Scotty Searches for Answers to Eternal Questions, Makes New Friends and Accepts the Challenge

Scotty’s log, Space date: 0082.4., Earth date: 08.06.2021.

💤“You don’t need to understand it. All you need to know is how to do the math, and everything else will fall into place.” — Urzula stood up. “I’ll turn the lights down. Both of us should get some sleep.”

🌌When she left, I returned my gaze to deep space.

It was an ordinary meeting. The one where we usually discuss physics fundamentals and question every one of them that we didn’t understand.

🌠“If I traveled without a teleport, it would take my precious NFTs six hundred and three thousand five hundred and seventy-eight space years to reach that chain. But is it possible to travel faster than the speed of light?”

There was no one to answer.

***

✨Then suddenly, a flash of light appeared through the windows, and three space suit-wearing geese walked towards a petrified me.

“Come with us if you wanna know the answers.” — said one of the geese.

🐹You know, I’m a scientifically engineered, genetically modified lab-bred hamster, so the eagerness for knowledge is literally in my blood. I couldn’t turn down the chance of a lifetime. “Lead the way,” I concurred.

💿I saw a large metal disc hovering above the landing pad. A blue light was beaming down from a hole in the bottom of the disc. The first goose stepped into the light, it quacked and I followed.

In less than five seconds, we were inside.

🚀“We are about to lift off,” a second goose said. “The lift-off will be a little bumpy, but when we switch to the light speed, we will settle down to a smooth ride.”

“How is it possible to travel at the speed of light?” I asked.

The third goose interrupted me. “We have reached our first destination.”

Some planet appeared on the screen.

💨“Planet E is on the screen. This planet was filled with intelligent life until a toxic gas choked the population. No one survived.”

🚘I blinked, and another planet filled the screen. The third goose continued: “Planet T also faced a catastrophe. Traffic congestion led to the indigenous peoples leaving their land in search of a new home. Only a few inhabitants are left.”

Seconds passed, and the third planet was on the monitor.

💰“Planet H wasn’t destroyed by disease but by greed. The high fees ruined the planet. The inhabitants are deep in debt.”

I was stunned. “Is there any hope? Could you bring intelligent life back to these planets and normalize things as they were before?”

🔮“That is the reason we invited you to join us. We know how to travel at the speed of light, but we can’t exceed it. We need someone who thinks outside the box and a willingness to try new things. We need a visionary. We’ll give you a sign when your journey starts.”

***

⏰The alarm clock jolted me awake. I could feel beads of sweat trickling down my furry face. I panted for air.

“What on Earth was that?! Where am I?!” — I shouted in the void.

For a minute or more, I sat still.

“No-no, it was a weird dream, just a mere dream.” — I was soothing myself.

More moments passed when I realized I was safe, in my bed, in my cabin.

Surprisingly, my left forefoot started itching. I got out of bed and ran to my water box. Despite having a splitting headache, I was still able to wash my face.

All of a sudden, my right forefoot became numb.

🛁I took a bath. It didn’t help: the itching intensified instead; a moment after, the ink showed up on my skin, and the tattoo covered my body.

“Is that your sign, huh? Are you kidding me?”

✏️They did exactly what they had promised — they left me with their mark. They painted my body with a celestial blockchain-based map. Moreover, they highlighted planets for me to visit (very noble of them, by the way.)

“Damn long-necked domestics!” — I yelled furiously.

Now, to bring intelligent life into new galaxies, the first place where I had to beam myself up was only the three-letter destination point — ETH.

🖖🏼Scotty over and out.