Ralph Bristol stared up at the ceiling from his bunk of this tin can they called an intergalactic ship back on Earth, and listened to the AI voice tailor out his daily functions. The soft lighting slowly illuminating over a five minute period signalling the time to begin the computer simulated calculated day. Beginning the day, Ralph rose his rugged six foot four frame from the bunk and slipping his pocket computer into the pocket, heads to the command centre.
Seventeen planets and eleven months, and none compatible for human life. Entering the Hyper-drive calculations, Ralph instructs the AI to calculate and engage the ship to PS479984 – planet eighteen on the list of 24 from command. Feet on the console, Ralph has the AI turn up the music and relaxes watching the stars blur by.
Thirty-seven minutes later the ship drops out of Hyper-drive but does not decelerate as it approaches the planet, entering the atmosphere heating the outer shell as it enters. Lights flashing, warnings echoing throughout the ship from the AI as Ralph switches the console to manual watching clouds flow by rapidly. Managing to steer the ship to what appears to be a lake, the ship splashes down, sinking into the water.
Exploding the escape hatch and releasing the emergency beacon, Ralph swims to the surface gasping, finding the air breathable.
Cedric watched from the hilltop as the flaming object burned through the sky splashing into Lake Timeroc, the cold water sending steam into the air. Taking out the eyeglass, Cedric extends it and sees the figure swimming effortlessly through the water. Calling the High Council on his voice device, Cedric alerts the High Master of the event.
“High Master, you must come. A God has landed... fallen from his chariot. My eye has seen it”.
Cedric closes the eyeglass and runs to the beech.
Ralph reaches the beech, crawls onto it and rolling over lays on his back staring up at the two suns – one yellow, one smaller and red. Watching the fluffy clouds float by in the clear blue sky, as a shadow slowly moves over him. Arching his head back and looking up, Ralph sees a little stout person, human looking, grinning down at him. Hands clasped, Cedric smiles widely staring down.
“Welcome to our humble planet Anaron. Please, must come to the District Hall and meet the High Master, who is waiting for you... and I must ask, which God might you be”.
Tending to his garden in the house provided by the High Master, Ralph is gathering his sixth harvest of vegetables after what his pocket computer says has been five days earth time. His friend Cedric has had five birthdays and his sixth is coming up shortly. It appears that the people on this planet age one year every 2.75 earth days – but Ralph does not seem to be affected, and is still aging normally.
At this rate Cedric will reach 100 years, their life span, in just 132 earth days.
Ralph sits and does the calculations – to live and age another fifty earth years on this planet will be over ten thousand of the planet PS479984 years. They will definitely view him as a God. Ralph prepares his vegetable harvest for Cedric’s next birthday party.
It has been seven of earths years, and Ralph with the use of his pocket computer, has taught the Anaron people many things. Irrigation, commerce, transportation as well as developing a government and monetary systems including taxation. They now mine gold, silver and copper and have developed a form of stock exchange creating wealth. The High Master has been replaced with a government body and President.
Mass produced ground vehicles are now everywhere.
It has been seven of earths years and 930 years on Anaron, and many things have changed because of Ralph. He has interfered in the planets evolution, and many new friends have come and gone. The people of Anaron revier Ralph as a God and listen to everything he says, going by all his teachings and the new Religion they have created. Everything is provided for the comfort and well being of their God Ralph.
Gathering vegetables for the party of the twenty-seventh reign of the Provident Tamaro, Ralph’s pocket computer begins to beep... a red flashing dot on the screen. Pausing, he looks up to the sky and sees seven ships hovering above gleaming in the sunlight. Dropping the basket of vegetables, Ralph runs toward the Provident High Council building.
Tamaro glancing out the windows of the Provident High Council Chamber viewing the shining ships over head. He slowly shakes his head.
“Ralph our God has spoken to me of this day... when the false Gods come”.
Tamaro flips the plastic cover and presses the red button with the white triangle. He watches as ten silos in the Provident Capital open and the rockets slowly rise from the chambers to the surface. A second press of the button and the rockets, exploding with tails of fire, travel toward the ships from Earth overhead.
“Goodbye false Gods... the true God Ralph commands it”.
Ralph falls to his knees as the ships explode overhead spreading radiation across the plant.