Flash relaxed, knowing that he once again had everything that he needed. Beyond the scope of physical needs, he had encountered kindness at every stop along his journey.
Before leaving Earth, he had envisioned the universe as empty, cold and hostile. He wasn’t sure whether he would encounter life anywhere, though he did find it unlikely that in all this space, only Earth would be inhabited.
Not only was there life, there was kind, generous and protective life. And he had barely scratched the surface.
His mind went back to conversations he had had with Ash Lander about the limitless possibilities of infinite space.
As he gazed out at the star studded black curtain, he did not feel “out there” at all. The universe was his home. Sure, he was from Earth, but Earth was so far away. He didn’t even know in what direction he would find it, if it were even visible from here.
He missed his friends, Ash and K.D. He had not intended to make this journey alone. But plans change. He had come to accept that. This proved to be a valuable tool out here in uncharted space.
The table of elements offered him anything he wished for. It could assemble a gold ring, diamonds or designer clothing just as easily as it could prepare him supper. But what good were those things? He had no one to impress. And so he asked for his favorite things. A latte and a biscotti, and he sat back once again and buried his toes in the soft black pelt on the floor.
The aroma of pure, rich coffee filled the cockpit, and Flash reached for the Ololian book.
Every time he opened it, it seemed different. He read details that he had not noticed before, and so he never grew tired of it.
The book, like the entire universe, held messages of hope and possibility. How could Buffy and Skip have misinterpreted it? Or could the message somehow be tailored to the reader?