I stared at the computer screen, swallowing the remaining lukewarm pizza and washing it down with root beer. The computer was off, but I could visualize the map. Sitting here staring at the blank screen seemed to be my daily ritual ever since leaving Planet X (officially named Xajax by the Explorer"s league). I located the map disk on the side of the computer but refused to remove it, as if the act alone would set events in motion that could not be undone. It was as if I was the biggest procrastinator aboard the ship.
Gard had kept me company the entire voyage, offering witty banter to break the silence and occasionally joining me in games of chess. Their game was different than I had become accustomed to because they had two levels to the board with more spaces on each board and containi
