Out Ticket to the Stars

[Commodore Moose 0]

The transport from Earth to Mars was luxurious and blissfully quiet. This is exactly what Moose had requested. He rarely used his rank to curry special priviledges, but after a week of briefings and de-briefings and re-briefings, he didn't want to talk to anyone.

 

The other two occupants of the transport were happy to oblige him. Yeoman Mirona Alces, his secretary, had attached herself to the pilot and was happily talking him to death. Questions like "What does that button do?" or "Why is this blinking" or "How come the output of the rear thrusters is 5% below standard parameters yet this ship hasn't logged time in drydock since spring?" had been wefting out of the cockpit non-stop since take-off.

 

Mirona's mysterious companion, Liona, was also silent. Whether this was due to just plain exhaustion or whether she was still angry with Moose, it was hard to tell. Mirona had refused to board Challenger without her. In fact, Mirona hardly went anywhere without Liona at her side. But Moose was as stubborn as Mirona. "This isn't a cruise ship," he told her. "Everybody works." Before she knew what had hit her, Liona found herself in basic training. When the push-ups, and the sit-ups, and the obsticle courses were done, the only job opening left was the Captain's cook. "But she's an accomplished bio-chemist!" protested Mirona. That was too bad, thought Moose. But a captain still had to eat. Liona hated him, with good reason.

 

As the transport rounded the event horizon of Mars, the spacedock suddenly came into view. "Ladies, come look at this," he said. The Challenger, NX-05 was magnificent. Sunlight sparkled off its pristine hull while small shuttles buzzed around it making final inspection tours. Mirona peered out of the window next to Moose, so excited she could barely contain herself. Even Liona dragged her sore bones over to peer at their new home. For minutes, no one spoke, and the pilot circled the ship slowly so they could get a better look. "There she is," said Moose finally. "Our ticket to the stars. This is going to be a glorious adventure."

 

"I thought it wasn't a cruise ship," said Mirona tartly.

 

Shut up, thought Moose, supressing a chuckle.

 

Commodore Fitzgerald M. "Bull" Moose

Commanding Officer, Challenger NX-05