Vacation In The Shade

Final Words

Fortune favors Aster and Sol because their case is the first to be heard by The Honorable Harriet Barker. Her first cases of the day have the best chance of being heard with empathy. As the day goes on however, a heavy docket and stress of affecting dozens of lives a day can deplete the mercy well. The judge takes her seat and look doubtfully at two men sitting behind the defendant's table.

"Neither one of you looks like a lawyer to me," she says, "Where is your council?"

"Excuse me your honor," Sol says, "we'll be representing ourselves."

"Oh, you will?" the judge retorts. "Let's see on the docket... Aster and Sol Lopez?"

"That's right your honor." Sol answers, "from what we understand, this is our opportunity to tell our story. Is that true?"

No lawyer, no ID and the defendants want to tell a bedtime story to win their case. The judge know these guys are destined for a plane ride out of the country. Sometimes though, a hopeless argument needs to be heard.

"Mister Sol Lopez," the judge says, "tell your story."

Sol stands and places his hands behind his back to take his presentation stance. "Your honor, my story is the same as many of the people you'll see today. A story rarely told to anyone who cares and has the power to help.

I'm a Human Being. No different than anyone in this room, or anyone on this planet. We have much in common, I want my life to have meaning, I want to contribute to society. I don't want to take advantage, I want to honor the opportunities available here by creating more opportunities. 

It took Aster and I five years to get here. The road has been paved by dedication, life-threatening risk and hard work. My story is not uncommon. There are thousands of people like me. If you give us the chance to stay and prove ourselves, you'll see we're not a burden but a blessing. I ask not just for myself but all the Human Beings who want to bless this place, let us stay and prove ourselves."

Sol sits down and silence envelops the room. 

"Mister Lopez," Judge Barker says, "I have heard your story before, and I believe the truth in it. But laws must be enforced. Petition denied."

***

Aster and Sol sit in the transport room. Back in their natural bodies and using time for reflection upon their vacation time. For most the goal is to make memories. They succeeded.

"Think you made a difference?" Aster asks.

"With things like that," Sol says, "you can't tell right away. Time will tell."

"Well, we didn't get wealthy," Aster says, "but we did get arrested. That'll be a story worth telling someday."

Leo comes into the room. "I've disposed of the bodies," he says, "was the trip worth it?"

"Probably not," Aster says, "no yellowcake and no justice. Let me tell you what happened."

"I can guess a lot of it," Leo says, "your antics are what they call 'trending' on the planet's information network."

"Antics?" Sol asks, "only a small number of humans even know what happened."

"More know than you think," Leo says, "apparently in the United States of America when detained illegal aliens disappear from holding, it makes the news. Their even replaying your speech."

"That was documented?" Sol asks.

Leo nods. "It's being played over and over planet-wide."

"Wow," Aster says to Sol, "the whole planet knows you."

"If I know humans," Leo says, "the excitement will die out eventually, but in the meantime who knows? You can always hope."

"That's right," Sol says, "you can always hope."