sublime hypnagogia

Busman's Holiday

In that age before the recorded age of harnessed power, people harnessed the horse. Often a convenience for carrying people.

The largest of carriages were unwieldy on the dirt roads. Recreation travels were sized for family excursions. The animals, the carriages, the seating arrangement were simply better for a modest count.

In the age of harnessed power, larger vehicles and heavier roads allowed travels for an order of magnitude larger.

Recreation travels were affordable en-mass. Service provided by a single 'bus driver', with the need for coachmen, supporting retainers and livery service.

That one person became the genesis of a phrase "The Busman's Holiday".

In driving the bus with people as far as interest and access could afford, the busman became a meme. Where would a busman want to go? When it was their turn for a holiday trip.

It is just simply amazing the things we know. It is weird how life never lets a meme die away.

I have been deployed nearly everywhere. All over my home planet and the planets of other realms.

We provide cleansing services. Removing the death of active and imminent contagion.

A vacation. A break from missions. That is what this was supposed to be.

All of us are modified to have implant communication, so we knew it right away.

Our vacation jump had gone wrong.

We have no mission intelligence reports, hardly any gear, just our training.

The light of our jump gate fades behind us. As sanctioned operatives, we must defend the jump point.

Here it is. A "Busman's Holiday" for us all.

Facing crowds of contagion riddled humans over a dark long night.