Semester in Space BxB (Staten Krown)

15

The spaceship has erupted into chaos. Walking from one side of the space station to the other side has become a task. As Peter is taking me back to my room, I see the medical aid technicians running past us with people on stretchers. The space station's lights are blinking steadily off and on. This just confirms that something has gone terribly wrong.

Peter takes me to the Captain's bridge.

I've never been to this part of the ship. This is where the engineers are. This is where the pilots of the ship work. I see Captain LaPerla. It's clear that she is busy and dealing with things.

"We need all hands on deck in the medical wing," I hear Captain LaPerla giving out instructions; "There is a shortage of gas. The pipelines have burst. There is a change in atmospheric temperature in the second quadrum..."

"Captain LaPerla," Peter says.

She is surrounded by people who are looking for Captain LaPerla's attention. She barely acknowledges Peter and me.

"Not now!" Captain LaPerla states.

"Listen there is an issue," Peter explains.

"Clearly? Don't you think I know that?" the Captain states, "We have to find a way to get the shuttle back from Mars."

"Captain...I understand you're concerned about your ship but you need to take a look at the bigger picture here."

"Who are you people? Why are you in here?"

"I know what's happened!" I scream out.

I don't mean to scream it out that loud but there is so much chaos around that it is the only way to let people know what's really going on.

Captain LaPerla and her staff turn to me. Fifteen astronauts stare at me wondering what the fuck I am talking about.

"Say what you got to say son."

"We have encountered a wormhole."

A few of the astronauts laugh, "That's science fiction..."

Captain LaPerla shakes her head, "I don't have time for this."

I grab Captain LaPerla by the hand, "Listen. I know wormholes shouldn't exist. We don't have the technology for it, but its happening. Take a look at our location."

"Our navigation is down," Captain LaPerla lets me know and then embarrassingly adds, "A lot of our systems are down right now..."

"I wasn't talking about technology. I'm telling you to look outside at the stars. We are nowhere near home."

=========================================================================

Within five hours, everyone on the space station is gathered in an assembly hall for Captain LaPerla's speech. I look across the room. I'm standing on the podium next to Captain LaPerla. I look down in the crowd. I see Pia down there. She's probably wondering why I'm standing next to her mother. If she had any idea the shit that was going down she wouldn't be bothering to give me funny looks over petty bullshit.

Captain LaPerla is the first to speak, "Everyone. I gathered you around because I know a lot of you have questions about what could possibly have happened. We have had the greatest minds on the ship working for a few hours trying to figure out what could have happened. I am not here to lie to you. There is an issue. We have absolutely no idea where we are in the universe...

Chaos erupts in the room.

People are mad. People are scared. For a moment, I swear people are going to run up on the stage or something. I look down from the podium near Captain LaPerla. Pia is crying all of a sudden. Bambi is frantically looking around for someone. Then I see Jae Jae. Jae Jae is all the way in the back not too far from Dre. Jae Jae's face just looks completely lost and confused.