Two Officers - One Heart

Chapter 2: Dreamy Realizations

"Good, because I'm inviting you to vacation with me and my family on Alarbus!"

Joe's words rang in Luminix's mind as he packed a small suitcase. His work partner had never suggested such a thing in their time as friends, and the thought of spending time with him and his family excited Luminix. He knew Joe's older brother, Leo Callisto, and his wife, Phoebe. Joe's nephew and niece, Miles and Loretta, were also good friends of Luminix's. When he finished packing, Luminix walked out of his room and down the hallway. He entered the hangar where Joe was waiting in the Space Cruiser. Luminix happily boarded the ship and sat in the co-pilot's seat, then looked at his work partner.

"Are you ready, Luminix?" Joe asked with a friendly smile. That smile was contagious, but Luminix liked it. He liked seeing Joe smiling and showing his bright spirit.

After another moment of enjoying Joe's expression, Luminix nodded. "Of course, I'm ready! I haven't been on vacation in a long time. And on Alarbus? That's even better because I love the resort they have there." Alarbus was a famous planet because of the resort the TTA built on it. Alarbus' lush forests of pink trees and calm beaches also made the planet a fun place to vacation.

Joe fired up the engines and laughed. "Hold on to your space pants, Luminix! We're goin' into hyperdrive."

"Don't you dare..." Luminix said. It was too late, though, because as soon as the ship was out of the hangar, Joe pressed a light blue button, and the Space Cruiser shot into the sky. Luminix was pressed to the back of his seat as the ship flew into space at an extreme speed. Stars and planets passed as blurs until the ship finally slowed down. Luminix was left breathing heavily and holding the edges of his seat.

"See? It wasn't that bad!" Joe exclaimed, looking unfazed by what had just happened.

Luminix rolled his eyes. "For you, it wasn't. You know very well that I hate being pressed against a seat like that. Nor am I the "high-speed" kind of person."

Joe playfully tipped his head as he flew the ship closer to Alarbus. "C'mon, what about the mission yesterday? You were pretty fast back then, you know."

"That is true, but that was nowhere near as fast as how we just went," Luminix stated as he saw the Sky Rise in the distance. The Sky Rise was a tall elevator that stretched into space. It had docks connected at the top to create an easier way to park ships. Luminix took a deep breath as Joe docked the Space Cruiser and turned the engines off. With excitement rising inside him, Luminix got off the Space Cruiser and followed Joe into Sky Rise's waiting room. The Sky Rise pod was already at the top, so the two officers got on immediately. Luminix sat in a cushioned seat and admired the pod's modern decorations. The interior was white, and along with the seating, there were potted plants and intricate wall art. It all blended to create a peaceful atmosphere. Then, instrumental music played in the background as the Sky Rise pod descended.

Luminix tapped his foot impatiently after about 5 minutes. "I hate elevator music."

"Wow, someone's a little on the negative side today. 'Oh, no, elevator music! It's torture! Whatever shall we do?'" Joe spoke dramatically, with the back of his hand to his forehead. A bell signaled that the Sky Rise had reached the planet's surface. The two officers got up and exited the Sky Rise.

"I do not sound like that!" Luminix exclaimed. He couldn't help but smile at Joe's joke, though. His smile grew wider when he and Joe entered a lobby.

Joe stretched and sighed. "Aah, the Malain Resort! I love this place." Luminix nodded in agreement. Though he had visited the resort only once in the past, he enjoyed the room he had, the fun attractions the resort provided, and the spa. He was looking forward to using the spa again.