This post also appears at www.designfictiondaily.com

Picture this: the janky time machine decided to take an unscheduled break, marooning me in the middle of a forest that future maps had clearly overlooked. And there I was, ankle deep in some hole while on the noble quest for lichen - because who knew that'd be the biofuel du jour?

With the sun making a fast break for the horizon, I did the one thing any self-respecting time travel blogger would do - set off a flare.

In less time than it takes to Google 'first aid for twisted ankle', I heard the purr of an approaching drone. Closer it came, hovering with the grace of a ballet dancer before dropping a first aid kit right into my lap. It's not every day you get to splint your own leg using a kit air-dropped by an unblinking robot.

And then the cavalry arrived - a bunch of Scouts who had been traipsing through the woods, probably following a map drawn on a napkin. But here's the kicker: Among them was Emily, the proud wearer of a Drone First Response merit badge, which might as well have been an Iron Man arc reactor. There she was, all of three kilometers away, using an infrared camera to play a real-life game of "Where's Waldo", assessing my injuries, and air-dropping aid faster than Dominos delivery.

So, here's a salute to the Scouts, the guardian angels of the woods, the MacGyvers in khaki. If you find yourself in a pinch with only a time machine and twisted ankle, pray that there's an Emily nearby, ready to send her trusty drone to your rescue.

Today’s entry was inspired by the Work Kit live session from last week.