Star flight

Chapter twenty: the Party parts

Lexan helped to load the ship, it appeared that the in'stara had been planning this for decades, as their food and water reserves were quite literally piled to the roof.

The general insisted that they take food too, as the belief that the in'stara ate nothing but grubs was false, the grubs were a sweet treat that was provided on special occasions, but never eaten daily, as the sugar level was enough to rot a humans teeth in three seconds, painful and ugly the general had stated.

So it was with great relief that the in'stara provided a whole host of potatoes, tomatoes, meat shanks that had been smoked in mahogany wood, fruit (linn was ecstatic about the star fruit, as she loved it) and other vegetables.

So, with the ship packed, Lexan walked to rook and looked him in the eye "I can understand if you wish to stay with your wife and family, but I would be more then appreciative of your help in the days to come......"

Rook looked at the star flight, sleek and graceful, then looked back at his father and wife, who both were remaining silent, allowing him to make he's own choice.....he sighed and rubbed the back of his head.....

"I......" he looked to the sky, where the malga star burned shadow, and down to the sand at his feet, warm and comforting......

"I will journey with you, on one condition" Lexan smiled and asked

"And what would that be?" rook smirked and said, with a glint in his eye;

"I get to pilot the star flight until we get out of the malga system, I've always wondered how she flies" lexans jaw dropped, but he laughed tersely and said;

"If that's what it takes to get your help, then I guess I can make an exception....."

It looked like Lexan had a minor break down......

***

After saying their goodbyes, rook sat at the pilot seat, doing rather well, if not slowly, but Lexan preferred slow to 'crashing-into-a-astroied-and-burning-alive' sort of speed "she handles so well! its almost as if she is reading my mind, not my touch!" rook exclaimed

Lexan laughed and said "yep, she was my first love, then came linn and kis'na, but ill never forget the times we've had, right old girl?" he asked patting the console, behind them, linn and kis'na mumbled something about males and ships.

After a while, rook looked down and blinked, tapping the fuel gage "what is it?" Lexan asked "don't tell me we're almost out!" rook shook his head and mumbled;

"No, we have half a tank, its just......I thought I saw eyes.....I know" he said at their laughter "it sounds stupid, but I'm sure I did!" Lexan chuckled and asked;

"Maybe you just saw your own eyes?" all rook could mutter was a simple;

"Maybe........"

***

As the malga star system slowly started to give way to the dead space, rook got out of the pilots seat, and said to Lexan "thank you, that was a memory for a life time" Lexan grinned and sat back down where he belonged.

But soon, it became apparent that something wasn't quite right.....the steering and rudders felt fine, the gages all showed up green and the cock pit seat wasn't as far back as he thought it was before, so.....what was it?

Lexan was a smuggler, and in his profession he had learnt to be watchful and to tune himself to any threats that were possible.....but he couldn't place this one, and that scared him more then it confused him.

He looked at linn and asked "can you feel that?" she looked at him, and said

"Feel what?" he looked at the pilots radar and saw nothing, linn, sensing her husbands nervousness, checked the larger navigations radar "nothing there, what's the matter?"