Star Rider

Alcon's Journal #26 - Departure

DSF@f380066e9323d57745be11f96d2e3252

On the flight to the departure platform of the Earth orbital ring, Ami leaned against me, scrolling through the photos from our vacation on her tablet. She paused at a picture of us on a Ferris wheel and shared, "You know, Alcon, I used to be terrified of heights when I was a child. Whenever I rode something like this Ferris wheel, I would be overwhelmed with fear."

I smiled and gently rested my head against her hair. "How did someone who was so afraid of heights become an astronaut?"

"Now, I believe it was destiny. If I hadn't become an astronaut, I wouldn't have met you. I would have remained on our home planet, while you journeyed between Jupiter and the Kuiper Belt. We would have missed each other," Ami said, looking up at me with a tender smile.

She continued flipping through photos and selected another one of us watching the sunset on a beach. We sent both of the photos to the printer in the business center of the flight, and after a while, the robot delivered the printed photos to us. Ami sat up and put a copy of each photo in our respective bags, then kissed me lightly on the cheek and leaned back against me with her eyes closed.

We soared above the clouds, the vast ocean hidden beneath us. Moonlight cast a gentle glow on the clouds, revealing a subdued beauty. Storms raged beneath, and occasional bolts of lightning illuminated the darkened sky. The stars appeared distant and faint tonight, but the Earth orbital ring's distant lights shimmered in the backdrop of space. As our plane descended into the clouds, raindrops danced upon the aircraft's surface, creating a soothing pitter-patter sound. The droplets raced down the window, catching the flickering orange lights from the Earth orbital ring's platform, forming a stream of luminosity. I lifted my hand to touch Ami's face, only to realize that she had been silently staring at the lights with teary eyes. My hand felt the warmth of her tears, and she gently held it against her face.

After a two-hour elevator ride, we found ourselves back at the Earth orbital ring. Settling into the shuttle, Ami took the window seat, her gaze fixed on the outside world as she pondered. We had 20 minutes before takeoff, and I offered her some food, but she declined. I sat beside her, embracing her tightly. "Ami, would you like to rest for a while?" I suggested. Again, she shook her head. I pondered for a moment and then said, "How about we imagine ourselves in that little house by the sea when we return?" She paused, a smile gracing her face as she leaned against me. "Yes, I heard that the supply station on Uranus is almost completed. We won't have to return to Jupiter for the journey back. We can rendezvous there first."

The shuttle's hinges were released, and it accelerated along the tangent of the Earth orbital ring into the void. I held onto the handrail and escorted Ami to the rest capsule, kissing her and saying good night before crawling into the capsule above hers to sleep.

The next day, we both opened our capsule doors at the same time. Ami looked up at me with that long-missed smile on her face and grabbed the door handle. "My big lazy bum, do you want some food?" 

We took food bags and fixed ourselves facing each other by the window on the outer deck to start eating. At this time, the data showed that we were approaching 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. Ami smiled and said, "A unique romantic breakfast, except the food is not that great..."

"Is it better than what I made?" I suddenly remembered the scene on Europa where she teased me about breakfast.

"Hahaha, you're so petty. You remember all that..." She laughed and continued, "Of course, I like the food you make for me..."

More than two weeks aboard the space shuttle passed in a blur, and finally, we arrived at Ark#17. Ami's 4177 spacecraft had been replaced with a larger fusion engine suitable for exploring the Kuiper Belt, and it was docked not far from my own craft, 3137. We were informed that we would need to make a pit stop at the Amalthea supply station for refueling before utilizing the gravitational pull of Uranus to accelerate and head towards different regions of the Kuiper Belt.

At the departure terminal, we clung to each other tightly, unwilling to let go, as if time were slipping through our fingers. We held on until the boarding command initiated its countdown. Reluctantly, we bid our final goodbyes. With smiles on our faces, we slowly stepped back and swam through our designated boarding channels, just as we had done before. Mars and Anguirus, our loyal companions, were already in video intercom mode, allowing us to see each other's cabin scenes. Ami blew a kiss towards the camera, and then she gave the departure command. I followed suit closely behind, and one by one, we departed from the confines of Ark#17 along our designated departure channels. Adjusting our spacecraft's trajectory to face Jupiter, with the sun at our backs, Ami turned to me and asked, "Should we have a little race? I've never used such a powerful engine before..."

As I finished saying, "'Sure, let's compete," Mars and Anguirus initiated the countdown in perfect synchronization. In a hushed tone, I whispered to Mars, "Don't surpass Ami, let 4177 take the lead." But to my surprise, Ami's laughter echoed through the intercom, "Silly boy, I can hear you! You're trying to cheat!" With the countdown nearing its end, anticipation filled the air. As soon as the countdown reached zero, we both unleashed the power of our engines and surged forward into the vast expanse of darkness, racing towards the unknown...

During the six-week journey to Jupiter, we maintained a synchronized flight pattern, passing by Mars and the asteroid belt along the way. Anguirus diligently trained Ami for the upcoming Kuiper Belt mission, and I listened attentively from my spacecraft. During our leisure time, we would synchronize movies or music, enjoying moments of shared entertainment. Despite the safety precautions requiring us to maintain a buffer distance of several thousand kilometers, we remained connected through real-time audio and video links. For the first time, I felt the journey wasn't as lonely.

Upon reaching the Amalthea resupply station, Ami's spacecraft was refueled first, with me parked beside her. As the resupply area exposed us to the vastness of outer space, I suited up in my EVA gear and floated towards Ami's spacecraft. With Anguirus opening the hatch, I passed through two airlocks and stepped into the cabin of 4177, only to be greeted by Ami flying into my arms...