FEMALE REPORTER
Professor Brisby? Can you confirm reports that New Global
Sedition
attacked the hypergate you're building? Is that why the mission
date
has been pushed up to tomorrow?

JUSTIN BRISBY ROBINSON
Sorry. You'll have to ask the War Department about that. As far
as I
know, we're leaving tomorrow because the uh...<He searched
for a good
scientific fact> Because the celestial rotations have
produced an
excellent launch window.

Dr. Ages, the colony army commander in charge of the
Discovery
project, was standing beside Professor Justin Robinson. Now he
stepped
in front of him, trying to get the reporters to focus on the
mission,
not the launch date.

DR. AGES
The professor is correct, ladies and gentlemen. Now let's talk
about
the trip Professor Robinson will be taking.

JUSTIN ROBINSON
As you know, Alpha Prime is the only habitable planet that's
been
detected. My crew and I will sleep through our 10-year journey
there
frozen in suspended animation. Once we have made contact with
the
research colony on Alpha Prime, I'll supervise the building of
the
hypergate. By then, technicians here on Earth will have
completed the
companion hypergate in our planet's orbit. Once both hypergates
are
complete and online, starships will be able to pass between
them. We
can begin living on Alpha Prime.

ANOTHER REPORTER
Professor. Can't you just use the Discovery 2's lightspeed
engines to
zap straight to Alpha Prime - without waiting 10 years? That
sure seems
like an awful long time to sleep. <Several other reporters
laughed>

JUSTIN ROBINSON
No, we can't. As you know, lightspeed exists below normal space.
So if
you try to enter lightspeed without using a gate...<He
pointed to the
diagram behind him> Your exit vector is completely random.
There's no
telling where you will come out. And as we all know, 98% of the
galaxy
is still uncharted. There's a lot of space to get lost in out
there.

ANOTHER REPORTER
Professor, how is Captain Rasco? Has he recovered from the flu
virus?

Justin glanced nervously at Mr. Ages. What sort of spin wer
they putting on this, anyway? Captain Rasco was dead. He had
been
asassinated by hitmen of Global Sedition. The doctor mouse
stepped
foreward, clearing his throat.

DR. AGES
Ladies and Gentlemen, this wasn't supposed to be a press
conference.
You came here to get a look at the spacecraft. Don't you think
you've
waited long enough?

The lights dimmed and a gigantic 3D display screen showed an
image of the starship on its launchpad.

FEMALE REPORTER
One last question, please? Professor, how do your children feel
about
leaving Earth behind?

JUSTIN ROBINSON
Oh, well. Naturally they couldn't be more excited.

MARTIN ROBINSON
This mission is going to ruin my life! I don't want to leave
early. I
don't want to go at all.

BRISBY ROBINSON
Martin, I know it's difficult. But we'll talk about this over
dinner.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Dinner? For the last three years, I've missed everything because
I've
been training so I can spend the next 10 years missing
everything else.
I am not staying home for dinner tonight. I'm going out to see
my
friends, so say goodbye to them forever.

BRISBY ROBINSON
Martin, please. <She begged> It's important that we all be
home tonight.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Mom, I'll be home every night for the next 10 years. Just give
me
tonight, okay? <He stormed off to his room>

He lifted his wrist up in front of his face and clicked on
the
mini video camera and voice recorder. I have to leave a record,
he
thought. So someone will know the torture I was subjected to.
He
looked into the tiny camera and spoke.

MARTIN ROBINSON
On the eve before he's torn from everything he
knows...kidnapped...held
hostage...hurled into deep space against his will...what
thoughts fill
the mind of young space POW Martin Robinson...

Timmothy Robinson kicked open the door to his room.

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
How about...will there be young brothers on Alpha
Prime?...<He mimicke
his older sibling's voice> What in the world will I wear at a
space
colony?

Martin glared at him. To be trapped in space was bad enough
But with this idiot? Did Alpha Prime really need an obnoxious
Mr.
Know-It-All?

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
Why are you recording that, anyway?

MARTIN ROBINSON
Because, in the 21st Century, the video journals of Martin
Robinson,
space hostage, will be devoured by millions. I'll be famous.
You, on
the other hand, will be forgotten. And speaking of lost
causes...<H
held his right arm in front of the camera lens. His wrist was
covered
in colored ribbons> I've decided to wear ribbons to support
fellow
sufferers. The green one is for ecological issues. The white one
is
for human rights...

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
Just wait till your arm drops off from lack of circulation.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Ha, ha. Just wait till I kill you little brother. <Makes
threatening
gesture>

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
Ooooh. I'm scared. <Fakes frightened grimace>

Martin stared at him for a minute. Then he picked up one of
the
dozens of silver and gold medals that hung on the wall of
Timmy's room.
He sure hadn't done much packing yet. He might be a dork, but he
was a
genius when it came to science.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Aren't you bringing these?

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
Dad said not to bring my science fair awards. Like anything I
do
matters to him. Like he's even been to one of my science
fairs.

He contemplated the medals, then stuffed every single one o
them into a metal canister.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Don't feel bad. I got apology videos on my 3 birthdays. <He
started
going through the packed boxes that lined the hallway, then
pulled out a
sealed bundle> This mission is the only thing he cares about
anymore.

He opened his bundle, unfurled a mesh ladder, and tossed it
out
Timmy's window. Then he climbed out onto the ledge.

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
So, is that a NO to our big family dinner tonight?

Martin paused halfway down the ladder, a stupid grin lighting
up
his face as he insulted his little brother.

MARTIN ROBINSON
Let's see. Do I spend my last night on Earth watching Mom and
Dad
fight, or blow 10 years worth of allowance at the mall? You
figure the
math results.

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON <Worried&gt
Mom's going to go thermal.

MARTIN ROBINSON <Raises an eyebrow&gt
What's she going to do? Ground me? <Then laughing he
dissapeared>

Martin did have a point, Timmy thought. If it was their las
night on Earth, they might as well get all they could out of
it.
Timmothy tried to think of what he'd miss the most while he was
frozen
in sleep. What else? TV! He flicked on the mini-set in his room
to
one of the 500 channels that came in on the dime-shaped dish on
his
desk. A familiar commercial was playing.

TV PROMO
Since the dawn of history, men and women have searched for a
land of
plenty. Where unlimited resources are available to all.
Professor
Justin Robinson, inventor of the faster-than-light hyperdrive,
will make
that place no longer a dream, but a reality!

Timmothy rolled his eyes. Did they have to sound s
over-the-top about it?

TV PROMO
Justin Robinson and his family have been trained to make a
10-year
journey across the galaxy.

Timmothy watched as an image of his picture-perfect famil
flashed on the screen. His handsome rat-father, beautiful
mother
girlfriend Jenny and older brother Martin. Timmothy frowned at
the
sight of his own face smiling out at the world.

TV PROMO
They'll travel in the world's most advanced spacecraft, the
Discovery 2
They will join our research colony on Alpha Prime. There, they
will
become the first settlers on a world where unlimited food and
water wil
be available for all. Alpha Prime will be a new Eden. What kind
of
future can our children look foreward to? This mission sponsored
by
Military Control Services and Coca-Cola.

TIMMOTHY ROBINSON
Coca-Cola. Saving the future for our children. <He uses a
deep voice
making fun of the announcer> Give me a break!

But as cheesy as the ad was, it made Timmy realize that he
was
about to become part of history. He wouldn't admit it to Martin,
but he
was actually looking foreward to their trip. Sure, there were
things he
would miss, and he was scared. But he was ready for a change.
And he
wouldn't mind seeing his dad more often.