THE EXPRESS TRAIN

Jack stood on the subway platform awaiting his express train. It had been a long, arduous day at work, as usual, and Jack could think of nothing else but getting home to his loving family, having a warm supper and a good night’s sleep. Leaning against a subway post, he allowed himself to drift into a semi-conscious reverie, dreaming of the one thing he never experiences: a moment of solitude and peace.

As the senior manager in a high-energy financial firm in Manhattan, his work was intense and relentless. Jack reported directly to the president of the firm, and as such, was required to be constantly in command and totally abreast of all aspects of the business. He was expected to arrive well before the stock market opened for trading, usually at his desk by 7:30 AM. It was rare for him to leave the office before 6:00 PM, even then still facing a 90-minute commute home. He had been working at this pace for more than 15 years, never having had time for a vacation.

Jack closed his eyes and let his imagination take him to a park, a beach, a mountain top, where he could unwind and relax, listening to the silence and stillness. He saw fireflies wafting about, performing their luminescent ballet in the quietude of a summer meadow. He imagined the soft caress of a gentle ocean breeze; the distant shush of rustling leaves; the barely perceptible low-pitched vibration of his purring cat.

And he thought, “it’s the quiet times in life that give it meaning.”

As his mind wandered, Jack didn’t notice the very unusual appearance of the train that slowly wound its way into the station. Startlingly sleek and futuristic, the train came to a stop with barely a whisper. On the front screen, instead of the expected E or RR notification, the monitor said “Ursa Major.”

Jarred awake by the opening of the doors but still half-asleep, Jack absentmindedly staggered into the train and looked for a seat. He immediately noticed that the interior of this train was nothing like he had ever seen.

Rather than the usual seating against the outer walls of the train car, there were highly cushioned captain’s chairs sparsely positioned, all facing forward, perhaps only 12 chairs in the entire car. Jack chose one in the middle and sunk into the cushions, quietly impressed by the comfort it provided.

Jack glanced around at the other passengers. They appeared fairly ordinary: a typical, weary bunch of travelers all looking eager to get home.

The doors closed, and the train pulled out of the station. Jack was very surprised to find that his seat allowed him to recline into a very comfortable position. He pressed his head into the cushion, his eyelids once again growing heavy, and drifted into a light sleep.

About an hour into the train ride, Jack was awakened by a soft, feminine voice on the overhead speakers. At first, the announcement seemed nonsensical, and he did not quite gather its meaning. He hoped it would repeat, and, sure enough, after a short pause, the announcement came again.

“May I have your attention, fellow travelers. Our craft has now traversed the Kuiper belt region of the Sol star system, and has reached interstellar velocity of 0.5L. You may now move about the cabin freely, as artificial gravity has been activated. The food synthesizers have completed their preparation of velzor, and you are welcome to access your portion. Suspended consciousness will take place in 30 minutes. Our next stop will be the exoplanet within the Lalande star system. At our current velocity, we will arrive there in exactly 24.8 years.”

Jack sat quietly in his seat and tried to comprehend what he had just heard. At first, he thought it was some sort of malfunction or joke. He looked over at the fellow sitting to his right and shrugged his shoulders in an obvious sign of confusion. The fellow smiled.

The fellow commented, “It’s good to be going home after so much time away. Don’t you agree?”

Jack responded, “It sure is! I’m going to Bensonhurst. Where are you going?”

The traveler answered, “Bensonhurst? In Brooklyn?”

Jack chirped, “Yes, Brooklyn! Isn’t that where this train is going? I didn’t really understand that announcement on the PA system. I have a weird feeling I may have gotten on the wrong train.”

The fellow traveler, looking concerned, inquired, “Excuse me, but are you an Alioth?”

Jack quickly answered, “No, I’m not an Alioth, whatever that is. I work for Goldman Sacks. I’m the general manager of the equities division. We do the investment research for some major players. We have more than $50 billion under management. If you’re interested in having professional management, I’ll give you a card.”

The fellow traveler responded, “What is your name?”

“Jack Simmons.”

“Nice to meet you, Jack. My name is Jjjz3rsbt Jjjz4qqrr. Jack, I think you did get on the wrong train. We are not going to Brooklyn. Our next stop is an exoplanet in the Ursa Major constellation, in the Lalande star system.”

Jack, astonished, stammered, “What are you talking about? This is just a subway. How could we go to another solar system?”

Jjjz3rsbt responded, “Jack, the vehicle you apparently accidentally entered was not a subway. It was a transit vehicle which then met up with our interstellar ship orbiting Earth. Jack, we are from the Alioth star system. We come to Earth frequently for research purposes, but we always love to go home. We are on our way home now.”

Jack scrunched his face. “Come on, whatever your name is. That’s a load of horse crap. I’m going to get off at the next stop. I’ll probably just grab an Uber.”

“Jack, what I told you is true. This ship is already beyond the orbit of Saturn. We are all heading home to the fourth planet in the Alioth system. That’s our home. We are moving at 0.5 the speed of light. At that speed, we will get home in about 160 years.”

Jack laughed. “160 years? That’s funny. How in the world are you going to do that?”

Jjjz3rsbt responded, “We enter a state of extreme hibernation. It allows us to tolerate extended space voyages. If we didn’t have that ability, such voyages would be impossible, as you might surmise.”

Jack, feeling a sense of panic growing within himself, asked, “How do you do that? With some sort of freezing chamber?”

Jjjz3rsbt answered, “No, that’s not necessary for us. We have the ability within ourselves. We don’t require any equipment, although we do use some technology to make it easier.”

“But I don’t have that ability. What am I supposed to do?”

Jjjz3rsbt suggested, “You don’t have to stay on the ship all the way to Alioth. You can get off at the next stop, at the transit station on Lalande 21185b, and take the return trip back to Earth. There are shuttles leaving every few years. You’ll be at the transit station about 24 years from now, so you’ll be back on Earth in just under 50 years.

Now, Jack, if you’ll excuse me, I must prepare for my hibernation. It’s going to be quite a relief finally to get out of these costumes.”

With that, Jjjz3rsbt and the other 11 fellow travelers began removing their outer “human” shells, revealing their true appearance. Jack observed a large, cylindrical head which seemed very much like an inverted highway cone, jet black in color, but with at least four sets of eyes, each set 90° apart, providing a comprehensive view of its surroundings. Jack noted two pairs of arms, each hand having at least eight intricate fingers, suggesting extreme dexterity and fine motor control.

Jack, through quivering lips and a pounding heart, managed to squeeze out one additional question.

“But I’m 48 years old. How can I wait 50 years to get home? That means I’ll be 98 years old. I don’t have the ability to go into hibernation. What am I going to do here in this ship and the return trip for 50 years?”

Jjjz3rsbt explained, “Jack, everything on board this ship is automated. There is no one piloting or operating it. You are free to use the food synthesizers as much as you wish. They will produce any food or drink you might desire. There are instructions in our language but also in English alongside the device. So, your sustenance should not be a problem. The climate in the ship is maintained as it is right now, at a comfortable temperature for most Earthlings. There are also bathroom facilities on board that you can use. So, your journey should be rather pleasant.

Well, it’s been my pleasure meeting you, Jack. But I must now enter my extended hibernation. I hope you enjoy your trip to Ursa Major.”

As the travelers from Alioth quietly entered hibernation and protective domes surrounded them, the ship became totally silent. Because the ship had reached its cruising velocity, it seemed to be standing still. One could hear a pin drop. There was no perceived motion, no sound, no movement. There was only absolute silence.

Jack sat down on his reclining captain’s chair and closed his eyes.

The stillness tore through his mind like a lightning bolt. Jack thought of his wife and kids, who would now have no way to know whatever happened to their husband and father. In desperation, he glanced at his cell phone, hoping against hope for a connection, to no avail. By this time, Earth would be only a distant point of light, blending into the vast milieu of space.

And Jack, mouthing the words to himself, said goodbye to all he ever knew.