PHOTO PROMPT © Alicia Jamtaas
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Baffel cautiously walked toward the now antique Conestoga wagon as if it might vanish. He perfectly remembered the wagon train’s journey along the Oregon Trail in 1824.
The families had suffered such hardships. He did the best he could, but he was there to observe and encourage, not to change things.
Nearly a third died of disease and regrettably the hostility of the others whose land upon which they were encroaching. He was ordered not to change that either.
Today, his span was at an end. After 200 years, mankind would have to find their path without the alien android.
It’s Wednesday and once again time to participate in Rochelle Wisoff-Fields’ 23 February 2024 edition of Friday Fictioneers. The idea is to use the image above as the inspiration for crafting a poem or story no longer than 100 words. My word count is 100.
When confronted with Alicia’s photo, I was stumped as to what sort of tale to write. I live near a portion of the Oregon Trail and have visited commemorative sites, complete with Conestoga wagons. I have been considering a time travel story for another venue but changed my mind.
I was recently reminded of Gene Roddenberry’s 1974 made-for-TV movie The Questor Tapes. It was a failed television pilot involving the last in a long line of androids designed to guide humanity into maturity.
I imagined such beings as plentiful in our past, accompanying us on our journeys, helping us be a little better than our natures would allow, but never interfering with our decisions for good or for ill.
This is Baffel’s last day before he too retreats into human history.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit Inlinkz.
poweredbyrobots.com 
Dear James,
Ah. The Prime Directive.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Something like that, Rochelle. Thanks.
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Perhaps that explains why we seem to be regressing as a species – we could do with a helping hand.
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It was one of Roddenberry’s central themes. In Star Trek, we made first contact with the Vulcans and they introduced us to a larger galaxy. The Questor Tapes was a variation on that theme. I think he had a few other science fiction pilots out there that were similar.
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Fascinating. 🖖🏼
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Thanks.
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Yes, 200 years of mankind would be more than enough, I should imagine.
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I see your point. Thanks.
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Seems to me we could us a few robots to help us out of the muck we’re sinknig into!
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We could sure use something. Thanks.
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Sounds like he wasn’t given much leeway to do anything. Well done.
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Thanks.
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A good story,. I also was a little stumped, as I wanted not to write an historical piece
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Thanks. The interpretation can be very loose and not have to do so much with a literal wagon.
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I just love robot stories. Baffel is a great name for this one.He must be glad to be free of us after 200 years. Great tale.
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Thanks. In a way. He’s going offline forever.
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I am not sure the android was any help to them in the 1800s. Nowadays, they can be irksome.
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Yes, they can be.
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Baffel is a good name for him, as some of Mankind’s decisions must have baffled him.
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Perhaps humanity could’a used a helping hand. Then again, there would’a been those who’d have found that help an aggravation and an interruption to their freedoms. So there’s that.
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Except that help was totally covert.
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Ah, perhaps, or was it so covert it was … well … more observing than helping? 😉 Nicely done prompt!
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Thank you.
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I like where you went with this.
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Thanks.
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nicely woven story. I’m not of the opinion that our natures were any better 200 years ago, so poor Baffel is most likely very frustrated and exhausted!
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He’s a machine, so there is that.
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