Our Place in Space

Part 3: Through Space

The final draft of Johnny's resignation letter is tucked into an envelope in the back pocket of his slacks in case he needs it. The elevator doors open onto his office floor at 7:55am. Just enough time for Johnny to get his morning coffee from the staff room, as always.

Dr. Stafford's eyebrows raise in surprise when she sees Johnny walk onto the floor. He sees her standing in the doorway of her private office, monitoring her staff as they filter in for the day, but he doesn't wave or smile to her as he normally would. He's still holding on to his anger. Even so, Dr. Stafford smiles at him, the same sort of sneaky smile Alan usually wears. Is she in on whatever surprise Alan has for me here? Johnny wonders.

There is a clear shift in the office dynamics this morning. Those who were chosen to go to Mars saunter in smiling and take their time preparing for the day. Those who weren't appear weighed down by the loads all the astronauts have taken off. Johnny wonders if any of the other lifelong Earth-dwellers considered quitting over the weekend too.

He sets his backpack by the entrance of his cubicle and leaves to pour himself some coffee. Alan's mug from Friday is still dirty with coffee stains in the sink, so Johnny wipes it down with dish soap, rinses it out, and dries it with a paper towel. This mug will do, he thinks.

"Good morning, Dr. Boyd," he hears from behind him. He turns around to find Dr. Stafford standing beside the doorway of the staff room.

"Good morning," he replies, turning his focus back to the coffee into which he now pours cream.

"I'm glad to see you here."

"Alan said he wanted to show me something, and I don't let people down," Johnny says pointedly.

He doesn't dare look up to see what Dr. Stafford's expression is through her long pause in the conversation. He dumps two packets of sugar into his coffee and decides to stir until she goes away.

"I don't let people down either," she finally says. "You can apologize for that comment after you see what your friend Dr. Conrad did for you over the weekend. You may be less indignant then."

Johnny hears her shoes click against the floor as she leaves the room and he lets out a deep breath. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that to Dr. Stafford--he knows this now--but her comment has him thinking: What on Earth could Alan have done for me?

When Johnny returns to his cubicle, he notices a note left on his computer keyboard. It reads, "Meet me downstairs on the training stage at 8:00am. -Alan."

Johnny checks his watch. 7:59am. He kicks his backpack under his desk and leaves for the training stage, mug of coffee in hand. No matter what Alan has planned for him, Johnny knows he will need to caffeine boost.

The green stage looks nearly black without the lights on. "Alan?" Johnny calls. No answer. "C'mon man, where are you?"

A spotlight shines onto the center of the training stage where a black bean bag waits among the green styrofoam boulders. Johnny looks back at the control booth and in the glow from the spotlight, he sees Alan smiling. Alan pulls a microphone close to his lips and says, "Good morning, Johnny."

Johnny has to laugh. "What is this? You wanted to show me a bean bag?"

"It is not the bean bag, my friend, but what is waiting for you on the bean bag."

"Okay," Johnny chuckles. He approaches the bean bag and sees the virtual reality goggles and a video game controller waiting on the bag. "So I put the goggles on and then do what with the controller?"

"You'll see," Alan replies, his voice echoing in the bare room.

Johnny smiles and does as he is told. He sinks into the bean bag and straps the goggles over his eyes. With the video game controller in his hand, he shouts, "Ready for whatever."