(GQ #1) Bon Voyage, Celestion-5!

6. Orbit

"We are now in the Earth's orbit. You may take off your seatbelts." informed the captain, taking a few steps away from the helm. It descended into the floor until tiles covered up the hole it left behind. The same happened to Leon's seat.

"Cooool." Leon couldn't contain his thoughts.

Emil thumbed toward his brother, mouthing 'I know right?' Though that wasn't what Leon was referring to, he couldn't deny the captain was cool.

Captain Galhardo appeared not to hear or see either of them, too preoccupied with gliding toward the front of the deck.

"We will remain in orbit for the next seven days to make sure each star ranger is accustomed to microgravity. From then, we'll begin training with the Interstellar Forces-issued jetpack armor. Ranger Summers," he addressed, not even turning to look at him, "I understand that you have not used this armor before, correct?"

"Yes, sir–I mean, no sir." He tried to stand straight and salute, but he had tilted while floating.

The captain quickly glanced his way. "You'll want to take advantage of this next week, then." He returned to surveying the Earth below. "During our training, we will be headed toward the Moon Base to receive further instructions about how to start our mission. Any questions or concerns?"

No one had any questions or concerns.

"You are free to do whatever you wish to become accustomed to your surroundings, provided it fall within the Interstellar Forces Guidelines. With the exception of the room upstairs and the loading deck, you may go wherever you please."

Leon had a question, maybe even a concern.

"Captain Galhardo?"

"Yes, Ranger Summers?"

"How do I get down?"

By now, Leon hovered a foot above the ground, and he drifted too far away to use the window to push himself back down. He was at the mercy of gravity, and there was none.

"Oh, whoops." Upon noticing, Jun pulled him down by the hand.

"Thank you, Ranger Kim." The captain quickly acknowledged Jun's efforts before turning away once more.

"Thanks, Jun." Leon offered his gratitude. "Wait, do I call you Jun? Is that okay? Ranger Kim? Gosh, I never thought I'd be on speaking terms with you at all. I'm not even super sure if all this is real right now, being in space, and looking at the Earth from all the way up here. I feel a little lightheaded!"

"That's because we're in zero-gravity~" A mass of reddish hair attached to a person's body floated by. Hands parted it away to reveal Roxie's face. "Junzie, can you give me a spin?"

"Sure thing."

Jun grabbed one of Roxie's ankles and gave her the momentum to do a perpetual midair cartwheel.

"Weee!" Roxie continued floating away like that. It looked fun.

Jun focused back on Leon. "Yeah, you can call me Jun. That's my name."

"That's so cooool!" Suddenly, something occurred to him. "Wait, do you know her?" He turned to look at Roxie, who still spun.

"Yeah." Jun nodded, sending wavy black bangs upward, but not down. "Aside from you and the captains, I know pretty much everyone else here, so I dunno how well the randomization worked out."

"Really, everyone?"

"Yeah, it's kinda funny. I met Roxie, like, a few years ago on one of the main vessels. Literally crashed right into me. She's a riot. Then there's," Jun looked around, "Where is... Ah-ha!"