Lunch Outside the Solar System

Six

The idea of some space pigs made Ariel smirk when she tasted the perfect flavor from the bacon by the side of her waffles; Layla thought it was cute the small wrinkle on the side of Ariel's mouth while smiling.

- So you where telling me about your mission – Layla leaned a little back on the seat.

- Yes, sorry – Ariel apologized while cleaning a little bit of maple syrup from her lips – Like I said, I am the first human to attempt a space travel outside the Solar System and get back to Earth in order to test the new technology called Ark Travel by Dr. Adamar.

- And by what I can understand of that "Technology" – Layla air quoted- it's exactly the same kind of space travel we use around here. Actually I think the difference could be only in the engineering, but for the most part, traveling In the Light is the best way to space travel so far.

- Well, for me it is my very first experience traveling In The Light, and based on what you told me, the Dr. Adamar discoveries were very accurate - Ariel took a moment to finish her waffles cleaning the syrup from the plate with the last piece.

- I don't know how accurate, -Layla replied - but I can assure you that it's the most effective way to travel around the known Universe. – Layla waved at Rita for another Root Beer.

- So, as I was telling you, -Ariel continued- I entered into Stasis Sleep waiting for the cross-reference results to finish, when apparently some kind of harmful communication signal jammed the whole systems taking the ship and me outside the Cosmoway wandering somewhere in space. – Ariel looked at the window watching the whole cosmic field of stars outside the Diner sighing a little - After that, I was staring at the window being dragged to the parking lot of the Diner. The rest, well, you saw me entering here.

- Quite a story you have, it seems as if you jumped in time and space, because if I remember correctly, the first encounter of my race with the Humans they already had mastered the Ark Travel, and that was like almost a century ago.

- Yeah, about that – Ariel finished her coffee trying to reach for Rita for some more, - please tell me when and where are we exactly, it's a little bit frustrating not knowing where I am.

- Of course, in fact I have something better, - Layla took out again the little silver cube approaching it to Ariel – look, this is a SentiCube.

- So that's how it's called, it's the same thing you used with the hologram thingy just before I could understand you.

- Indeed it is, it's a High Capacity Storage Unit, you can learn something in a matter of seconds or search information stored in it. There are tons of different SentiCubes depending on the information you store in them, this one in particular is for space travelers.

- And that's why it has language learning – Ariel took the SentiCube feeling it very light weighted and curiously not that cold for what it looked a metallic object.

- Also contains a personal locator, it can tell you exactly where and when you are in the known Universe in relation with any calendar of any planet you want to correlate the info. – Layla said it with a cleverish tone pointing out the cube.

- And how it works? –Ariel asked.

- Easy peasy, you just take the cube and think of what you want to ask, then the electric impulse of the question created by your brain kind of synchronizes sensing what you want to know, the cube will show a group of holographic symbols specially engineered so your senses capture and assimilate the stimuli, thus, learning in a matter of seconds. –Layla smiled after finishing the explanation, - Go ahead and think of where and when you are.

Ariel took the cube in her hand, looking at it, she thought the question of where and when she was. Not even a second passed when the cube projected some yellowish symbols that Ariel looked realizing that she also could hear some kind of a pitch noise, even smelling and tasting an alkaline flavor giving her some goosebumps.

The hologram stopped after a couple of seconds and Ariel instantly knew where and when they were, Layla got amazed by the face Ariel put when she realized they were at the other side of the Universe from where the Solar System is located, very near of what it was known by earthlings as the Antennae Galaxy, located approximately at 50 Million light years from Earth at the beginning of the XXV Century, the date was August 20 2419 Earth Calendar to be precise. Ariel remembered that at the time when William Herschel discovered the galaxy, it was two galaxies in the process of merging, by now they fused keeping the original name on the records for the sake of nostalgia.

Ariel started to look for more information when Layla interrupted her

- Hey take it easy with that, your brain needs to get used to it, lots of information at high speed need time to assimilate.

Ariel took away the SentiCube

- Just don't overuse it for the time being, and eventually you'll be able to learn things almost immediately, you'll see.