A small lonely space station drifts through the blackness of space far from the busy population centers. It's the last rest stop before the end of the universe. Very few travelers make it so far out. Those who do are out there for a reason. They're looking for knowledge or glory. Some are only looking for adventure. A tiny percentage is simply lost and wandering. They all take the final opportunity to land and get out of their ships hoping for a nice meal, maybe some social interaction with other travelers, perhaps just to take a few hours to mentally prepare for what's ahead of them. Whatever the reason, they all stop there before taking that last step into the unknown.

The small two passenger combat craft rocketed down through the artificial atmosphere surrounding the space station and landed in the deserted parking area with a thump. The rough landing wasn't due to the pilot's inexperience. Quite the opposite, in fact. The landing was the type you'd expect a pilot to make while landing under fire in a hostile environment. At least that's what you'd expect if you were very well versed in combat operations. It's a tricky maneuver. The idea is to get down to ground level as fast as possible to minimize exposure to ground fire and pour on the thrusters at the last minute to soften the landing. Hit the thrusters too soon and you're likely to get shot out of the sky. Hit them too late and you're no more than a permanent part of the landscape. This particular instance of that maneuver was absolutely flawless.

The craft's hatchway opened and the pilot stepped out. She was about 5'6" with blue eyes and blonde hair, drawn into a ponytail that fell to the base of her neck at about shoulder level. She could have stepped right out of the pages of the Galactic Playmate Swimsuit Edition except she wasn't wearing a swimsuit. She was dressed in a very functional olive drab flight suit with more pockets than would normally seem reasonable. She closed the hatchway behind her and strode into the space station.

The interior of the station was sparsely appointed. There were a few tables and chairs, all bolted to the floor, that were obviously designed with durability as a higher priority than comfort. There was a pair of doors along one wall with markings that identified them as bathrooms. Not far from the bathrooms was a row of vending machines displaying strange snacks that were obviously well beyond their expiration dates. There was also what appeared to be a small café separated by a half wall in one corner.

"You ain't what we usually git in these parts," said the old man behind a counter. Except for a dirty, ragged man sleeping on one of the benches, he seemed to be the only other person in the otherwise deserted space station.

"No. I'm not what you usually get in any parts. I'm not common."

"I weren't aimin to be rude, ma'am. Nobody what makes it this far out is common. What's yer business way out here?"

"I'm on a quest and I have a long way to go. Do you have anything to eat?"

"We got anything ya want so long as what ya want is a SALED ration. That's Space Ageless Long Enduring Durable rations. It's all we can git way out here."

"I hoped for something different, but it's food. I'll take one to eat here and I'll have a case loaded onto my ship for later."

"What flavor you want? At least we got us a little variety."

"Give me one of the meat primaries. I don't care for the vegetarian ones."

"Which meat type? We got several."

"It doesn't matter. They all taste alike. Give me whatever's on top."

"Where ya goin, anyways? You know this is the last rest stop before the edge of the universe, don't ya? I seen quite a few go out that way. I ain't seen none of 'em come back. I reckon you bein on a quest and all and you loadin up yer ship with rations, you ain't plannin to go back the way you come."

"No. I'm not. I'm headed out beyond the edge of the universe. That's where my destiny is."

"What's yer name, young lady?"

"Lisa," the pilot answered.

"Well, Lisa, you listen to old Gus," the old man said, his voice taking on the tone of a concerned and stern parent. "I ain't got no idea what you think is out there fer ya and it don't matter. I'll tell ya what's out there. Nothin. Nothin but death. You hear me? Ain't nothin out there fer ya. Like I said, I seen many folks go out that way and I ain't seen a single one come back. And another thing, I seen yer little ship. Most of them fellers what didn't come back had nice big ships built just for long trips through empty space. That little ship of yours just ain't got what it takes. Now you pay attention to what I'm tellin ya. Yer real purty and ya seem nice and smart, too. I saw yer landin. Ya got talent. You got yer whole life ahead of ya. Don't throw that away. Turn around and go home. I don't know what yer after, but it ain't worth it. Ain't nothin out there but death. You go home."

"I don't have a home to go back to," Lisa said. "It wouldn't matter anyway. I have to fulfill the prophecy. I have to find the Chosen One. To find him, I have to go out beyond the edge of our known universe."

"So it's prophecy yer chasin? Well, I'll tell ya, I seen men wanderin out there for glory and I seen men going in the name of science or exploration. Heck, I even seen men going out there just to say they done it. Right up till now, though, I ain't heard of nobody going out there chasin the prophecy. Now, I may be old and it's true I ain't the brightest pip in the fatoomch but I didn't git as old as I am by bein stupid. I done traveled all over this universe and I seen lots of things. You'll do good to heed my words and go home. If you ain't got a home, git yerself to sombody else's. Whatever it takes, you just turn around and go back where you come from. There ain't no prophecy to chase. It ain't no more than a fairy tale. There ain't no evil race what's gonna come take over our universe. There ain't no Chosen One. There ain't no struggle between good and evil. It's all a lie. It ain't no more than a fairy tale. Ain't nothin out there fer ya but death itself. You hear me, young lady? You turn round and go home."

"Sir, I appreciate your concern. I have both the training and the equipment I need for the task. I understand you think I'm being foolish. You have to understand, though that I've based my entire life on the prophecies. They're real. There is a struggle between good and evil going on in the universe right now. If evil wins that struggle, it will come here to take over our part universe as well. If the Chosen One does not stop the evil, it will win the struggle. If I do not find and prepare the Chosen One to stop the evil, he will not stop it. If I do not go beyond the end of our known universe, I can neither find nor prepare him for his task. So you see, turning around and going home is simply not an option. I will go beyond the end of the known universe. I will find the Chosen One. I will train him. He will stop the evil, and then everyone can live happily ever after."

"If there was any truth to the prophecy, I'd drive ya to the Chosen One myself, but there ain't. It's just a story. Ain't nothin out there."

"I believe in the prophecies, but I realize there's a chance they're not true. If I follow my destiny and it turns out to be a lie, I die fighting for something I believe in and I'll probably never know the difference. If the prophecy is true, I'll do my part in saving the universe from evil. The alternative is to admit everything I've ever stood for is a lie and go home. If that's true and the prophecies are no more than a fairy tale, what do I have to live for? On the other hand, how horrible is our future if the prophecy is true? How do I live with myself knowing I had the opportunity to stop the evil and chose to go home instead? In my position, what would you do?"

The old man was silent for a moment then shook his head. He reached under the counter, produced a single SALED ration, and placed it in front of Lisa. "I'll git that case of SALED rations on yer ship. No charge. You git out there and find the Chosen One."

"I'll find him," Lisa said. "The prophecy will lead me to him."

"You got a few minutes while the robot loads yer ship. Lemme git a picture before ya go," the old man said and produced some kind of battered digital recording device. He pointed it at Lisa and pressed a button. When the picture popped out of a nearby console, the old man tacked it to a wall with thousands of other pictures. "Ain't none of em come back. Not a single one. I got me a space to put these pictures when one of em comes back. Ain't no pictures on it yet. I'd be right proud to make yours the first, though. I wish I could talk ya out of going, but I know I can't. After you git the Chosen One all taken care of, you come back and I'll move this here picture."

Lisa smiled but didn't say anything. She picked up the single SALED ration, walked back to her ship, and took off.

"Best of luck to ya, missy. Yer gonna need it," the old man said, watching the small ship wink out of sight as it soared away from the last rest stop before the end of the universe on a quest to fulfill the prophecy.