a little bit stiff for a long time. I could die any day but the future seemed to just grind down on me. Experiencing the future has actually been very stressful. I need to just live life while it’s here and try and let go.

  I made my deliveries thinking about getting off work. It was time for me to try and have a little fun. There have been too many days of worry and hard work. I was going to meet someone to connect with if I died trying.

  Everyone needs a little fun every once and awhile. No matter who you are sitting at home all the time gets boring. I think beings can just get scared of living. They get used to their routine and it’s almost like there’s nothing to look forward to. That’s more than enough of a reason for me to do something different.

  I almost feel all alone in the universe. I mean here I am way out in space somewhere operating this ship. From a different time living with aliens and I’m only human. They might be aliens to me but I feel like an alien. I need a human connection of some sort.

  It can be hard to come to terms with such a thing like loneliness. You have to realize that you have to take action for it to change. Just sitting around watching everything go by doesn’t work that well. Feeling sorry for yourself only makes it worse. You can drown in bad moods which only makes it harder for people to feel good around you.

  There has to be some humans on this nearby planet that I can relate to. There could be sparks between me and some futuristic humans. I could tell them the bizarre story of how I ended up here. That would actually be quite funny I thought as I day dreamed about my new friends.

  I was coasting the ship on auto pilot on my last deliveries of the week. Just thinking about the fun I was going to have over the weekend. I was going to make things happen for myself somehow.

  I made my last delivery and let out a sigh of relief. It was time to set course for the planet to party. I had to get myself a little pumped up so I started shaking my arms. I started saying motivational things like “This is it time to have some fun” which they escalated to shouts “TIME TO PARTY”. I needed to let go and loosen up a little bit somehow. I guess this was my pregame.

  I took a shower and looked at myself in the mirror. It was the face of a man that spent too much time alone in space. It looked like the blood was almost drained out of my face. So, I started to shout again. Pumping myself up until then I started punching myself in the face. I didn’t punch myself that hard but just enough to try and wake m
yself up. This is the moment I forced myself out of the conscious coma of desolation I fell into.

  I was on my way and I got some modern clothes on. I didn’t want to overdress or overthink the situation. Still, as a human it seems I’m going to overthink things regardless. I’m all spiced up and ready to go into that club alone. I guess I shouldn’t worry too much. I mean what’s the worst that can happen, right?

  Just the sight of the planet on my approach gave me a feeling. The weekend was here and everyone there had things to do. Whether it was reading a book at home alone. Going to some killer party at a friend’s house. Or going to the club to have some fun like me. Most people had some way to enjoy the weekend unless they were working.

  Friday was the day it all happened. Saturday was the day to look forward to after Friday. Still, a Saturday night didn’t feel as nice as a Friday night. Sunday came after Saturday and that means it’s the last night to do whatever you wanted. The work week just creeps closer and closer.

  Even still I got a hotel and plans to do some things during the day in the city. I wanted to explore a little bit and check out the sights. I have to admit I’ve been quite scared of being in my position. This made me sort of cut myself off to actually trying new things. I feel like I’ve just been sort of rotting away in my ship.

  Throughout the day I usually get a little tripped out. It’s just so weird to be living in the future with aliens. I have these moments where time seems to stop and I just can’t believe what’s happening. This whole living in the future thing is something that you would’ve never thought could happen in a million years.

  The planet was just lit up waiting for me to come on down. I was coming in closer to the atmosphere. My ship was starting to descend down on the planet. Once in the clouds I made a course for a port in the city. This will be the longest I’ve been out of my ship in awhile.

  They had a zoo and a museum I was going to check out Saturday morning. For now I was going to get situated at my hotel and make my way to a club. There were too many clubs to choose from and the city is so enormous. It’s probably the size of ten New Yorks.

  I set my ship down in the port and checked in at the lobby. They had some pretty decent parking fee rates for ships. The port wasn’t even that big but all the ships were stored underground. It’s actually quite a genius way to store so many ships in such a big city.

  One of my robots was carrying my baggage and coming along to assist me. If I needed him to go get something from the store or clean up then he would be there. It’s just all in all a good choice to have a robot with you. Especially when you have one like mine equipped with a security protocol.

  This particular robot was built to provide a number of uses to its consumer. Most robots out were very advanced and pumped with features to sell them on the market. According to my robot they used to be a lot simpler until the market met demands for new features. So the consumer’s demands for better features advanced them into what I see today.

  The robot is equipped with a laser targeting system. Meaning it will kill to defend its owner in a given situation. Which sounds like it could be a very dangerous piece of machinery. Yet the design is so sophisticated there were rarely any problems with the modern design.

  I planned to walk to my hotel to try and enjoy a little bit of the city. There were so many different types of aliens and robots. There were stylish hovercrafts and wheeled cars as well. There were a few humans too and the city was popping.

  I couldn’t help but just feel good which kept a smile on my face. It was nice to be here for a positive experience. I wanted to try some of the weird food I saw at the vendors. Yet I’m not really sure if humans can eat all of the food out here. It’s kind of strange eating some alien food and not knowing if it’s harmful or not. I just do my best to ask around and look things up on my phone.

  I walked through the city watching the people and everything moving. The street lights were a little different than old Earth but they did have similar driving systems. They had roads and flying cars and all of this futuristic stuff. The buildings were way bigger than I’ve ever seen before coming into the future.

  I’ve been here before but not like this. Seemed like last time I was only a virgin of the city. Now I was ready for the real fun to begin. Maybe I shouldn’t be so scared even though it can be quite intimidating. Tonight, the city is mine and the city and I will become friends.

  I made my way to the hotel as the beings passing by seemed to be focused on themselves. I sort of felt like I was looking around desperately but I was too stylish to submit to it. I couldn’t stoop so low considering my unique situation. Still a little eye contact never hurt anyone.

  The hotel was sort of strange with crazy design patterns. There were T.V. screens everywhere with pop culture on them. Some sculptures were in the lobby of some godly figured aliens. The smell was very pleasant and you could tell they intended to provide an elegant experience.

  There was this red female sort of alien with tentacles at the front desk.. She was dressed in a fancy work outfit. I checked in and took a brochure of the hotel. I read they had several perks at this particular hotel. They had a pool, fancy food, and a band that performs in the bar around six every night.

  I wasn’t intending on spending too much but I did want a decent place to lay my head. My robot and I went up to the fifth floor where my room was. The door opened after a device on the top scanned me for a brief second. The room exceeded my expectations with its appearance. I also found out that I could change the theme with the press of a button. There was this sort of holographic overlay technology they provided.

  It was already dark and I was ready to get going. I would grab a bite to eat somewhere after checking on my options. I needed to make sure the food was safe for humans. I found a nice restaurant not too far from the hotel with a club close by. I could walk down there with my robot.

  Some places required the robot to be left outside establishments to prevent overcrowding. They had these rest stations your robot could find their way to and wait for you. Or you could just send your robot home or have them show up outside at a certain time. It was all very convenient and owners were usually good about keeping their places safe.

  Although I did have some paranoia of being here in the first place. I came to find out that it wasn’t that bad of a place to have some fun.

  I made my way out of the hotel and down the street. The restaurant had several items that I didn’t know of. As I went inside, I could tell it was going to be unlike any diner I’ve eaten at before. The structures and everything was so different compared to old Earth.

  The food was actually really good and I ate it fast. I paid for my food and made my way to the club. Now was the moment I’ve been waiting for. Time to have some fun and let go for a while.

  The music in the club was quite different than anything I’ve heard before. Still, it sounded good and like it should be playing. I’ve heard some of the music they have out here in the future but not this kind. I guess I don’t know much about the cultures they have here.

  There were aliens dancing with a few humans in the crowd. I’m not sure if humans hook up with aliens or what. I never really seen any of them kiss or hold hands. Yet these beings seemed to be dancing with each other. There were a few human women dancing with some of the aliens.

  Right when I walked in, I found a nice little table and got a drink. I only knew of one alcoholic drink that they sold. It was a cold classic beer and they knew the name of it. It’s kind of unexpected that beer is a widely known beverage in this futuristic realm. Yet thankfully it is here because at times it seems much needed.

  An alien sat at my table “it’s crazy in here” he said “yeah I know I’m having a blast!” I said back. The alien ordered what looked like shots and came back to the table. He offered me this drink that was green in this weirdly designed glass. I tossed it back and recognized it as some kind of hard liquor.

  The alien was just hanging out at my table
as the music was really loud. You sort of had to shout to really be heard saying anything. There were a ton of beings in the center dancing and sitting at tables. The D.J. was all decked out in stylish clothing and glasses just jamming out.

  There was a female human on the dance floor that caught my eye. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen but knew I had to get out there. I got up and went to the dance floor eager to dance.

  The girl didn’t really pay much attention to me as I was trying to work my way in. I was pretty drunk at that point in time as everyone else was most likely as well. I danced for awhile until I was next to the girl.

  She looked my way and started grinding on me and smiled. It was weird looking into her eyes. I didn’t know but I thought she was just a futuristic human. She was someone that came way after my time. It’s all just kind of crazy to be face to face with her.

  We started dancing and I could tell she was taking a liking to me. I knew that I needed to just get out here to have fun and look at me now. I’m having a blast, dancing with a human chick. This was going more than great. This was straight out of my wildest dreams. This definitely beats sitting on my ship talking to my robots.

  The girl and I sat down at the table and had a few beers. It was hard to talk to her so I shouted “Do you want to go outside?” she shouted back”Yes”. We went outside and started talking. I was asking her about a few things and she was totally cool. I told her I wasn’t from around here and we flirted around. “Do you want to check out my hotel?” I asked with a smile. “Sure, let’s go” she said smiling back.

  Everything was sort of foggy looking back on it. Still, we had a really good time and she ended up sleeping with me in my hotel. I was surprised I actually hooked up with a futuristic girl. I fell asleep holding her in my arms.

  Chapter Seven

  Well Now What

  In the morning the woman I slept with was still there. I half expected her to leave me here. I guess I didn’t really know what to expect. This was the first time I ever really got to experience a woman in the future.