The Proximity Of Stars

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The Proximity Of Stars - book excerpt

Prologue

Throughout the history of human civilization there have been numerous occasions of recorded golden ages across empires, states, nationalities and cultures.

Most people around the world have always wanted to live a better life here on Earth. Nevertheless, only a few have ever believed it has been at all possible in their lifetimes.

Even nowadays, people still aspire to the same dream, despite turmoil and confusion spreading around the globe.

This story will take you on an adventure into the future, half a century or so ahead, attempting to predict some likely scenarios of human development. A company of a few strong female characters is introduced as a precursor to bright prospects on the path of hope.

Also included are several solutions to modern ills, in order for us to get closer to today’s dream of a better society tomorrow.

Chapter 1

21st Century, Planet Earth

St. Anastasia Island

Summertime

It was nearing sunset when the sky slowly turned amber. Brian could see two seagulls wafting on the golden horizon. The island seemed rather cozy for the two young and hopeful lads who just wanted to unwind a bit before entering into the world of hard work, family life and eventually, kids.

Having graduated from Oxbridge with flying colors, both Brian and his best friend, Gary, were willing to experience something new, unfamiliar and fascinating. Gary was the wilder one, far more adventurous than Brian, who was generally regarded as a profound thinker.

In fact, he was renowned, or rather, notorious, for constantly having his head in the clouds – the so-called “philosopher” not only in their posh college, but also the entire varsity.

Right after their graduation ball, these two young men had to fly several thousand miles in order to come to this tiny, yet splendid and surreal patch of land, right off the coast of Southeastern Europe.

Little did they know what lay ahead of them. So full of dreams, enthusiasm, and naiveté, they were ill-prepared to go on to the next stage of their existence.

Brian got up from the hot sand and took a look at the magnificent sunset. Just then, he noticed something rather unusual for this sleepy island.

“Gary, could you come over here for a second?” he asked his travel companion.

“Are you afraid of the dark or what?” Gary replied in his typical jovial style, as he approached Brian, standing right next to the water of the Black Sea.

“Oh, Brian, stop philosophizing so much and grab a can of beer, or one of your favorite glasses of wine!” Gary teased.

“Bro, I'm tellin' ya, I was just wondering if we're gonna like the local cuisine here, when I heard an odd kinda sound from—er, like—”

Suddenly, he stopped in mid-sentence.

In came a soft, chirpy, somewhat flirtatious female greeting:“Hey, guys, are you two having fun?”

“Good evening, alien beauty. How the heck did you manage to get here, in this secluded place?” Gary responded quickly, eyeing her up and down, appreciatively.

Gary’s mood started to improve significantly. “Never mind, that doesn't really matter right now, does it, Brian?” He turned to the girl. “Anyways, now that you are here one way or another, would you like to share a drink with us and keep us company?”

“You are so-oo pushy, you naughty young man,” replied the stranger, giggling, “Let me first introduce myself properly. My name's Brenda, and that, over there by the beach, is my best friend Alice.”

Much to their amazement, none of the guys had yet sensed the presence of Alice––until that instant.

Brisk and eager introductions ensued between the boys and the girls, with Gary, himself, literally exploding with excitement and delight.

Prior to the ladies' arrival, he had been feeling cold, lonely, and slightly bored with the prospect of spending a quiet and uneventful night in his friend's unassuming company. But then came this delightful surprise.

“We went on a cruise today, starting off from the city of Burgas first thing in the morning,” Brenda said. “Accidentally, we spotted this nice little islet and immediately wanted to check it out. Because we thought there might be a tavern or at least a café on this beach or something, our desire to explore further didn't diminish, so we went on to—”

Gary interrupted her with a smirk. “Oh, Brenda, hm, er, please be our guests for tonight. We are really nice guys, very smart, intelligent and hospitable.”

While he went on smoothly talking to the gals, Gary motioned for them to follow him into the villa, where dinner had already been properly prepared by the kitchen staff, now gone for the night.

“All right then, ladies, do feel at home and enjoy your meal. Bon appetit! There's plenty of food for all of us here,” he said. “Besides, we've got a fully stocked fridge as well, not to mention the minibar, which has also been completely restocked recently.”

While reaching out to light the candles on the large dinner table, Gary beamed.

“Hey, Brian, could you now put some lovely music on, please?” he asked.

“Yeah, sure mate, of course, just a moment,” Brian replied courteously. Yet his face and voice indicated otherwise, as if he were concealing his true feelings so he didn’t spoil his friend’s potentially romantic evening.

The Moon's pallid face had just shown up on the skyline. With the close proximity of Mars shining brightly, and the gentle ripples of water splashing against the fine golden sand, the entire scene looked incredible.

Chapter 2

The two slender girls seemed like a “godsend”, like eye candy to Gary. He carried on chatting eagerly with them over dinner. The Mediterranean food was quite appetizing and delicious. The seafood dishes and side orders went extremely well with a bottle of white wine.

“So, Brenda, how do you find this snug little house right in the middle of nowhere?” Gary continued blatantly.

“Well, it’s a great place to be, especially with you guys, of course,” Brenda retorted with a sparkle in her eyes.

“Sorry, but I can’t help asking why you both are stuck here, being so lonely. You're both straight after all, aren’t you?”

“Oh, this is our after-party, in fact. We’ve just graduated, you see,” Brian jumped in, looking slightly perplexed at Brenda.

“Good heavens! You can talk then,” Alice replied in turn.

“Of course I can, I simply couldn't get a word in edgeways the whole evening, because of my friend Gary, the chatterbox. And, just look who's telling me I didn't dare to speak, you sneaky snake in the grass,” Brian responded in a seemingly agitated way.

Gary looked surprised.

“All right, all right, calm down and stay cool, you two,” Brenda insisted with urgency.“I was only teasing you, so please excuse me and accept my sincere apologies. I didn't mean to offend you in any way. You both seem like really nice guys, rather adorable, to be honest. I even suppose you have a bunch of admiring ladies chasing after you, right Gary?

“On second thought, I wonder if you were trying to escape from some wildcats, tigresses, bimbos or something?” Brenda was obviously attempting to make up in a more amicable manner.

Alice cut in, “Brian and Gary, if you allow me to say a few words as well. We really didn't want to cause any hassle to you by popping up like that, unannounced. We could leave this instant, if you wish.”

Brian replied, “No, no, Alice, of course that's out of the question. We don't want you to leave now in the middle of the night. We’re nice blokes after all – real gentlemen, so to speak.”

Brian was visibly more cooperative and ready to negotiate, “As we said before, you're most welcome, ladies! Please enjoy your stay here with us. May I therefore kindly ask you to a dance? It’ll be an honor for me. I can even hear a pleasant ballad playing in the background, as we speak.”

“I can’t agree with you more, sir,” Alice replied. “What a brilliant idea, thank you.” She grabbed Brian's offered hand, smiling.

A few seconds later, there were two dancing couples on the improvised dance floor next to the bar countertop, bopping and swaying in time to the sweet melody.

The state of peace and quiet was restored and ruled harmoniously for the next four or five minutes. Everything seemed very tranquil and appeasing. The gentle music was the only thing that could now be heard in the house. Both girls and boys appeared to be relishing the soft, swinging moves to the rhythm of the blues.

The roar of the surf could also be heard, as though the waves were following the sound of music.

When the song ended, Gary returned to his usual cheerful but sort of smarmy manner. “Girls, since it's getting late now, would you like me to show you to your bedroom? As your considerate host, I’d be glad to welcome you on board once again and put you up for this memorable night.”

Gary's cheeks had turned crimson, not due to embarrassment, but because he had already emptied several glasses of wine. Apparently, he was not much of a drinker.

Sensing his growing desire and considering the allusions made, Brenda quickly regained her composure. “That’s very kind of you, Gary. However, I suppose you’ve got some big plans for tomorrow. Don’t tell me you're going to stay in bed all day, having a lie-in?”

Gary understood the irony in her intonation but did not want to back off and resign like a loser just yet.

“We could actually enjoy your lovely company for a little longer tomorrow and go out together on a city tour, if you like. We definitely want to be out and about during our vacation, what do you say?”

Brenda glanced at Brian, her eyes begging for help.

“Gary, let’s behave ourselves and leave the ladies alone now. We'll talk to them again in the morning for sure, when seeing them off, okay man?”

After a second of silence, and without any more verbal objections, Brian helped Gary stand up and go to his bed. He urgently needed to speak to him and express his concerns about the ladies as quietly and as tactfully as possible.

But the moment his head hit the pillow, Gary fell fast asleep and began snoring in between blabbering some drunken gibberish.

“The night brings counsel,” murmured Brian.

By then his face had become sharp and serious again, but he forced himself to look polite before going back downstairs to attend to the suspicious girls.

“Sorry about my friend’s behavior earlier tonight. We've been to some wild parties lately and he hasn’t got, I mean, gotten over them yet, obviously. Let me take you to your room now; please follow me.”

“Ah, don't even mention it, big boy. We're glad we landed on this lovely little island, Mr. Sunderland,” Brenda tried to reassure Brian in an overly flirtatious way.

Brian’s fearsome apprehensions came over him once again at full throttle.

“And how do you happen to know my surname then, Brenda?” Brian was lost for words and steaming under his stern facade.

“Calm down and take it easy, young man! The tour guide told us about you and your friend when we got off the cruise boat earlier today,” Alice explained.“In fact, we are extraordinary dancers and could perform for your eyes only, Brian. The night is still young and—”

Alice leaned toward Brian's face and attempted a sly but gentle kiss on the verge of his mouth, just below his now-rosy cheek. Brian shivered a bit, instinctively recoiling and backing away.

“Look ladies, I really don’t want to be rude, but I actually don’t know you. That’s why you should let me make something clear.” Brian paused for a second or so to gather his racing thoughts. “Now, not that I am supposed to explain anything to you at all, but at some point tonight you seemed like fairly decent ladies.”

“Wha-aat, what do you mean by ‘decent’? What are you implying here?Do you think we are some sort of sluts, pickpockets or gold seekers, Mr. Right? And what kinda word’s that, by the way, who says ‘decent’ nowadays; did your granny or grandpa use it, hey-ho?” Brenda retaliated quite cheekily.

Then Brian got the idea, the whole picture was now crystal clear, no doubt at all. The only glitch was that he was in two minds as to whether he should chuck those two little bitches out straight away by calling the coast guards in the middle of the night or just “tell the girls off”, take them in and then go to bed himself.

Shortly afterwards, he made up his mind. He decided to be a genteel guy, as usual, although he subconsciously knew he might bitterly regret his choice later on.

If, by any chance, the worst comes to the worst, then they couldn’t pose any threat, could they? By all means, they’re leaving in the morning.

“OK, Alice and Brenda, I do apologize for my misdemeanor, but you definitely need to leave at dawn; do we have a deal?”

The girls appeared more cooperative now and nodded in consent. Brian felt a bit less tense and continued:“I’ll arrange a water taxi boat for you, if you need one.”

“Don’t bother. I’ve got my smartphone with me, so we can arrange it ourselves,” Alice quickly retorted.

“Very well then, here’s your room. There are a couple of spare bedsheets in the chest. Good night ladies and farewell to you both.”

The two girls did as instructed. They even seemed a bit too obedient to Brian. Needless to say, his mind was boggling. He realized he had just shot himself in the foot. He had to have a word with his best friend Gary, because things had just got out of hand. But, should he wake him up this very moment, or wait until daybreak?

Let's not get paranoid! Gary's still drunk, and besides, there's nothing to be afraid of, is there?

Finally, Brian went to bed and, almost immediately after that, sleep got the better of him. It had been a long day for the young boys.

Chapter 3

Meanwhile, in the girls' bedroom chitchat was rife. The night was really sultry, so the ladies couldn't fall asleep. By the look of it, they weren't going to sleep a wink until dawn.

“Brian's a cool and awesome guy. I really regret accepting this mission.” Alice was speaking her mind.

“Now, that's something new. Are you experiencing some kind of soul-searching or a feeling of remorse?” Brenda snapped at Alice ruthlessly.

“Don't forget that's the brother of Dixon, the World President, the bastard that nobody likes. The universal dictator, the one that we'll eventually have to deal with. I wish we could wipe him out from the face of the earth one day.

“Thus, we'll save not only our precious planet, but also the newly acquired human colonies like the Moon, Mars, the upcoming Venus project and, last but not least, the International Space Station (ISS). The latter, at present, is a megapolis for the filthy rich holidaymakers and affluent retirees, bless'em all!”

“You shouldn't speak so openly about your true feelings for Dixon. His hounds, that is, bozos, might be snooping around as we discuss those nasty things,” Alice interrupted.

“What, in this godforsaken place? Come on, Alice! And just look who's telling me this, the very lover of Mr. Big Brother, who ain't so much into women altogether.”

“Brenda, stop right there, don't you dare! You've got absolutely no idea how hard my life as a poor orphan has been so far. And what's more, Dixon was like family to me. Now, back to your stupid query: who was flirting shamelessly with both Gary and Brian tonight, huh?”

At that precise moment, while still dark outside, there was a sudden but faint noise, which could be heard in the distance. It apparently sounded like a military chopper, fast approaching in a menacing manner.

“Hush, hush Alice, we need to make our way out of here immediately, as quietly as possible,” Brenda ordered nervously and the two spy girls were gone in a matter of seconds, literally.

Their room looked neat and tidy, as if nobody had slept inside that night.

* * *

The threatening sound of a nearing helicopter was now loud and clear; even the house was being rhythmically shaken. Arguably, the whole little island was being shattered. Right then, Gary opened his sleepy eyes.

“What the hell's that?” he asked, his voice conveying a great deal of annoyance, irritation and frustration, but without any hint of anxiety or concern.

“What exactly do you mean, old-timer?” Brian tried to open his eyes too, still not quite aware of the situation.

“I thought we were supposed to stay in a nice and quiet villa by the sea, weren't we? I'll certainly complain about that and ask for a refund,” Gary was now startled and shaken to the core, but wanted to appear well composed, even witty.

“Are you sure you aren’t bearing the fruits of your hangover, buddy?” Brian retorted accordingly, but right after that his croaky voice was drowned out by the thunderous touchdown of an enormous chopper, just in front of the house, on the edge of the nicely manicured lawn.

This was a scary sight by itself. The boys couldn't believe their eyes. All that seemed so unreal. They wished they were dreaming. Unfortunately, their alleged nightmare turned out to be the reality they had never even anticipated.

Several minutes later there were about a dozen armed to the teeth troopers, all set in line, eagerly awaiting someone undoubtedly very important to get out of the helicopter.

Quite right. A moment later, the one and only General Grant, the Commander-in-Chief of Dixon's Planetary Army, turned up on the chopper's steps.

His figure was imposing. Destiny was not at all favorable to the unlucky bastards who had the chance to catch a glimpse of this infamous general. Most of them were not among the living anymore.