mr. c. d. stack

1/21/05 'MR. C. D. STACK'

THIS STORY TAKES PLACE IN ABOUT THE YEAR 3000 A.D.--

TRAVEL BETWEEN PLANETS OF THE UNIVERSE WERE COMMON AND NECESSARY--THIS WAS STILL A VERY DANGEROUS ENDEAVOUR--BUT MANY WERE WILLING TO TAKE THE RISKS BECAUSE OF THE BIG FINANCIAL GAINS--

ONE OF THE SPACE PILOTS AND TRAVELER WAS NAMED 'C.D.STACK'--OF COURSE USUALLY JUST CALLED 'CD'--MR. STACK MOSTLY BECAUSE OF HIS BRAVERY AND RISK TAKING-BECAME VERY RICH IN A SHORT TIME--HE NOW OWNED HIS OWN SPACE FREIGHT SHIP NAMED 'CHIP'--AND HIS HOME PLANET WAS NAMED 'HACKER'--THIS PLANET HAD A FIREWALL AROUND IT TO PREVENT KNOWN VIRUSES AND UNWANTED LIFE FORMS OR ENEMIES TO ENTER --

'CD' WAS WARNED BY OTHER SPACE PILOTS THAT THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL LOOKING PLANET WITH A VERY INSIGNICANT SUN THAT THE PEOPLE THERE CALLED 'EARTH'---CD WAS STRONGLY WARNED NOT TO EVER LAND ON EARTH OR EVEN GET VERY CLOSE TO IT--MANY THAT LANDED THERE NEVER RETURNED--SEEMS THIS PLANET EARTH HAS A PECULIAR TENDENCY TO DRAW A SPACE TRAVELER TO IT MUCH LIKE A FLOWER ATTRACTS A HONEY BEE--

BUT OF COURSE ON ONE OF 'CD'S SPACE TRIPS --HE GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO SEE THIS PLANET EARTH--AND AS WARNED-EVEN THOUGH CD WAS A CLEVER PILOT--HE COULD NOT HELP HIMSELF--HE LANDED ON EARTH--

HE SENT HIS ROBOT NAMED 'MOUSE' OUT OF HIS SHIP NAMED 'CHIP'----TO CHECK OUT THE SURROUNDING TERRITORY--IN A SHORT TIME THE ROBOT NAMED 'MOUSE' RETURNED WITH SEEMINGLY GOOD NEWS AND NO APPARENT DANGER OUTSIDE--'CD' WAS CAUTIOUS BECAUSE OF THE WARNINGS OF PILOTS HE TRUSTED --AND HE DECIDED TO WAIT A FEW DAYS BEFORE GOING OUT OF HIS SHIP 'CHIP'-

THE DAY AFTER THE ROBOT NAMED 'MOUSE' RETURNED --CD SUDDENLY BECAME SICK--A FEVER DEVELOPED--HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH PAINFUL BREATHING--

CD TURNED ON HIS SCANNER SO HE COULD SEE WHAT WAS IMMEDIATELY OUTSIDE AROUND HIS SHIP 'CHIP'---THERE STOOD A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN -LOOKING AT CD'S SHIP--CD HAD NO CHOICE--HE SPOKE TO THE WOMAN THROUGH AN ELECTRIC SPEAKER SYSTEM AND INVITED HER TO COME INSIDE--AND SHE DID--

HOW LUCKY CAN YOU BE--THIS WOMAN WAS A NURSE AND TOLD CD THAT HE HAD PNEUMONIA--THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO GET SOME EQUIPMENT AND MEDICINE FOR HIM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE--

IN A SHORT TIME SHE RETURNED AND IN A FEW DAYS 'CD' WAS IMPROVING FAST--

'CD' TOLD THE WOMAN NAMED 'MONITOR' THAT HE WOULD BE ON HIS SPACE TRAVELING MISSION SOON AND HE INVITED HER TO GO WITH HIM--SHE QUICKLY SAID SHE WOULD GLADLY GO WITH HIM-BECAUSE THIS PLANET EARTH WAS A DEADLY DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE--

AFTER LEAVING EARTH AND COMPLETING HIS MISSION--'CD' AND THE WOMAN 'MONITOR' ARRIVED BACK ON THE PLANET 'HACKER'--

ALREADY OF COURSE 'CD' AND 'MONITOR' HAD BONDED A GREAT DEGREE--SHE BECAME CD'S ASSISTANT AND THEN BECAME A PARTNER IN THE BUSINESS--

YOU CAN EASILY FINISH THE STORY FROM HERE--

PLANETARY TRAVEL AIN'T ALL THAT BAD--

BY OTIS ENGLISH