Reaching for Mater

Chapter One: Stuck on Earth

I'm a space traveler. There were a lot of people that were opposed to my current career path, but I was resolute in my decision. I couldn't find any joy in any of the other possible calculated career paths that were generated by my old university's shitty supercomputer. The damn thing thought that I'd be more suited to being a waitress. Something about my incident probability being in dangerous levels with such a high-risk job. Hah! As if I'd heed the words of some busted computer that couldn't even recognize my incredible innate talent with the universe.

My place is with the stars, and I'd bet you more than my worth in cash that that piece of junk gained sentience and realized what a kick-ass life I'd have meanwhile it'd be scrap metal in less than five years. Petty jealous bitch that it is, I do feel sorry for the thing, but I've never forgotten my vendetta because of it now I'm freelancing.

Let's be honest here, there's no way that someone without the recommendation of a supercomputer would be a reliable hire at any legit interspace company. Of course, I had to pay my own way through training-albeit the training may have been more than a little under the table, I am now licensed to journey through space. Of course, I'd had this license for around 2 years now with no offers in sight, but trust me when I say I know my big break is coming.

Let me explain- to receive an offer as a free-lance space traveler you need to register on this site cosmos-aplenty- after that companies will look at your rates, your profile, and experience, and decide whether or not they want you to represent their company while investigating planets in outer space. They offer you pay, and transportation, which is pretty vital since there's no way in hell I'd be able to secure my own ship. There have been many newly discovered planets in the last 500 years within our galaxy that have more than enough intelligent life to build 5,000 different versions of earth. With this being the case various companies and corporations have obviously decided to branch out and offer their services to these different planets and their inhabitants. But to do that they need information first. They need to know the culture, the ruling system of power, the topographical structure, basically everything there is to know, and that is where I come in. Free-lancers will generally either do this first inspection and then continue to work with that company and then serve the company full-time as the guide for their representatives around that planet.

Of course, these planets have been here a while so it isn't as if there haven't been any exploration teams sent to these planets, in fact, most planets have been more than well documented, but the issue is observing whether or not they would be receptive to the company's services, which is pretty much all the job of a modern-day scout is.

The first companies that have had success with these scouting missions have become the forefront of our culture. Now there are as many companies sending their own scouts and gathering information as there are people with their own underground bunkers in the first-class district of America- which is to say a lot.

I've kept my rates pretty generous. Which pretty much means just below the average going rate for any other scout. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm desperate. I want to go into space. I need to go there. All my life I've spent looking up into the sky and knowing there's more to my existence on this dust speck of a planet than bussing tables for foul-mouthed seniors who arrived too late for the early-bird discount.

But, I've done something a little more risky than I've ever done before. I changed my profile to include grey planets.

In the space scouting world, the planets are ranked by color. Green means that almost all information about the planet has been discovered and the relationship between them and earth is peaceful. Yellow and orange have pretty much the same difficulty and are just a little below the green, it could mean that there have been scandals between the planets, or there are dangerous sectors that cannot be traversed without proper preparation. But then after that are red and grey. Red planets have a poor relationship with Earth and should not be interacted with until after a set period of 100 years in order for generations to change and new leadership to replace the old. In other words, they are basically under strict guidelines to avoid at all costs. But then there are grey planets. Grey planets are those that have no relationship with Earth in any capacity and no information is available for whatever reason. These planets can either be goldmines for business opportunities or the future graveyard for whatever poor bastard decides to take the plunge. They're basically the riskiest option you could feasibly choose nowadays, and it's known commonly as the last resort for freelancers to actually go into space. But, after having walked down this path for so long, I know the only way I could ever prove myself as a true explorer is by putting myself through a little risk, the worst thing would be death, and after working this damn waitress job for two whole damn years, I know that's the better alternative.

--

The glow of my tablet lit up my face as I sat buried under my thin comforter, refreshing CosmosAplenty for the tenth consecutive time. I sighed and moved on from the app. Turning my attention to my picture album. Pushing the comforter away from my head I laid down properly, and then without looking pressed the project option. My ceiling and walls all at once were covered with stars. It was one of my favorite planets. Mater, in the outermost part of the milky way- one of the farthest planets away from the sun, and yet its glow was undeniable. The planet was so hauntingly dark on its outer edges but its center shone through with this beautiful milky white. The white glow in the center was caused by its atmosphere's unique species of bioluminescent plankton, or at least that's how we've classified them down here on Earth. But because of its color pattern- people have lovingly nicknamed it mother because it looks almost as if it's carrying a miniature planet in a womb of its own. The reason why I found such comfort in this planet so far away might be because of how comforting it was to see such light in the darkest place imaginable.

I smiled slightly, staring up at the planet in all of its glory. My cheek twitched downwards as I once again remembered how far away I truly was from this planet, and my own dream. There was no way I could make it there, much less even leave the atmosphere. The tears in my eyes gathered and threatened to burst. All of my hopelessness just finally began to pool up to the surface. I had fought hard for this, I knew that, but it wasn't as if I was immune to these bubbling moments of weakness. I can't pretend to be a hero when I'm all by myself in my room. I sobbed myself to sleep that night.

I woke up with half of my puffed face covered in drool to my phone's notification sound ringing loudly. I sighed and thought of my mother who was probably trying to call me and pester me about missing the forever spouse assignment project that she probably heard about through some dark corner of the internet. I really don't know how she always manages to get involved in these scams when everyone knows the only people who sign up for those projects are the poor leftovers that never found love naturally. Of course, I chose to be single not that my mother could ever accept that.

I reached over with a limp hand to my buzzing phone. The screen flashing urgently. My eyes ached as they adjusted to the light. Then the realization, as quick as a heart attack, hit me that it wasn't my mom, but CosmosAplenty. I had a job offer.

My fingers felt numb as the adrenaline rushed through my body. I clicked the notification sign and quickly as I sat up more properly to read the message.

Greetings aspiring space traveler!

This message is to inform you that our company InStar is interested in offering as an independent contractor in our newest interplanetary exploration mission. Please select ACCEPT ASAP for further details and mission requirements.

- The Instar Team

I pressed the accept button before my eyes could even blink, and without delay, a second message was sent to my inbox.

CONGRATULATIONS and welcome to the Instar team! Our company is dedicated to taking underdeveloped planets and ushering in a new metamorphosis in which these planets have the chance to flourish to their truest and final form of beauty. Thus the planets we work with are typically of the grey variety and will have some obvious risks attached. However, Instar has a guaranteed return rate of 99% for all contracted travelers. Should any danger befall you during your explorations we have a "no explorer left behind" policy that will compensate the entire trip with no charge and any and all damages will be entirely covered at the company's expense. Now, are you ready for a journey beyond the mundane?

SELECT AGREE BELOW TO CONSENT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

"Heh," A chuckle escaped my lips. My body quivered the intense joy that coursed through my body could barely be contained. A huge rack of laughter sputtered out of my exhausted body as I tightly grasped the phone that held my future within it. "Take that. TAKE THAT YOU STUPID SUPERCOMPUTER! HAHAHA," I laughed and laughed until my chest hurt and I could finally see out from my tear-heavy eyes.

I slammed the agree button on the screen so hard the burning in my finger traced its way throughout my entire body.