Mountain Life

CHAPTER 3A - SPACE

Brigit closed her eyes. The engines fired up, and she grabbed Joseph’s hand in a death grip. He was on her left. A few minutes later, the ride became very smooth, and she saw clouds as she looked out the window—the other side of the clouds.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but can I have my hand back?”

Brigit looked down at her right hand; sure enough, she also had his hand in a death grip.

As she released his hand, “Let me guess. First time in orbit.”

She nodded, about to apologize. “Don’t fret none. I take this craft every single day up to the station.”

“You work here?” Joseph asked.

“I do, sir. I make metals and blanks. The name is Mik Spencer.”

“I am Joseph Waters, and this is my Brigit Markz. She needed new experiences, so here we are.”

Joseph continued, “We have a farm and may drop in on your establishment. Horseshoes are what we are looking for. Various sizes. Maybe 200 total.”

“Drop-in. I have a huge backstock. Not a lot of calls for horseshoes these days, so I’ll give you a good deal.” He winked at them, “Besides, we’re practically engaged after that launch.”

They all laughed. She felt better, and the utter blackness was terrific as they transitioned out of the atmosphere. “I never thought it would look like that. Sure. I saw pictures, but for real. Wow!”

Mik thought they looked nothing alike, so they were not siblings. There was no romance, so maybe they were just good friends.

Joseph was a bit taller than six feet, on the thin side, and had a deep brown complexion with black wavey hair. At the same time, Brigit stood a few inches shorter than Joseph, right at six feet tall, and she had a pretty white but tanned complexion with subtle reddish brown hair. Joseph had his trimmed to that of a professional, and Brigit had her hair falling onto her shoulders, maybe a little past, close to her shoulder blades.

The flight attendant walked past, “Ma’am, you may want to contain your hair. We are ready to dock with the station, and once we cut the engines, the gravity is gone.” She handed her an elastic band for her hair.

Brigit has used yarn and string, but these little elastic bands are amazing.

She pulled her hair back and put it into a low ponytail. It was pretty becoming. “Remind me to get some of these before we head home, Joseph.” He nodded at her. They would be good in the community since most women wear their hair longer. There’s no reason. They just do.

“Since it’s your first time at my workplace, here’s some advice.” He grinned, “No fast movements. When you stand, do it very slowly. When you walk, at least at first, put your hands on the walls to stabilize. Above all else, enjoy yourself.” He floated up above the seats, turning, he said. “I open in 90 minutes. Drop in. If you get breakfast, I would love me a ham biscuit.” He winked at them and floated off.

Brigit looked at Joseph. The small bag in her lap was suspended in front of her face, and she started laughing.

“Joseph, a week ago, I could never have imagined this. Thank you.”

Joseph stood and put a hand on the ceiling of the craft, slowing his ascent. On the flip side, Brigit popped up like a jack in the box, bounced off the ceiling, rolled across a few seats, and ended up in the arms of a woman standing in line to exit.

She looked amused, “I am going to throw out a wild guess, but this may be your first orbital flight.”

“Yes, ma’am. It is. I need to remember, SLOW!”

“Good thought,” She replied as Joseph approached.

“Excellent catch! Maybe later, you and I can use her for a game and toss her back and forth.” Joseph was nearly laughing but very amused at the situation.

She lowered Brigit to the floor and showed her how to use her shoes. “You need to turn them on before they work.” She said. “They have built-in electromagnets; if you use slow movements, you can avoid bouncing off walls, chairs, ceilings, and people.”

Brigit reached down and touched the button on the outside top of the shoes, activating the device. When she did, she adhered to the floor.

“Now, when you step, keep one foot flat and lift the heel of the other. That will release it from the floor. Step in front of you and put it flat. It is as simple as that. When you get used to it, you can walk up walls and on the ceiling. If there is a line, I sometimes take the ceiling; it makes people wonder.”

They chatted as they left the shuttle and reached the spaceport’s interior. They were heading in opposite directions. Before they separated, the woman turned to Brigit and said, “When you take care of your business, find me. I can give you a station tour like no one else.”

Brigit asked, “How will I find you?”

She smiled, “Ask any station crew where Magda is or to take you to Madga. That’s my name. Very nice to meet you, Brigit, and you too, Joseph.” She turned and left through a side door as the rest of the arrivals filtered through the standard processing line.

Joseph asked, “I wonder who she is? Brigit shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

Their first order of business was food. They had awakened early and left before the chores were completed to get to the terminal for the launch. Now, it is closer to lunchtime for them, and they need something to eat.

Brigit looked at Joseph, “We need to eat, but do you have any currency?”

“I do, not a lot, but enough.”

They walked a short way, and the smell pulled them in a new direction, down a hall. The double-width door was transparent, but the sign above it said it all. COUNTRY COOKING.

They sat at the counter instead of at a table. I had no idea why, but it seemed like a unique experience, experienced during a unique experience in a unique location.

The waitress pressed a button on her side of the counter, and the menu appeared in front of them. Apparently, it’s part of the counter itself.

Reviewing the menu for a few minutes, she returned. “What can I get you to drink, coffee?”

They both nodded.