Space-Riders
#2
Otto, the captain, turned the corner with Zio close behind. He smiled at his new cargo ship before turning to the parking lot’s attendant to sign free is ship and pay the parking toll.
While Otto did this Zio stared at the ship with a puzzled look on his mechanical face.
When Otto turned his attention back to Zio and his ship he saw Zio’s confusion. “What?” Otto asked.
Zio answered with, “I am a mechanic and a doctor. I am not programmed to fix or maintain a tree.”
Otto paid little attention to Zio as he continued to walk, while he told him,“Alright, If I ever transport a tree I will not ask you to do anything to it.”
Zio still puzzled responded with, “ You are aware that your ship is a tree from the planet Calowixo?”
Now Otto was confused and stopped to tell his companion,“Zio, this is a ship, not a tree. I have flown it from Lardeth to here. Trees typically do not fly, since they must be rooted to the ground and are plant forms.”
“That is true with the exception of the Blurack tree that lived in Wid on Calowixo.” To Zio this was common knowledge. He had many employers who traveled to many different solar systems and many different galaxies. Zio never forgot any of the planets or stories he was told, so although he had never been to Calowixo, he knew stories of the great planet, since his first and second captains told it to him.
Being human, Otto had not gotten a chance to travel as much as Zio. He had not heard of Calowixo or JuJu596, which was the galaxy Calowixo belonged to. This being the case he stated, “I would believe you if I had ever heard of Calowixo. Now, if you are saying that you are unable to help me with my ship, you are freed from your duties.”
Zio sighed, he had been on the dusty planet, Kilo, for a full year now. He only sat and waited for a full year. His last captain had died on Kilo and when those who inherited the ship came, they did not need Zio. He wanted to be wanted and needed to work, so he told Otto, “I do not wished to be freed from my duties. I will join you. There is still a ship within the tree.”
Still not believing Zio’s claims that there was a planet called Calowixo Otto told him, “Right, we’ll be stopping at the next planet that has a doctor for droids.”
Both men started to walk towards the ship, again. Captain Otto touched his dark brown electronic forearm cuff to open the ship’s cargo ramp. The two men walked in and started the journey they did not know they were going on.