As I said, I've been around the whole galaxy and outside of it. We all know what a fiasco the Saragos War was. We lost what? Over a hundred thousand humans alone in that war. It was the bloodiest massacre us humans had ever seen.

Anyway, like I said earlier, I know that's not what you came to talk to me about. Or rather, why I came to you. But honestly, it is.

I'll explain in a moment.

Mind if I get a glass of water?

Thanks.

Ahhh... keep them coming. I feel extremely dehydrated. Maybe that's what time travel does to us humans.

So, I was flying my C-class freighter ship. After the war, I'd taken up a job as a reclaimer. You know, gathering the more valuable bits of debris floating around space and selling it to space stations for scraps and parts. I was approaching the station when something in my gut went sour. I almost thought I should change my route and head over to the Fylarian station just a few clicks away. But, I'm not one of those superstitious people.

I chuckled at myself. "You're far too skittish Bolts. You know that? You don't get paid to act like some charlatan psychic. You get your pay flying this ship and selling junk. So, stick to what you're good at. You have crap to sell to morons."

I flipped on the communicator and announced my impending landing, requesting permission to do so. And, without pause, I was cleared. That station has never changed. Always so much more relaxed. Others in that neck of the galaxy usually questioned you with more intensity than the border agents in what used to be The United States of America in the 21st century.

I flew in and docked in the landing hanger. The dock crew helped to lock in my ship and escorted me to the intake slip. There, I provided my ID and entered into the heart of the city within the station. Only, something seemed different. I wasn't sure what, so I chalked it up to pilot's exhaustion.

Ticotan harbors a variety of beings from each of the sixteen planets we'd made contact with, you know? And by we, I mean Earth. Sixteen planets we, on Earth, know about. I know that some species say they've encountered others, of course. Just like Earth to ignore the existence of things until we're forced to, right?

But anyway... Within the station city, there are a variety of wares, foods and entertainment options. I didn't worry about sleeping accommodations since most of us just stayed on our ships for sleeping while at stations like that. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't versed in indulging in one form of entertainment or another.

But, you know, business first.

I made my way to the Critoan offices where I met with Taldarn. The transaction was going smoothly. They sent a scout to my ship to inspect the load. They offered a price. I countered. Taldarn conceded. We cracked jokes. Then, Taldarn's little sidekick, Ryoann, wrote out the orders to unload the cargo and handed me my pay in cold, hard traics with the required receipt to leave with.

You know how the law is. Can't be walking around with a ton of traics without making people think you're a crook.

I have no idea what made me even give a crap enough to look over the papers, but I did.

I pointed. "Hey. That some sort of joke?"

Taldarn snatched the receipt back. "What joke?" He snarled. His large, bulbous face contorting as his skin went from brown to blue.

I know when to put myself in check. I mean, Tadarn is a Kaldrietian. They average about four meters tall. Some would say equally as wide. I wasn't about to end up a squashed ant under his little toe.

I shook my head and leaned back. "Sorry. I bought some ale over on Fylarian recently and drank it last night. Turns out it was bad. I keep having reactions to it."

Taldarn pointed his thumb dismissively toward the door. "And you're your own pilot?"

Ryoann rolled his beady little eyes. "These reclaimers are all the same... drunks."

Taldarn laughed as he stood and escorted me to the door. I paused, acting as if I was some gentleman or something and let the others go first. But I was actually trying to check the papers on the desk.

And as sure as the Earth only has one moon, the dates read the same as on my receipt – August 12, 2236.

That's twenty years ago!

I played it cool, though. I wasn't about to make some Kaldrietian think I'm insane. Not with him having just handed me fifty thousand traics. I was more concerned about getting stopped by the station's inspections unit. Last thing I needed was them seeing the dates wrong and taking me in.

Of course I was worried about Taldarn setting me up! I'm not a fool!

But I'll tell you, and here's where it gets interesting, when we walked out of that room and into the hall, Taldarn greeted his next client. Earthling or not, I couldn't lie about this any more than a Howeician can cook a good meal. And we both know how Howeicians can't cook! Right?

Oh right... what happened. Sorry.

So, this next client went inside with Taldarn and Ryoann, leaving two of his crew out in the hallway. And me, being the polite and social man that I am, I said hello to them. But when I saw the little one carrying a box that was labeled Saragos Galaxy Elemental Cargo, I was speechless! Yes. Even I couldn't find anything to say for a moment.

Now, I don't speak whatever language they did. Hell, I didn't even think Saragos was an actual galaxy. Honestly, I thought the whole Saragos war was over some made up galaxy that someone claimed had been stolen. But I heard Taldarn talking through the door to the taller of the trio that came with the Saragos box, and he confirmed that he was buying the galaxy from them.

Back in school, on Earth, I used to get bored and flip through ancient television programs that Earth 5, my favorite TV station, had archived. One show came to mind in that moment – The Twilight Zone.

I felt like I was in the middle of some surreal, impossible situation.

I fought in the Saragos war! I lost my brother and best friend in that war! And there I was, staring at the box that I'd read about. The fabled galaxy in the box that sparked the multi-galaxy-wide war.

I sure did grab that box and started running.

The two guys started running after me. They chased me quite a long ways before I started to slow. That stupid box was heavy! And if I'm honest, I was worried that I was shaking a galaxy and killing its inhabitants.

Freaked out and completely unsure of where the officer's station was, I ducked into an alley and made sure they kept looking for me up the way. Once I saw them pass the opening of the alley, I looked around and found that one of the buildings was a warehouse. I slipped into the back door, found a loose ceiling tile and set the box inside the ceiling.

After that, I went and found an officer. I tried to explain to him what had happened and what that galaxy meant for their future. But he laughed at me.

Looking back at it, I understand. I mean, some greasy reclaimer telling some story that there's an entire galaxy in some box hidden that's going to start a multi-galaxy war if not returned? I wouldn't believe me either.

But I made the mistake of putting my hand on his shoulder when I tried to push for him to believe me.

I got out of his grip as he attempted to put me in chains and ran for my ship, grabbing a copy of every magazine and newspaper I could. Oh yeah, plus this communicator from some poor woman that started screaming when I yanked it from her headset.

But it's all there. Proof.

I have no clue why I bounced back to that time on the way there. And I have no clue how I ended up back here when I left Ticotan. But look! What more do you need?

I know where the missing galaxy is! I know where Saragos is! Let's go get it and give it to whoever... the Wrobitos? Wasn't it the Wrobitos that started the whole "give me back that galaxy" thing? We can give it back to them and stop the war!

Wait!

No!

...

...

...

What do you mean?

Taldarn was buying it from those guys to return it?

He was working with you?

...

...

...

So, I started the war?

The End

~~~

 is passionate about writing. An author in the core and lover of the written word.