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Why Me?

• The sound of metal hitting metal pulled me out of an alcoholic sleep period. The ship's juniors had celebrated the announcement that we would turn away from the gas clouds that we had earlier discovered on our trip into space. The clouds of gas were much too dense for our instruments to penetrate far enough to observe whether any planets existed. The noise of metal hitting metal. alarm bells went off in my numbed alcohol soaked brain. I staggered out of my bunk.
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• I saw that a metal strut from the damaged doorway had taken on the swing from the space ships movements. Something terrible must have taken place during my drunken sleep. The pulsating throb told me that the ships engines were working. Wreckage along the corridor leading to the Pilots control center made things difficult for me but I am of the stubborn kind and was determined to find out what had happened after I had been locked into my small cabin.
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• My shouts echoed and reechoed along the empty corridor. Where are the crew and who is in the control seat. Finally I came to the wide open door of the control room. The room was empty not a member of the crew to be seen. Thankfully I reached the Pilots seat and sat down. Someone had put the ship on automatic control we were being flown, if that is the right word to use by a lump of metal wired boxes.
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• I saw the Coffee thermos flask used by the pilots. I pulled the flask towards me. It was heavy. Opening the flask I poured myself a cup of coffee. Thankfully I drank two cups of coffee one after the other. The speaking system, yes I thought the speaking system. One arm reached forward I pressed the red button, Is there anyone alive on this ship? Give answer. Do you need help? I repeated this message about four times. No answers to my calls. My next move was to put on one of the modern space suits. I looked at the control system all seemed to be working as it should be and off I went to make a thorough search of the ship. I opened and closed room after room. I searched the empty spaces that were meant for any specimens that we were supposed to find on this discovery mission. Apart from many samples of the gas clouds that we encountered there was nothing that even resembled a specimen.
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• I had to face it I was alone on the space ship. Whoever it was that had taken me back in my drunken state to my bunk had saved my life. I myself have no recollections after the first two rounds of alcoholic drinks. I must admit this was the first and probably my last drink of alcohol. I made my way back to the Pilots seat. Thoughts flashed through my mind, Would I be held responsible for the damage to the ship? Would I be blamed for the disappearance of the crew?
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• I put everything behind me and concentrated on what I had been taught at the space academy. Each crew member must go through a severe training. The training consisted of repairing and maintaining everything that was to be found on a space ship. Flight experience during which not only the old fashioned flight simulators were used but also the ultra modern space ship simulators. I ran my eyes for the tenth time over the control panels then it dawned on me, What about the screens coupled to the cameras all around the ship. My finger found the right button and screen after screen came alive. I now had a complete view over the whole ship. It is as I had seen it on my inspection earlier.
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• An alarm bell rang. Looking at the small screen I saw that red warning lights were flashing in the space ships galley. This reminded me that apart from two cups of coffee I had not eaten anything for a long long time. I was hungry. I walked to the galley and opened the oven door over which the alarms were still giving off their red alarm signal. The smell of sausages eggs and bacon came wafting to my nose. I needed no invitation. I ate the breakfast that the automatic cooker had prepared for the Captain. Feeling much better I made my way back to the pilots chair. Time I thought to see what lies ahead of me. Pushing the buttons controlling the forward camera's, I watched the huge screen as it rolled down from the ceiling of the pilots room.
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• In front of me I saw something that I will never forget in my whole life. Two small life bubbles were attached to the front of the space ship. I recalled the function and the period of time that could be safely spent in such a bubble. Donning again the space suit I made my way to the life bubbles. To my relief and great delight I saw that all members of the crew and the ship's Captain were safe in the bubbles. I was not alone and could never be held responsible for the ship or the crew
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• I rolled the long pipe shaped connection unit from the space ship to the first bubble where I had seen the Captain. I do not know who was the more surprised me or the members of the crew. The first bubble was empty and I connected it to the second bubble, I was told by the Captain himself what had happened to force the crew to use the two safety bubbles. One of the specimen tanks that held some of the gas from the gas cloud had been damaged. Gas spread so quickly that only time to enter the bubbles remained to save their lives. Not tine even to don their space suits. My being in my sleeping bunk had by some miracle not been affected by the gas. I was now I must say a Hero on board this space ship. My name will go down in the Space Academy Records as one of their best scholars. I have a medal that the Captain Gave me. I still ask myself why all of the fuss all would have done the same in the same circumstances.
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