Major Tom to Ground Control

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Major Tom Norris knew that was not quite true. Much depended on who was listening and what they were seeking to hear.

He owed his life to those that were listening and how they judged what they heard. He smiled as he recalled his first conversation with these people. It was not a scream they heard but a song.Parts of the song were imbedded in his psyche and immediately came to mind:

"This is Major Tom to Ground Control,I'm stepping through the door, and I'm floating in a most peculiar way , and the stars look very different today"(1)

Recollection of the lead up to the now bizarre situation he was living, assisted in mainting his sanity.The approach made by NASA that he would be part of a two man team to pilot a secret mission to basically nowhere and no return, shocked him. A living space probe they said. An invaluable contribution to future space travel. He did not like it.

On the other hand, his intended co-pilot ,Captain Al Carpenter, was much more upbeat.

"Look Tom, we have crewed together on five missions into space and we have both been diagnosed with a terminal illness.Maybe give us three to four years.Bugger me if they are going to keep me in any hospital."He did not let up:

"Would it be so bad to die up there, to be star explorers that remain with the stars.We have lived a lot of our lives training to and being up there."

Tom reasoned that Al was always the optimist. Even to the last Al held the belief that all things could be turned to the romantic, the beautiful, the wondrous. His decision to finally end his life and join the universe was dismissed when he said good-bye and a "Pick me up on the way back".The vacuum chamber then released him into space.

There was no turning back. No rescue craft. Tom felt his absence but his busy daily schedule and reporting observations to ground control kept him occupied. In addition, he had his music and seemingly an endless stream of entertainment. Even the food was half good.

Unlike Al, he had decided he would stay with the "tin can"as it was affectionatley known . A commander even in death.

His seat of death was in effect his command chair. Rigged up with all things necessary to strap himself in and set an injection timer to make his last hours peaceful. Yes, this was much better than being placed in the hospital.

As it was, his thoughts of his final days became prophetic. The pain in his kidney region was of a much higher level. An eight out of ten and something he would report to ground control. Not that they would do anything. It was all up to him. The pain was barely relieved by his medicines and it was now dangerous to pilot the "tin can".

Now was the time. He placed his suit over his head and shimmied it down his whole body length. It felt good. This was him. Next he stepped into his command chair. He noted the earth date as January 30, 2034. Days in space 881. A record he believed. Not that anyone was going to know. Only the select few. He had no living family, but he did wonder if his Mum and Dad were watching. That would be nice.

He momentarily hesitated before releasing the music tape to both the inside of the cabin and to the outside. May as well go out with a Bowie song. One for the Starmen and women.

The presssing of the injection button was next. The blackness came quickly.

A distinct tug on his uniform woke him. Another tug and he focused on an object close to him. Nothing like he had seen before, but there was no mistaking the language. It was clear.

" I am Luki, from Sector Four of the Planetary System known as Gattica. It would appear , that your journey is not over Major Tom Norris.I heard your song"

A dizziness and then the blackness came again.

(1)Lyrics-Space Oddity-David Bowie