Chapter 15 - Into the Blue
"What are you thinking about?"
Ryne shook his head, snapping out of a thought induced trace, blinking his eyes furiously to wet them again. His mind had been working in so many directions he didn't even know where to start. Looking at the tall, slender, eel shaped moonship he couldn't imagine how this barely finished metal deathtrap was going to get them to the Silver Moon in about two hours. He looked down at the ridiculous suit he was wear, seeing his reflection in the thin metal skin.
"Oh, just how stupid I look in this thing." He said, with a crooked grin.
Jay chuckled. "I think it has very slimming effect on you."
"That's because you can see your reflection in it."
"Oh is that it? I wondered where you got the girl hips."
Ryne laughed, and repositioned the bubble like helmet he was straddling under his armpit.
"When are you going to get suited up?" He asked, seeing that she was still dressed in the black and red leather uniform of a Valuan shadow warrior. Jay pushed some of her soft curls out of her face and looked at him coyly.
"Whenever I feel good and ready."
"So pretty much, Celeste's in there right now and she likes her privacy."
"Right on the button, Tiger." She smiled, patted his thrice scarred cheek, and headed for the prep room. Ryne walked back to the edge of the platform and turned his attentions back on the ship that screamed "Valuan engineering". He tried to remember what he'd been thinking about when Jay had interrupted his thoughts, but to no avail. Sighing, he just kept studying the unique ship.
It wasn't so much like an eel, he decided. In fact, it was hard to relate to ship to anything else he'd seen before. except maybe Belleza's old ship 'the Lynx'. The nose was flared out in the same style, but it was much longer and had three stabilizing fins near the bottom with three of the biggest engines Ryne had ever hoped to see in his lifetime. It was the biggest thing in the circular launch room, and other than the launch room, the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. even though it technically wasn't even completed yet. Basically, the only systems it had were for getting them there and keeping them alive to get there. This was a disturbing thought to him, but he reasoned that (and confirmed through Celeste) that there would be ways to get them back once they got there.
The Launch Room was incredible for these reasons. The walls were made up of a hybrid concrete which used purple moonstones instead of the normal gravel, and were almost fifteen feet thick. This was to absorb the heat the massive engines were going to put out, and made the whole place amazingly beautiful. It also made the whole place amazingly cold. Ryne wiped his nose, which was beginning to run. Ryne heard the grinding of gears as the thick entrance door opened to let Jay out, and someone else in.
"What do you think?" a familiar voice asked him, as he came to stand beside him.
"I think it's amazing" Ryne said in answer.
"Are you anxious?" Enrique asked him, wrapping himself in his cloak to keep warm. Ryne shrugged, his sigh held visibly in the cool air.
"I guess,' He said finally, "I just want to get it over and done with."
His Uncle nodded and Ryne could see him shiver out of the corner of his eye. He cocked an eyebrow and grinned.
"What's the matter, old man? Can't take the weather?"
Enrique put on that small smile of his and looked at the young Silvite with an expression of endearment.
"I never was a big fan of the elements."
"I know, I heard all about how sea-sick you got when you first joined my dad's crew."
"Hmmm. I thought I had that let out of most history books."
"You forget. I have a direct connection to the source." Ryne said, leaning on the railing that kept him from falling and gazed down at the bottom of the pit the ship was contained in, where countless workers were getting the ship prepped for flight.
The sky above the launch room had become increasingly dark since Ryne had come in, and he knew in the back of his mind that it was nearly time to go. Ryne finally looked over at his royal companion, who was leaning against the railing, facing the wall, instead of the ship. There were tears coming softly, noiselessly down the King's face, his expression one of neutrality. It was such an odd sight that Ryne couldn't help but watch for a moment in restrained awe. It was the first time he had seen a man cry.
Enrique wiped the tears from his face, shaking his head and looking over at Ryne with a sad smile on his face.
"I'm sorry." He said, wiping his nose now, "Not many people get to see me like this. you should feel honored."
Ryne smiled, not quite able to laugh while a man was crying. He placed his hand on the older man's shoulder and squeezed it, surprising himself with the sudden shift it roles. Hadn't it just been days before since his uncle had comforted him like this?
"Don't worry about a thing. I have my family luck on my side." Ryne said, forcing a grin. Enrique smiled appreciatively and patted the hand on his shoulder.
"I know. but you're going to need more than just luck to get out of this one."
"Pray to the moons, and hope for the best." Ryne said as Jaycera, Celeste, Sly, Jerem, and Rafe came in through the thick moonstone plated doors, all wearing suits similar to his and carrying bubble-like helmets under their arms. "Well, looks like it's time for the show to start."
"I'd guess so." The King said, looking up at the sky, which was now filled with the few stars that could be visible through the think cloud cover. "You know if it's still a free world in a week and half, I think I'll give up my position as king." Enrique pushed himself off the railing, his eyes fixed on the sky above. "I haven't seen the stars in so long."
Ryne gathered the older man into his arms, hugging tightly the only father figure he had right now. His uncle returned the gesture just as fiercely.
"You bring back that old man of yours, you hear me?"
"Is that a royal order, your highness?"
"You bet your life it is."
Ryne broke contact, and stepped back from the King of Valua. The rest of the crew opted instead to show their gratitude and homage by kneeling and thanking him instead. Ryne stood at the end of the straight line they formed next to Jay, while they each paid their respects not really paying attention to what each said until they were all standing in their line again. Enrique, now fully in control of his emotion stood in front of them, his arms clasped behind his back in a military fashion that came from years as the commander in chief of the largest military force on Arcadia.
"I applaud your bravery," He started with his voice at an even inflection as if he were making a speech, "I hope you all know just how much is riding on your shoulders. Not only will you be the first people of the new world to make the first voyage into the depths of space, but you will also be the first, and hopefully last, hope for the free peoples of Arcadia."
"In little more than nine days or so, the world as we know it will be invaded by an outside force, not seen on this planet for thousands of years. The remnant of the Silvite race, imprisoned in the silver moon all these years by their own people, will go to war with Arcadia in an attempt to regain what they lost. a home."
"First and foremost, our goal is a diplomatic one. If peace can be attained, if we can somehow convince the Silvites that we can live together in harmony, then that is our primary objective. If not, it is your job to find a way to either stop them from there or slow them down enough that I can manage an alliance with the leaders of the other major nations. I hope it doesn't come to war. and if it does. I hope we stand a chance."
The middle aged king stopped for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. He took the time to look into the eyes of each and every member of the crew of the 'New Hope', Ryne being the only one who could match his gaze.
"I don't know what kind of home you're going to come back to," he said finally, "I just hope and pray that you come home. May the Moons give you strength."
And with those words, Enrique, king of Valua and one time savior of Arcadia, left them standing there.
"Well boys. and girls," Rafe said, remembering the two women who were suited up and ready to go, "Looks like that's our cue."
***********************************
A sweat bead rolled back Ryne's face, reminding of the position he was in. The fact that his sweat was rolling more toward the direction of his ears instead of his chin was unnerving. Ryne shook his head, closed his eyes, and tried a breathing exercise his mother had taught him to tray and calm himself down.
"Are you alright, Ry?" Jaycera's voice asked through a microphone and into his earpiece.
"Yeah. just trying to adjust to the fact that I'm strapped to about a couple hundred tons of moonstone fuel and all I can see is the night sky, and throughout all this I'm lying down." Ryne said with a slight edge to his voice.
"Calm down, Ryne." Celeste said in that cool voice of hers. "Space travel is nothing to be uptight about. Our race has been doing it for thousands of years."
"That doesn't comfort me any."
Ryne couldn't see Celeste shrug, but he knew she must have. Ryne took another deep breath and just looked straight ahead past the seat of Wallin, who was working furiously at some kind of switchboard, and kept his eyes fixed on one star, keeping his mind clear.
Suddenly, a voice came over through the earpiece, one he'd never heard before.
"May the Moons guide your path 'New Hope'."
Then the voice started to count off recessing numbers, starting with sixty.
".60.59.58.57.56."
"Hey, do we get in-flight peanuts?" Sly asked from the seat in front of him, his fingers never halting their swift pace over the switchboard."
".50.49.48."
"Not the time nor place Wallin." Jerem scolded from his seat, furthest from Ryne. Their seating arrangement was Sly front and left, Rafe center, Jerem front right, which left Ryne strapped in behind Wallin, Jay behind Rafe, and Celeste behind Jerem.
".42.41.40...39."
"I'm just saying a little refreshment would be nice. I mean we are tryin to save the world and stuff."
"SLY!" Rafe yelled, "I'm trying to concentrate!"
".36.35.34.33."
"Hey, your job hasn't even started yet, chaka!"
".26.25.24.23."
"Just keep talking then. I'll be sure to crash into the closest landmass."
".15.14.13."
None of this was helping Ryne stay any more calm. In fact, if he hadn't been strapped down, he probably would have bolted for the door. Not that that would have made any difference. It was sealed shut and the only person who could open it was Wallin.
"...12.11.10."
"Engage thrusters." Jerem said calmly to Sly, who grinned and flipped a couple switches. The whole ship began to vibrate wildly, feeling as if it would fall apart at any moment.
".7.6.5.4."
Ryne clutched the armrests of his seat, not really able to get a good grip on it since his hands were covered with the metallic gloves they all wore to protect them from any unknown radiations from space.
".3.2.1. liftoff."
"Waaaaaaahhhhooooooooooooo!!!!!!"
And they did. At first it seemed to Jay that they were moving no faster than she could walk. Then she felt her body begin to press into the back of her heavily padded chair, her face seeming to pull back off of her face and pool into the back of her glass helmet. To Ryne, it seemed as if death had finally come to him.
His vision began to blur, all the blood leaving his face and eyes causing him to see white spots cross his line of vision. Finally, things began to go back to normal as his body began to adjust to the incredible speed they were clipping along at. His breath was shallow and ragged, coming more in gasps. Wallin turned around his seat to look at him with a grin.
"Let's do that again!"
Ryne smacked him on the back of the head, which made him feel a lot better. He could see the Silver Moon through the front viewport, somehow looking bright and ominous at the same time. Finally, Ryne remembered what was tugging in the back of his mind.
"What time is it?" He asked. Jerem looked back at him knowingly.
"About ten till twelve."
"So. what happens if we're in the way?"
"Then I guess we could kiss this mission goodbye." Rafe quipped.
"I wouldn't worry about it." Jerem said, covering for his pilot's bluntness. "Its target is the Maw, and that's about a hundred and fifty miles from Imperial City. So we're pretty safe at this distance."
Ryne was comforted by this fact, and relaxed a little only to find out that when he did so his arms decides to defy what he'd thought had been a pretty good law called gravity, and float up, instead of down.
"Ummm.. Guys?"
"Yeah?"
"Is this. uhh. normal?"
Rafe looked back at him, a look on minor irritation on his face. "Is what normal?"
"This."
Ryne unsnapped the harness that kept him anchored to his seat and pushed himself lightly out of the chair, hanging in suspended in the air as if he were underwater. In a flurry of motion, hands went for their own harnesses, clicks sounding throughout the room as bodies began to fill the air. All except for Celeste, who stayed strapped to her seat, watching them with the amusement of a person viewing a pack of trained monkeys.
"You Arcadians are too easily amused." She said, in a tone that was oddly affectionate for her. Jay looked down at her from her perch on the ceiling and grinned slightly.
"Says the woman who's never been amused EVER."
"I'm amused right now."
Ryne shook his head and went into a lazy somersault, tucking his knees as close to his chest as he could. Weightlessness was something that was suspected and recorded in history book of the old age, but was thrilling all the same. There was something about not having the burden of weight that made them feel free. like every physical law was shattered and they were invincible. But al things must come to an end eventually.
".New Hope, do you read?..."
Rafe looked hesitantly toward the comm unit, while Jerem pushed himself on a coarse that would drift him that way. Grabbing the armrest of his chair he pulled himself back into it, flipping a switch next to a microphone.
"Yeah we read ya, Imperial City."
".I trust everything is in order up there."
"Well, we have a few crew members on the ceiling, but other than that everything's just fine."
".Alright then, if anything goes wrong, you know who to talk to.."
"Copy that Imperial City."
"And you should mark your target in about one minute."
"Copy"
Jerem went to work on a keyboard, magnifying the Silver Moon until it filled the small computer screen in front of him. With another couple of keystrokes it turned into a red grid, flashing a ready message.
Jerem looked at the rest of the crew, who were watching and listening from wherever they happened to be floating at the time. He sighed and unlocked his helmet, the contained air escaping with a hiss.
"Well Kids, you can lose the silly headgear now."
Spurts of hissing could be heard throughout the room as glass bubbles began to float through the air, free of their masters.
"In about thirty seconds the Maw of Tartas is going to blown of the face of planet. From where we are, it should be a pretty good show."
The crew gathered at the front viewport where the Silver Moon hung suspended in space. It started as a thin slip of light, barely appearing to be more than a thread of energy. Then it all broke loose. White light began to piece through the ship, making everyone shield their eyes, or look away. Ryne on the other hand, was simply floating in a fetal position, clutching his right hand which burned with white flame. When it stopped, it stopped slowly, taking time to slowly die down, back into a thread of light and then vanishing.
Ryne opened his eyes, surprised that he was still conscious. He rubbed his palm ruefully, but was happy that he didn't black out this time. Maybe he was getting stronger.
Jerem looked at the display screen, which was now zooming in what looked like a large bubble on the surface of the moon. Then a message appeared. Target acquired. Jerem looked over at his fellow crewmembers.
"If you want to get into more comfortable clothing, you know where to go. I'm not here to baby-sit. I trust you're all responsible enough to find the lav and change your clothes without me holding your hand."
It was agreed that the woman would have first dibs to change and shower. well. as close to showering they could get in the ship. more like a sponge bath. Ryne was grateful when it was his turn though. He smelled horrible. Inside the metallic suit, nothing could escape. and his sweat from the initial terror of launch made it feel like a sauna in there. He came out of the lav in a tight, black, shirt that was uniform for the ship, and smelling vaguely like a species of flower that was unknown to him.
Suddenly he was aware of how tired he really was. Yawning, he went into one of the back rooms where the sleeping bags were, oddly enough strapped to the wall. The room was dim, though not totally black, and he could see that Jay and Celeste were already in their bags, Celeste sleeping soundly as she always seemed to.
"Hey there, smelly."
"That's not-quite-so-smelly to you." Ryne said as he worked the zipper of the sleeping bag next to Jaycera's who'd chosen the one on the end. Feeling like a worm trying to work his way into a fruit, he shimmied himself inside, feeling weird that he could be pretty comfortable without a mattress or a pillow. Maybe it was all the sleeping he'd been doing on the ground.
"So its gonna be five days, eh?" He asked.
"That's what I'm told."
"I wonder why it takes so long."
"Oh, I dunno. Maybe it's the immense distance we have to cover."
"I guess that makes sense."
Ryne found it hard to keep up this conversation going. Unconsciousness was eating away at the awake portions of his brain.
"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning."
"As much of a morning as there can be."
But Ryne didn't hear her last comment. He was already asleep.
"What are you thinking about?"
Ryne shook his head, snapping out of a thought induced trace, blinking his eyes furiously to wet them again. His mind had been working in so many directions he didn't even know where to start. Looking at the tall, slender, eel shaped moonship he couldn't imagine how this barely finished metal deathtrap was going to get them to the Silver Moon in about two hours. He looked down at the ridiculous suit he was wear, seeing his reflection in the thin metal skin.
"Oh, just how stupid I look in this thing." He said, with a crooked grin.
Jay chuckled. "I think it has very slimming effect on you."
"That's because you can see your reflection in it."
"Oh is that it? I wondered where you got the girl hips."
Ryne laughed, and repositioned the bubble like helmet he was straddling under his armpit.
"When are you going to get suited up?" He asked, seeing that she was still dressed in the black and red leather uniform of a Valuan shadow warrior. Jay pushed some of her soft curls out of her face and looked at him coyly.
"Whenever I feel good and ready."
"So pretty much, Celeste's in there right now and she likes her privacy."
"Right on the button, Tiger." She smiled, patted his thrice scarred cheek, and headed for the prep room. Ryne walked back to the edge of the platform and turned his attentions back on the ship that screamed "Valuan engineering". He tried to remember what he'd been thinking about when Jay had interrupted his thoughts, but to no avail. Sighing, he just kept studying the unique ship.
It wasn't so much like an eel, he decided. In fact, it was hard to relate to ship to anything else he'd seen before. except maybe Belleza's old ship 'the Lynx'. The nose was flared out in the same style, but it was much longer and had three stabilizing fins near the bottom with three of the biggest engines Ryne had ever hoped to see in his lifetime. It was the biggest thing in the circular launch room, and other than the launch room, the most incredible thing he'd ever seen. even though it technically wasn't even completed yet. Basically, the only systems it had were for getting them there and keeping them alive to get there. This was a disturbing thought to him, but he reasoned that (and confirmed through Celeste) that there would be ways to get them back once they got there.
The Launch Room was incredible for these reasons. The walls were made up of a hybrid concrete which used purple moonstones instead of the normal gravel, and were almost fifteen feet thick. This was to absorb the heat the massive engines were going to put out, and made the whole place amazingly beautiful. It also made the whole place amazingly cold. Ryne wiped his nose, which was beginning to run. Ryne heard the grinding of gears as the thick entrance door opened to let Jay out, and someone else in.
"What do you think?" a familiar voice asked him, as he came to stand beside him.
"I think it's amazing" Ryne said in answer.
"Are you anxious?" Enrique asked him, wrapping himself in his cloak to keep warm. Ryne shrugged, his sigh held visibly in the cool air.
"I guess,' He said finally, "I just want to get it over and done with."
His Uncle nodded and Ryne could see him shiver out of the corner of his eye. He cocked an eyebrow and grinned.
"What's the matter, old man? Can't take the weather?"
Enrique put on that small smile of his and looked at the young Silvite with an expression of endearment.
"I never was a big fan of the elements."
"I know, I heard all about how sea-sick you got when you first joined my dad's crew."
"Hmmm. I thought I had that let out of most history books."
"You forget. I have a direct connection to the source." Ryne said, leaning on the railing that kept him from falling and gazed down at the bottom of the pit the ship was contained in, where countless workers were getting the ship prepped for flight.
The sky above the launch room had become increasingly dark since Ryne had come in, and he knew in the back of his mind that it was nearly time to go. Ryne finally looked over at his royal companion, who was leaning against the railing, facing the wall, instead of the ship. There were tears coming softly, noiselessly down the King's face, his expression one of neutrality. It was such an odd sight that Ryne couldn't help but watch for a moment in restrained awe. It was the first time he had seen a man cry.
Enrique wiped the tears from his face, shaking his head and looking over at Ryne with a sad smile on his face.
"I'm sorry." He said, wiping his nose now, "Not many people get to see me like this. you should feel honored."
Ryne smiled, not quite able to laugh while a man was crying. He placed his hand on the older man's shoulder and squeezed it, surprising himself with the sudden shift it roles. Hadn't it just been days before since his uncle had comforted him like this?
"Don't worry about a thing. I have my family luck on my side." Ryne said, forcing a grin. Enrique smiled appreciatively and patted the hand on his shoulder.
"I know. but you're going to need more than just luck to get out of this one."
"Pray to the moons, and hope for the best." Ryne said as Jaycera, Celeste, Sly, Jerem, and Rafe came in through the thick moonstone plated doors, all wearing suits similar to his and carrying bubble-like helmets under their arms. "Well, looks like it's time for the show to start."
"I'd guess so." The King said, looking up at the sky, which was now filled with the few stars that could be visible through the think cloud cover. "You know if it's still a free world in a week and half, I think I'll give up my position as king." Enrique pushed himself off the railing, his eyes fixed on the sky above. "I haven't seen the stars in so long."
Ryne gathered the older man into his arms, hugging tightly the only father figure he had right now. His uncle returned the gesture just as fiercely.
"You bring back that old man of yours, you hear me?"
"Is that a royal order, your highness?"
"You bet your life it is."
Ryne broke contact, and stepped back from the King of Valua. The rest of the crew opted instead to show their gratitude and homage by kneeling and thanking him instead. Ryne stood at the end of the straight line they formed next to Jay, while they each paid their respects not really paying attention to what each said until they were all standing in their line again. Enrique, now fully in control of his emotion stood in front of them, his arms clasped behind his back in a military fashion that came from years as the commander in chief of the largest military force on Arcadia.
"I applaud your bravery," He started with his voice at an even inflection as if he were making a speech, "I hope you all know just how much is riding on your shoulders. Not only will you be the first people of the new world to make the first voyage into the depths of space, but you will also be the first, and hopefully last, hope for the free peoples of Arcadia."
"In little more than nine days or so, the world as we know it will be invaded by an outside force, not seen on this planet for thousands of years. The remnant of the Silvite race, imprisoned in the silver moon all these years by their own people, will go to war with Arcadia in an attempt to regain what they lost. a home."
"First and foremost, our goal is a diplomatic one. If peace can be attained, if we can somehow convince the Silvites that we can live together in harmony, then that is our primary objective. If not, it is your job to find a way to either stop them from there or slow them down enough that I can manage an alliance with the leaders of the other major nations. I hope it doesn't come to war. and if it does. I hope we stand a chance."
The middle aged king stopped for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. He took the time to look into the eyes of each and every member of the crew of the 'New Hope', Ryne being the only one who could match his gaze.
"I don't know what kind of home you're going to come back to," he said finally, "I just hope and pray that you come home. May the Moons give you strength."
And with those words, Enrique, king of Valua and one time savior of Arcadia, left them standing there.
"Well boys. and girls," Rafe said, remembering the two women who were suited up and ready to go, "Looks like that's our cue."
***********************************
A sweat bead rolled back Ryne's face, reminding of the position he was in. The fact that his sweat was rolling more toward the direction of his ears instead of his chin was unnerving. Ryne shook his head, closed his eyes, and tried a breathing exercise his mother had taught him to tray and calm himself down.
"Are you alright, Ry?" Jaycera's voice asked through a microphone and into his earpiece.
"Yeah. just trying to adjust to the fact that I'm strapped to about a couple hundred tons of moonstone fuel and all I can see is the night sky, and throughout all this I'm lying down." Ryne said with a slight edge to his voice.
"Calm down, Ryne." Celeste said in that cool voice of hers. "Space travel is nothing to be uptight about. Our race has been doing it for thousands of years."
"That doesn't comfort me any."
Ryne couldn't see Celeste shrug, but he knew she must have. Ryne took another deep breath and just looked straight ahead past the seat of Wallin, who was working furiously at some kind of switchboard, and kept his eyes fixed on one star, keeping his mind clear.
Suddenly, a voice came over through the earpiece, one he'd never heard before.
"May the Moons guide your path 'New Hope'."
Then the voice started to count off recessing numbers, starting with sixty.
".60.59.58.57.56."
"Hey, do we get in-flight peanuts?" Sly asked from the seat in front of him, his fingers never halting their swift pace over the switchboard."
".50.49.48."
"Not the time nor place Wallin." Jerem scolded from his seat, furthest from Ryne. Their seating arrangement was Sly front and left, Rafe center, Jerem front right, which left Ryne strapped in behind Wallin, Jay behind Rafe, and Celeste behind Jerem.
".42.41.40...39."
"I'm just saying a little refreshment would be nice. I mean we are tryin to save the world and stuff."
"SLY!" Rafe yelled, "I'm trying to concentrate!"
".36.35.34.33."
"Hey, your job hasn't even started yet, chaka!"
".26.25.24.23."
"Just keep talking then. I'll be sure to crash into the closest landmass."
".15.14.13."
None of this was helping Ryne stay any more calm. In fact, if he hadn't been strapped down, he probably would have bolted for the door. Not that that would have made any difference. It was sealed shut and the only person who could open it was Wallin.
"...12.11.10."
"Engage thrusters." Jerem said calmly to Sly, who grinned and flipped a couple switches. The whole ship began to vibrate wildly, feeling as if it would fall apart at any moment.
".7.6.5.4."
Ryne clutched the armrests of his seat, not really able to get a good grip on it since his hands were covered with the metallic gloves they all wore to protect them from any unknown radiations from space.
".3.2.1. liftoff."
"Waaaaaaahhhhooooooooooooo!!!!!!"
And they did. At first it seemed to Jay that they were moving no faster than she could walk. Then she felt her body begin to press into the back of her heavily padded chair, her face seeming to pull back off of her face and pool into the back of her glass helmet. To Ryne, it seemed as if death had finally come to him.
His vision began to blur, all the blood leaving his face and eyes causing him to see white spots cross his line of vision. Finally, things began to go back to normal as his body began to adjust to the incredible speed they were clipping along at. His breath was shallow and ragged, coming more in gasps. Wallin turned around his seat to look at him with a grin.
"Let's do that again!"
Ryne smacked him on the back of the head, which made him feel a lot better. He could see the Silver Moon through the front viewport, somehow looking bright and ominous at the same time. Finally, Ryne remembered what was tugging in the back of his mind.
"What time is it?" He asked. Jerem looked back at him knowingly.
"About ten till twelve."
"So. what happens if we're in the way?"
"Then I guess we could kiss this mission goodbye." Rafe quipped.
"I wouldn't worry about it." Jerem said, covering for his pilot's bluntness. "Its target is the Maw, and that's about a hundred and fifty miles from Imperial City. So we're pretty safe at this distance."
Ryne was comforted by this fact, and relaxed a little only to find out that when he did so his arms decides to defy what he'd thought had been a pretty good law called gravity, and float up, instead of down.
"Ummm.. Guys?"
"Yeah?"
"Is this. uhh. normal?"
Rafe looked back at him, a look on minor irritation on his face. "Is what normal?"
"This."
Ryne unsnapped the harness that kept him anchored to his seat and pushed himself lightly out of the chair, hanging in suspended in the air as if he were underwater. In a flurry of motion, hands went for their own harnesses, clicks sounding throughout the room as bodies began to fill the air. All except for Celeste, who stayed strapped to her seat, watching them with the amusement of a person viewing a pack of trained monkeys.
"You Arcadians are too easily amused." She said, in a tone that was oddly affectionate for her. Jay looked down at her from her perch on the ceiling and grinned slightly.
"Says the woman who's never been amused EVER."
"I'm amused right now."
Ryne shook his head and went into a lazy somersault, tucking his knees as close to his chest as he could. Weightlessness was something that was suspected and recorded in history book of the old age, but was thrilling all the same. There was something about not having the burden of weight that made them feel free. like every physical law was shattered and they were invincible. But al things must come to an end eventually.
".New Hope, do you read?..."
Rafe looked hesitantly toward the comm unit, while Jerem pushed himself on a coarse that would drift him that way. Grabbing the armrest of his chair he pulled himself back into it, flipping a switch next to a microphone.
"Yeah we read ya, Imperial City."
".I trust everything is in order up there."
"Well, we have a few crew members on the ceiling, but other than that everything's just fine."
".Alright then, if anything goes wrong, you know who to talk to.."
"Copy that Imperial City."
"And you should mark your target in about one minute."
"Copy"
Jerem went to work on a keyboard, magnifying the Silver Moon until it filled the small computer screen in front of him. With another couple of keystrokes it turned into a red grid, flashing a ready message.
Jerem looked at the rest of the crew, who were watching and listening from wherever they happened to be floating at the time. He sighed and unlocked his helmet, the contained air escaping with a hiss.
"Well Kids, you can lose the silly headgear now."
Spurts of hissing could be heard throughout the room as glass bubbles began to float through the air, free of their masters.
"In about thirty seconds the Maw of Tartas is going to blown of the face of planet. From where we are, it should be a pretty good show."
The crew gathered at the front viewport where the Silver Moon hung suspended in space. It started as a thin slip of light, barely appearing to be more than a thread of energy. Then it all broke loose. White light began to piece through the ship, making everyone shield their eyes, or look away. Ryne on the other hand, was simply floating in a fetal position, clutching his right hand which burned with white flame. When it stopped, it stopped slowly, taking time to slowly die down, back into a thread of light and then vanishing.
Ryne opened his eyes, surprised that he was still conscious. He rubbed his palm ruefully, but was happy that he didn't black out this time. Maybe he was getting stronger.
Jerem looked at the display screen, which was now zooming in what looked like a large bubble on the surface of the moon. Then a message appeared. Target acquired. Jerem looked over at his fellow crewmembers.
"If you want to get into more comfortable clothing, you know where to go. I'm not here to baby-sit. I trust you're all responsible enough to find the lav and change your clothes without me holding your hand."
It was agreed that the woman would have first dibs to change and shower. well. as close to showering they could get in the ship. more like a sponge bath. Ryne was grateful when it was his turn though. He smelled horrible. Inside the metallic suit, nothing could escape. and his sweat from the initial terror of launch made it feel like a sauna in there. He came out of the lav in a tight, black, shirt that was uniform for the ship, and smelling vaguely like a species of flower that was unknown to him.
Suddenly he was aware of how tired he really was. Yawning, he went into one of the back rooms where the sleeping bags were, oddly enough strapped to the wall. The room was dim, though not totally black, and he could see that Jay and Celeste were already in their bags, Celeste sleeping soundly as she always seemed to.
"Hey there, smelly."
"That's not-quite-so-smelly to you." Ryne said as he worked the zipper of the sleeping bag next to Jaycera's who'd chosen the one on the end. Feeling like a worm trying to work his way into a fruit, he shimmied himself inside, feeling weird that he could be pretty comfortable without a mattress or a pillow. Maybe it was all the sleeping he'd been doing on the ground.
"So its gonna be five days, eh?" He asked.
"That's what I'm told."
"I wonder why it takes so long."
"Oh, I dunno. Maybe it's the immense distance we have to cover."
"I guess that makes sense."
Ryne found it hard to keep up this conversation going. Unconsciousness was eating away at the awake portions of his brain.
"Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning."
"As much of a morning as there can be."
But Ryne didn't hear her last comment. He was already asleep.