The Navigator

9. To Catch and Throw

"Welcome back Addy, and welcome Gemma! I see this isn't your first Munleto wrestle!" 

Addy blinked a bit at the expression. 

"In fact you are a registered free-flyer so you and Gemma are welcome to set up the globe however you would like and do not require an instructor!"

He seemed pretty excited about not having to take his turn shuffling tourists through the ZeroG experience and get to take 20 minutes more or less off. He was required to watch, but it was easy to 'watch' while chatting on a communicator. Addy didn't mind, she had gotten her certification for solo-flight years ago. Jax, who had an instructor level certification, had taught her himself, and she felt confident she and Gemma would get along just fine.

While she waited for the flight ahead of her to end she stowed the diaper bag under a bench and scrolled through a few configuration options. For most guided flights the globe was empty, just a jumping from one side of the globe to another. Addy liked to really fly though so she picked a map that would have several fixed boxes throughout the globe. They gave her plenty of options to jump off of, jump to, or swing from.

Gemma was getting impatient again, pulled from the bubbles and butterflies to stand around in a dark room with only her mother for company was NOT ok. She was starting to fuss and push against Addy when a door opened with a whoosh ushering out a small giggling group of women. They seemed to have really enjoyed themselves.

The door closed and a screen let Addy know the globe was reconfiguring before it opened once again. She glanced at her bored and cranky child, smirking before walking through the opening doors.

The entrance to the globe was at the bottom so that people unused to the concept of floating didn't have to step off into a void. Addy knew immediately when she was under the influence of the anti-grav machine, the bundle in her arms became weightless and her hair started rising in autumn colored waves. She would need to do something about that.

Gemma had noticed her mamma's hair but so far seemed unaware otherwise until Addy held her out in front of her, as far as her arms could go and let go of her daughter. She was careful not to give her any momentum so she didn't float away. Addy had been afraid that Gemma might cry her first time not under the influence of gravity but instead the baby's eyes went wide as she spread her arms and legs to try and find balance. When she couldn't find it but didn't fall, she started to giggle, flapping her arms.

Addy pulled her hair back into a bun while Gemma floated helpfully in front of her. Once done she took her daughter in her arms again, took aim for a cluster of boxes and gently pushed off from the floor. Gemma's giggle cut off as they took to the air, but again she didn't cry, instead she pushed against Addy, trying to get free again. Addy held tight until they reached the boxes.

They were halfway up the giant globe and the machine was surrounded by people as usual. Gemma saw them and stopped struggling for a moment while Addy pointed out Brooke and Darren, who gave them enthusiastic waves, that mother and daughter returned. Addy also recognized Billy, and spent all of two seconds wondering how in the world he had made it out in such a big group of people, before refocusing on her flight.

Addy oriented herself in the 3 dimensional space and came up with a flight plan she thought might be fun for Gemma. She extended Gemma away from herself again, the little hands pulling at big hands, asking to be let go. Addy accommodated and the babe floated, at least 50 feet in the air in a glass globe. Gem waved her arms and laughed, obviously enjoying herself. Addy implemented the next step of her plan and gave the girl a very slow and gentle push.

Gemma started to float away with a very slight rotation, her downy hair floating in a halo around her head, a grin that lit a brazier in her mother's heart. Addy counted to 4 before pushing off herself with just that much more force then she had imbued into her daughter, letting her catch her before the girl could crash into anything. She reset, calculated and did it again. Her daughter alight with joy.