Challenge #00102: Wake Up Call

Asteroids: Nature’s way of asking “So, how’s that space program coming along?”

“What I don’t get is that we’ve had the technology for years but we’re all just sitting around and watching these rocks fly by.”

“Getting into space is expensive. And when you think about it, Earth’s the best defense against asteroids there is.”

“Shyeah. Tell that to the dinosaurs.”

“And there’s a train of thought that all the really dangerous ones hit Earth already and we can’t possibly get hit again.”

“Tell that to Russia.”

“Why do you always have to be so negative. Russia was a small one. We’re hit all the time by the small ones. There’s just no big ones left.”

“Um. Apophis? Remember that one?”

“That won’t get close to hitting us for another thousand years.”

“The way we’re wrecking the planet? We don’t have that long.”

“So why the heck are you worried about goddamn asteroids?”

“Because if we want to be more than a fascinating fossil for whatever comes next… we’ve got to get out there.”

“God, this is stupid. Can’t we just get on with our lives and trust it’s gonna be okay?”

“No. Because it’s not gonna be okay unless people like us do something.” Sandra sighed and bought out her phone. “I’m crowd-funding that moon dude.”

“That idiot who says he’s harnessed the Higgs Boson and wants to start a colony on the moon?”

“Underground on the moon. Yeah. And he’s not an idiot. I’ve seen the videos of his work.”

“I could make a video like that in like, thirty seconds.”

“So go do it. Prove everyone wrong. Just stop shouting about how everyone else is stupid ‘cause they’re not you.”

“I’m not shouting!”

“Whatever. Four hundred dollars and I have a ticket to the moon. Where’s your debunk video?”

“What?”

“This took me thirty seconds. Where’s the video?”

“Don’t be such a fucking smartass.”

“At least my ass is smarter than you.”

That’s how they broke up. And that time the next year, Sandra, five thousand interested people, livestock, farming supplies, and everything they could possibly need launched on Yue Gang’s awkward-looking ship. Destination Luna.

It was hard work. Nobody could pretend it was going to be otherwise. Growing plants of all kinds was a priority because plants made air, and air was vital.

And just as Luneyland -as it was affectionately nicknamed by media, residents and Terrans- was getting stable, a meteor hit and wiped out a town called Grover’s Mill.

Suddenly, mister Yue’s technology was in very high demand indeed.

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