Anthology for weekendwritein

Opportunity

          "I can't believe the company called you, of all people, to come in and make repairs. Couldn't their Chief Engineer figure out it was just a burnt processor?"

David answered as they inched forward with the line of people, "He's an idiot that got in on his dad's dime. What else could they have done? I fixed it so they wouldn't have to postpone the inaugural flight of their first gravity core starship."

"But to call the guy, who built their core and whom they fired, to fix something is just wrong. You should've never agreed to go," Ashley said clearly still mad about the whole ordeal.

"Oh I agree completely! They'll never call me again. That was my last opportunity to work on my gravity core and I enjoyed every minute of it," David responded trying to calm her down a little before she made a scene.

"Hello. How may I help you?" A very bored gentleman behind the counter asked not looking up from his computer.

David answered quickly so Ashley couldn't answer and say something rude, "Colony registration 62E Kepler one way for engineers David Byrd and Ashley Byrd."

Two tickets dispensed from the counter before he could respond with, "David and Ashley Byrd you are cleared to board shuttle Titan B at gate 4. Have a nice day."

David grabbed the tickets and moved away from the check point with Ashley in tow. They were almost to the gate when the whole wing began clapping and jumping up and down.

"What's all this about?" Ashley asked stopping to look around at what everyone was watching on the holographic TV's.

David kept walking while practically pulling Ashley along, "Phoenix has made her maiden voyage."

"You missed the maiden voyage of your ship?" Ashley asked surprised by his response.

"I knew it would fly," he answered.

Not convinced in the slightest Ashley pressed on, "What's going on David?"

David whispered as they approached the gate, "I'll tell you about it on the shuttle, ok?"

People on the shuttle were beginning to whisper their concerns about the ships return. According to the media Phoenix's trip to Saturn was supposed to be a quick jump there and back roughly taking eight minutes total.

Hearing the whispers the moment Ashley's butt touched the seat she leaned towards her husband and whispered, "Tell me what's going on."

David let out a sigh, "You know how the gravity drive bends space and time to reach a predestined point in the universe?"

"I helped you with the math didn't I?"

"Well, I programmed the computer to make a jump every hour until this time tomorrow. If it survives the threshold of a black hole and numerous other possibilities on its trip they'll have a whole slew of new information to marvel at."

"You didn't?"

"Told you I fixed the core. Twenty four stops around our galaxy not just in our solar system. I hope my coordinates are correct. Oh well. That's what they get for firing me and replacing me with that dipshit," David laughed.