It's Been A Long Time

Chapter 13: Eligius IV

Emori was positive they were going to die. She had made a terrible mistake, "Forwards, not backwards," Raven always told her, and, of course, she went backwards.

"HANG ON EVERYONE!" Raven shouted above the sounds and shakes of the booster. All hands found a place to grab onto, the seat, the strap, another hand.

"If we die, at least I don't have to see it," Emori thought bitterly as Raven made one last manual thrust forwards and they launched into the port of Eligius IV.

---

Bellamy was also sure they were going to die. He'd never have admitted it to the rest of the group, but his last thought was "It's about damn time," before they were thrown into the port of an unfamiliar ship. Once the dust settled and the shaking stopped, however, he realized that they had made it.

"We're not dead?" Asked the worried voice of Emori.

Immediately, the cockpit erupted into cheers, "We made it!" being the popular choice followed by, "We're going home!"

Climbing out of the cockpit, Spacekru looked around at the empty area and familiar metallic twang of a space station. Suddenly, they heard footsteps pounding in the hallway. Echo drew her sword, but Raven stepped out in front just as a man in his mid-twenties approached to face them.

"Hello, stranded members of the space station orbiting to our left, my name is Aaron Carson, the very man you have been so kindly communicating with. And who might be our lovely communicator of this fine crew?"

Raven smiled, a bit of her cockiness back, "That'd be me and Emori," She said pointing to Emori who was standing next to the ship, unsure of what to do.

"Ahh," he said with a small smile, "I see,"

Immediately, Bellamy felt Murphy tense up next to him. He bumped him lightly on the shoulder and cast him a look that (he hoped) very clearly said, "Chill out,"

Murphy nodded stiffly, but not without setting a glare on the excited communicator, Aaron.

Quietly, Bellamy gazed at their surroundings. It was an old space ship judging by the slightly dimming lights (popular on the Ark), however it was very well maintained. And Aaron seemed nice enough, maybe a little too nice, but he wasn't complaining. After spending six years of safety then launching him and the rest of his family into an unknown space ship, the fact that the first guy they meet is nice was pretty reassuring. Or at least, so he hoped.

"Come with me, I'll show you to our captain,"

They walked along the metal hallway as quietly as possible, their feet only making soft taps on the floor. As they walked through the endless stream of corridors to the supposed "captain", Bellamy kept his senses on high alert, reminding himself that just because they weren't on the ground didn't mean they were safe.

As he stepped into a chilly open room, he heard Raven let out a breathless gasp. Surrounding them were mounds of tech, high tech by the looks of it. Computer dashboards, screens, radios, and control panels crowded any available desk space. Mounted on the left wall were giant screens displaying digital images of earth as well as the tiny green patch.

"Eden," Bellamy breathed, and there it was. Just as beautiful as it had looked from the ship, mounds of greenery tumbled over one another, a river bubbled next to a valley of purple lilacs.

Noticing his gaze, Aaron smiled.

"Yes, the only habitable part of Earth left. Our crew is already down there setting up proper civilization.

"Wait," Bellamy said, "Aren't there other people on Earth?"

The communicator looked confused, "What are you talking about?"