Flash looked out on the view from the mother ship. Each of those tiny dots of light represented a star or entire galaxies. They were as numerous as the grains of sand on a beach. They each contained mysteries and wonders that Flash would never have the time to explore.
The universe he inhabited was a fractal.
He was in the universe. The universe was in his body.
The closer he looked, the deeper the layers went in that well. Ever irregular and diverse with its expansion. If he could have somehow backed away from it, he would have seen that the totality of his universe dwelt in the body of someone else. And so on, forever. Infinitely forwards and backwards in a never ending story.
All he could really do was live his own life, within his reach. Anything else was too much. He could not explore the cosmos, but he could explore the vistas along the highway of his own life.
He reached again for that cup with all of its mystery, and asked the table of elements for coffee. This was a simple pleasure that reminded Flash he had everything he needed.
All of those stars would continue to burn, or burn out, without his scrutiny or intervention. He could relax as he and his family inched closer to the exit marked Olo.
Over time, a crystal city grew up from the Ololian plain, and in the middle stood a museum. You could even call it a shrine. It was built up around the TNI 2, right where Flash himself had left it when they gifted him the new yellow pod.
You could walk the very path that Flash walked, and stand in the spot where he had dropped from the sky and slid down the back of a whale to land on his feet next to the royal couple.
Within the structure, you could visit the miniature castle that Buffy and Skip had built. Stylists carefully arranged a copy of the book so that it looked like it had been tossed aside.
Panini sandwiches were served in the cafe, and the Flash Meridian Experience was illustrated with holograms that brought the story to life. The light passed through the walls, which were made of jewels to project the images in 3-D.
On cloudless days, the whales would dance in the air above, casting subtle shadows on the walls, which caused lighting effects in the projected scenes.
Other Ololian artifacts were also on display. A royal table setting carved from huge gemstones, a mannequin wore Buffy’s pink dress, but the TNI 2 was the main attraction. It had not been altered in any way, or even washed.
On special occasions, Peck would stand near the craft and talk about his time with Flash. He recounted the destruction of his planet Ino, and his experience of being a refugee until Flash welcomed him. He recalled his arrival on Olo in this very spaceship. He never explained his quiet departure, except to say that he had to look for something. He never did he say whether he found it.
There was excitement in the air, because news had come that Flash Meridian was returning.