The Adventures Of Miniator Chapter 25 -- Going Home

25) Going Home

They had landed the spaceship in the middle of the Canadian forest. Miles from anywhere. And shape-shifted the spaceship into the form of a large log cabin.
Now, Miniator once again sat happily together with his crew in the communication room onboard the Dino. He had spent a few days recovering from his ordeal... eating big meals and relaxing and taking long regular vapour baths. But staying close to the spaceship.
They were all watching the many clips of video film of Miniator, which had been posted on Youtube, on the Earth's Internet. This was the footage that had been taken by the cameras during Miniator's imprisonment. Obviously posted by Julius Bettermore-Mountblank. There were interviews by him and Preston Fox, telling the story of the Tyrannosaurus Rex Preston Fox had captured, but leaving out the fact that it was in Brazil, and stating it was in Equatorial Guinea.
Fox told how he had stumbled upon the ferocious beast, and had darted and captured it, and how Julius Bettermore-Mountblank had built the enclosure to house it... But before they had a chance of going public with it, a gang of aliens had stolen the creature... miniaturized it, put it in a straight-jacket and took-off with it in a shape-shifting spaceship.
Well the story had trended for awhile, and quite a discussion had developed about the authenticity of the film of Miniator... with experts both exerting the film to be genuine, and others as obviously bogus. But the story of the aliens stealing the dinosaur didn't help to make the story credible even though, Bettermore-Mountblank had quite a few witnesses... there were many voices declaring Preston Fox and  Julius Bettermore-Mountblank as out and out cranks.
Miniator, one day, after dinner, announced he was ready to return to Toolia. He said he needed a little more time to put all his specimens together, and to edit all his films and photographs, and to finish his report of the whole earth expedition.
He officially invited Swing and Narea to join him when he returned to Toolia. If they agreed the computer would 3D-print two more sleep-capsules for them. But this wouldn't take long. Narea, without a doubt, said yes immediately, but Swing said he needed a little time to decide.
Swing was thinking about his old captain back in his own time... he thought about time a lot since he had left his own... three hundred years in the past. It was very puzzling. When he thought about the time he was now in, it meant his captain, and he himself, if he had stayed, would be dead! He had to think of time as more like a place before he could make sense of it. The computer told him that people on Toolia very rarely died. People didn't age has they did on Earth. They took rejuvenating therapy regularly. People sometimes died through accidents, or very, very rarely they chose to die.
But if he went to Toolia, it probably meant he would never return to his own time, even if he returned to Earth... he might just as-well live in the present, because if he did return to his own time he felt sure there would be so many things he would miss that his experiences with Miniator had shown him. But on the other hand the idea of sleeping for ten years for the return journey also frightened him. All this was running through his head. And what would he do on Toolia? Miniator told him he would be the only Earthling on Toolia, and this alone would put him in great demand. There was great interest in many planets that weren't yet in The Intergalactic Federation. Toolians were very interested in the lives of the people on these little known planets.
Narea, on the other hand was really excited by the prospect of visiting Toolia. Ever since she was a little girl she had been hearing about the wonderful Toolia... A world of gentle giants. Where the people told no lies; had no reason to. Where there was no need for governments. Where many intergalactic citizens. congregated to study. Where most of the greatest scientists, artists, and philosophers where. Where Narea would be able, as a Mearian, to study so many different science subjects. And she would also be able to take the rejuvenating therapy. And would be able to fit Nimi out with a lot of new software
One morning, about a week after Miniator had made his announcement to return to Toolia, Swing awoke with the very clear mind to join Narea and Miniator on the voyage. Miniator was visually emotionally overcome with his decision. With a tear in his eye he said., 'I thought I was going to lose you!'
Over the next days the computer was making preparation for that journey. The two new sleep-capsules needed were 3D-printed. Computer models of the route were first ran and then the route modified to chose the safest way. Narea's and Swing's bodies were totally scanned for co-ordination with the physical maintenance software that would monitor every moment and every aspect of their Space Sleep.
Finally, everything was ready and take-off was fixed for the next day. They had a last dinner the night before... each chose their favourite food. Swing chose his beloved roast beef, Narea ate something called dassia, a classic Mearian dish made from the large eggs of the dass bird, and Miniator ordered a tuna pizza, and all was manufactured atom by atom by the computer.
The next day after running final technical checks they took-off and soon entered an orbit around the Earth. Narea locked down Nimi.
They all said 'sleep well!' and climbed into their sleep-capsules. The spaceship then turned on its photon-shield that protected it from the full pull of gravity, and turned to the stars and fired its main engines.
Ten years... atoms were turned into the energy that drove the Dino on across space. As it sped on and on towards Toolia the computer watched over everything onboard: each passenger's sleep, the monitoring of the ships course – sometimes making slight adjustments to avoid unforeseen hazards, such as meteorite storms.
One day before their arrival the computer began slowly to awake them from their long slumber... Miniator was the first to come to full consciousness, followed by Swing, whose first remark was that he would never believe that he had slept for ten years, and finally, by Narea.
The computer had already radioed Toolia of their approach. All three were very excited... They tuned into Toolia's Internet to catch up with what was happening... There was a news flash reporting Miniator's imminent return. Then followed a media explosion. All across the different media Toolians were discussing every aspect of Miniator's return. They went over his life story: His arrival as an egg all those years before, his adoption by Professor Zok, and the computer suit that made him mobile and gave him a voice, and his rise to fame. They were also talking about the guests he had with him. There were in-depth reports about their involvement with the freeing of The Hool and its crew, of which, the Mearian authorities had already informed the Toolain Consensus Congress. They talked of Narea and her special powers over the mind, and her look-alike Robot. They discussed Swing Blood and his pirate life, and what life was like on Earth in the 1700s... The whole planet excitedly awaited their arrival.
The next day the spaceship touched down in a previously arranged spot. A high landing platform at Toolia City's Intergalactic Space-Port, a place where all the media people and the crowds – of which there were thousands -- many being children who wore large badges and hats with pictures of Miniator, and who had always held a special affection for him – could film and record and see their arrival.
Professor Zok, who had miniaturized himself, so he would not tower over Narea, Swing, or Miniator, would be the one to greet them.
When the spaceship had settled a great ecstatic cry went up, and again when the doors of the spaceship opened and the three heroes and Nimi stepped out. The noise was deafening. And after descending a flight of steps the Professor greeted them. First hugging Miniator for what seemed like a long time, and then taking the hands of the other three. All four seemed overcome with emotion... Professor Zok wiping tears from his eyes.
Over the next weeks the media frenzy continued. The invitations to banquets rolled in, requests for TV interviews were overwhelming and impossible to fulfil. They toured all the large cities on Toolia, and visited neighbouring planets.
So it took a long time before they could settle down to daily routines. Narea threw herself into her science studies, and Swing was given a honorary professorship in Earth Studies. And gave lectures around the planet. Miniator was made a diplomat and an adviser to the Intergalactic Federation. All three were often seen in the media talking about the many aspects of their adventures. And the one question that was repeatedly asked over and over again was: 'When will you all get together for another adventure?'
Chris Whitley
Berlin