Writing science fiction allows the author to present a future that doesn’t exist today: faster-than-light space travel, sentient robots, moneyless society, teleportation, holography, even machine-added sex (the orgasmatron): some sound faintly plausible, others require great leaps of faith. Regardless, it’s not science fiction if the story represents today’s world.
Douglas Adams was a English author whose best known work – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series – follows the (mis-)adventures of Earth’s last survivor due to its destruction to create a hyperspace bypass. Geeky and hilarious – those who get 42 and those who don’t – but On my most recently flight I remembered a scene from Adams’ second book in the trilogy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe:
Transtellar Cruise Lines would like to apologize to passengers for the continuing delay to this flight. We are currently awaiting the loading of our complement of small lemon-soaked paper napkins for your comfort, refreshment and hygiene during the journey. Meanwhile we thank you for your patience. The cabin crew will shortly be serving coffee and biscuits again.
Adams, Douglas, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Chapter 12
In this scene, the passengers are kept in suspended animation for 900 years, awaiting the creation of a civilization to supply those complementary napkins, however long that might take. Until then, the autopilot keeps everyone strapped in and (usually) in suspended animation.
But really, complimentary scented napkins? And I can’t imagine technology working uninterrupted for 900 years, much less the airlines assuming the expense. THAT is true science fiction!
Image Credit
- “Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy” by ups2006 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
