Author's note: Hey guys! Here we are again,back to the future; so to speak. Let your imagination run wild and picture what "might" or "could" happen sometime in the not so distant future. Maybe sooner than we realize...

"Outpost! Ten-Hut!" Commander Jim gave the command and ten out of eleven rangers snapped to attention in a straight level line on the surface of the moon. "Ranger Johnny, please adjust your gravity control and come down to our level" Johnny reached for the control on his right wrist and adjusted the one which regulated the gravity mechanism in his space suit. "Thank you son" said Commander Jim. The members of Outpost 11 stood on a spot called Tranquility Base. A place where many astronauts from several countries had touched down, completed their research and then blasted off again for their return to earth. From all the past missions to the moon, the surface was cluttered with all sorts of space exploration equipment. Vehicles that were used to transport the men over the moon's surface and even shelters where later missions stayed for a short duration. Some of them were in ruins resulting from frequent metor showers, yet others mere yards away remained in pristine condition. One particular shelter was actually set into the side of a mountian, in order to protect it from damage. This one was the summer camp of Outpost 11. Actually they won the privilage of this camp by a selection process in which every Royal Ranger outpost in the world competed. Things like attendance,dues,advancement,awards and other things were compared world-wide; and this small outpost beat them all. NASA provided the transportation and the other items needed for their month-long stay on the surface of the moon.

Setting in the shelter was the twelth ranger. Tommy had a broken leg, and no it didn't happen here on the moon. It was back home on the earth. He was cleaning out the garage and fell from the crawl space, resulting in a broken leg. This accident naturally "scrubbed" him from the Space Camp. Tommy begged the commander to let him go. Commander Jim laid out the conditions; unable to do all the hard work that the others would be doing, Tommy agreed to do all the cooking and when he wasn't preparing the meals he would be sitting with his leg elevated. "OK!" he said excitedly. So here he was, looking out the huge observation window, watching the rest of his patrol enjoying the 1/3 gravity of the moon. The shelter of course was equipped with devices to retain a feeling of full earth gravity. When its occupants re-entered the facility there were three chambers through which they had to pass. In the first chamber, after the air was pressurized they removed their bulky space suits with a fair amount of ease, due to the fact that the gravity remained at moon gravity. The next chamber was half again closer to earth's gravity. Here they remained for 30 minutes while their bodies adjusted to the change. Finally 30 minutes in the last chamber at full earth gravity. After 30 minutes the doors automatically opened to the inside of the shelter. This process was reversed when the occupants exited the shelter. Tommy quickly learned that when the group entered the first chamber he could start the meal and have it ready when they exited the last chamber.

The space agency had provided the boys and their commander with anti gravity sleds. Each holding one person. They each had a retractable nylon line and a hook which could be attached to an eye on the front of each sled. Thus creating a train-like effect. Tommy watched as commander attached his line to the others and pull them out of sight over the horizon. As he returned to his studies he turned on the radio and keyed the mike."Base to Oupost 11 over" called Tommy. "Outpost 11 to Base, is everything alright Tommy?, over" asked commander. "AOK commander, just conducting prescribed radio check, how do you copy? over" asked Tommy. "We have you five by five, over" came the reply. "Radio check guys" said the commander. One by one each Ranger acknowledged the radio check command. "Roger Outpost 11, radio check complete, next check at 1100 hours, over" "Roger, base 1100 hours, over and out" "Base out" said Tommy.

The outpost was traveling to the dark side of the moon. It was to be an object lesson on being totally alone in a dark forbidding place no matter how much prepartion that you do. Very soon the group would come to realize just how isolated they really were...

As the commander pulled them further and further away from the spacecamp, each of the rangers took a look back. They saw the shelter with it's flashing green beacon getting smaller and smaller. Yet over their shoulders hung the earth like the proverbial "big blue marble". Commander stopped the sled at the edge of the horizon, they could just make out the beacon in the distance, but that was all. "Guys" said the commander, "We're almost out of sight of the shelter, take a look back once more." Each of them did as directed by the leader. "Now, keep watching as I move the us only 1 meter." As he did the beacon disappeared completely. Each of the rangers felt a definite emptiness, even despite the fact that they were all together. As they progressed further, the earth's position in the sky got lower and lower. Finally commander stopped again, there in front of them was a definite shadow, a deep darking wall of blackness that made each of them thankful for the radiant light from mother earth illuminating the surface around them.

"Tranquility Base to Outpost 11, over" came the radio check call. "Outpost 11 to base, roger" said commander Jim. "How are you doing Tommy? over" asked the commander. "A ok commander" replied Tommy, "wishing I was there with you guys though, over" "Understand, Tommy we wish you were here also, right guys?" All the rangers replied "Yeah!" "Roger, appreciate the cheer, have a good time and I'll have a hot meal ready for you when you get back, over" replied Tommy. "Roger base, Outpost 11, over and out" "Base out" came the reply. Commander switched to local intercom, "OK guys, turn on your headlights" said the commander. One by one each of the rangers turned the on headlight on their sled.

As the procession moved into the shadow on the dark side of the moon, the twelve headlights helped to illuminate thier way. Sometimes just in time to miss a large boulder or a crater. They continued on for another two hours. They were totaly on the dark side of the moon. Darkness surrounded them completely. They had arrived at thier final destination. "Lights off!" came the command. Each of the members turned off their lights, quickly at first, then slower and slower as they got to the last ranger. Then commander turned his off. The group was in total blackness, so black that they could not see their hand in front of their face.

"Guys" started the commander. "Pretty dark huh?", each of the rangers had a comment, some simple some with a little fear evident but others with laughter and a complete lack or sense of what the lesson was all about. The commander turned on his interior helmet light, so the boys could see his face. "Fellows, sin is like this darkness" he then turned off the light again. "But Jesus is a light in the darkness" he turned on his helmet light again. "A small light to begin with for sure" Then he remotely turned on each of the sleds lights as he continued, "As the sinner hears and understands the teachings of Jesus then the light gets brighter and brighter. Soon with complete understanding we are no longer in darkness, Let's pray."

After they prayed, they began to look around the area where they were. It was really difficult due to the immense darkness. A couple of the boys got together and using their sled lights were able to illuminate a larger area in which to explore. Many small metorites were found. Some of them of an unkown substance. These were packed into carriers to be taken back to the base and cataloged then returned to earth when they left. Rangers James and Richards were exploring near the edge of a large crater. As they cast thier lights across it, it appeared as a large black lake. Perched on the edge of the rim they each aimed thier lights down into the crater itself. What they saw caused both to stare and then both shouted so loud in their intercom that everyone's ears were ringing. "Commander! Commander! come quick!" They both were jumping up and down. With the moon's reduced gravity some of those leaps were almost ten feet in the air. "Easy guys, easy" said commander as he came to where they were pointing into the crater. "What is it?" questioned the commander as he too turned his light into the crater.

Fifty feet below the rim of the crater was the wreckage of a spacecraft. The markings were unfamilar to any of them and the design was beyond anything that they had ever seen. The surface areas of the craft were scorched and it was evident that some sort of intense heat had touched the craft. There were holes in the exterior where it had either passed though a metorite shower or one had come after the crash. No one on earth had seen it because it was on the dark side of the moon.

"Guys!" started the commander, "I want each of you to spread out on either side of me around the crater, make sure that you are no more than ten feet apart. I want all lights to shine down to that craft. We need to get some pictures to send back to NASA, remember, not too close to the edge" The rangers did as they were directed and soon over 3/4 of the crater was illuminated. There was more detail than they had previously noticed. There was a gaping hole on the starboard side of the vessel and a huge tear down the same side. They could also tell that a sizeable portion of the vessel was buried in the side of the crater. All the boys wanted to go down and explore the debris. But commander advised against it, stating that the side of the crater was unstable at best. Someone might get buried under an avalanche of moon dust and dirt. Disappointed to say the least, each boy saw the wisdom in what the commander was saying. "You can, however take as many pictures as you want" Well sir, that's all it took, it looked like the 4th of July with all the flashes going off. Commander laughed to himself and then stopped suddendly as the appearance of the craft changed... No, it didn't move and no alien came out of it. What changed is that it got dimmer and dimmer, because of the twelve lights shining on it three of them were out completely and others were failing rapidily. "Guys! Guys!, did you turn your lights off?" asked commander. "No Sir!" they all replied. "Check your battery settings and report in order". ordered Commander Jim. They all had been assigned a number from 1 to 11 to insure an accurate headcount whenever necessary.

"One 10%" "Two zero" "Three 5%" "Four zero" "Five zero" "Six zero" "Seven zero" "Eight zero" "Nine 10%" "Ten zero" "Eleven zero" Commander then checked his own battery it was less than 5%. They were now in serious trouble. "Everyone, gather to me now! Turn off all excess power when you arrive" While the boys gathered on the commander, he started thinking. When they were briefed about the sleds, they were told that the batteries would last for twelve hours under a full charge. They had only been gone four hours total, something was wrong; deadly wrong! "Oxygen check and report" he commanded. All reported 80% or more remaining. That was great they each had over ten hours of oxygen remaning. Then it dawned on him. "Ranger Danny!" he called. "Yes sir" said the boy in response. "Danny you were assigned to recharge the sleds today, did you check the duty roster?" asked commander. "Uh, no sir, I ah, was checking out all the debris and I guess I sort of forgot to check it when I came back in, I'm sorry sir" pleaded the young ranger. All the other boys started to chastize Danny. "Guys! Guys! there's no use blaming him now, we need to conserve our energy and reserves. Who has the most reserve power?" asked the commander. "Sled one 10% sir. "Sled nine 10 percent sir" came the response. "Alright, without using power hook all the sleds together with the least power at the end of the line." After all that was accomplished he had the boys double up on the remaing powered sleds. This way the ones with no power would not drag down the good ones. As they ran out they would have to be left behind, and retried later if possible.

"Sr. Patrol Guide!, I need a heading for Tranquility Base" said commander. "Roger sir heading 325 degrees" replied the sr. guide, then "No wait 65 degrees, no 93 degrees" "Well what is it son?" asked the commander. "I'm not sure sir, the compass is spinning in all directions, it must be from the craft in the crater" responed the guide. "Maybe so," replied the commander. "We need to move away, but we've not enough power to make any unsure choices." "Battery power dropping commander" said one of the boys. "Mine too" said the guide, "less than 2% remaining. "Move out!" called the commander, "We'll head in that direction", he said pointing in what he thought was the right direction. "What do we do when we run out of power on the sleds sir?" asked one of the younger rangers. "Well what would we do back on earth?" he asked. "We walk!" they all responded. "Right!, we're Royal Rangers, we've plenty of oxygen and it's only about ten miles to the lighted side.

The group then moved in the direction that they hoped would lead them back to safety and the shelter. Two hours later they suddendly came to the realization that they had been going in the wrong direction. They came to this realization because they were still in the darkness with no sight of the lighted side visible. Commander Jim was starting to get worried now. They were almost completely out of power on the sleds and when that was gone they would have to walk. It wasn't that walking was so hard, but it did require an extra expenditure of oxygen and that was the most preacious commodity they had now. A yellow light had been flashing on the commanders's sled and now it went red, the craft slid to a stop. That red light brought the commander to the realization that they were now deeply in trouble. "OK guys this is it", he said "We're out of power, dismount and gather round, we're going to have a word of prayer before we start out." Not a word was spoken, as each of the boys was absorbed in their own thoughts and ... fears. Commander motioned for all to join hands, as they did he started a prayer to the only power he knew could help them now. "Mighty God" he began, "Father we're in trouble Lord, we need your grace and power Lord. We as mere humans fail at every turn, we make decisions sometimes which we regret. Help us now we pray, we need you to reach to this heavenly body and guide us, give us a sign that we may use. Amen"

"OK guys, I want you to take the cables off the sleds and hook them to your suits." "Commander, come quick!" called Bobby. Reaching the young boy, commander could not believe his eyes. There laying in the dust of the surface of the moon was the cable of the last sled. Its hook had been dragging all the while, leaving a small trench all the way back from the direction they had come. "Thank you Lord" said commander quietly. "Let's go guys!"

Two hours later they stopped for a short rest and to switch lights with one of the other boys, because the commander's ran out. Strict radio silence was ordered to preserve strength and battery power, and most of all to preserve precious oxygen. Checking his own supply, commander Jim noticed that his own level was getting low, he had only about three hours left. The extra energy of having to walk burned up an extreme amount of oxygen. Commander signaled for everyone to turn on their radio recievers only. After everyone had done so, he turned on his transmitter, "Guys!" he began, "I don't have to tell any of you that we are in extreme trouble. Check your oxygen and you'll see that each of you only have a little over 4 hours left. Even if we knew which way to go, it would take us over six hours of steady moving to get back to base camp." One of the younger boys dropped to his knees, clasped his hands together and started praying. One by one the others followed suit. "That's right guys, let's pray, for now we're in God's hands. Heavenly Father, we come to you with an urgent need. Through human fraility we have come to a place where we can no longer rely on human wisdom, strength or intervention..."

"Hey Commander Jim!" came the call. This really miffed Jim as he had given strict orders for the boys not to use their radios. "Tommy I said...TOMMY!" Everyone looked up and saw Tommy astride the base's service vehicle. He turned on the rear service light and illuminated 3 large sleds enough for all to members to ride back to camp. Commander Jim looked up to the heavens and said a silent thank you to God. After all the guys were loaded up, and their oxygen and batteries recharged by the supplies that Tommy had brought with him; Tommy followed the cable track in reverse to get the abandoned sleds also. In a few minutes the sleds were all hooked up and Tommy head back for the base camp.

Both excited and nervous Tommy made his way to the main viewing screen in the base camp commuications center. He was standing with the aid of crutches. Dressed in full uniform the entire outpost was behind him. Commander Jim stood beside him proudly. Displayed on the large screen was the NASA symbol. In a few seconds there was a burst of static, the image was replaced with a Royal Ranger emblem behind a speaker's podium. A few seconds later the National Commander and his entire command staff were standing on the platform. "Outpost Tenhut!" said commander Jim. "Outpost 11, all present and accounted for as ordered sir" commander snapped a perfect salute and it was returned by the national commander. "Royal Ranger Tommy Smith! front and center!" Tommy moved to where commander instructed him. The rest of the outpost fell in behind him. Tommy knew he had disobeyed direct orders to remain at the base and stay off his damaged leg. He was ready for what ever the national commander was going to dish out. Or so he thought.

"Ranger Smith, despite direct orders to remain at a predescribed location, you disobeyed those orders, took it upon yourself, despite your injury and proceeded to the location where the rest of your outpost was near death. Thus putting yourself in similar straits. Is this basically correct so far Ranger Smith?" "Yes sir" replied Tommy meekly. "The outpost missed two scheduled radio checks and were extremly overdue. I couldn'y just sit here and watch them die. I had to do something. I'm sorry I disobeyed Commander Jim" he said looking at the commander as if to apoligize to him also. Commander showed no indication of acknowledgement or anything else for that matter.

The National Commander then addressed Commander Jim. "Commander, do you concur with the facts as they have been presented?" "Yes Sir!" came his reply. "And do you concur with our earlier communications and decision?" he asked. "Yes sir, completely!" said commander Jim. Tommy was really worried now.

"Ranger Smith, based on your confession, and testimony of your commander and fellow rangers and in agreement with all parties concerned." Here it comes thought Tommy, I'm getting kicked out of Rangers and they are going to send me home on the next supply ship. "Rangers Ten-hut!" commanded the national commander, all rangers present, on the moon and on earth snapped to attention. In fact as the camera panned around the huge stadium packed with Royal Rangers from all over the world, they all snapped to attention. And there on the stage also was Tommy's family. "Wha.." "Ranger Smith, inspite of injury to yourself, you excercised extreme bravery and courage in accessing the situation. Proceeded into a hazardous enviroment without regar for your own safety. You actions resulted in the rescue of your commander and eleven of your fellow rangers. Where had it not been for you actions they surely would have perished. Therefore, the National Royal Rangers Council, the President of the United States, the head of NASA and every Royal Ranger in the world congratulates you on recieving the Distingushed Life Saving Cross of Valor. Gentlemen and ladies I give you the honorable Ranger Tommy Smith"

Pure fiction?... who knows?

See ya next time