*GRATIFIED SPEED 1213*
A few short moments later, Izzian was seated in the captain's chair of Gratified Speed 1213. He felt like a champion. Then Enot entered the comet, huffing from the exertion of carrying and stowing his own luggage, and signaled for Izzian to change seats.
Enot plopped down in the captain's chair and said with a winded breath, "Gee. Thanks for helping me out there on the ramp. I mean, my P.I.S. machine wasn't heavy or anything."
Izzian was too upset to pay much attention to Enot at that moment. Everything he'd ever known, everyone he'd ever loved would be left behind on Klesia Moon Prime.
He realized he was no different from all his other classmates-they all had leave for a year, but that didn't change the fact that Izzian felt terribly alone and anxious.
Soon Gala had boarded the ship with a scowl covering her face. The woman kept trying to smooth down her unruly curls, yet each time she tried to flatten the springy ringlets, they would pop right back up, ignoring their master's commands.
Gala realized the humor of a head full of curls that had a mind of their own and she dramatically pretended to yank her hair from its roots.
She looked at Izzian and giggled as each time she smoothed down a curl, it popped up like a jack-in-the-box.
She shook her head in disbelief and snorted, "I feel like my hair is alive and is trying to kill me."
Izzian snickered at first as he watched the woman act like she was wrestling a demon, rather than a curl. Soon he and Gala fell into fits of uncontrollable laughter. It was pleasing to see someone else struggling with their new human form and it felt good to laugh at that moment.
To keep it going, Izzian said, "You think that's funny, my fourth human finger has only sprouted half way."
He held up his palm and bent his new pointer finger in half, making it appear to be missing a section. Gala feigned disgust.
"Yes…I think that finger is supposed to have another knuckle or something," she said.
At which point, the two doubled over in full-fledged, nerve-induced laughter. It seemed that both he and Gala needed a moment without any thoughts of leaving home, or worries about the unknown future.
Gala recovered enough to add, "Maybe your stubby finger and my insubordinate curls are working together; a plot to make us fail our assignments," she said seriously.
"Maybe," Izzian said through newly formed tears of laughter, "we should make protest signs and blame it all on President Boojum Twoeyes."
"Actually, we should blame everything on the Al203 Telescope. That telescope seems to be the cause of every bad thing in the universe," Gala said, giggling.
"Are you two done? Or should we work on a comedy routine instead of focusing on launching the comet," Enot interrupted with the whiney voice Izzian had begun to dread hearing.
"Gala, control yourself. You're an elder on this ship and you should act like one, not like some dizzy teenager cracking jokes. We need to pay attention here," Enot reiterated to the snickering woman.
"Relax," Gala said.
She shifted in her seat to examine the control panel. "Everything is already computed to the umpteenth degree. We don't even steer. There's no way we could screw up. What do you think is going to happen, man?"
Enot began rattling off procedure after procedure, "Well, for starters we need to go over the preflight routine, and there's the last minute inventory check, and-"
"Hold your horses, as they say on earth," Gala winked at Izzian and continued, "It's all done. You insisted we meet here every day this past week and go over everything imaginable. I'm sure we'll be fine, Enot."
Then, perhaps feeling bad about chastising Enot and trying to prevent him from feeling like a third wheel, Gala added, "You've done a great job, Enot, really. Everything is ready to go."
Enot obviously appreciated Gala's confidence in his abilities, but Izzian wished she would have just let the man pout. Enot had corrected his copilot like a teacher chastising a first year student and Izzian would never have let the man speak to him that way.
Then again, he also realized they did have to be in close quarters for a long time and it was wise of Gala to pacify the whiner. Enot seemed the moody type and it was probably better for the whole group if they all got along during the trip. In other words, they had to treat Enot like a demanding, whining toddler.
Here's a woman who knows what she's doing, thought Izzian. With a few words, Gala had managed to diffuse Enot's indignation and calm the whole group.
Finally, the station signaled the crew of Gratified Speed 1213. The speakers erupted with a distant voice. "Gratified Speed 1213: You are approved for takeoff. All systems go."
Enot repeated, "We are approved for takeoff. All systems go."
Izzian rolled his eyes, having heard the announcement the first time.
"Well, buckle in everybody. Next stop earth!" Gala announced with enthusiasm.
"Yay, earth," Enot said with sarcasm, as he checked each passenger's seat latch again.
Izzian shifted uncomfortably when Enot refastened his buckle for the third time.
"If you keep buckling and unbuckling my seat latch, you might find yourself floating around the cabin in a minute. I'm fine. I know how to latch a seat," Izzian said, although Enot ignored him and refastened the latch one more time, sighing like an exasperated, overprotective mother.
I already have one of those, thought Izzian. Well, I guess I have Gala now too, although she doesn't seem very over protective.
"Two outta three ain't bad," Izzian mumbled to himself as the comet started to shake free of its gravity restraints.
Izzian wasn't going to let the small man ruin the experience for him. Thanks to Gala and a little time, he'd forgotten for the moment about being sad and lonely.
Of course he would miss his ortnots, and Thil and even Mrs. Kleevox. But at that moment, he was happy to peer out the shielded window and watch as Gratified Speed 1213 rose above Klesia Moon Prime.
The floor beneath the cabin rattled and shook. There was a loud crack as the ship broke free of its restraints. As the comet was programmed to do, it hovered in the air for precisely ten point three seconds in case the pilot changed his or her mind.
Izzian thought he noticed a green light flash to red for a split second, but with the blink of an eye, it had returned to green. He thought it not worth mentioning.
Since Enot and Gala had no second thoughts, and the system's check light was bright green, the comet known as Gratified Speed 1213 shot into the sky like a fast burning…well, comet.
Due to the tremendous amount of ruckus caused by the comet's lift-off gyrations, the three travelers failed to notice the explosion. If they had, they would have seen the bright flash and heard the loud bang and seen crowds near Platform 1213 scream and run in terror as Comet Central Station filled with smoke.
Lucky for them, the group had already safely ascended the station. Izzian, Gala and Enot excitedly started their mission to earth, unaware of the situation below, while all of Klesia panicked and fled for their lives.
With only their thoughts and each other for company, the trio settled into their plush chairs. Gratified Speed 1213 soared through the atmosphere; next stop, earth.
***