Another part of the space story.

Once again, Stockton opened his eyes slowly. Outside the ship stars twinkled and suns shone brightly in the distance.

"Well, we're back inside space." Stockton said.
"It would appear so." Said Ali.

Ali ordered the computer to put the solar system on the screen in front of them and they stared at the map. The planet third from the sun was earth. Ali and Stock decided to head for it to see if any damage had been caused by the ship flying into the swirling cloud.

As they approached the planet Stockton told the computer to make contact with the USSC landing authorities. "They ain't answering the phone man." The computer told him.
"Then try again bitch." Stockton said.
The computer spoke again. "Motherfucker..." It said. "I got no goddamn answer. Ain't no motherfucker answering the phone!"
"Give me manual control bitch." Stockton said, taking the controls.

Stockton guided the ship into the upper atmosphere of the planet and stabilized the ship for a landing at the Hawaiian International Space Travel Terminal. He ordered the computer to attempt contact with the landing authorities. After being told, once again, that the authority was not receiving their signal, Stockton said, fuck it. And flew towards the landing island.

At an altitude of 1500feet he skimmed across the ocean and headed for landing pad 23. As the ship approached the place where the outer beacon should be he saw that the island looked different. The first thing that looked different to the Hawaii he knew was that it was no longer perfectly flat. It looked like it did centuries ago when the human race was at the beginning of the space race.

Ali noticed it too. "Stock, something's wrong." She said. "It's beautiful..." The mountains that rose in the center of the island were covered with a fine cloud and in the waves that swept towards the shore dolphins leapt and played.

Stockton flicked a switch on the control panel and they slowed down to a gentle halt. "Bitch, put on your red dress." He said.
"Excuse me?" Asked Ali.
"It's the custom command to engage the cloaking shield." Stockton said.

"Red dress engaged." Said the computer. "And damn do I look hot." It continued.
Stockton laughed and steered the ship towards a small cove ahead of them. As the ship drifted in over the inward bound surf Stockton looked at the crystal clear water below them and wondered where all the pollution had gone. Ali was also staring out at the scenery wondering where the residue from the space port waste dump was.

Stockton slid the ship into the cove, stopping just short of the shore and hovered above the breaking surf. "Maybe we should park out of view of anyone who walks along the beach." He said. "I don't think many people walk along this beach but if they do we don't want them seeing a UFO parked on it." He continued.

"Park here then, we can swim the last fifty yards." Ali said.

After a lot of swearing from the computer with regard to the fact that the ship was to lie on the seabed while Stockton and Ali went swimming they walked to the top hatch of the craft and jumped into the clear, warm water.

They reached the beach and walked onto the warm sand. Stockton looked around and spotted a small hut a few hundred yards up the beach. "Lets go and see if anyone is in, shall we?" He suggested.
"And what if there is and they ask who we are?" Ali asked.
"Then we'll tell them we're on our honeymoon." Stockton said, as he began to walk towards the hut.

When they reached the hut it was empty. There was a small cot in one corner, a cooler on the ground and a surfboard was propped up against the wall. An unopened bottle of rum sat on top of the cooler. Stockton picked it up and read the label. "According to the label on this bottle of rum it was bottled in the year 1995." He said.
"That would explain why there isn't a spaceport here. We've traveled through time." Ali said.

"I promised you an unforgettable honeymoon didn't I?" Stock said, as he gave consideration to having a drink of the rum. "According to this calendar we're in the year 1996." Ali said as she pointed to the calendar on the wall that featured a picture of a candy apple red convertible. Across the calendar someone had scrawled "Viva Las Vegas!" in what appeared to be dried ketchup.

Stockton and Ali walked out of the beach hut and sat in the warm sand. "So, what now?" Ali asked as Stockton eyed the bottle of rum he had taken out of the hut. "Drink?" He asked.
"No; Put it back where you found it." Ali said.
"But..." Stockton began.
"But nothing, it's not your rum. Put it back and try to think what we should to do."Ali said.
"But..." Stockton protested.
Ali whipped the bottle out of Stocktons hand and took it back to the hut.

Ali placed the bottle where Stockton had found it. As she turned to make his way back outside her eye caught a glimpse of something lying underneath the cot. She bent over and picked it up. It was a photograph. She turned it over and looked at it. When she got over the shock of what the picture showed she ran out of the hut.

Ali stood in front of Stockton who was writing his name in the sand between his feet. "Honey, I think we should leave." She said.
"But we just got here." Stockton replied. "Hey, what the hell?" He continued, as Ali used her foot to erase Stocktons name from the sand.
"We need to get out of here Stockton. Now!" Ali said, pulling Stockton up by his arm.
"What's the hurry?" Stockton queried.
"This is." Ali said as she showed Stockton the photograph.

"Holy fuck!" Stockton exclaimed. "That's me!"