"Honey, look up there," Jaxon said.
A large starship that was of the design of a rocket ship was free falling on its belly through the atmosphere making a daring fall toward the planet. The wings moved on each part of the ship adjusting the fall to a level that was more acceptable to its landing. The ship drew closer to the surface and the flames parted ways to reveal the black primary theme with a blue secondary theme to it. It was eighteen meters wide with several sets of windows from the top rather than one band. From their best view, they can see one large window with diamond shaped window insertions.
"I don't think it is Freddie," Brenda said.
"Me neither," Jaxon agreed.
"Then who is coming?" Brenda asked.
"By my best guess: the scientists," Jaxon said.
Brenda turned toward Jaxon, who was cradling their twin two year olds in a vest that had them hooked them on his back and his front, very concerned.
"Before we make plans," Brenda said. "How are going to explain to them about our . . . um . . . little triplet problem?"
"We got two changelings instead of one and wanted them all back," Brenda pointed toward the little one hooked into her back. "The more the better."
"Yes, but," Jaxon said. "The pointy ears will be obvious and they will be tested, studied, and the whole nine yards. I don't want our little changelings to be put through that."
Brenda snapped her fingers with a wide smile sported on her face.
"I got a idea about that," Brenda said.
"Tell me." Jaxon said.
Brenda leaned forward then whispered into his ear and a smile appeared on his face.
"Ready to make the descent, Captain?" Commander Branch asked.
"Uh, huh. Turn on Bot's recording equipment and switch the wireless internet on," Captain Green Petal said. "We are going to do this live."
"Yes," Branch did as instructed. "Sir."
"Gampu's planet. . ." Green Petal stared down the planet with his hands on the back rests of the chairs looking down upon it with a optimistic look on his face staring down upon the planet. "Here we come."
Green Petal and Branch floated went toward the elevator at the center of the room then flew on down the decks until coming down to the final deck filled by hundreds of chairs. The members of the crew were getting themselves seated in their colorful two piece blue uniforms that were customized to their body and tight at first glance almost resembling armor instead of space suits.
Green Petal went to the front window then lowered himself down and buckled up. Green Petal grasped on to the arm rest of the chair with his eyes gazed down upon the window of the space craft. The planet came closer by each passing second over the murmurs of the science base crew.
Space was replaced by layers of blue that lightened up until it were baby blue hanging above a sea of white bubbly clouds behind the large five feet wide window. The senior staff's eyes were watching the heavenly transition of entering a new world with eyes full of awe and anticipation. The clouds parted ways as gravity set upon them and the craft itself yanking it down.
As it had been programmed, the main computer's artificial intelligence was making careful adjustments in accordance to the flight. The craft returned side ways with the lower half facing the ground. Members of the would be crew closed their eyes clenching on to the arm rest of the chairs. Green Petal watched in awe as the flattened land gained characteristics and depth into the high definition transition.
The vibrant greenery was a welcoming friend to his eyes. All six of the landing legs slid out of the small sockets to the ground retaining a strong grip on the ground. Before the members of the crew, the front half of the ship slid upwards then a long elevator slid out of the deck and railing popped out. It was a wide and large elevator before his eyes. Just as it had been installed during the initial testing before CosmicX handed it over to the United States Space Corps.
Green Petal unbuckled himself then walked forward toward the elevator then unzipped his uniform to reveal a civilian uniform that was by all regards a uniform worn by colonists at Alpha Centauri with three colors that went in accordance and it was in a dark version that neatly complimented his brown skin. He walked toward the elevator then stepped on to the first step.
The elevator descended bringing him down to the planet's surface as he gazed around the area. He walked around the area once stepping foot then stopped taking in a breath and exhaled. He looked on toward the tall trees laid about the landscape standing out against the ruins of what had once been civilization. He breathed in a breath of alien air then exhaled gazing about the area. He walked further from the starship then came to a halt where he spotted the approaching but aged space van headed his way. Green Petal stepped aside until he were on the shoulder of the improvised road that the vehicle was sporting through. The vehicle came to a stop five feet away from him then a well worn couple came out of the vehicle with features that told they were in their late thirties.
"Jaxon Goldheart, Brenda Goldheart," Green Petal greeted them. "I see this planet has been treating you well."
"Welcome to our to our farm land," Jaxon reached a hand out and Green Petal shook it in return. "Treats us very well."
"How is Earth doing?" Brenda asked.
"Florida submerged so that brought a couple million people applying for the Alpha Centauri family program after that emergency evacuation to the desert of Nevada," The couple became concerned about the millions so Green Petal held his hand up. "On their way to the planet at this moment. And San Andreas Fault Line had a major up tick in its Earthquakes that were getting severe every day so a massive removal program was set up for those living on the fault line with the cost covered. And they went to Mars. The last island of Louisiana has finally sunk and more parts have sunk since Houston has."
"So," Jaxon started. "America is still standing as a ideal version of themselves?"
"Strong and steady," Green Petal said.
"Good," Jaxon said.
"How is the little munchkin?" Green Petal knelt down toward the child in the harness.
"Our little girl is doing wonderful," Brenda said.
"Any aliens that we should know about?" Green Petal lifted his attention up.
"Plenty. But they don't appear often," Brenda said. "Most of them are people who hang out in the wrong crowd or just need some out reach."
"We have some quiet months to ourselves," Jaxon chimed in. "We do like our visitors."
"Really spices things up and tells us there is more than the culture out there," Brenda said. "It comforts us."
"I can imagine," Green Petal said. "Anyone that we have to be aware of?"
"Mmmhmm, yes," Brenda said. "There is a man running around the galaxy calling himself The Bat helping out the Galactic Space Law Enforcement in a costume."
"As in Batman?" Green Petal asked. "As I am understanding."
"Yes," The couple nodded.
"Does he ever come here?" Green Petal asked.
"He was here last month," Brenda said. "With his supervisor, Captain Bolix," she turned toward Jaxon. "I think that was it."
"Yep," Jaxon confirmed.
"And so was Orion," Brenda said.
"Orion?" Green Petal asked.
"Orrin," Brenda said. "You know him as that in the files."
"Orrin Macarough," Green Petal's brows raised then lowered.
"He calls himself Orion," Jaxon elaborated. "Still searching for the alien who is holding Gampu. Joined space law enforcement because he thought it would be easier to find him."
"He has my most sympathy," Green Petal said. "That is a never ending story."
"One day that story will end and he will get a chance to come home," Jaxon said. "Whatever home is to him."
"And we can introduce Ella to him if he decides to stay here," Brenda said.
"She will be old enough to ask him what it was like on Earth," Jaxon said. "Boy, will she be downed!"
"You never know," Green Petal said then tilted his head and raised his brows putting his hands on his hips. "Why does she have pointy ears?"
"Just a genetic abnormality," Jaxon said. "From living off the planet wildlife."
"Where do you folks live?" Green Petal asked. "In the preferred cribs?"
"No," Jaxon said. "We live above ground in our farm house."
"We had a lot of help building that with some aliens," Brenda said. "It was a wild adventure."
"Truly wild," Jaxon said. "You wouldn't believe how we got their help."
"I am sure I wouldn't," Green Petal said. "The science base will be built right here and made out of this craft."
"Are you sure about building that here?" Brenda asked. "This part of the planet becomes cloaked by sand for two months and buries a building that isn't really tall."
"Your crib is just as tall and usable," Jaxon said. "Why don't you keep it?"
"Because we have a better design plan in the event of that Juliusiek season," Green Petal said. "We have another starship built inside of her." Then he added with bemusement in his voice. "And another."
"You have done-" Brenda was unable to finish the thought. "In a little over a year?"
"Yes, mrs," Green Petal said. "This planet is currently designated as a scientific out post and you have been given clearance to stay for as long as you like."
"What about our future children?" Brenda asked.
"It is their decision if they like to be qualified as citizens of the planet or not," Green Petal said.
"Sounds good by me," Brenda said. "Ella deserves to make that choice."
"And she will," Jaxon promised then turned his attention upon Green Petal. "If you like to see the wildlife, we got a entire barn devoted to them and a designated park."
"A park for animals?" Green Petal asked.
"They are used to us so they won't pose a threat unless you are menacing toward them," Jaxon said. "I can bring you there tomorrow."
"That I would like," Green Petal said then turned back toward the craft. "We will be shedding about five meters off this craft for the main science tower and then another five meters for the residential tower."
"Then you are back down to a six meter wide starship," Jaxon said.
"That will be the command base," Green Petal said. "That is the purpose of it."
"Sounds ideal," Brenda said. "I can already see it."
"Where is the entrance way going to be?" Jaxon asked.
"Right where I came down from," Green Petal said. "The craft is one hundred ninety feet tall."
"Noice!" Jaxon said. "If you like, we can be your guides to the planet and show you what you should meddle in."
"That would be very helpful," Green Petal said. "Anything you can tell us about the planet will be extremely beneficiary to our studies."
"So you are never going back to Earth," Brenda said.
"This is a one way ticket on my command coming to this planet," Green Petal said. "Most of us are devoted to science and discovering how to live on a planet that is not like Alpha Centauri or Mars. This crew is not authorized to have children. We like to leave the planet just the way that we found it." The couple grinned and nodded in understanding to the directive. "We will be ready for your guidance tomorrow morning. After we got our POPS B-52 in working order and moving the heavier equipment for us and begin setting up those legs for the two towers."
"Happy to have you, Captain," Brenda held her hand out and Green Petal shook her hand. "See you and your crew bright and early tomorrow morning."
"See you," Green Petal said. "Mrs Goldheart."
The couple departed from the base site in their space van that rolled away from the scene.
"That went better than how I thought," Jaxon admitted.
"Maybe we could have told him the truth . . ." Brenda said.
"Maybe we should have," Jaxon agreed.
They sat in silence looking around the area as the terrain passed by them.
"I am not risking them," Brenda said, suddenly, turning her head toward Jaxon.
Jaxon turned his head toward Brenda then nodded, sincerely.
"Neither am I." Jaxon said.
The couple smiled, looking over their shoulders, toward the toddlers in their improvised car seats with dotting looks then turned their attention up back toward each other and focused their attention on the path ahead of them. Behind the space van, the starship stood alone then began to shrink as figures became a blur using lifts sliding the first layer off the spacecraft as if it were a cocoon.
The starship's first tower was slid off then wheeled aside the core tower. The second starship was peeled out of the craft and set to the left hand side of the craft. Long tubes were built out of the sides then joined into the tall towers connecting into the shape of a outlined hatch then the scene backtracked to reveal the crowd of the crew celebrating to the beginning of the long term mission.