The capsule was a safe enough distance away that the gamma ray burst we just watched tear through the remains of the solar system would take another two years to reach us, but still.

We were stuck.

I adjusted my collar and wiped a beat of sweat from my brow, looking around hesitantly to see if anyone noticed my little outburst. No? Good. They were all too busy sipping champagne and nibbling on rare and expensive treats to take notice of the lowly tour guide. I’m sure for the last ten minutes I had been talking to myself; these people didn’t care about history, they had just come to see the largest explosion known in the history of the galaxy.

Damn it man, think! The capsule’s life support would give us three weeks to figure something out, and was quite comfortable being a luxury cruiser and all, but these people were expecting to be back in their manse-bubbles in three days.

And then a hand came up in back. “Sir, how long is this going to take?”

I was going to have to tell them wasn’t I? Oh, dear.