Stobey's and Slutter's families have moved to the Outer Region of the
Solar System and built homes on Jupiter's moon Callisto. Earthlings
were overrunning Mars.
One morning Stobey calls Slutter on her space visi-phone.
'Slutter,' says Stobey, 'let's get together.'
'Right,' Slutter answers. 'Where's a good place to meet?'
'If we leave now in our new spaceships, Coconut and Banana,' says
Stobey, 'we'll reach the space lanes' junction near the gate to Super-Rock
Playground on Moon Ganymede. Will you meet me there?'
'Yes,' Slutter says. 'I'll leave now in Banana and meet you where the
space lanes join. I'll be there in an hour, Stobey. See you.'
They switch off, dash for their spaceships and launch. Coconut and
Banana are fast, but the distance each must fly is so great that it will take
at least an hour to reach the junction.
Super-Rock is the children's playground in the outer region of our solar
system, which includes all the planets and space colonies beyond the
Asteroids. The playground has roller coasters, a merry-go-round,
tunnels to explore, music bands, and many rides for children. It's really
cool. Since it's such a special and favorite park, Super-Rock gets lots of
visitors.
As Stobey and Slutter approach Super-Rock Playground, the space lanes
leading into it become crowded with other spaceships and space buggies.
There are big bus line spaceships, each loaded with hundreds of
passengers, private spaceships with families, and lots of single-seat space
buggies like Coconut and Banana. There are also hot rod space buggies
that switch at high speed from one lane to another, driven by boys and
girls who sport fancy haircuts, twisty earrings, and leather jackets.
Stobey and Slutter handle their single-seaters carefully to keep from
having an accident. The junction to which they are headed is
complicated. Hundreds of spacers are in coming in from the right and
underneath to join up with hundreds of others from the left and
overhead. Everyone is careful. That is, almost everyone. Stobey
switches on her space radio.
'Stobey calling Slutter,' she says into her microphone. 'Come in, Slutter.'
Slutter is waiting for the call.
'Slutter here,' he replies. 'Where are you, Stobey?'
'I'm in the holding pattern at the junction,' Stobey says, 'and I'm flashing
my green and yellow lights. Can you spot me?'
'Not yet. I've got my greens and yellows on, too,' Slutter answers. 'Let's
watch for each other.'
A moment later, Stobey says, 'I see you in my finder; you're still some
distance behind me. I'll cut out and line up ahead of you. When you
catch up we'll head for the parking block. Let's park next to each other.
OK?'
'That's fine. Let's do that.'
Without warning, Stobey feels a slam on the rear of her space-buggy.
She looks in her rear-view mirror. It's a hot rodder and he's bumping the
nose of his buggy against the back of hers.
'Slutter,' Stobey shouts. 'I'm having a problem with a hot rodder. He's
bumping my tail. If he doesn't stop he'll damage my buggy.'
'I'm speeding up and closing,' Slutter replies. 'I'll check him out.'
Slutter rams power into Banana's motor and, a moment later, sees
Coconut up ahead. The hot rodder's ship is pushing and bumping
Coconut.
Slutter maneuvers Banana behind the hot rodder. Lowering Banana's
nose, he slips it under the rear bumper of the hot rodder. He quickly
raises Banana's nose and flips the hot rodder away.
Slutter moves Banana up alongside Coconut. The hot rodder, seeing the
Coconut has a Banana for a buddy, veers off. Together, they're too
much for him.
'Thank you, Slutter,' says Stobey. 'If you hadn't stopped that hot rodder
he might have cracked my Coconut. You sure saved me.'
'I'm glad I was here to help,' Slutter replies. 'If it was the other way
round I'm sure you would have done the same for me. Come to think of
it, Stobey, if that hot rodder had bumped against my buggy, and you
weren't here to help me, he might've peeled my Banana.'
Stobey and Slutter think that's funny. They laugh and they laugh as,
flying along side by side, they move along the space lanes into the
Super-Rock parking block.
They find parking spaces next to each other. When they step out from
their space buggies they come together with smiles and a hug. Hand in
hand, they head for the gate that leads into Super-Rock, the most
spectacular children's park and playground in the entire outer region of
the solar system.