¡Four cokes, please!

“Skipping from hyperspace in 10 minutes…” the clear voice was heard across the starship.

The crew, consisting of four individuals, gathered on the bridge and started a small talk before arriving their destination.

-I don’t see the point on stopping by such a far planet- said the only female aboard, once she reached her assigned seat.

She was tall, the tallest among them and her name was Leto.

-¡It is but a little detour! – answered a merry voice ahead.

This was the captain of the ship and everyone liked to call him the “mathematician”, not because he was a mathematics genius, awarded with the United Galaxies Scientific Prize, but because he was bad at them and his miscalculations often caused trouble to his own crew, thus they enjoyed call him bad names.

-We’ve been traveling for quite some time now, and I would like to know more about that famous place we heard about in the Soolooa system- continued the captain.

-I would like to remind you, that we ended up in the Soolooa system because we took a “little detour” from the computer’s calculation, captain- intervened a third companion, called Drisk from planet Karge.  

-For what I could gather, its inhabitants are also of humanoid intelligence- joined in a serious looking fellow, whose real name wasn’t known but anyway addressed as Bob by his team.

-No need to be so skeptical about our visit. Let’s visit a marketplace or two, find that famous drink and go back to our businesses, ¿What say you?-

-An hour or two won’t hurt, we are delayed anyway- agreed Drisk.

-¿Leto, Bob?-

-Seems alright to me-

-If that’s what the crew wants- said Leto, not entirely convinced.

-¡Then it is decided!- cheered the captain.

“Skipping from hyperspace, arriving destination...” announced once again the computer.

The crew watched the front view of the ship and instantly recognized the place they were going to visit: a blue little thing beaming in the middle of the dark space thanks to its system’s star.

-Such a tiny planet- commented Bob.

-It may not be the biggest, but certainly interesting, since it is of those classified as still primitive- declared the captain.

-¿Does that meant they haven’t built starships and explored other galaxies?-

-I don’t think they even know how the interstellar travel works, Drisk-

“Entering MW-E39’s atmosphere. Descending. Three minutes to reach the surface”

The crew awaited and soon they saw a landscape forming before their eyes. The planet had a vast mass of water and a little far was seen what it looks like a city.

-Oh, ¡What a sight!- marveled Drisk- Look, that must be one of their deities- pointed the Kargian at the big monument ahead.

-Computer, ¿What is this placed called?-

“Searching completed. This is: New York. Land: America” 

-¿Is everything ready for our visit to New York?-

“Matter Chamber ready for transportation to the surface”

-But, before we go out the ship, we need camouflage-

-¿What for?- inquired Leto.

-Well, ¡Is only logical!, if this is a primitive planet, then its species must not comprehend our traveler nature and will must likely confuse us as deities, imagine their shock. We don’t want to cause a strong impression on those poor creatures, besides, the United Galaxies Council will certainly admonish us in case of an eventuality-

-¡You talk with the ultimate reason, Captain!- cheered the little Kargian.

-For all means, lead the way then- asked Leto.

-Computer, please set up the camouflage protocol for primitive planets-

“Protocol 645: initiating” resonated the cold voice of the central computer.

Soon the four travelers image changed, and their unique features were now hidden under a soft texture of different colors, strands of an unknow material covered their heads and their clothes were... peculiar. Astonished by the colossal change, they walked towards the Matter Chamber and soon they were transported out of the starship, only to appear in the middle of trees.

-We look horrible, Zouled-

-Oh, don’t start now, Bob, it is only for our visit purpose- cut off Zouled the mathematician- activate the Universal Interpreter-

The crew did as the captain said. They walked among the trees, following the noise that surely meant humanoid activity. It wasn’t long until their first encounter with a local creature happened, and the scared crew almost screamed. A little white furry animal was making a loud guttural noise at them, seeming angry.

-Greetings E39 habitant, ¿Could you please tell me, where is your nearest market?-

-¡Woof woof woof!-

-I’m afraid I don’t understand very well-

-¡Sparky, come back here!-

A female humanoid approached them and rapidly picked up the little furry creature in her extremities.

-I’m sorry, he barks to every person at the park-

-¡Worry not! since I couldn’t communicate with your little companion, ¿Could you please indicate us the way to your nearest market, please?-

-Sure, two blocks from here, in that direction, you should be able to see it, is crowded today. ¿Are you tourists? -

-¡We are travelers indeed!, ¿How did you know?-

-Your outfits are... peculiar, ¿Where are you from?-

-From different places across the United Galaxies empire-

-Ah... I thought you were European, but seems you’re just Star Wars fans, ¿You’re here for the Sci-Fi convention then?-

-I don’t know about that war you saying, ¿It has been fought for a long time?-

-¡Thank you so much for you information!- interrupted Leto, seeing the evident confusion in the female.

They went away and followed the directions given by the local. In matter of minutes the great market was revealed, and indeed was crowded. The interstellar travelers were marveled and kind of shocked to contemplate so closely the primitive race of planet E39, who seemed quite content to be in this ancient state of lifestyle. Just like the markets in another planets, this had stalls selling and a lot of items for sale, also, food.

-¡Look, the drink!- announced Leto- ¿Is it not, captain?-

-¡It is!, well done-

They approached a humanoid and his little vehicle, “everything here is little” mused Zouled. In the front area of the vehicle was read “Hot dogs” and it looked like food.

-Greetings, good citizen of the New York land. We are travelers from distant places, and we would like to taste one of your famous bubbly black drinks-

-¿Distant places? ¿You’re from Europe?-

-No, actually...-

-¡Yes, we are!- interrupted Leto again, before Zouled started another unnecessary conversation- ¿Can we have four of your bubbly drinks? And four pieces of your best food- 

-Four hot dogs and four cokes it is-

The bottles containing the black liquid were opened by a younger humanoid male and handed to the crew, who admired the drink as if discovering a treasure. The first valiant to drink it was, as expected, the captain, who led the bottle to his lips and then started to drink. After a first shot, he stopped and looked astonished to his comrades, opening his eyes widely.

-¿What, what is it, captain? ¿Do you feel ill?-

-¡This is splendid! ¡This is- this is-! What a delicious and unique drink, not even the best bars in the Drann system can compete with this fine product-

Then they all proceed to drink it and just like their captain, the beverage marveled them.

-¿What is this...? I feel like my insides are swelling, I don’t think this is a good sign- commented Bob.

-Nonsense- dismissed Zouled.

-¡I think I’m going to explode, captain!-

And before any of them could react, Bob made a noise and released gas through his mouth, visible relieved from doing so. Leto made a face and Drisk laughed. The four pieces of food were handed then and to the crew’s delight those were as good as marvelous Coke was.

-¿How much would be for the food and drinks, good citizen?-

-That would be twenty five dollars, sir-

-¡Right!, ¿How much is that in Universal Credits?-

-¿Universal what?-

-Universal Credits…- repeated the captain in a tone of voice that suggested obviousness.

-Sorry, we don’t take Visa nor American Express, only cash, if that’s what you’re asking-

-A minute please- interrupted the tall girl.

She gripped the arm of her confused captain and set him a little far from earshot.

-Captain, I have to remind you this is a primitive planet, therefore, they don’t know about Universal Credits here. ¿Why didn’t you change our currency to the local one?-

-¿How I was supposed to know they don’t use the UC? also, ¿How could I have changed the Universal Credits for… whatever this payment paper is called?- said Zouled, glancing at a couple paying.

-Dollars-

-Right, dollars-

-You should have thought of that before coming, now we are in debt-

-If they could give us a moment to contact the External Affairs Office…-

-¿Is everything alright, folks?- interrupted the humanoid, mistrust evident in his eyes.

-¡Quite alright, sir!, but you see, I’m afraid we have... come unprepared for your primitive ways, eh, I mean, your economy system-

-¿You mean you have no money to pay?-

-¡That!, we don’t have at the moment means to exchange the local currency and deliver it to you-

-There’s a few banks down the street, buddy. Now look, you must pay for the drinks and food, or else I’ll have to call the police-

-There’s no need to involve Law Enforcement, good citizen-

-¿What do we do now?- asked Bob, a little nervous.

-I say we should initiate protocol 649-

-There is no such protocol, Drisk- replied Leto.

-You’re a genius, my little Kargian friend- praised Zouled- Computer- started to say aloud in the air- approach the ship and activate the Matter Chamber-

-¡Hey, stop right there!- yelled the food merchant- ¡I’m calling the police!-

“Matter Chamber ready for extraction” resonated the voice of the ship’s brain in their heads, but also across the city.

Locals suddenly dropped everything they were doing and payed attention to the mysterious voice that resonated in the sky. Then, Like a giant cloud covering the sun, the starship appeared above to everyone’s sight. The humanoid creatures started screaming and running as if they feared their ship more than anything in the universe. Wich pleased the captain because the moment of chaos provided the perfect escape. The next instant they appeared inside the ship, the commotion of the little humanoids still visible from above.

-I can’t believe we're leaving just like that without paying- rebuked Leto.

-It will be our little secret- replied shamelessly the leader- computer, set course to...-

“This is the Air Force or the United States of America, identify yourselves” resonated another voice in the air, where three smaller air machines were positioned in front of them.

-¡What a long name this fellow has!-murmured captain Zouled- ¿Yes? ,hello “The Air Force of the United States of America”, we are the company number 777-1 from the Galactic Interstellar Research Department. I’m afraid we don’t have much time left, we are already delayed from our own businesses-

"¿What do you want from Earth?"

-Oh, we wanted some Cokes, wich we enjoyed very much thank you. ¡Also the food was good!, sadly we didn't have any dorrals to pay-

-Dollars...-

-Yes, dollars. Wich is unfortunate for the time being, ¡But be assured we'll comeback to pay and enjoy another drink! maybe we bring along some friends with us next time-

"¡An alien invasion!" cried the voice from the other ship.

-¡Farewell!-

And that said, the starhip acelerated throug the sky and beyond the atmosphere till it was a shinny point that quickly disappeared.