Jack stepped out of the spaceship. The spaceship had crashed down on a desolate and lifeless desert planet, and he was the only person aboard. Taking cargo of medium importance to a close trading station was not usually like this.
As Jack was captain of a cargo ship, he spent most of his days sitting around bored. The ship had an autopilot, and he questioned why a captain was needed at all. Still, as it payed an okay amount and there weren't any other good jobs, he continued working in the position.
Jack checked his database. This planet was cataloged as being uninhabited. Yet, far away, he saw a glimmer of light. It looked like some sort of glass. Was that a rock? He went closer, and then squinted at the object again. No, it looked like some kind of glass hut! He dashed towards it. Maybe someone did live there and he could get help for his spacecraft.
As he got closer, he spied a man dressed in white robes sitting on a chair, also made of glass, inside the hut. He must be imagining it. Jack rubbed his eyes. It was still there.
"You there! What is your name, and why are you here?" Jack called to the man.
"Come closer. Don't be worried. I won't hurt you," the man laughed, "Far from it. You are expected."
"Expected?" Jack thought, "What's this all about?" Though he was suspicious of the whole thing, in spite of himself, Jack ran for the hut.
Once Jack arrived at the hut and entered, the man started speaking.
"Ah, Jack. How nice of you to come. Do you know who I am, Jack?" the man asked.
"No. Who are you?" he said in reply.
"I am known as the White Guardian, guardian of all that is good in the cosmos. And I am your guardian. You have a job to do. Yes, there will be a reward."
"What is this reward?"
"A way to be able to quit your job and live out the rest of your life in happiness, not boredom."
Jack thought it over.
"Okay. What must I do?" Jack asked.
"I am the White Guardian, guardian of good. However, in the cosmos there must be balance. My counterpart, the Black Guardian, is the guardian of everything that is evil. He has created a plan that could destroy all good and happiness in this whole galaxy. He must be stopped."
"Can't you stop him yourself?"
"I am afraid I cannot. You see, we Guardians cannot work directly. We must work through others. That is why I need you to stop the Black Guardian's minions from destroying all that is good in this currently happy galaxy. Your ship has already been set with co-ordinates to three different places where you must complete certain tasks so that the Black Guardian cannot complete his master plan. I have noted the tasks that must be done on the in-flight computer."
"How did you do that?"
"Good luckā¦" Before Jack could say anything more, the man faded away into thin air, along with the chair and the hut, without suppling an answer.
"I suppose it's for a good cause," Jack said to himself.
Once he got to his ship, he found that it was no longer damaged and that it would fly! He checked the computer just like the White Guardian told him to, and found the tasks and co-ordinates on there as well!
"Might as well," he thought as he buckled his seat belt and programmed the ship to go to the first set of co-ordinates, "It couldn't hurt."
