Armstrong Legacy

by Zebulon Forchion

Dedicated To Waylon Linn-Adams

Maple Leaf Writing Project

Brattleboro Vermont

Copyright 2014

Prologue

New York , New york, 2013/7/10

It was rush hour at Kennedy International Airport and airplanes of all colors of the rainbow were swarming all over the four runways like pigeons flying over corn on a sidewalk. But they all parted to let a sleek black jumbo jet with military markings, through for landing. When the plane was at the terminal a large English man and a medium sized man in a blue tux surrounded by men in black suits, stepped out of gate 8. They walked down to the parking lot of the airport to a black limo parked there. Soon the limo was cruising down the highway and the English man addressed the man in the blue tux.

“Mr. Cook thank you for joining me in my humble limo.”

“I’m happy to be here, Robert,” said Mr Cook, chuckling happily.

The English man reached into a secret compartment in the floor of the limo and retrieved a briefcase and opened it. Inside the case was a plastic cylinder with a clear liquid and suspended inside was a gelatinous cube with electronics inside. “This is the BoB project that I mentioned in our phone conference” Robert said. “I would like you to program my conscience into it. Or him,” he added in an undertone.

“Yes,” Mr Cook said. “I will program it for you.” The men shook hands.

Just then, the limo stopped at the base of a towering building and Robert got out and walked over to a pedestal overlooking a massive crowd of children and parents and he spoke. “Parents, children, thank you for coming to the sign up for the NASA Little Explorer program! If you would like to pilot a spacecraft to a distant planet with no parents raise your hand. But,” he added, “there is a small chance you could die.” One single child in the back of the crowd raised her hand. Her name was Linda Armstrong.

The transmission

Linda Armstrong had been in space for five years. NASA’s little explorer experiment to see if children with no adult supervision could pilot a spacecraft to other stars had proven successful. Sadly no other parents volunteered their children for the experiment so Linda was alone. Currently, Linda was sitting in the pilot's seat on the bridge of her ship ,the Star Explorer 9 (Linda just called it “little red wagon”) The ship resembled a huge Boeing 747 with a twist. It had rocket engines instead of jet engines. She was thinking about her mom and dad. Linda had just turned 10 and was thinking about what her parents would be doing if she were with them.

Suddenly the radio on the dash blared to life with an unfamiliar voice that made Linda jump so high that she bumped her head on the ceiling. ”Come in Star Explorer 9, we have an urgent message for you concerning your homecoming,“ blared the radio.

Linda relaxed a little at the realization that the radio wasn’t going to blow up, as she had thought. With trembling hands Linda picked up the transmitter and answered

“This is Star Explorer 9, relay message “. The voice came through again.

“relay message in 3,2,1”. Suddenly a holographic image appeared over the relative center of the room. The holo image of her grandfather Neil Armstrong spoke in a surprisingly clear voice.

“Linda Armstrong, NASA has programed your copilot to set a course for Earth. You have been a great help in the field of science, thank you.” And with that the holo flickered off.

Linda was so stunned by the message that her robot copilot BoB (who resembled a green cube of jello with electronics suspended inside) had to shake her to make her move.

When Linda came to her senses she started making preparations for intergalactic travel. 20 minutes later Linda was ready for her trip to earth. Then Linda heard a rising whine and knew that the ship was preparing for departure. Soon Linda was on the bridge contemplating how her parents would react to her return. They had expected Linda to remain in space for the rest of her natural life. A defining boom shook the bridge and BoB fell to the floor, smoke streaming from his vents and ports.

Problems

As soon as Linda recovered from the shock of BoB bursting into a mushroom cloud of smoke she rushed out of the bridge to get fire extinguisher. Soon BoB was covered from head to toe ( as if he had either ) in thick white foam. Linda poked the smoking remains of BoB with the back of the fire extinguisher. BoB didn’t move. “Don’t panic, don’t panic” Linda told herself as the readout suddenly melted away into a small hole in the dash and a booming voice informed her that .“ “Guidance system BoB unit 190 is now offline”. “It is advised that manual guidance be activated at this time ” the announcement added. Then the the announcement finished with, “the auto to manual controls are located !@#$%^2!@#123 uni$7b@5” and the announcement cut off in a violent yell of fremuglefrapichenocupcakechocolatebanannepele and the speaker started smoking.

temporary reboot

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” screamed Linda at the realization of what had just happened to both BoB and the announcement system. They had both shut down under mysterious circumstances and left her stranded precariously somewhere between the Beta 9876 nebula and the Omega 77767 star cluster! How would she get home to earth with BoB smoking on the floor and the auto to manual controls who knows where. Linda was yanked back to the present by a small beep from the smoking remains of BoB. Then BoB moved. Linda dived at BoB and engulfed him (or her, Linda really didn’t know which) in a squeezing bear hug. BoB pushed away Linda and said “I can’t stay online for much longer Linda i’m running out of power and I need to tell you where the controls are”. “ First “ started BoB; “The auto to manual controls are located exactly 20 feet from the exterior exhaust vent on the port side of the control deck”. “But we weren't stocked with space suits” Linda blurted out; “The people at mission control didn’t think I would need them”. “You won’t need a space suit when I’m through with you” BoB remarked in an undertone. “I perceive that as a threat” Linda told BoB. “That was not meant as a threat” BoB said back in a slightly annoyed tone.

“It sounded like one”.

“It wasn't one”.

“Was to”.

“Was not”.

“Was to”.

“WAS NOT” yelled BoB seriously ticked off now. “It sounded like one and I am counting it as...” Linda never finished her proposition because at that moment she was shocked from behind by two snaking wires that BoB had been sneaking up behind her and she blacked out.

changes

When Linda regained consciousness she was lying on the on the control Bridge with BoB smoking on the deck beside her. “Good, It was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream” Linda thought. But something wasn’t right. All the plants on the bridge where dead and Linda knew why, all the windows on the bridge where splintered an open exposing the void outside. Linda gasped, how was she breathing in the void of space? Then she remembered BoB had shocked her with long wires and she had blacked out. Maybe BoB and his wires were somehow connected with her being able to breathe in the void. Linda, perplexed, had an idea. “Why don’t I use this to get at the controls”.

Linda rushed to the airlock to go outside. As she opened it a sigh escaped her tightly clasped lips as the void touched her skin.For some reason the feeling mmmmmmmmmmmmm of the void felt soothing. “Where did BoB say the controls where” Linda asked herself as she scaled the side of the sleeping quarters. She was so engrossed with finding the controls that she didn’t notice a handle poking about 3 inches out of the hull in front of her. “I think that BoB said they were on the control bri” WACK! Linda tripped over the handle and went flying out into space. Linda noticed her momentum a second too late and failed to grab the handle to stop herself. “Urrg” she yelled as her ship became a speck in the vast void of space. she desperately tried to swim her way to the ship but to no avail. Then suddenly “Wham” she smacked into something hard and had the wind (or absence of it) knocked out of her. The last thing she remembered before she blacked out was a green hand reaching for her.

“What is it ?”

“I don’t know, it kinda looks like a flagermuffon from banana 445.”

“Ya, I can see the resemblance.”

” uuugh” Linda sat up blinking “ where am I?”

“You, my friend, are on the starship Enter Key” said a small green blob with one eye and a gaping mouth “and I am General Slushy of the milkshake 9 starfleet.” General Slushy then explained to Linda that she and her ship had been intercepted by one of their scouts and been taken to the starship Enter key where she had been in coma for 2 days. “Your ship is in the cargo bay and ready for departure when ever you are ready” Slushy concluded on his way out the door. “Oh, and one more thing” he said popping his head back through the door “we have updated your DNA so you can now change your appearance at your will”. Then without warning he changed into an exact replica of Linda and disappeared.

.

departure

Linda spent the next 2 weeks exploring the starship Enter key and practicing her new abilities. By the time she rapped up she could change into almost anything by just thinking about it. Soon, General Slushy announced, she would be able to create custom forms and shapes. Linda was just transforming back into herself from being a giant rubber bouncy ball (from which she sported many bruises) when General Slushy walked in and declared “It is ample time for you to return home”. “Your ship is fueled and ready Linda and we have fixed your copilot.” “BoB is ok !?!” Linda jumped up, “why didn’t you tell me”. “We only just fixed him” Slushy announced, “but he insists that you leave at once”. “Well than what are we waiting for” Linda announced “lets go!”. And with that Linda changed into a bug and flew out the room down the hall and into the vast hangar where the Star Explorer 9 was hanging from it’s docking mechanism. Linda hustled across the bridge that connected the Star Explorer 9 to the walkway that encircled the hanger and bordered the ship.

As soon as she stepped into the airlock she was engulfed by a familiar green cube. “BoB!” Linda exclaimed “It’s so good to have you back”. Two minutes later Linda was strapped into her seat and BoB was sitting comfortably in one of his many access ports. “Star Explorer 9, you are ready for launch.” said a calm voice over the radio. “This is Star Explorer 9, activating thrusters in, t- 40 seconds and counting” BoB said.

“BoB, can I do the honors next time.” Linda asked.

“Ok Linda, you can do it next time.” BoB answered.

“yes.” Linda breathed.

“t- 11 seconds and counting” blared the voice again.

“10’’

‘’9’’

‘’8’’

‘’7’’

‘’6’’

‘’5’’

‘’4’’

‘’3’’

‘’2’’

‘’1’’

“Igniting thrusters, now” BoB said as the thrusters ignited with a loud “fwof”. The clamps released and the Star Explorer 9 dropped out into the void of space, leaving the starship enter key, and General Slushy another speck against the large bulk of milkshake 9.

crash

“Entering the R.A.T.S in 3, 2, 1,” BoB said as a vast whirling vortex opened directly in front of the ship. Linda swerved the ship away from the vortex. “What is that thing BoB?” Linda asked. “That, Linda, is a R.A.T.S” BoB “It’s proper name is a remote activated transportation singularity, would you please steer the ship directly into the center”. “That thing looks scary, but I will if you say so” Linda said. Linda veered into the center of the R.A.T.S. The ship was instantly reduced to a cloud of subatomic particles in less than a second and rushed across the galaxy faster than the speed of light.

2,000 light years away, 500 miles above a gray, desolate, barren, crater riddled planet, an identical R.A.T.S opened and the Star Explorer 9 rocketed out and began its descent to the surface of the planet. Linda pulled the ship out of the dive just in time to avoid smashing into the ground but not in time to avoid plowing into one of the huge dunes of gray dust that covered the surface of the small planet. There was a loud crunch, and scream of buckling steel as the starboard engines were flattened by the weight of 30 tons of dust cascading off of the dune which had been cleaved in two by one of the Star Explorer 9’s massive wings. The ship came to rest 10 yards from a structure that appeared to be covered with gold wrapping. Linda uncovered her head and looked up and observed the scene around her. The damage reports popping up around her showed that the ships integrity was compromised and the starboard engines were crushed beyond repair. Than she looked out the cockpit windows and noticed the structure. She recognised it at once. “The lander grandpa Neil used!” she

exclaimed “but if the Eagle lander is here…” Linda looked up. Against the inky black void of space, Linda could just make out… “Earth!” Linda yelled with joy “Were home BoB, were home!”

crash

Linda hopped back into the pilot's seat and tried to start the engines but a red light flashed on the dash and the newly repaired speaker system announced “all starboard engines have sustained damage and are permanently offline, thank you”. “Also” the speaker system added “BoB unit 190 is once again off line”. “GRRRR” Linda yelled frustratedly ”this can’t happen, not now, not here. I’m so close, I can’t fail now!” “Psst, Linda” whispered a voice. “Ya BoB” answered Linda. “Linda, i’m not BoB” said the voice. “Ya wright, and my foot is purple” Linda said. “If you looked you would find that in fact your foot is purple” the voice explained. “ “Ok ok, it is purple at the moment but it isn’t always that color” Linda confessed “so what do you want to say”. “I just wanted to say that maybe, you could use the lander’s engines to temporarily fix your engines” the voice suggested.

home again!

“I've never thought about that old lander” Linda told the voice. Than she added “why don’t you show yourself”. “Ok” the voice said and a dusty moon rover rolled out of the doorway to the hallway “my name is ObO”. “Your, your a moon rover!” Linda exclaimed. “ya, you have a problem with that?” ObO said. “Nn No, no, I don’t have a problem, you just scared me.” Linda said shakily. “Ok, just asking” ObO said “so let’s get working”.

For the next 5 hours Linda and ObO worked on gutting the Eagle lander and mounting the engines to the space explorer 12. By the time earth started getting a little black, the engines were mounted and the space explorer 12 was ready to make its trip to earth. “BoB hasn’t moved for 6 hours.” Linda said worryingly “could you check his power levels ObO?”. ObO extended a short arm with a small point and stuck it into BoB. “His power is at ⅛ of a percent and falling, fast” ObO said “he isn’t going to make it “ “what?!” Linda asked although she know the answer. “He is going to die” ObO answered. “Maybe if we take him with us we could get help for him on earth” Linda suggested. “No” ObO said “he can’t be moved.” Linda hung her head “lets go ObO, lets leave this place, it’s not my thing”. Neither talked on there way to the space explorer 12 and during pre-takeoff prep. As the ship took off Linda watched as the still green form of BoB grew to another speck on the lunar landscape. 20 minutes later the front of the space explorer 12 grew red hot as the ship plummeted through the earth’s atmosphere. In a minute the space explorer 12 drooped from the clouds over 2018’s New york, NY. It looked the same as it had 5 years ago when one Robert Electro had landed at Kennedy to recruit Linda. ObO answered. As Kennedy filled the windows with its rainbow of airplanes that still looked like pigeons flying over corn on a sidewalk and its 4 runways the following radio message could be heard over the speakers :”Welcome home Star Explorer 9, you are clear for landing on runway 4.” and with that all the planes parted to let the ship through.

Today Linda often uses the telescope that her parents gave her for birthday to gaze upon the moon and more specifically the minute green dot that that was her companion her journeys.. Upon her return to earth, Linda met Robert, who had been receiving transmissions from his BoB counterpart during the trip. Linda ObO and Robert started a new space agency called Armstrong industries™ which rivaled NASA in 2020. Linda participates in moga ( yoga for people who can morph). She lived to the age of 2,000 (due to consciousness implants) The Star Explorer 9 is now functioning as Linda’s private plane and shuttle to her vacation home on the moon.

THE END