Raymond's Adventures in Space

Shopping Trip

He sat with his feet in the pool sipping on his favourite mocktail and checked the band on his wrist . He still had 40mins to go.

Then suddenly everything disappeared and he was back in the little room with the keyboard and screen in front of him. Amazingly he still had the mocktail he had been holding.

"Uhhh, I know how Cinderella must have felt " He said out loud.

Thinking that Doric had come back early, he made his way towards the engine room and was about to call out to him when he heard voices coming from the bridge of the ship. He panicked slightly.

Who was that! he thought.

He stopped short of pushing the button to open the door; instead he pressed his ear up to the door to listen. Raymond could not really make out what was being said because they were speaking in Doric's language, but it was not Doric or Tolly. He put his hand up to his ear to push the translator device he had been wearing but it was not there. Then he remembered he had taken it out before he went "on holiday". Who were they and how did they get on to the ship. Then Raymond saw the wave coming. He quickly ran back to the small room, just as the door closed he saw the wave pass over the engine room. He caught his breath for a moment. He opened the door and then an alarm started to sound. It was coming from outside the ship. The wave had obviously detected other bodies on the ship. Raymond ran for the door to the bridge and listened hard. He could now hear the voices shouting and a lot of crashing and banging. What was going on? What to do? Confront them in all his human being glory! That was bound to freak them out! Well, he thought, can't be any worse than the trouble he was in already. He took a deep breath and pushed the button to open the door. As he was about to show these guys his fighting moves he saw the two intruders leaving the ship. Then he saw the wave starting to scan the bridge. He ran back to the engine room, and into the little "reality room". He dared not move. The wave passed and the alarm stopped. He made his way back to the bridge. The whole area had been trashed. Drawers were pulled out and the contents spilled everywhere. They had tried to access the computer and were obviously unsuccessful as the monitor was hanging from its connection wire. Raymond slotted it back into its place. It appeared to be undamaged. Just then Doric came back.

What the hell happened here? Who did this? Doric asked. Raymond quickly explained what had gone on. The wave was about to start again so Raymond stood as still as possible behind Doric.

"Do you think they were looking for something?" asked Raymond.

"What makes you say that." said Doric.

"Well they pulled out just about every draw. I saw them leave and they were not carrying anything."

"Wouldn't surprise me if they were looking for something, I am sure I was followed while I was shopping. Let's get outa here before they decide to come back."

Doric scanned the card on the monitor screen again. The robotic arm that had been holding them let go and the ship jolted slightly. Doric engaged the ship into reverse and drove out of the building. As they emerged he turned them around, but there in front were two other ships blocking their exit.

"Aw what now!" shouted Doric. "I don't believe this. Everywhere we go we seem to strike trouble."

"Who are they?" asked Raymond.

"The Mall Police". They probably want to check my parking permit or something. You hide while I sort this out."

"What about all this mess. Won't they see it?"

"We haven't got time to clean it up. I'll just make the screen smaller so they can't see my surroundings. You still hide though in case it fails half way through or something."

Raymond ducked down behind one of the seats.

Doric pushed a button on the monitor and the front window turned into a giant tv screen. One of the policemen appeared.

"We detected an alarm coming from this compartment. Please produce your identification for verification." said the policeman.

"An alarm?" Dunno anything about that." said Doric.

He fiddled with a pouch that he took out of his pants pocket. He scanned it on to the monitor just like the parking permit.

"Aah, Doric Drainol, you are on your driving test I see. How's it going so far?" said the policeman.

Aah yea alright. Just finished my third task."

"And what was that then."

"Had to go to the department store and buy something from the women's section."

"What did you get then?"

Doric held up something in his hand that Raymond thought was handkerchiefs.

"Aah handkerchiefs." said the policeman." I remember having to do that. It was the easiest thing to pick up and not feel embarrassed. The alarm must have been a malfunction. It has been happening a bit lately. You can go and drive safely ok."

"I will. Thanks." said Doric.

The screen disappeared and Raymond emerged from his hiding place.

"That was close." said Doric. "I'll be so glad when this is all over. I don't think I can handle too much more stress."

"You said something about being followed" asked Raymond.

"Yea it was a bit weird. I just had that feeling, you know. Probably imagined it. Anyway, let's go and move on to the next task."