"WE ARE APPROACHING AMALDA STATION."
You return to the control cabin, to see the space station hanging in space before you through the view port.
The landing goes uneventfully, as you closely observe the robot's actions as he manipulates the controls.
When you step out of the Jupiter 2 and onto Amalda's landing deck, the two women are waiting for you.
"Welcome back," says Amalda1 warmly. "We had not expected you to return so quickly."
"We missed you," adds Amalda2.
After a long silence Amalda1 says to Tully, "What is wrong? Have we offended you?"
Zanax votes to go back, as Zanax would like to map Earth and determine if there is a weather machine on the planet.
Tully will make sure we get fuel for the Jupiter II. He asks, "Do you have anything that could produce the fuel needed for the Jupiter II?"
"Certainly. We can create all the deuterium you need."
A moment later the robot says, "OUR FUEL TANKS ARE NOW READING FULL. THIS DOES NOT COMPUTE."
Once it is fueled up, Tully shrink sit down to the small size and put it in his pocket.
Concerning a scout ship, "The scout ship is easy to fly. You just tell it where to take you and it takes you there," answers Amalda1.
"It has a very user friendly interface," says Amalda2.
Tully says, "Thank you both."
He smiles and says, "We are going to get a friend and will be back in a week or so unless you need our aid before that."
He pauses and says, "Oh, does the ship have the ability to scan a planet for technology and to map a planet?"
"Yes it does," says Amalda1.
"Would your friend like a companion when you bring him back?" asks Amalda2 with a sly smile.
Tully says, "He may, but I doubt it. He is married."
"What is that?"
Tully thinks for a moment and says, "It is a lifelong promise from one person to another that means that they will not love or have sex with any others."
Both Amaldas look shocked.
"What a terrible punishment! Is this person a criminal or something?"
Tully says, "Well, no. He choose it, but it is a life sentence for the most part."
"He chose it?" repeats Amalda1.
"I can guess what HE is into!" says Amalda2.
Tully says, "Oh, does the scout have any weaponry on it?"
"Yes it does. I has a light light blaster cannon."
Tully nods. "Do you happen to have any information on weather stations? Apparently, the world we came from has a weather station on it that is malfunctioning. We are going to spend a day or so to find it and then look into fixing it. Do you have any suggestions that might help us? I sure wish one of you could come with us."
The two women pause.
"I think you mean a device that controls the weather on your world," Amalda1 says. "Many different such types of devices were used, depending on the circumstances and the weather that needed to be controlled or modified. It could be hidden underground on your world...or under an ocean...or on the surface...in orbit...or perhaps located on another nearby world. It could be any size depending on what is needed. You haven't given us much information," Amalda1 concludes.
"If it is controlled by a nernal, though, it probably cannot be repaired," adds Amalda2. "Remember the Wal-mart principle."
Tully nods, "Yes, that is it. Oh, do you think a scout ship would be able to find it?"
"It should be able to."
He scratches his head. "You may have already said this, but what is the Wal-mart principle again?"
"When something wears out you don't fix it, you replace it."
Tully frowns, "Maybe once we get civilization going again, we should think about building things that don't break or fix themselves."
He pulls out a piece of paper and says, "I will make note of it."
He thinks for a moment and says, "Hey, do you all have time travel by any chance?"
They shake their heads.
"We do not."
Tully says, "Well, no harm in asking. I suppose that is something that Technology can't even do. Probably for the best."
He looks over at Zanx and says, "Let's go get Darian."
He hugs and kisses each of the women. Probably cops a feel or two and says, "Until we meet again, my beautiful friends."
He goes over to the row of scout ships and says, "Let's go."
There are two cool looking ships.
The larger one is more practical and utilitarian, though. The smaller one is more sleek but you wonder how much use you can get out of it.
Tully says to the girls, "So, any recommendation on either of these two ships?"
They shrug.
"The bigger one was a more popular model."
The two ships measure about 40' X 20' and 30' X 10'. Each has a domed cockpit. The big one has hints of vestigial wings and is closer to a sphere in shape. The smaller one is more teardrop shaped.
Tully says, "Ok, we will take the big one. Looks like we could be more comfortable in that."
"Let's go." He waves good bye and heads out to the ship.
Once on, he says, "We need to go home."
The controls in the cockpit look deceptively complex.
"Hello," says a voice out of somewhere. "Welcome aboard the space scout Bill Gates. You may call me Bill for short, or Bill.doc if you prefer."
There is a mechanical sounding chuckle at this apparent little joke.
"I can take you home," the voice continues, "What is your home world's name?"
"Hi Billdotdoc, Earth is our homeworld."
"I have checked my Encarta database. There are many worlds called Earth. Which one is your home?"
Tully says, "How far the the two closest planets called Earth?"
"One is 4.4 light years from Toliman and the other is 199 light years away."
Tully nods. "Our Earth would be the one that is 4.4 light years away."
He looks to Zanax then says, "Let's go, Billdotdoc."
"Please wait while I boot up."
There is a growing humming sound from somewhere underneath your feet...and then the ship rises off of the floor of the landing deck, turns around, and flies through the opening and into open space.
For a moment you glimpse two of the three stars in the Toliman system: an orange dwarf and a yellow dwarf, then the ship turns again and accelerates away, aiming for a bright star: Sol. The now familiar tunnel effect becomes apparent as you accelerate towards lightspeed, and the constellations fade away. Sol is the last to go, fading to a deep violet.
Then there is a jolt as the Bill Gates Jumps.