Paradise

Seventeen

3019, Exoplanet N189B | Space | Anita | Unknown Ship

Jones and Justine were getting the last of the Celestial Tears they could find. Her hands were burning like hell. The crystals were hot and the duo had to carry it one at a time back to the ship.

Justine was getting the last of it when Jones realized she hadn't heard anything from Ben or Rizza. They probably got in the ship already, she thought.

Jones, came the voice of Richard. We're okay now. We need to go.

She turned on her comm. "How about Ben and Rizza. Are we going to wait for them?"

No, he replied. The ship already took off. We can meet them again at Greta. He paused. Justine isn't talking. Where is he?

I'm here, he muttered over the comm.

The sudden sound of laser blasters interrupted her thoughts. She saw four men advancing on the ship with blasters. One of them was holding a strange cannon. That man stopped and aimed the weapon at them. It glowed with a shade of blue. She froze; Jones knew that weapon.

"Richard! Close the door!" she screamed. But it was too late. The cannon shot out an energy beam and hit the ship.

I. . .I can't! he screamed. The blast made the ship go haywire.

"An EMP cannon," she muttered under her breath. Then she was forced to crouch behind some crates to avoid getting shot by those men.

Jones then peeked and shot a person.

"We need to take out the EMP cannon," Jones shouted to Justine.

"How?" he shouted back.

"By killing of course!" Then she stood up and holding the blaster, she shot as blurs of light went past her. She hit one man after the other, until it was only the man with the EMP cannon left.

"Could you get the ship on?" Justine asked Richard.

I'm trying! he exclaimed through the comm.

Then a hum sounded around the ship. Jones watched in amazement as the ship came to life and began levitating off the ground.

Finally! Richard said.

But then the man in front readied his cannon and was ready to shoot. Suddenly, she saw a hole on the man's head. The dead body fell to the ground.

She saw Justine standing up and holding the blaster.

He breathed. "Well, that's a relief."

- - -

Jacob sat down. "Where are we going?"

"We need to get to Greta," Jose responded, busy tinkering with the controls. The ship kept flying at a slow pace.

"I know that," he replied, looking at the floor. Then he looked up again to see Jose looking at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Jacob sighed. "It's just. . .I miss home."

"Well," Jose replied, sitting down beside him. "it's kinda nice to be in space every once in a while."

"You're right," the child answered as he began fiddling with a small object using his magic to levitate it.

Jose's eyes seemed to gleam. "I was always wondering. . . .How do you do that?"

"It's natural," Jacob muttered. "And even so, I'm not good at it."

Silence. "I know this sounds crazy," Jose said slowly. "But can you teach me?"