Thirty Days

Day 0

“Veering 3.6/2.8 Degrees off course,” The nasally computer voice cackled to me.

“Blasted stabilizer,” I cursed. Gently, I eased the steering wheel to adjust my space-ship, the S.S. Dolphin, back on course. I grabbed a cool canister of vitamin-enhanced water and took several sips, gradually calming myself. I hated flaws. Even the smallest, most discrete errors can drive me insane, like that one spot on your back that you can never seem to reach when it itches. I however, always keep a back-scratcher handy, so such has yet to be a problem to me. But moving on...

I took a quick glance at my radar and several other gauges and meters to make sure everything was as it should be. Neatness soothes my nerves, though I should’ve loosened up, especially since I was off on sabbatical. If my family were with me, they would certainly not have approved of me being so nit-picky during a vacation.

Well, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Olimar. Captain Olimar if you will. I am from the planet of Hocotate, and work for the renowned Hocotate Freight, a powerful shipping company. After working for several years as Chief-Executive Delivery-man and employee of the month under the iron fist of my dictator-of-a-boss, my family demanded- er, requested I take a vacation for myself.

The labor laws of Hocotate state that any who works for as long and as hard as me are allowed a week-long vacation, so the company president had no choice but to allow me such a luxury. And now I was off to a tropical planet that was a popular get-away for overworked and over-stressed people such as myself. But to tell the truth, I almost didn’t want to go. After losing myself gazing into the starry abyss of space, I realized, I love the beauty we see in nature. On deliveries and road-trips with the family, I relax and hypnotize myself with the glittery void. A night spent stargazing is much “cooler”, as the kids say, than a night spent organizing my book collection.

I began to find and name different constellations, sometimes making up some of my own. I even have two constellations named after my son and daughter. I always recognize those first.

Several long, complicated names of constellations and stars consumed my mind, which was usually out of character for me. I normally never let anything but organization and work consume my brain. But the natural world just does it for me. Ah, sweet bliss.

Almost unaware of the warning siren blaring from my Guard Satellite, I looked to my control panel and heard the computer mention an “oncoming asteroid cluster.” I felt myself slowly sliding off my seat. I tried to scoot back up, but my descent continued. I flailed my arms to save myself, but I fell directly on the thrust switch and managed to jam the handle into high speed.

Brilliant. Just Brilliant.

The Dolphin made a sudden lurch forward, and began to rapidly pick up speed. The Engine Room was roaring behind me, and my Guard Alarm was blasting a loud, irritating siren. I put on my helmet to keep my head from cracking against something and attempted to clamber to my seat, that was much harder than normal, as the Dolphin was gaining velocity.

My hands reached out and met the steering wheel, which I firmly grasped. I made fast and instinctive swerves in between the asteroids, panicked and frightened. I tried to slow the thrust, but it was firmly jammed into its position. And during that split-second I looked away, a large meteor must have collided with my dear ship, because I blacked out after that.