Once You Find You're In A Rocket

I've Got Ninety-Nine Problems But The Sun Ain't One!

(MICCHI has a good English version of this song for those who want it. I really like the space theme and this animation tho, it works with the story, so that's why I didn't put that instead.)

Ten clicked her seatbelt together softly, sucking in a breath and placing her hands on the grippers of the rocket's steering for the thousandth time that day.

She knew what to do, she's flown several things before. There's absolutely nothing that should be hindering her confidence.

Nine yawned next to her, "So, I talked to our boss-"

Eight gasped, "Why?! Did he cancel?"

Six reached over to hold his shoulder, "No need to assume the worst."

"No, let's please assume the worst." Seven mumbled.

Ten tried to tune them out, she praying that the only partner she had to stay with was Six. She couldn't bear to think about how waking up for at least a year with them for everyday of her life would go. Eight and Seven seemed doomed to argue for eternity, and Nine wasn't the most uptight person on the planet, but as a mechanic, she'd expect a perfectionist at the wheel rather than him.

Ten had given this her all, wasted every possible freetime moment to better herself in order to make this possible. She had let nothing stop her.

That was too much sacrificing to be thrown away because someone else had botched it up.

She knew if anyone caused a problem, she would also be held accountable for the action. No matter what her standpoint on it was, or if she even allowed it.

She'd be permanently grounded because of someone else's mistake.

Fairness wasn't a choice, because life wasn't fair to everyone.

Ten knew she probably had worked harder than everyone here, and yet she was the only one taking this seriously.

"..and that's why it's important we don't fly anywhere off course."

She groaned inwardly, of course Nine chooses to say something important the one time she tunes him out, she guessed by the silence from the three in the back, it couldn't have been all sunshine and roses.

Until Seven cut through the quiet like a knife through butter, "That's ridiculous! Why would he do that?"

"To make sure we're not irresponsible enough to try and land on other planets without proper training and equipment."

Wait, what?

"He can't assume we don't know the dangers of space just because we're teenagers!" Seven strapped himself to his chair, "If anything, he's putting us in more danger! What happens when we need to dodge a stray asteroid? Boom! The end!?"

Boom? Was there a failsafe in measure just in case?

Nine shrugged, "I guess, but the rocket's durable enough to handle a stray asteroid. You could fly it through the asteroid belt itself and it'll be fine."

How Nine managed to do so was far beyond her, but she wasn't sure if he actually tested this theory before making such an strenuous claim.

Eight breathed out in relief, "You had me worried that we may have to do that."

Ten sighed, "What's wrong, now?"

Six finished setting up her camera, "Our boss said that the rocket is set to explode if we fly too far off course."

She nearly choked, "That doesn't make any sense, I'm driving."

Did their boss ignore her professionalism? Why would she betray him and fly off into the stars?