The Indo-Pak war had turned the subcontinent into a smoldering chessboard of drones and trenches. Amid the chaos, the ultra-rich fled in convoys of armored vehicles, their children’s futures tucked into briefcases filled with gold and encrypted data chips.

Among them was Zayak—a wiry, sharp-eyed inventor whose university lab had become a refuge for dreamers.

“We’re not just building a ship,” Zayak muttered to his team, wiping grease from a thruster array.

It was a life-pod designed to stretch a century into a single, serene orbit—its occupants preserved by hibernation fields and nutrient recyclers. The Grangers, Uttar Pradesh’s wealthiest dynasty, had bankrolled the first trial.

Willy Granger, the family’s youngest heir, tossed his car keys to a servant.

“Bring the Bugatti to the hangar,” he said, flipping his sunglasses onto his forehead.

His father laughed, adjusting the diamond-studded collar of his pressure suit.

“No roads in orbit, boy. We’re traveling in capsules.”

“Capsules?” Willy wrinkled his nose. “Like… pill-sized?”

“Human-sized. One per passenger.”

Willy’s grin turned sly. “Then I’ll need two. One for me, one for Sushi.”

“Sushi? Your girlfriend?” His father’s voice cracked. “This isn’t a cruise, Willy! We’re the first family to test Zayak’s spacecraft—”

“—Time machine,” Willy interrupted. “Which means we’ll be gone a century. You really think I’m spending it without her?”

“Relax, Willy. We’ll be back with your mother and Sushi as soon as the war ends. Until then, we have to stay in the spacecraft and enjoy some space adventures.”

“Do you really think we’re going to enjoy these adventures without Mom and Sushi?”

“Yes, of course, dude! Adventures aren’t just about being with girls. Be a grown-up........

© The Spine Times