Space-Riders: In the Ship (#3)

by tiffanyshort stories, Space-RidersPosted on No Comments

Space-Riders

#3

Otto, took his place in the pilot’s seat on the control deck with Zio taking a seat next to him as a co-pilot. “Do you have a flight program installed?” Otto asked.

“I have simple flying software installed. I should be able to help you fly the ship, but am not capable of flying a ship by myself.”

Otto nodded and started the engine. He would be able to fly his new LiBatto XZ952 space-ship, that he had named Aimi. Captain Otto smiled once her engines started up. Each engine made its own purring sound and Otto smiled grew as each of the 10 engines turned on.

Neither of them noticed the lady standing behind them. She was sitting against the wall and completed camouflaged. Her face and torso matched the wall completely and her lower half blended into the seat. Even when Zio looked around, he did not see her sitting there.

Once the ship was up in the air and heading to the next planet they were suppose to go to, the camouflaged lady started to snack on the chocolate covered raisins, she had bought in the town they had just left from.

The ride was smooth and uneventful until Otto punched in the coordinates of the planet where he was planning to pick up his first shipment using Aimi. The camouflaged lady had already visited Patarex, the planet Otto set as the destination, and had an almost lethal experience. She shook her head and the ship diverted from its path. Instead of heading toward Patarex it started to go in the opposite direction.

This confused both Otto and Zio. They both tried to work on a solution, but after 2 hours of trouble shooting and trying to turn the ship around they were defeated. All of the ship’s information and itinerary said they were going to Patarex.

Aimi, the ship was clever, she knew that the camouflaged lady did not want to be found out, but also knew that the others on the ship would not give up trying to turn her around unless she displayed what they wanted to see. She was not given a new location, so searched the universe for another planet, solar system or galaxy with the same name. She found a solar system named Patarex far away from the planet the captain wanted to go to and set her path.

 

Space-Rider #2 (Entering the Ship)

by tiffanyshort stories, Space-RidersPosted on No Comments

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.