Chapter 2: Preparations for a visit...

John 15: 13

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

“CS01, set a course for the First Last Stop.”  Moose lifts his coffee from earlier in the morning.  It’s cold, old, stale, and exactly how he likes it.  As is.  For this time.  He slurps a sip and places the mug back down on the helm of the ship careful not to spill on the CS01.

“Course set, Captain.”  CS01’s core begins to thrum, her thrusters flaring as they come to life.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  So what about a friend of a Friend?”  Moose’s voice drifts low across the bridge, half-thought, half-prayer.  He pulls the brim of his red driver’s cap low and settles back into the helm.  Outside, the void stretches and bends — stars streaking, galaxies smearing into ribbons of light as CS01 surges forward, her nuclear core churning with that deep, holy hum of power and purpose.

“Art-bot,” Moose says, flipping through the well-worn pages of his Bible, “last time we were at the First Last Stop, we were met by an alien.  You remember?”

Art-bot’s eyes glow softly as she looks up from her console.  “Affirmative, Captain.  The Turvalen emissary — recorded on Dock 3B.  He inquired about… your book.”

Moose nods once, slow.  “Yeah,” he says. “That’s the one.”  He finds his place, thumb marking the page, the hum of the ship deepens.  “He may be unpleasant, but he’s the ruler down there.  Let’s turn to Proverbs.”

Proverbs 23: 1-9

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.  Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.  Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!  Will you set your eyes on that which is not?  For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.  Do not eat the bread of a mitre, nor desire his delicacies; for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.  ‘Eat and drink!’ He says to you, but his heart is not with you.  The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, and waste your pleasant words.  Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.”

Moose slides a hand over the page, gentle, a finger resting under the text.  “I’m reasonably certain he is going to try to run interference while we visit.  We are to consider carefully what is before us.  And we are to remember James 1 while we are at it.  Trials, temptations, and patience.”