Beyond Our Earth

Good Bye Sweet Home

  Earth.
It's what people like Jensen Sheppard called home.
3rd planet away from it's sun and only the planet of it's solar system to carry life. Well, thought so 400 years ago. That was until they found out that 'aliens' inhabited planets like Venus and one of Saturn's moon (Enceladus) in around 2029. That was the beginning of the future as they called it back then.
Earth was more advanced than it had been many hundreds of years before, they still did have things from the past though that they only changed. Cars for example, they are now made to give off no harmful chemicals like Carbon Dioxide, they all run on electricity like everything nowadays. The buildings held high, high and white as if they'd just been polished. If you would look close enough, you would see people holding meetings or running about in their offices, demanding a coffee from their coffee machine which could run itself these days, all you needed to do was describe what drink you wanted, place a mug and then watch the machine work. People rushed down busy streets whilst some transported from A to B. Many forms of transport where used. People hovered on the street corner, pulling their phones, to record a street performance, which were made for different reasons. Before you could get any type of phone with no guarantee it would satisfy all your needs. Children, for example, had small and strong phones that were still light and only could be used for games and if asked, social media. Social media changed too, they often held high ranks in the world which meant that you would have to spend a small price of $6.99 to get it but after it was free. But, everyone was richer, there were barely any homeless people because of when Louis Rodde became president after Donald Trump's assassination in 2018, Rodde then went to lead a world which was perfect for everyone. He made peace with Russia who was on the edge of starting a war with Britain and then eventually made war countries like Afghanistan sign peace because Russia had a large helping hand to beat them off. As these former war countries bonded together united world finally stopped ISIS which at that moment declared world peace. And there's North Korea, unfortunately there was a nuclear bomb that they made that had blown up, killing many many people like the leader, Kim Jong-Un. North Korea soon became Korea with the South and with their co-operation, America was able to try a new device which they had made to try rid the air of dangerous radioactive material. It worked. So they marked May 17 {2026} as a global holiday to mark the success.
Jensen pulled his hat down to hide his green eyes that glimmered in the sunlight Earth's sun graciously provided. That day was the worst for him, warm and dry and he was in his black academy suit. Jensen roughly knew why he was being called to a meeting, it was something to do with the new starship they had been working on for the past 5 years or so. It had simply been a blur for him, he had spent most of that time helping his sister with her new baby son; now that the kid was 3, Jensen had decided he would head back to work at the Pax Federation, trying to bring peace and tranquility to all.
"Mr Sheppard, you're late," General Ureno stated as Jensen entered the large room which was only filled with a table.
"Time is an illusion my friend," Jensen joked. He looked up, instantly seeing it was a meeting. Jensen cleared his throat, "apologies general."
General Ureno raised an eyebrow, leaning further into his chair, letting the fat from his body find a place to fall into. Jensen took his seat by the table, removing his hat formally.
"As we were saying, a trustworthy captain and crew are necessary for this mission to work," it was General Jones who was speaking now, a tall, ginger and serious man.
"This starship is a first of it's kind, nobody has the correct training to pilot the ship never mind run it for years!" General Cordus obliged Jones. Cordus was quite different to Jones, he was tall but he had no hair and his skin run dark.
"Yes but they can learn, that's the whole part of this academy. To learn!" Jones argued back, now looking up from his tablet screen.
"It'll take months for them to get used to it, this mission needs to happen in a matter of weeks. Damn it Jones can't you take this into your head that this mission will never happen until another year," Cordos snapped, slamming his fist on his table, making it rattle slightly.
"Gentlemen!" At last, Jensen felt the need to interfere.
"What do you need to say on the matter Sheppard? We can always assure you have something to say," Cordos challenged rather bitterly.
"I know someone who can captain your ship, and they know all there is to know about it," Jensen smoothly hinted.
"You are surely not saying..." Ureno began.
"Who?" Jones asked curiously.
Jensen was silent, making Curdos full in the silence, "spill the beans kid."
A smile grew on Jensen's young face, "me."

And that was how Major Sheppard became Captain Sheppard of the UES (United Earth Ship) Romulus.

The ship was finished a few months after the meeting was held, people who were reported as 'top of their class' was assigned to this ship. The Pax Federation needed this ship's mission to be successful to assure the very survival of mankind. They all know someday our homeworld Earth will meet Death, shake its hand and say 'thank you'.
The mission, is to provide our species with more planets which are habitual for us to put a stop to the worry of our end.

It was a summer afternoon, the sun was almost setting and cool evening air was brushing against the grass and the faces of the workers and future crewmen of the UES Romulus. Jensen stood by a shining building that towered many meters above him. There hadn't really been a crew meeting, nobody had even said hello to each other with the knowledge they'd be working on the star ship of the future. He just hoped everyone got along, 'the crew and ship is your responsibility now captain' is what General Ureno, his tutor, told him after the meeting.
The nerves of excitement crawled up Jensen's back, making him smile. He had piloted many star ships in his career and he was well respected but his downside was his rather careless personality. But all that didn't matter now, he was piloting his own ship for who knows how many years to come and this was something new and exiting. An adventure! Jensen smiled, looking up at the blue sky and at the soft white clouds that floated carelessly through it. He would admit he'd miss Earth but who knows, it's space beyond the blue-ness. And space holds an infinite amount of opportunities for him.