Before sunrise the next morning, hundreds of Base Ten personnel were gathered near the hangar that held the launch platform for the Cloud Leopard. All eyes were on the mighty silver spaceship as it lifted off slowly from the launch platform. With an intense burst of power it shot straight up, impossibly fast. The ground rocked with a single violent shudder that came from the immense force expelled from the ship’s engines. There was no trail of smoke, just the rapidly shrinking image of a giant ship speeding faster than any man-made object of that size had ever moved.
The cheers from the crowd were deafening as the ship became a small black dot that quickly disappeared.
Dash, Carly, Gabriel, and Piper stood apart from the others, set off by their slick new navy jumpsuits with holographic V-shaped emblems. They had been surprisingly chipper all morning. They talked sports. They told dumb jokes. They tried to talk about anything and everything except the mission. But when the Cloud Leopard started counting down, they fell silent, and they hadn’t spoken a word all through liftoff.
“Check your MTBs,” STEAM instructed.
All four looked to their Mobile Tech Bands to see six simple words: THE CLOUD LEOPARD IS IN ORBIT!
The crowd continued cheering.
“I guess that means we’re next,” Carly said.
Commander Phillips approached, and Dash stepped forward.
“Alpha crew reporting for duty,” Dash said.
Phillips smiled warmly and led them to the elevator that brought them up to the launch platform. Now that the Cloud Leopard was gone, the much smaller Cloud Cat sat alone in the center of the vast platform. It was about the size of a small house. They walked up the ramp and into the shuttle with STEAM leading the way.
“Perfect day to fly. Yes sir!” the robot said cheerily.
“I’m glad you’re here, STEAM,” Piper said.
The interior of the Cloud Cat was large enough for four flight seats, two forward and two behind, with enough room to walk between them. Gabriel took the front left pilot’s seat. Dash settled in next to him. Carly sat behind Gabriel, while Piper transferred from her air chair to the rear right. STEAM secured himself against the hull behind them with nylon straps.
Phillips checked every last strap, making sure the crew was secure.
“I won’t say good-bye,” Phillips said. “We’ll be talking to each other constantly. I also won’t say good luck because you won’t need it. You’re all too good.”
“So what will you say?” Gabriel asked.
Phillips thought for a moment, and coughed as if fighting back emotions. “I want you to know that I’m proud of you all and I wish I was going with you.”
“Thanks, Commander,” Dash said. “See you soon.”
Phillips nodded and exited the shuttle before anyone could see how choked up he was.
The four crew members were alone. They exchanged nervous looks.
“I guess this is it,” Dash said. “Final words?”
“Yeah,” Gabriel said. “Don’t say final. We’re just getting started.”
“Fair enough,” Dash said. “Let’s fly. You’re on, Gabe.”
Gabriel put on his dark flight glasses, then hit the switch that lifted the ramp up into the ship and sealed the hatch. Nothing was out of the ordinary, except that this was not a training exercise.
“Alpha Control,” Gabriel said in his most professional pilot voice. “This is Cloud Cat. We are secure and ready to launch.”
“Roger, Cloud Cat,” the Alpha Control voice said back to them. “Initiating launch sequence.”
Gabriel took his hands off the controls and sat back.
“Okay, kids,” he said. “Nothing to do but enjoy the ride.”
Alpha Control announced, “Cloud Cat, you are go for launch. Thrusters will engage in five…four…three…two…one…engage.”
The ship shuddered as the engines sprang to life. Everyone was pushed gently into their seats as the craft lifted slowly off the deck.
“Liftoff,” Alpha Control announced. “Ten seconds until main boosters.”
“My mouth is too dry to swallow,” Piper said.
“No problem,” Dash said calmly. “We’ve done this a thousand times.”
“Yeah,” Carly said. “Except for the leaving Earth part.”
“…three…two…one…engage. Godspeed, Voyagers.”
The main boosters kicked in. The increased g-forces pushed everyone deep into their seats as the Cloud Cat accelerated rapidly and shot skyward.
On the ground, there were cheers and tears.
In front of their TVs at home, four families watched their children disappear into the heavens.
The Cloud Cat gained speed as it fought to break free of Earth’s gravity.
“Everybody okay?” Dash asked.
“Good.”
“Fine.”
“Super fine.”
Nothing was out of the ordinary, right down to the sky darkening outside of the forward window port. The crew had seen this all during simulations.
“I have to keep reminding myself this is real,” Carly said.
The ship began shaking as it battled the pull of gravity.
“Whoa,” Piper said. “This is different.”
“Alpha Control,” Gabriel said. “This buffeting is more intense than in training. My teeth are chattering.”
“You’re fine,” Alpha Control said. “That’s expected.”
“Not by me it wasn’t,” Gabriel replied. “I can’t see straight.”
The buffeting grew more intense.
Nobody admitted it, but it made them more than nervous.
“Almost done,” STEAM declared.
The shaking grew more intense; the crew was pushed further into their seats; and then without a warning the ride smoothed out.
“Well,” Gabriel said, relieved. “That was…different.”
“Look at this!” Piper declared.
She had been clutching a tiny stuffed elephant for good luck. The toy was now floating in front of her. “We’re in orbit!”
“Houston,” Gabriel said with glee. “We have no problem!”
“Say again, Cloud Cat,” Alpha Control replied.
“We’ve achieved orbit,” Gabriel answered, more businesslike.
The automatic program that would bring the Cloud Cat to the Cloud Leopard made a course correction and sent the small shuttle on its way. Everyone gazed in wonder out of the forward window at the void of space and the multitude of stars.
“It’s just like the simulations,” Carly said. “But man, it’s real!”
“Look at that,” Dash declared, pointing to the far side of the forward window.
All eyes went there to see the curve of planet Earth. The deep blue sea was a strong contrast to the dark continents. Strings of white clouds drifted over the California coast like pale cotton candy.
“I wonder how many people down there are thinking about us,” Carly asked.
Nobody ventured a guess. The concept was too staggering.
“Fifteen minutes until rendezvous with the Cloud Leopard,” Alpha Control announced.
A tiny, silver speck appeared in the distance. It was the Cloud Leopard, exactly where it was supposed to be.
“Hey, Steamer,” Gabriel said. “How about I turn off the computer and bring us in myself?”
“No sir,” STEAM said. “Not a good idea.”
“C’mon!” Gabriel cajoled. “Then all that training will be for nothing.”
“Better not,” STEAM said.
“What do you think, Dash?” Gabriel said. “You’re the commander. Can I go for it?”
Dash was torn. He didn’t want any problems, but he also wanted to show confidence in the crew. He glanced back to Carly and Piper.
“Okay with me,” Carly said with a shrug.
“Go for it,” Piper added. “It’s not like we haven’t done it a few thousand times.”
Gabriel gave Dash a big, innocent, pleading smile.
“Okay,” Dash said. “Just take it easy.”
“Yeah!” Gabriel exclaimed. He pushed his flight glasses firmly onto his nose and placed his hand on the control pad.
“Cloud Cat,” Alpha Control immediately said. “You are in manual mode.”
“Yes, we are,” Gabriel replied. “Just trying to get the feel of this thing.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” STEAM said.
Gabriel focused on the growing spot in space that was the Cloud Leopard and increased the thrust to speed up the rendezvous.
“This is way easier than the simulator,” Gabriel said.
He put on even more speed. The Cloud Leopard took shape. The docking door was open and waiting.
“Cloud Cat, reengage computer control,” Alpha Control commanded.
“I got this,” Gabriel replied.
The Cloud Leopard loomed larger.
“We’re coming in too fast,” Dash warned.
“I’ve come in way faster than this before,” Gabriel shot back.
“Not when we were actually moving,” Dash said. “Go back to computer control.”
“Relax, I got it,” Gabriel said.
The Cloud Cat drifted to the right, moving off the center line for approach.
“Reengage the computer, Gabe,” Dash said, the strain showing in his voice.
“Almost there,” Gabriel said, squinting in concentration.
“Reengage!” Dash shouted. “That’s an order!”
Gabriel ignored him. He was too focused on bringing the ship in.
Dash didn’t have the reengage control in front of him. Only the pilot did. But Dash had his own pair of flight glasses.
“I’m taking over,” he announced, and put on the glasses.
“No!” Gabriel shouted.
Putting on the glasses transferred control of the Cloud Cat to Dash, the commander. He put his hand on the control pad and the Cloud Cat immediately slowed. Dash brought the ship back to the center line and gently eased it through the docking door.
“Reengaging computer,” Gabriel declared, all business.
He punched the control that brought the computer back online and the Cloud Cat eased gently into the launch bay. The vehicle settled onto the deck and the engines wound down.
“Alpha Control, we have arrived at the Cloud Leopard,” Gabriel said.
“Roger, Cloud Cat,” Alpha Control replied. “Welcome aboard.”
Nobody said anything for several seconds as the launch doors of the Cloud Leopard closed. The moment the doors were sealed, the effect of the artificial gravity took over and the crew once again felt the weight of their bodies.
“I had it,” Gabriel said angrily to Dash.
“You were going too fast and you were off course,” Dash said.
“And what was with the ‘that’s an order’ thing?” Gabriel asked, barely hiding his disdain.
“I’m the commander,” Dash said. “And we were in trouble.”
“We weren’t,” Gabriel argued.
“It was a dumb thing to do,” Dash said. “Totally unnecessary.”
“Whatever,” Gabriel shot back. “Next time leave the flying to me, Commander.”
Carly leaned in between the two of them and said, “Can we go now?”
The guys turned away from one another and unstrapped. Piper was already in her air chair and STEAM dropped the ramp for them to step off.
“Well,” STEAM said. “That was excitement we did not need.”
Gabriel stormed off and the others followed. As they rounded to the front of the Cloud Cat, several blue ZRKs flew in to inspect the vehicle for damages. The crew ignored them and strode straight for the elevator. Moments later, they were on the upper deck.
Gabriel was angry. Dash was too. The girls were upset as well. What had started out as the adventure of a lifetime had quickly turned into a family squabble.
STEAM led the group forward until they reached the doors to the navigation deck. He turned back to the others and said, “There is something very important that you must remember.”
“Really?” Gabriel said, annoyed. “What’s that?”
“We are in space. Yes sir!”
The door opened onto the flight deck to reveal a panoramic view of space through the forward window of the Cloud Leopard.
The kids were still speechless, but for a very different reason. Up until that moment, the only view they had ever seen through that window was of the desert. Now they were greeted by the infinite beauty of the universe.
“I, uh, I…wow” was all Gabriel could say.
The giant monitor above the window came to life with a live image of Commander Phillips.
“What happened?” he demanded, peeved.
“A miscommunication,” Dash said quickly. “I thought we were off course, so I authorized manual control. My fault.”
Gabriel shot Dash a surprised look.
“It was a mistake,” Gabriel said, genuinely sorry. “It won’t happen again.”
“It can’t happen again,” Phillips said sternly. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Dash and Gabriel said at the same time.
“All right, then,” Phillips said, calming down. “Let’s start again. How does it feel to be in space?”
“Amazing!” Piper said with enthusiasm. “The Earth is beautiful. And the stars…there are like…billions!”
“What happens now?” Dash asked. “We stay in orbit for a while? Make sure the ship is secure? Settle in to our quarters?”
“Uh, no,” Phillips said. “Look at your MTBs.”
Everyone raised their arms to see that yet another countdown was in progress. The count moved below five minutes.
“What happens in five minutes?” Carly asked.
“Strap in to your flight seats,” Phillips said. “When the count reaches zero, the ship will be in position to break out of orbit and hit the proper trajectory for J-16.”
“Whoa,” Gabriel said. “You mean we’re heading for deep space now? Right now?”
“We could wait until the next orbit but what’s the point? Let’s get this show on the road.”
The crew dove for the seats. Gabriel was in the far left seat. The pilot’s seat. Carly was to his immediate right. Piper slid into the next seat over and Dash’s seat was on the far right end.
Gabriel put on his pilot’s glasses.
“This will be a new experience for you,” Phillips said. “The jump to Gamma Speed will be a jolt followed by a smooth ride. This is a programmed event. There will be no need for Gabriel to take manual control. Is that understood?”
All eyes went to Gabriel.
He saw that he was being stared at and said, “I get it! I won’t touch a thing.”
“One minute,” Phillips announced. “How is everyone feeling?”
“Ready,” Dash announced.
“Excited,” Piper replied.
“Anxious,” Carly said.
“All of the above,” Gabriel said.
“In fifteen days, the Cloud Leopard will arrive and be inserted into orbit around the planet J-16,” Phillips said. “From now until then, you will be prepped on how to retrieve the element needed for the Source.”
“One step at a time,” Dash said.
“Thirty seconds,” STEAM announced.
“I envy you all,” Phillips said. “You are the first humans to be traveling at Gamma Speed.”
“Wait, what?” Carly said. “I thought you said this was all tested.”
“Safe journey,” Phillips said. “I’ll be in touch.”
The screen winked out and was replaced by the countdown.
8…7…6…
“Should we be worried?” Piper asked nervously.
“Too late now,” Dash replied.
…3…2…1…IGNITION.
The kids were thrown back into their seats as the Cloud Leopard jumped from Earth’s orbit, pulled away from the planet’s gravity, and entered the state of Gamma Speed.
Next stop, the far side of the universe.