Photo by: Yinglan Z.
Captain Jones stood upon a hilltop of the newly colonized planet, New Montana. A team of his hand-picked men helped him raise the massive flagpole. Soon the United States flag flapped proudly in the breeze.
“I claim New Montanta for the United States of America!” he shouted proudly.
Photographers took pictures of the proud moment.
After the ceremony, everyone returned to their tasks building the colony. Jones remained behind and surveyed the terrain.
A supply ship landed with vital colony supplies. Mr. Yaminashi, the deliveryman, asked Jones to sign the shipping order. “New colony?” he said.
“It is,” said Jones. “This planet is claimed solely by the USA. Proof that only America can complete a solo effort to explore space. What’s in the shipment?”
Yaminashi looked down the list. “Lessee. Habitat domes from Germany, ham from Denmark, blankets from Peru, furniture from Sweden, rovers from China, ramen from Japan…”
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Written for Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers: https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com/2018/06/25/fffaw-challenge-171st/
EagleAye
Momus News 
Ha, ha, ha. I think someone else used the prompt to try and claim another planet for the good ol’ U.S. of A., and I’ll tell you what I told them. There’s been an international treaty in place since the mid-1960s that says no nation can claim anything not on Earth. I guess during the US/Soviet space race, somebody was worried one government or the other would get to the Moon first and then “own” it.
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I’m familiar with it. I expect anything within our solar system would be honored too. Outside of the Sol system, who knows what will happen. In any event, what I’m pointing out with this story is that it’s unlikely any substantial development of space will happen by a single country. It’ll take a large coalition of nations afford and develop anything like a colony. And that’s the way it ought to be anyway.
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I know. How about a United Federation of Planets? Too much? 😀
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Haha! I would vote for it. 🙂
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Ha ha, another good one, Eric! It takes a special kind of conceit to think that one’s country doesn’t need good relations with its neighbors to succeed, but hey, my country seems to be seeping in exactly that kind of conceit right now.
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*steeping
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So true. We are loaded with a “special conceit” just now. Almost no country can do everything on their own. Foreign trade is vital for a healthy economy. It will become more apparent when moving into space. A mere lunar colony will require an international effort. Mars? Much more so. Thank Joy!
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Ha ha ha, a telling commentary on our crazy times.
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Thank you! Just looking around the room, I see products from many countries. Nobody truly goes alone in this modern world.
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I hope he’s paid the tariff taxes on all those goods 😉
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Haha! I imagine the tariffs were gone by then, removed by wiser, better educated leaders. 😉 Thanks Iain! 🙂
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Hahahaha! Goes to show you that the USA needs all the other countries to make it powerful. Wonderful story, E.A.!
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Our fortunes are all intertwined. We need each other to succeed in space. Thanks PJ!
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Yes, we do! 🙂
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Hah! So true – to settle space properly will take a world effort. That will be right down to the smaller details.Even now, most of the cheese used in a certain McBurger franchise’s operations across the Asia Pacific region are made, as I understand it, in a factory in Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand. When the interstellar push comes and we take our fast food franchises with us, I bet humanity will still be chomping on cheese processed right there in provincial New Zealand.
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Haha! I’m thinking the cheese is just about the best part. It really will need a worldwide effort to get anything significant done in space. Cool thing is, that’s all we really need. We’ve got the technology to start colonies. It won’t require a magic bullet to get started. We just need the will.
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Absolutely. We’d be on Mars by now if the Apollo-era drive had continued. On techno magic-bullets, I just had an idea for a story in which processed cheese is discovered to be the ideal fuel for an interstellar drive, while the individual wrapping it comes in has an alternative use as indestructible hull material… feel free to use it!
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Haha! I love that! Seriously? You aren’t going to run with that yourself?
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Nah – too much on just now. You can have that one – go for it! 🙂
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Alrighty. I promise to mention your name at the awards ceremony. 😉
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It takes a world to colonise a galaxy. Good one.
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It certainly does. Thank Joe! 🙂
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