Zoo

Chapter 5

FIVE

They did indeed bump into each other over the next day and a half, although they both had company when the moment arrived. They mentally swore inside, wishing that their crew would evaporate into the air so they could converse some more. Kyra liked watching him fidget like a boy when they tried to exchange pleasantries. She thought about this as she lay in her quarters, a thin blanket draped over her long body. She let warm thoughts combine with the thrum of the ion drives to send her off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Torben checked in regularly with Rex to plot their progress through the solar system. They would be slowing down in a few hours and the Hominid told his captain to retire for the evening. Tomorrow was a big day. As Torben stood in the shower, letting the hot water pepper his torso, his mind was not on what it should have been. Here he was, a pilot. A badass. On the verge of the greatest moment of his life and the lives of his people. And yet as he stood under the torrent, his thoughts were of Kyra. Thoughts of far off civilisations were hidden under the warm, fuzzy thoughts of Officer Zakx. Was he getting feelings for her? Impossible. He hardly knew her. Yet she was always in his thoughts. He mentally made his brain move her to one side as he tried to focus on tomorrow’s tasks. Torben was still trying to think of the itinerary as he lay under the silk blanket. However, he was fighting a losing battle. A tall dark beauty kept knocking his flight plans to one side. Eventually, he relented as he drifted off to sleep. The last sound he heard was the throttle of the Ions falling away. By the time he woke, they would be in position.

“Okay, Rex. Slight reverse thrust. Slow us down to a standstill.” The hominid deftly handled the controls of the ship. Hardly any inertia could be felt as they slowed from a few thousand miles per hour to just a crawl. Finally, they were drifting in deep space. Ahead of them, they could see the galactic core a few lights away. It had a faintly purple tinge. A large plume of blue light rose into the heavens on the horizon. They knew it was Pulsar. It was magnificent. But deadly. They were glad that they were several trillion miles away from its death grip. Would they see anything so spectacular in the next few days? Torben slapped Rex on the shoulder. “I’ll go and get us some graff and a few snacks to see us through the next few hours.” He looked down at his furry co-pilot. “Get her ready for the jump. Like we did in training. You, my friend, have the honour of taking us into the void.”

Rex drew in a sharp breath. “Me! Really, Captain? This should be your moment.”

“And it will be. Being captain of this ship is honour enough. You deserve this, Rex. I will be back in a bit.” As Torben left the cockpit the little green hominid sat gently coaxing the controls, salty blue tears streaking his face.

“Torben,” Kyra called out as she spotted the captain heading back to the cockpit, laden with provisions.

“Kyra. Hello. How is everything?” She was dressed in civilian clothing. A blue all-in-one with leather boots that fell just shy of her knees.

“Fine. Although my captain is about to burn himself or spill food all over his ship. Here let me help.” She took a beaker of graff out of his hands and a long sandwich that was perched precariously in the crook of his arm. He could almost hear the crackle of static as they touched.

“Thanks. I’m glad you came along. I can be quite clumsy.”

She smiled evenly at him. “So, are we all set for departure?”

“Yes. I was about to give a ten-minute warning to all personnel to strap in.” He looked at her, a plan forming in his mind. “Would you like to accompany me back to the bridge? We have a spare co-pilot’s chair. You could be with us when we make the jump.”

“Really!” she exclaimed. “I’d love to. I don’t have anything else I need to do that is pressing. Thank you, Torben.” Before Kyra realised what she was doing, she kissed him on the cheek. Not a peck. Her lips lingered on his stubbly skin for what seemed like minutes. Her heart rate increased as she reluctantly pulled away.

Torben blushed a deep crimson. “People will talk.”

“About what?”

“You and me.”

“Is there a ‘you and me’ to talk about?”

“I don’t know.” He hesitated, smiling. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

She smiled, c*****g her head to one side, a move that made her red lock glimmer in the under-lighters. “Maybe you should start thinking far ahead.”

“Really!” he said as a voice crackled through the ship’s communication system, relaying a ten-minute warning.

She took his free arm, guiding him to the bridge. “Really. You men only think as far as the next beer.”

Rex looked up from the controls as Kyra and Torben entered. He was momentarily at a loss for words. He looked at their lunch.

“Is there enough for three?”

“We’ll make do.” Torben turned to Kyra. “Allow me to introduce Rex. The best pilot in the galaxy, and the worst graff maker. Rex, this is Kyra.”

Rex stood up from the console and extended his furry arm. Kyra took it, matching his considerable grip.

“Pleasure to meet you, Rex. Is your graff really that bad?”

“Likewise, Kyra. Our Captain is far too fussy in his tastes. This little hominid likes his graff rough and ready.”

She smiled, liking him instantly. They all settled into their respective seats. All food and drink in holders and trays. Rex turned to Torben.

“All crew have been given their instructions.”

“Okay, Rex, initiate heads up.”

Rex punched a command into the display, his green fingers delicate and precise. Kyra almost gasped as the cockpit came alive. Above them was a miniature reconstruction of their position. She could see the galaxy slowly moving and pulsing in the dark confines. A moment later another galaxy appeared underneath. It was a spiral galaxy, beautifully rotating.

“That sure is something,” Rex said, to no one in particular.

“It sure is,” Torben added. “Zoom.”

The little hominid drew his hands apart in front of his face in three quick movements until their position and destination were visible. Kyra sat slightly behind them, a wide-eyed expression on her face.

“Position locked. Are we ready, skipper?”

Torben nodded. “Just like we practised, Rex. Execute.”

Rex reached across the control panel and pressed a red button that pulsed in unison with the rest of the cockpit. There was a shift in the ship’s position as if the space around them had been disturbed.

“Hull camera on. Heads up,” Rex said. Another holographic image appeared next to their position that showed what was happening a few hundred feet under their ship. To Rex, it looked like a giant black whirlpool was forming. The stars seemed to start travelling in an anti-clockwise direction. The three of them were gently buffeted around in their seats as Shimmer050 started to turn from the unseen force below. Torben could see what looked like blue lightning around the cockpit. He was about to turn around to look at Kyra when he felt a cool, firm hand grip his. He turned his chair to see her, beautiful in the shimmering strobing light of the cockpit. She smiled at him, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. He smiled back, fighting to keep his own tears hidden.

“Okay. Here we go,” said Rex, who was watching a holographic countdown display. The lightning seemed to intensify and grow brighter as the ship rotated faster. The hominid flicked his eyes to their position, captivated by the funnel that was making its way from the bottom galaxy towards them. They suddenly felt the inertia as they were pulled downwards, towards the great unknown.