{"data":{"id":18116,"title":"A Gift for Baba (Part 2)","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/18116-A-Gift-For-Baba-Part-2","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/18116","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/18116","channel":"Feedback","category":"Undefined","series":"None","images":[{"id":27087,"name":"Gift-For-Baba-2-Title-Crop.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/0rhvlf573ap4er\/source\/Gift-For-Baba-2-Title-Crop.jpg","alt":"","size":2959519,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-05-07T19:08:54+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27087","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27087\/similar"},{"id":27088,"name":"Gift-For-Baba-2-Rodin.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/qv7tn9252ihpgr\/source\/Gift-For-Baba-2-Rodin.jpg","alt":"","size":700588,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-05-07T21:45:58+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27088","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27088\/similar"}],"images_count":2,"translations":{"en_EN":"A Gift for Baba\n05\/11\/2021 - 5:00 PM\n\nBy: Will Weissbaum\n\nWriter's Note: A Gift for Baba (Part Two) first appeared in Jump Point 5.9. Read Part One here. Original artwork by Sean Andrew Murray.\nPart Two\nShe was going to get in so much trouble for this, was the first thought that ran through Yela\u2019s head as the large hauler they had mistakenly become trapped on pulled away from Banaru Station. Staring up at the towering stacks of cargo containers surrounding the three children, she wondered, how could things have gone so wrong? All she had to do was get her two siblings safely aboard their connecting shuttle and instead, here they were rocketing to some strange location aboard a strange ship.\n\nThe next thought Yela had was, this is just like that time when Annabelle Reynard accidentally boarded Lord Falton\u2019s ship when he was posing as the pirate king and the two of them dueled until they realized that both were secretly attempting to \u2014\n\n\u201cCome on.\u201d\n\n\u201cHuh?\u201d said Yela, snapping out of her House of Ashen Grey daydream. It seemed that no matter what was going on, she could always lose herself in one of her books, even when she wasn\u2019t actually reading it.\n\n\u201cWe need to stop this ship,\u201d Cellin said as she grabbed her sister\u2019s sleeve and pulled her towards the exit on the far side of the cargo hold.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d said Yela, freeing her arm and taking the lead. \u201cIf we can get the captain to take us back to Banaru right away, we can try to get on the 19:45 flight to Europa. Maybe they will even let us comm Baba and tell her what happened. She\u2019ll be worried when our shuttle arrives and we\u2019re not on it.\u201d\n\nYela felt better. They had a plan now. If she just focused on that, there was less room in her head for the doubt and worry.\n\nThough Baba would probably scold them at first for missing their flight, when she found out about their adventure and how well Yela had handled the situation, their grandmother was sure to give one of the little smiles she gave whenever they were particularly brave or clever. As Baba said, \u201cA good adventure is always worth getting in a little bit of trouble for.\u201d\n\n\u201cDo we have to leave so soon? I\u2019ve never been on a hauling ship before,\u201d Daymar asked as he walk alongside his sisters. \u201cWait!\u201d\n\nCellin and Yela froze in their tracks as Daymar dropped to his knees and ripped open his rucksack. \u201cWhat? What is it? Did we lose Baba\u2019s gift?\u201d Yela asked.\n\n\u201cNo, I have it right here,\u201d said Cellin, showing her older sister.\n\nYela was relieved to see the precious gift still safely tucked into Cellin\u2019s bag. After working so hard to get a replacement for the first gift they lost, she didn\u2019t even want to think about the chance of losing this one. Even the dim lighting of the cargo hold did little to hide how beautiful its craftsmanship was. It had clearly been well used over the years, but carefully cared for. Exactly the sort of thing that Baba loved.\n\nPart of Yela was still amazed that the stall owner had agreed to give the gift to them in exchange for only partially opening her Banu lockbox. Yela supposed that after years of trying to open the thing, even making that little bit of progress must have seemed well worth the trade. The stall owner was probably sitting with the lockbox right now trying to open it the rest of the way, but Yela had a sneaking suspicion that when she returned to Station Banaru on their way back to Mars, the stall owner and the box would be in very much the same state they were in when the children had left.\n\n\u201cThere it is,\u201d said Daymar as he pulled out a worn, bright yellow cap and secured it on his head. \u201cNow I look like a real hauler. Maybe the captain will even let me fly the ship. Oh, maybe I can fly us all the way to Baba\u2019s house!\u201d\n\nCellin was consistently amazed by her brother\u2019s ability to find the bright side of any situation. If she was a stormcloud as her father liked to say, Daymar was the ray of sunshine that poked through it. \u201cMaybe,\u201d said Cellin with a half-smile. \u201cBut first we have to hurry up and go talk to them.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen let\u2019s go!\u201d\n\nWith that, Daymar let loose an even bigger grin and sped up, leading the way through the cargo stacks.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s this way, Daymar.\u201d\n\nWithout losing a step, Daymar stopped, turned, and followed his sisters in the correct direction.\n\n* * *\n\nIt turned out that the hauling vessel not only had one of the biggest rooms they had ever seen on a ship, it also had one of the messiest. After heading out of the cavernous cargo hold, through the deafening engine room, and past whatever it is you call those rooms that are almost completely full of pipes and valves, they had come to the crew quarters.\n\nEven though there were two beds, it was clear that only one was in use since the other was completely covered in an assortment of items, the bulk of which could most easily be described as \u2018junk.\u2019 The small kitchenette on the side of the room housed a museum\u2019s worth of dirty dishes, the work desk was covered with dozens of small vials, and the floor itself only had the narrowest of navigable paths through the flotsam accumulated there.\n\n\u201cWoah. Look at all this stuff,\u201d exclaimed Cellin, impressed. Her own personal choice of living conditions hovered slightly around disaster area, but even her sleephab back on Mars paled in comparison to the sheer magnitude of chaos that filled the small crew area.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cIt smells like dad\u2019s feet,\u201d said Daymar, crinkling his nose.\n\n\u201cYou still sure you want to be a hauler?\u201d Asked Yela.\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d said Daymar, but not that confidently.\n\n\u201cLook, it\u2019s not trash. It\u2019s a collection,\u201d said Cellin, stooping to pick up a small rock off the ground. \u201cDad showed me one of these before. It\u2019s a flint arrowhead.\u201d She cut across the mess to hold up a large loose piece of fabric from the floor. \u201cAnd this. I learned about this flag from school. It\u2019s from Port Renatus\u2019 first election when they formed the Mars Union.\u201d\n\nCellin\u2019s eyes narrowed and she protectively pulled the flag close to her. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t put the Martian flag on the floor. Even if it is an old one.\u201d\n\nDaymar was looking unhappily at the bottom of his left shoe where there were clear signs of him having stepped in something sticky and quite unpleasant. \u201cAre you sure it\u2019s a collection and not just trash?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s both.\u201d Yela was surveying the room with new appreciation. \u201cI couldn\u2019t see it under the mess, but whoever lives here definitely loves history.\u201d She turned her head sideways to look at the books that lined the packed shelf along the wall. \u201cLook at all the books. This one\u2019s about the Mars Tragedy. That one\u2019s about ancient Rome. There\u2019s Nick Croshaw\u2019s biography. There\u2019s even three books about the Stanley Mutiny.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s the Stanley Mutiny?\u201d Daymar and Cellin both asked.\n\n\u201cWhen the UNE formed, a bunch of starmen didn\u2019t like it, so they captured their captain and took over their warship. It\u2019s what started the Unification Wars,\u201d said Yela. \u201cBut we\u2019re getting distracted. Right now, we still need to figure a way to get to Baba. Come on.\u201d\n\nCarefully stepping around empty mealbar wrappers, crumpled cans of boost, dirty clothing and the surprisingly ill-treated collection of artifacts, the trio arrive at the bridge bulkhead. Yela, took a deep breath to calm herself, immediately regretted doing that because of the smell, and then pressed the button to open the hatch.\n\nWhen the bridge door slid back, the three siblings were hit by a wave of gutter rock music. Daymar quickly slapped his hands over his ears to try to drown out the noise, but he could still feel the deep bass causing his heart to beat faster and faster.\n\n\u201cExcuse me?\u201d Yela said to announce their arrival, but the heavy guitar riffs swallowed up her voice.\n\n\u201cHey!\u201d Cellin tried shouting over the din, to little effect. Marching forward past the two utility terminals that populated the back of the room, she approached the pilot\u2019s chair at the nose of the ship where a narrow band of thick-paned cockpit-glass provided a cramped view of the nearby jump point beacons.\n\nWhen Cellin was close enough to see past the bulky thrust-padding that lined the back of the seat, she stopped in her tracks, confused. Yela and Daymar caught up with her and saw for themselves what had perplexed their younger sister. The pilot\u2019s seat was empty.\n\nNo one was flying the ship.\n\nSuddenly, the music switched off, and the silence that followed was almost as deafening.\n\n\u201cAll right. Here\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen,\u201d said a deep, melodic voice. \u201cYou\u2019re going to slowly raise your arms and turn around. Try anything else and you\u2019ll regret it.\u201d\n\nDoing as they were asked, the three turned to see a very tall woman standing in an alcove next to the door, her head almost touching the ceiling. They must have walked right past her when they came in. However, more concerning at the moment was the massive rifle she was aiming at the floor by their feet.\n\n\u201cIs that a real gun?\u201d asked Cellin.\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t want to find out,\u201d said the woman. \u201cNow, who the heck are you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Daymar, and I\u2019m going to be a hauler.\u201d\n\n\u201cFantastic, kid. You definitely got the hat for it. But I meant what are you doing on my ship. You,\u201d she said, gesturing the rifle vaguely at Yela. \u201cTalk.\u201d\n\nYela nervously stepped forward. \u201cWe accidentally got on your ship at Banaru. We didn\u2019t meant to, but before we could leave the door closed and we were stuck. If you could take us back, we could \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cAnyone know you\u2019re here?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, we\u2019re traveling by ourselves, but our grandmother will be worried when \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cHere\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen. I\u2019m going to lock you three in the hold and you\u2019re gonna sit there not touching anything until I can get someone to pick you up.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re going to comm our Baba?\u201d asked Daymar.\n\nThe woman gave a smile, \u201cSomething like that. First things first. Take off your bags and put them on the ground.\u201d\n\nDaymar and Yela did as they were told, but Cellin held firmly onto her pack. \u201cNo.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you mean, no?\u201d demanded the woman.\n\n\u201cYou can\u2019t have Baba\u2019s gift,\u201d said Cellin, clutching the bag tighter to her chest.\n\nYela reached out her hand for her sister to give the bag to her. \u201cLet\u2019s give it to her, Cellin. We don\u2019t want to make her angry.\u201d\n\nThe tall woman took a step forward, and use her full height to tower over the kids.\n\n\u201cYour sister\u2019s right. I don\u2019t think you\u2019re grasping the full ramifications of your situation here. You three picked about the worst ship possible to stow away on. See, this isn\u2019t just any ship. I\u2019m an infamous smuggler. I mean, you ask anyone who knows about such things if Rose Bryer is to be trifled with and they\u2019ll tell you under no uncertain terms that I am not one to cross lightly. Either that or they\u2019ll say they have never heard of me. Both answers show just how good of a smuggler I am, clear?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re like a pirate?\u201d asked Daymar, his eyes so wide they looked like they were about to fall out of his head.\n\n\u201cClose enough,\u201d said Rose.\n\n\u201cWoah. That\u2019s even better than a hauler.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot for you. Now this is the last time I\u2019m going to say it, hand over the bag or else.\u201d\n\n\u201cOr else what?\u201d asked Cellin.\n\n\u201cOr else this.\u201d With lightning speed, Rose reached down and yanked the bag from Cellin\u2019s grip. \u201cDidn\u2019t see that coming, did you?\u201d\n\n\u201cHey! That\u2019s stealing!\u201d Cried Cellin.\n\n\u201cShe knows, Cellin. She\u2019s a pirate,\u201d explained Daymar.\n\n* * *\n\nA little bit later, Yela, Daymar, and Cellin stood once again inside the cargo hold, except this time a thick power cord had been wrapped around them, binding the trio face to face in sort of an awkward prisoner hug. It had taken forever to shuffle from the bridge to the rear of the ship bound in this configuration, but Rose patiently followed them with that menacing rifle of hers at the ready just in case.\n\n\u201cThere. Now you three just cool your heels in here and behave yourselves. We should be in Croshaw soon enough.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re taking us out of Sol?\u201d asked Yela, rotating her siblings around so she could look at the smuggler.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s usually what going to Croshaw means,\u201d replied Rose.\n\nYela felt her mouth go dry. She had always wanted to go through a jump point, she just hadn\u2019t expected to do it today. Much less as a prisoner. This really was turning into something straight out of House of Ashen Gray.\n\nRose studied the children for a second. \u201cLet me guess, you\u2019ve never jumped before?\u201d\n\nThe sibling\u2019s silence was all the answer she needed. Rose took a few strides to a nearby storage locker nested in the wall, and keyed opened the coded latch. From inside the small chamber she pulled out a well worn EVA suit and tossed the helmet with a clatter next to them. \u201cHere, if you get sick use this old helmet as a bucket.\u201d\n\nRose turned to leave.\n\n\u201cWait. What if we have to use the bathroom?\u201d asked Daymar, his feet already dancing back and forth a bit.\n\n\u201cThe suit has a recycler in it. Might still be working. You can use that.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd if we get hungry, are we supposed to eat the suit too?\u201d said Cellin.\n\nRose rolled her eyes. \u201cThere\u2019s a ration kit in the locker too. I would recommend waiting till after the jump to eat or it\u2019s all just going to wind up in the helmet.\u201d\n\nRose stepped into the bulkhead separating the cargo hold from the rest of the ship.\n\n\u201cWait, what about untying us?\u201d asked Yela.\n\n\u201cNo.\u201d\n\nAnd with that, the smuggler sealed the cargo hold behind her.\n\nNot wasting a second, Cellin sucked in her breath and slipped easily from her bindings. Heading to the exit, she stopped and picked up the helmet off the floor. \u201cDaymar, bang on the door and beg her to come back. When she comes in we can hit her on the head.\u201d\n\n\u201cOkay,\u201d said Daymar, lifting the loose cord away and following after Cellin.\n\n\u201cWait, what do you think you two are doing?\u201d asked Yela as she stepped out of the cord and hurried to catch up.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re mutiny-ing,\u201d answered Daymar. He began to pound his fists on the sealed hatch. \u201cHelp! Help! There\u2019s a monster!\u201d\n\nCellin grabbed a crate from the bottom of the storage locker and dragged it next to the door. \u201cOnce we take over the ship, we can fly to Europa ourselves.\u201d Climbing on top of crate, she raised the helmet over her head ready to attack whoever came through.\n\n\u201cHave you gone crazy? Get down from there. We can\u2019t attack Rose.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy not? She attacked us.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor one thing, she has a gun. For another, you have to listen to me. Dad put me in charge of keeping you safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd look where you being in charge has gotten us,\u201d Cellin muttered as she shifted her grip on the helmet. \u201cWe\u2019ve lost two gifts, missed our flight, and got kidnapped. Maybe I should be the older sister from now on.\u201d\n\nYela felt her stomach drop out from beneath her. Maybe Cellin was right again. Her heart beat faster and the room began to swim around her. Maybe their dad shouldn\u2019t have trusted her.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t feel so good,\u201d said Daymar, clutching his stomach.\n\nAs Yela watched Cellin puke into the helmet, she finally realized why she felt like her insides were being stretched and squashed at the same time.\n\nThey had entered a jump point.\n\n* * *\n\nCellin laid with her head in Yela\u2019s lap as her sister gently ran her fingers over her back.\n\nDaymar sat nearby riffling through the rations in the box that Rose had left them.\n\nThe three were finally starting to feel normal again after their trip through interspace. Yela still couldn\u2019t quite wrap her head around the idea that on the other side of the hull was an entirely new star system, and had instead chosen to focus on taking care of Cellin, who had experienced the worst of the jump symptoms.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s like dad picked these out,\u201d said Daymar as he dumped the last of the box\u2019s contents onto the floor. \u201cAll the mealbars are mushroom ragu, and there are only two flavors of boost to drink, bitter melon and coffee. Blech.\u201d When he reached the bottom of the box, he pulled out a spiral bound book that had been stored there and quickly held it out to his sister. \u201cHere, Yela. A reading thing.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat does the cover say?\u201d asked Yela. After Daymar\u2019s mishap with the docking port lettering she was determined to help her younger brother improve his reading skills.\n\nDaymar studied the cover for a moment, and then began his attempt. \u201cE-meer-gen-ki Praht-o-cowls. Emeergenki Prahtacals?\u201d\n\n\u201cRight, Emergency Protocols,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s probably a guide on what to do if the ship catches fire or loses pressure or something. Like that vid they made us watch before the transport ship took off from Mars. Do you want to read the first page?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d said Daymar, putting the book down near his sister. \u201cI want to see if the storage locker has some not-gross food in it.\u201d Getting up, Daymar went to the crate Cellin had dragged out of the locker earlier and opened its lid.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s a bunch more pressure suits in here,\u201d said Daymar as he began to empty them out. \u201cNow we can all go bathroom if we need to.\u201d\n\nYela picked up the Emergency Protocols manual and began paging through it. \u201cSeems this ship was built in the shipyards near Deimos and it is over one hundred meters long. Oh, you know that room with all the pipes we walked through? Turns out that\u2019s the life support controls. Handles all the oxygen and the water and stuff.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaybe we could poison her,\u201d said Cellin as she sat up from Yela\u2019s lap. \u201cNot enough to kill her or anything, but like maybe next time she took a shower the water would make her sick and then we could mutiny.\u201d\n\n\u201cEven if we could find a way out of this room and a way to poison the water, do you remember how filthy her room was? Who knows how long we would have to wait for her to actually take a shower.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t hear you coming up with any better plans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s because there are no good plans. We\u2019re locked in here and that\u2019s all there is to it. Sitting and waiting quietly is the best way for all of us to get out of here safe.\u201d\n\nCellin looked down and worried her finger at the small tear in the top of her shoe. \u201cBut what if we don\u2019t?\u201d Only the wet spots on the cargo hold floor revealed that she was crying.\n\nYela opened her mouth to promise her sister that they definitely would be all right, but before she could say the words, she realized that she wasn\u2019t sure anymore. She didn\u2019t know where Rose was taking them or what else might happen. Yela suddenly felt helpless.\n\nHere she was actually living an adventure that would fit perfectly into one of her books, and it felt nothing like she imagined. The characters in her stories always seemed like they were having so much fun when they were in danger. But then again, she never read about people like Annabelle Reynard and Lord Falton sitting around and quietly waiting either. Maybe this is what Baba meant when she would tell them that, \u201cit\u2019s hard to get anywhere if you\u2019re not willing to take a single step.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaybe instead of poisoning the water,\u201d Yela began, to the surprise of Cellin, \u201cwe can use these emergency ventilation controls to flush the atmosphere out of the ship and knock her unconscious.\u201d She pointed to the corresponding diagrams in the manual.\n\n\u201cYeah! That could totally work!\u201d agreed Cellin, wiping her eyes. \u201cAnd we can use those pressure suits so that we stay awake.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes! We just need a way to get out of here.\u201d\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t open this box,\u201d said Daymar. The two girls started, having temporarily forgotten that their brother was still there. \u201cAnd it won\u2019t move either,\u201d said Daymar, tugging on the handle of a crate in the storage locker. The number pad on the front latch glowed red, showing that it was sealed.\n\n\u201cYou could try the code she used to open the locker door,\u201d suggested Yela. \u201c2380.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow do you know what code she used?\u201d\n\n\u201cShe opened it right in front of us. It was kind of hard not to see.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t understand your brain sometimes.\u201d\n\n\u201cSame,\u201d said Yela, playfully shoving her sister.\n\n\u201cThe code worked!\u201d exclaimed Daymar, lifting up the lid. \u201cOh. There\u2019s nothing in it. Not even a bottom.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\nYela and Cellin rushed over to look. There was little light in the locker, but there was no denying that the inside of the crate was much darker than it should have been. Yela reached a hand in and as far as she could and met no resistance. \u201cThere\u2019s no bottom.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s what I said,\u201d reminded Daymar.\n\n\u201cI wonder what\u2019s down there,\u201d said Cellin.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s too dark to see anything,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cI have an idea,\u201d said Daymar before he left the locker and came back with one of the pressure suits. He fumbled for a moment and then all three siblings were suddenly blinded when the suit\u2019s flashlight turned on. Not wasting a moment, Daymar dropped the suit down into the box. It fell for a few meters before coming to a stop in what appeared to be a crawl space located below the floor.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a secret tunnel.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere does it go?\u201d\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s find out,\u201d said Daymar. He pulled himself over the edge of the box and hooked his feet into a small indentation there. The box had a ladder built in! Daymar climbed down into the subfloor and crawled out of sight. \u201cThere\u2019s a whole room down here.\u201d\n\nNot wanting to be left out, Cellin and Yela quickly followed down.\n\nAutomatic lights kicked on as they reached the end of the tunnel, revealing a small alcove lined with shelves.\n\n\u201cWe found the pirate\u2019s treasure,\u201d said Daymar, looking at the various items on shelves with wonder.\n\n\u201cThis must be where she hides all the stuff she smuggles,\u201d said Yela. She delicately picked up a flat engraved stone from the shelf and lightly ran her fingertips over the markings. \u201cI saw one of these during our school field trip to the Moscow History Museum. This is a cuneiform tablet. It\u2019s thousands of years old.\u201d\n\n\u201cLook at these goggles,\u201d said Cellin, sliding the dark, oversized bug-eyed optics onto her head. \u201cThey\u2019re just like the ones the settlers use in those old frontier shows Dad likes to watch.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis stuff is really valuable,\u201d realized Yela. \u201cI think Rose must specialize in smuggling rare historical artifacts. That explains all the books and stuff in her room.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey, cute little fella,\u201d said Daymar, tapping on a transparent glass box. \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d\n\nInside a hairy, slug-like creature crawled along the side, its underside undulating in a display of multicolor ripples where it glided along the surface. Daymar slid the lid of the box off.\n\n\u201cCareful, don\u2019t touch it,\u201d warned Yela.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry, it\u2019s friendly,\u201d assured Daymar as he very carefully put his hand into the box. \u201cIt\u2019s a sniblet. They\u2019re from Aremis. I learned all about them on Kid Kadets.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo what\u2019s it doing in here?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s easy. Sniblets are treasures too because people in Vega tried to wipe them out. There\u2019s not very many of them left.\u201d\n\n\u201cI thought you said it was friendly.\u201d\n\n\u201cFriendly to people. Sniblets eat metal though. Look.\u201d Daymar placed the sausage-esque furry creature on top of a bronze sculpture of two people kissing. As the creature crawled along, the metal practically vanished and within seconds there was nothing left of the torsos of the young lovers.\n\nYela checked the tag on the sculpture. \u201cHe just ate a Rodin. Whatever that is.\u201d\n\n\u201cI guess he was hungry,\u201d said Daymar. \u201cMaybe that could be his name.\u201d Daymar lifted the sniblet up to his face. \u201cHow about it. Do you like the name Rodin?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much metal do you think Rodin can eat?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey can eat a lot. Why?\u201d\n\n* * *\n\n\u201cThese bitter melon drinks are pretty good,\u201d said Yela, taking another sip. \u201cSort of like a lemon apple flavor. You sure you don\u2019t want to try?\u201d\n\nDaymar shook his head no, and focused on guiding Rodin back onto the path they had drawn. The little sniblet had already eaten his way along a good chunk of the cargo hold\u2019s exit hatch.\n\nCellin fidgeted inside the baggy pressure suit she was wearing. All three siblings had put on the suits so they\u2019d be ready to flush the ship\u2019s atmosphere the minute the little creature had finished munching their escape route.\n\n\u201cI shouldn\u2019t have let you drink that coffee boost,\u201d said Yela to her sister. \u201cLook how jumpy you are.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much longer is this gonna take?\u201d\n\n\u201cShouldn\u2019t be much longer. Rodin\u2019s making really good progress,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cNo he\u2019s not,\u201d said Daymar.\n\nThe sisters came to look. Sure enough, the noticeably fatter sniblet was no longer moving.\n\n\u201cI think he might be full\u201d Daymar gently picked up and prodded Rodin but it had no effect.\n\n\u201cI guess we\u2019ll just have to wait for him to wake back up,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cNo, I can fit through,\u201d said Cellin. Taking off the large pressure suit, she put one foot through the partial hole in the door and then the next foot. She pushed herself through up to her hips, and then sucking in her breath, twisted and wiggled until she managed to only just barely squeeze all the way through. There was no way that Yela or Daymar were going to be able get through the same way as their younger, more flexible sibling.\n\n\u201cFantastic! Now you can open the hatch for us!\u201d said Yela.\n\nCellin tried the control panel, but the door stayed firmly in place. \u201cIt\u2019s locked on this side too. Says I don\u2019t have permission.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat means the only way to open it is the security controls on the bridge.\u201d\n\n\u201cGive me my suit and I\u2019ll get you out.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat? Let you go alone?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou two are too big, and we can\u2019t risk waiting for Rodin to wake up. Who knows what might happen or how long sniblets nap for,\u201d said Cellin. \u201cJust tell me what to do and I can flush the air.\u201d\n\nYela\u2019s instinct was to argue and protect her sister, but after everything they had been through that day . . .\n\n\u201cHere.\u201d Yela handed her sister the crumpled pressure suit and helmet through the small opening, and using the diagrams in the manual, proceeded to explain what Cellin would need to do in order to trigger the emergency ventilation controls and open the cargo bay hatch.\n\nOnce their younger sister was out of sight, Yela and Daymar put on their helmets and waited.\n\nIt was probably only a minute or two, but standing there, hearing her own heartbeat inside the helmet, Yela had a much deeper appreciation for when her science teacher had tried to explain to them how time was a relative concept.\n\n\u201cDo you think Rose found Cellin?\u201d asked Daymar, gently stroking his gloved finger along Rodin\u2019s back as way to calm himself.\n\nAs if in reply, there was a loud clunk, followed by the rushing sound of wind. The atmosphere was being sucked out of the cargo hold!\n\n\u201cRodin, look,\u201d said Daymar. \u201cCellin did it!\u201d\n\nRodin! Yela had been so worried about Cellin that she had almost completely forgot about the little sniblet. \u201cDaymar, Rodin won\u2019t be able to breath,\u201d said Yela. \u201cWe have to get him inside a suit.\u201d\n\nIf she had stopped to think, there was no way she would have done it, but right then, as all the air drained out of the room, it seemed like the obvious choice. Yela sucked in a deep breath and took off her helmet.\n\nThe wind rushed past her face so hard that she could barely keep her eyes open, and then a split second later the wind stopped. The atmosphere was all gone. Leaning forward so that Daymar would be able to reach her suit\u2019s opening, Yela hoped that he would understand. Her lungs were burning as Daymar reached forward and slipped Rodin into her pressure suit. Not wasting another moment, she snap her helmet back into place, and sucked in a deep breath.\n\nAs she panted heavily, Rodin began to crawl across her faceplate.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s awake! You did it!\u201d\n\nIt was then that the cargo hold door slid open.\n\n\u201cCome on,\u201d panted Yela. \u201cLet\u2019s find Cellin.\u201d\n\nAs they entered the engine room, they heard the rush of wind again. Designed to put out fires and flush toxins, the ship\u2019s emergency ventilation protocols were already pumping atmosphere back in.\n\nCrossing through life support, they arrived at crew quarters to see Cellin standing above the unconscious body of Rose and holding Baba\u2019s gift proudly above her head.\n\n\u201cMutiny! The ship is ours!\u201d cried Cellin triumphantly.\n\nTo be continued","de_DE":"Ein Geschenk f\u00fcr Baba\n11.05.2021 - 17:00 UHR\n\nvon: Will Weissbaum\n\nAnmerkung des Autors: Ein Geschenk f\u00fcr Baba (Teil Zwei) erschien zuerst in Jump Point 5.9. Lies Teil 1 hier. Original Artwork von Sean Andrew Murray.\n\n\nTeil Zwei\nSie w\u00fcrde daf\u00fcr so viel \u00c4rger bekommen, war der erste Gedanke, der Yela durch den Kopf ging, als der gro\u00dfe Transporter, in dem sie versehentlich gefangen waren, von der Banaru Station wegfuhr. Sie starrte auf die riesigen Stapel von Frachtcontainern, die die drei Kinder umgaben, und fragte sich, wie die Dinge nur so schief laufen konnten. Alles, was sie tun musste, war, ihre beiden Geschwister sicher an Bord ihres Shuttles zu bringen und stattdessen flogen sie zu einem seltsamen Ort an Bord eines seltsamen Schiffes.\n\nDer n\u00e4chste Gedanke, den Yela hatte, war, das ist genau wie damals, als Annabelle Reynard versehentlich an Bord von Lord Faltons Schiff ging, als er sich als der Piratenk\u00f6nig ausgab und die beiden sich duellierten, bis sie merkten, dass beide heimlich versuchten, -\n\n\"Komm schon.\"\n\n\"Hm?\", sagte Yela und riss sich aus ihrem Tagtraum vom Haus Aschgrau. Es schien, als ob sie sich, egal was gerade passierte, immer in einem ihrer B\u00fccher verlieren konnte, selbst wenn sie es nicht wirklich las.\n\n\"Wir m\u00fcssen dieses Schiff aufhalten\", sagte Cellin, als sie ihre Schwester am \u00c4rmel packte und sie zum Ausgang auf der anderen Seite des Laderaums zog.\n\n\"Du hast recht\", sagte Yela, befreite ihren Arm und \u00fcbernahm die F\u00fchrung. \"Wenn wir den Kapit\u00e4n dazu bringen k\u00f6nnen, uns sofort zur\u00fcck nach Banaru zu bringen, k\u00f6nnen wir versuchen, den 19:45 Uhr Flug nach Europa zu nehmen. Vielleicht lassen sie uns sogar Baba rufen und ihr erz\u00e4hlen, was passiert ist. Sie wird sich Sorgen machen, wenn unser Shuttle ankommt und wir nicht an Bord sind.\"\n\nYela f\u00fchlte sich besser. Sie hatten jetzt einen Plan. Wenn sie sich nur darauf konzentrierte, gab es weniger Platz in ihrem Kopf f\u00fcr Zweifel und Sorgen.\n\nObwohl Baba sie wahrscheinlich zuerst ausschimpfen w\u00fcrde, weil sie ihren Flug verpasst hatten, wenn sie von ihrem Abenteuer erfuhr und wie gut Yela die Situation gemeistert hatte, war sich ihre Gro\u00dfmutter sicher, eines der kleinen L\u00e4cheln zu schenken, die sie immer dann gab, wenn sie besonders mutig oder clever waren. Wie Baba sagte: \"Ein gutes Abenteuer ist es immer wert, ein bisschen \u00c4rger zu bekommen.\"\n\n\"M\u00fcssen wir schon so fr\u00fch aufbrechen? Ich war noch nie auf einem Schleppschiff\", fragte Daymar, w\u00e4hrend er neben seinen Schwestern herging. \"Warte!\"\n\nCellin und Yela erstarrten, als Daymar auf die Knie fiel und seinen Rucksack aufriss. \"Was? Was ist das? Haben wir Baba's Geschenk verloren?\" fragte Yela.\n\n\"Nein, ich habe es genau hier\", sagte Cellin und zeigte es ihrer \u00e4lteren Schwester.\n\nYela war erleichtert, als sie sah, dass das wertvolle Geschenk immer noch sicher in Cellins Tasche verstaut war. Nachdem sie so hart gearbeitet hatte, um einen Ersatz f\u00fcr das erste Geschenk zu bekommen, das sie verloren hatten, wollte sie nicht einmal an die M\u00f6glichkeit denken, dieses zu verlieren. Selbst das schummrige Licht im Frachtraum konnte nicht dar\u00fcber hinwegt\u00e4uschen, wie sch\u00f6n die Handwerkskunst war. Es war eindeutig \u00fcber die Jahre hinweg gut benutzt worden, aber sorgf\u00e4ltig gepflegt. Genau die Art von Dingen, die Baba liebte.\n\nEin Teil von Yela war immer noch erstaunt, dass die Stallbesitzerin zugestimmt hatte, ihnen das Geschenk im Austausch daf\u00fcr zu geben, dass sie ihr Banu-Schlie\u00dffach nur teilweise \u00f6ffnete. Yela vermutete, dass nach jahrelangen Versuchen, das Ding zu \u00f6ffnen, selbst dieses kleine St\u00fcckchen Fortschritt den Handel wert gewesen sein musste. Die Standbesitzerin sa\u00df wahrscheinlich gerade mit dem Schlie\u00dffach zusammen und versuchte, es den Rest des Weges zu \u00f6ffnen, aber Yela hatte den leisen Verdacht, dass die Standbesitzerin und das Schlie\u00dffach in demselben Zustand sein w\u00fcrden, in dem die Kinder sie verlassen hatten, als sie auf dem R\u00fcckweg zum Mars zur Station Banaru kamen.\n\n\"Da ist es\", sagte Daymar, w\u00e4hrend er eine abgenutzte, leuchtend gelbe M\u00fctze herauszog und sie auf seinem Kopf befestigte. \"Jetzt sehe ich aus wie ein echter Schlepper. Vielleicht l\u00e4sst mich der Kapit\u00e4n sogar das Schiff fliegen. Oh, vielleicht kann ich uns sogar bis zu Babas Haus fliegen!\"\n\nCellin war immer wieder erstaunt \u00fcber die F\u00e4higkeit ihres Bruders, in jeder Situation die Sonnenseite zu finden. Wenn sie eine Gewitterwolke war, wie ihr Vater zu sagen pflegte, dann war Daymar der Sonnenstrahl, der durch sie hindurchstach. \"Vielleicht\", sagte Cellin mit einem halben L\u00e4cheln. \"Aber zuerst m\u00fcssen wir uns beeilen und mit ihnen reden.\"\n\n\"Dann lasst uns gehen!\"\n\nDamit lie\u00df Daymar ein noch breiteres Grinsen los und beschleunigte, indem er den Weg durch die Ladungsstapel anf\u00fchrte.\n\n\"Hier entlang, Daymar.\"\n\nOhne einen Schritt zu verlieren, blieb Daymar stehen, drehte sich um und folgte seinen Schwestern in die richtige Richtung.\n\n* * *\n\nEs stellte sich heraus, dass das Schleppschiff nicht nur einen der gr\u00f6\u00dften R\u00e4ume hatte, die sie je auf einem Schiff gesehen hatten, sondern auch einen der chaotischsten. Nachdem sie aus dem h\u00f6hlenartigen Frachtraum herausgegangen waren, durch den ohrenbet\u00e4ubenden Maschinenraum und vorbei an wie auch immer man diese R\u00e4ume nennt, die fast vollst\u00e4ndig mit Rohren und Ventilen gef\u00fcllt sind, waren sie zu den Mannschaftsr\u00e4umen gekommen.\n\nObwohl es zwei Betten gab, war es klar, dass nur eines benutzt wurde, da das andere komplett mit einer Auswahl an Gegenst\u00e4nden bedeckt war, von denen der Gro\u00dfteil am ehesten als \"Ger\u00fcmpel\" bezeichnet werden konnte. Die kleine K\u00fcchenzeile an der Seite des Raumes beherbergte den Wert eines Museums an schmutzigem Geschirr, der Arbeitstisch war mit Dutzenden von kleinen Fl\u00e4schchen bedeckt und der Boden selbst hatte nur die schmalsten Wege durch das angesammelte Treibgut.\n\n\"Woah. Sieh dir das ganze Zeug an!\", rief Cellin beeindruckt aus. Ihre pers\u00f6nliche Wahl der Lebensbedingungen schwebte ein wenig im Katastrophenbereich, aber selbst ihr Schlaflabor auf dem Mars verblasste im Vergleich zum schieren Ausma\u00df des Chaos, das den kleinen Crewbereich f\u00fcllte.\n\n\"Es ist ekelhaft\", sagte Yela.\n\n\"Es riecht wie Papas F\u00fc\u00dfe\", sagte Daymar und r\u00fcmpfte seine Nase.\n\n\"Bist du dir immer noch sicher, dass du ein Schlepper sein willst?\" Fragte Yela.\n\n\"Ja\", sagte Daymar, aber nicht so selbstbewusst.\n\n\"Schau, es ist kein M\u00fcll. Es ist eine Sammlung\", sagte Cellin und b\u00fcckte sich, um einen kleinen Stein vom Boden aufzuheben. \"Papa hat mir so einen schon mal gezeigt. Es ist eine Pfeilspitze aus Feuerstein.\" Sie schnitt quer durch das Durcheinander und hob ein gro\u00dfes loses St\u00fcck Stoff vom Boden auf. \"Und das hier. Diese Fahne kenne ich aus der Schule. Sie stammt aus der ersten Wahl von Port Renatus, als sie die Mars Union gr\u00fcndeten.\"\n\nCellins Augen verengten sich und sie zog die Flagge sch\u00fctzend an sich heran. \"Du solltest die Marsflagge nicht auf den Boden legen. Auch wenn es eine alte ist.\"\n\nDaymar schaute ungl\u00fccklich auf die Unterseite seines linken Schuhs, wo es deutliche Anzeichen daf\u00fcr gab, dass er in etwas Klebriges und ziemlich Unangenehmes getreten war. \"Bist du sicher, dass es eine Sammlung ist und nicht nur M\u00fcll?\"\n\n\"Es ist beides.\" Yela begutachtete den Raum mit neuer Wertsch\u00e4tzung. \"Ich konnte es unter dem Durcheinander nicht sehen, aber wer auch immer hier lebt, liebt definitiv Geschichte.\" Sie drehte ihren Kopf zur Seite, um die B\u00fccher zu betrachten, die das vollgestopfte Regal an der Wand s\u00e4umten. \"Schau dir all die B\u00fccher an. Dieses hier ist \u00fcber die Mars-Trag\u00f6die. In dem da geht es um das alte Rom. Da ist die Biographie von Nick Croshaw. Es gibt sogar drei B\u00fccher \u00fcber die Stanley Meuterei.\"\n\n\"Was ist die Stanley Meuterei?\" Daymar und Cellin fragten beide.\n\n\"Als die UNE gegr\u00fcndet wurde, gefiel das einer Gruppe von Sternenm\u00e4nnern nicht, also nahmen sie ihren Kapit\u00e4n gefangen und \u00fcbernahmen ihr Kriegsschiff. Das war der Ausl\u00f6ser f\u00fcr die Vereinigungskriege\", sagte Yela. \"Aber wir lassen uns ablenken. Im Moment m\u00fcssen wir noch einen Weg finden, wie wir zu Baba kommen. Komm mit.\"\n\nVorsichtig um leere M\u00fcsliriegel-Verpackungen, zerkn\u00fcllte Dosen von Boost, schmutzige Kleidung und die \u00fcberraschend schlecht behandelte Sammlung von Artefakten herumtretend, kam das Trio am Br\u00fcckenschott an. Yela, nahm einen tiefen Atemzug, um sich zu beruhigen, bereute dies sofort wegen des Geruchs und dr\u00fcckte dann den Knopf, um die Luke zu \u00f6ffnen.\n\nAls die Br\u00fcckent\u00fcr zur\u00fcckglitt, wurden die drei Geschwister von einer Welle von Gossenrockmusik getroffen. Daymar schlug sich schnell die H\u00e4nde \u00fcber die Ohren, um den L\u00e4rm zu \u00fcbert\u00f6nen, aber er konnte immer noch den tiefen Bass sp\u00fcren, der sein Herz schneller und schneller schlagen lie\u00df.\n\n\"Entschuldigung?\" sagte Yela, um ihre Ankunft anzuk\u00fcndigen, aber die schweren Gitarrenriffs verschluckten ihre Stimme.\n\n\"Hey!\" Cellin versuchte, \u00fcber den L\u00e4rm hinweg zu schreien, ohne gro\u00dfen Erfolg. Sie marschierte an den beiden Terminals vorbei, die den hinteren Teil des Raumes bev\u00f6lkerten, und n\u00e4herte sich dem Pilotensessel am Bug des Schiffes, wo ein schmales Band aus dickem Fensterglas einen engen Blick auf die nahegelegenen Sprungpunktbaken bot.\n\nAls Cellin nahe genug war, um hinter die sperrigen Schubpolster zu sehen, die die R\u00fcckenlehne des Sitzes s\u00e4umten, blieb sie verwirrt stehen. Yela und Daymar holten sie ein und sahen mit eigenen Augen, was ihre j\u00fcngere Schwester verwirrt hatte. Der Pilotensitz war leer.\n\nKeiner flog das Schiff.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich schaltete die Musik ab, und die Stille, die folgte, war fast genauso ohrenbet\u00e4ubend.\n\n\"In Ordnung. Folgendes wird jetzt passieren\", sagte eine tiefe, melodische Stimme. \"Du wirst jetzt langsam deine Arme heben und dich umdrehen. Versuch etwas anderes und du wirst es bereuen.\"\n\nDie drei taten wie ihnen gehei\u00dfen und drehten sich um, um eine sehr gro\u00dfe Frau zu sehen, die in einer Nische neben der T\u00fcr stand, ihr Kopf ber\u00fchrte fast die Decke. Sie m\u00fcssen direkt an ihr vorbeigelaufen sein, als sie hereinkamen. Doch was in diesem Moment mehr Sorgen bereitete, war das massive Gewehr, das sie auf den Boden neben ihren F\u00fc\u00dfen richtete.\n\n\"Ist das eine echte Waffe?\", fragte Cellin.\n\n\"Das willst du nicht herausfinden\", sagte die Frau. \"Also, wer zum Teufel bist du?\"\n\n\"Ich bin Daymar und ich werde ein Schlepper sein.\"\n\n\"Fantastisch, Junge. Du hast definitiv den Hut daf\u00fcr. Aber ich meinte, was du auf meinem Schiff machst. Du\", sagte sie und gestikulierte mit dem Gewehr vage in Richtung Yela. \"Reden.\"\n\nYela trat nerv\u00f6s einen Schritt vor. \"Wir sind in Banaru versehentlich auf dein Schiff gekommen. Wir wollten es nicht, aber bevor wir gehen konnten, schloss sich die T\u00fcr und wir sa\u00dfen fest. Wenn ihr uns zur\u00fcckbringen k\u00f6nntet, k\u00f6nnten wir -\"\n\n\"Wei\u00df jemand, dass ihr hier seid?\"\n\n\"Nein, wir sind alleine unterwegs, aber unsere Gro\u00dfmutter wird sich Sorgen machen, wenn -\"\n\n\"Es wird folgendes passieren. Ich werde euch drei in den Laderaum sperren und ihr werdet dort sitzen und nichts anfassen, bis ich jemanden finden kann, der euch abholt.\"\n\n\"Du willst unseren Baba holen?\", fragte Daymar.\n\nDie Frau l\u00e4chelte: \"So \u00e4hnlich. Das Wichtigste zuerst. Nehmt eure Taschen ab und legt sie auf den Boden.\"\n\nDaymar und Yela taten wie ihnen gehei\u00dfen, aber Cellin hielt sich an ihrem Rucksack fest. \"Nein.\"\n\n\"Was meinst du mit \"nein\"?\", fragte die Frau.\n\n\"Du kannst Babas Geschenk nicht haben\", sagte Cellin und dr\u00fcckte den Beutel fester an ihre Brust.\n\nYela streckte ihrer Schwester die Hand entgegen, um ihr die Tasche zu geben. \"Lass sie uns ihr geben, Cellin. Wir wollen sie nicht w\u00fctend machen.\"\n\nDie gro\u00dfe Frau machte einen Schritt nach vorne und nutzte ihre volle K\u00f6rpergr\u00f6\u00dfe, um die Kinder zu \u00fcberragen.\n\n\"Deine Schwester hat recht. Ich glaube, ihr begreift nicht die ganze Tragweite eurer Situation hier. Ihr drei habt euch das schlechteste Schiff ausgesucht, auf dem ihr euch verstecken k\u00f6nnt. Seht ihr, das ist nicht nur irgendein Schiff. Ich bin ein ber\u00fcchtigter Schmuggler. Wenn du irgendjemanden fragst, der sich mit solchen Dingen auskennt, ob man sich mit Rose Bryer anlegen sollte, dann werden sie dir ohne Umschweife sagen, dass man sich nicht leichtfertig mit mir anlegen sollte. Entweder das oder sie werden sagen, dass sie noch nie von mir geh\u00f6rt haben. Beide Antworten zeigen, wie gut ich als Schmuggler bin, klar?\"\n\n\"Du bist wie ein Pirat?\", fragte Daymar und seine Augen waren so gro\u00df, dass sie ihm aus dem Kopf zu fallen drohten.\n\n\"Nahe genug\", sagte Rose.\n\n\"Woah. Das ist ja noch besser als ein Schlepper.\"\n\n\"Nicht f\u00fcr dich. Das ist das letzte Mal, dass ich es sage, gib die Tasche her, sonst...\".\n\n\"Oder sonst was?\", fragte Cellin.\n\n\"Oder sonst das.\" Blitzschnell griff Rose nach unten und riss die Tasche aus Cellins Griff. \"Das hast du nicht kommen sehen, oder?\"\n\n\"Hey! Das ist Diebstahl!\" Schrie Cellin.\n\n\"Sie wei\u00df es, Cellin. Sie ist ein Pirat\", erkl\u00e4rte Daymar.\n\n* * *\n\nWenig sp\u00e4ter standen Yela, Daymar und Cellin wieder im Frachtraum, nur dass diesmal ein dickes Stromkabel um sie gewickelt worden war, das das Trio in einer Art unbeholfener Gefangenenumarmung aneinander fesselte. Es hatte eine Ewigkeit gedauert, von der Br\u00fccke zum hinteren Teil des Schiffes zu schlurfen, aber Rose folgte ihnen geduldig mit ihrem bedrohlichen Gewehr im Anschlag, nur f\u00fcr den Fall.\n\n\"So. Jetzt k\u00fchlt ihr drei euch hier drin ab und benehmt euch. Wir sollten noch fr\u00fch genug in Croshaw sein.\"\n\n\"Du bringst uns aus Sol heraus?\", fragte Yela und drehte ihre Geschwister so, dass sie den Schmuggler ansehen konnte.\n\n\"Das bedeutet normalerweise, dass wir nach Croshaw gehen\", antwortete Rose.\n\nYela sp\u00fcrte, wie ihr der Mund trocken wurde. Sie hatte schon immer durch einen Sprungpunkt gehen wollen, sie hatte nur nicht erwartet, dass sie es heute tun w\u00fcrde. Schon gar nicht als Gefangene. Das wurde wirklich zu etwas, das direkt aus dem Haus des Aschgrauens kam.\n\nRose musterte die Kinder einen Moment lang. \"Lass mich raten, du bist noch nie gesprungen?\"\n\nDas Schweigen der Geschwister war die einzige Antwort, die sie brauchte. Rose machte ein paar Schritte zu einem nahegelegenen, in der Wand eingelassenen Lagerraum und \u00f6ffnete mit einem Schl\u00fcssel das codierte Schloss. Aus dem Inneren der kleinen Kammer zog sie einen abgetragenen EVA-Anzug heraus und warf den Helm mit einem Klappern neben sie. \"Hier, wenn du krank wirst, benutze diesen alten Helm als Eimer.\"\n\nRose wandte sich zum Gehen.\n\n\"Warte. Was ist, wenn wir auf die Toilette m\u00fcssen?\", fragte Daymar, dessen F\u00fc\u00dfe schon ein wenig hin und her tanzten.\n\n\"Der Anzug hat einen Recycler drin. Der k\u00f6nnte noch funktionieren. Den k\u00f6nnt ihr benutzen.\"\n\n\"Und wenn wir hungrig werden, sollen wir den Anzug auch essen?\", fragte Cellin.\n\nRose rollte mit den Augen. \"Im Spind ist auch ein Verpflegungsset. Ich w\u00fcrde empfehlen, mit dem Essen bis nach dem Sprung zu warten, sonst landet das alles nur im Helm.\"\n\nRose betrat das Schott, das den Frachtraum vom Rest des Schiffes trennte.\n\n\"Warte, was ist damit, uns loszubinden?\", fragte Yela.\n\n\"Nein.\"\n\nUnd damit versiegelte die Schmugglerin den Laderaum hinter sich.\n\nOhne eine Sekunde zu verschwenden, sog Cellin den Atem ein und schl\u00fcpfte leicht aus ihren Fesseln. Auf dem Weg zum Ausgang blieb sie stehen und hob den Helm vom Boden auf. \"Daymar, klopf an die T\u00fcr und flehe sie an, zur\u00fcckzukommen. Wenn sie reinkommt, k\u00f6nnen wir ihr auf den Kopf schlagen.\"\n\n\"Okay\", sagte Daymar, hob die lose Schnur weg und folgte Cellin.\n\n\"Wartet, was macht ihr zwei denn da?\", fragte Yela, als sie aus der Kordel trat und sich beeilte, sie einzuholen.\n\n\"Wir meutern\", antwortete Daymar. Er begann mit den F\u00e4usten auf die versiegelte Luke zu h\u00e4mmern. \"Hilfe! Hilfe! Da ist ein Ungeheuer!\"\n\nCellin schnappte sich eine Kiste vom Boden des Lagerraums und schleppte sie neben die T\u00fcr. \"Wenn wir das Schiff \u00fcbernommen haben, k\u00f6nnen wir selbst nach Europa fliegen.\" Sie kletterte auf die Kiste und hob den Helm \u00fcber ihren Kopf, bereit, denjenigen anzugreifen, der durchkam.\n\n\"Seid ihr verr\u00fcckt geworden? Komm da runter. Wir k\u00f6nnen Rose nicht angreifen.\"\n\n\"Warum nicht? Sie hat uns angegriffen.\"\n\n\"Zum einen hat sie eine Waffe. Zum anderen m\u00fcsst ihr auf mich h\u00f6ren. Dad hat mich damit beauftragt, f\u00fcr deine Sicherheit zu sorgen.\"\n\n\"Und sieh dir an, wohin es uns gebracht hat, dass du die Verantwortung tr\u00e4gst\", murmelte Cellin, w\u00e4hrend sie ihren Griff am Helm verlagerte. \"Wir haben zwei Geschenke verloren, unseren Flug verpasst und wurden gekidnappt. Vielleicht sollte ich von nun an die \u00e4ltere Schwester sein.\"\n\nYela sp\u00fcrte, wie sich ihr Magen unter ihr zusammenzog. Vielleicht hatte Cellin mal wieder recht. Ihr Herz schlug schneller und der Raum begann um sie herum zu schwimmen. Vielleicht h\u00e4tte ihr Vater ihr nicht trauen sollen.\n\n\"Ich f\u00fchle mich nicht so gut\", sagte Daymar und fasste sich an den Bauch.\n\nAls Yela beobachtete, wie Cellin in den Helm kotzte, wurde ihr endlich klar, warum sie das Gef\u00fchl hatte, dass ihr Inneres gleichzeitig gedehnt und gequetscht wurde.\n\nSie hatten einen Sprungpunkt erreicht.\n\n* * *\n\nCellin lag mit ihrem Kopf in Yelas Scho\u00df, w\u00e4hrend ihre Schwester sanft mit den Fingern \u00fcber ihren R\u00fccken fuhr.\n\nDaymar sa\u00df in der N\u00e4he und durchst\u00f6berte die Rationen in der Kiste, die Rose ihnen hinterlassen hatte.\n\nDie drei fingen endlich an, sich nach ihrer Reise durch den Zwischenraum wieder normal zu f\u00fchlen. Yela konnte die Vorstellung, dass sich auf der anderen Seite der H\u00fclle ein v\u00f6llig neues Sternensystem befand, immer noch nicht ganz begreifen und konzentrierte sich stattdessen darauf, sich um Cellin zu k\u00fcmmern, der die schlimmsten Symptome des Sprungs erlebt hatte.\n\n\"Es ist, als h\u00e4tte Dad das ausgesucht\", sagte Daymar, als er den letzten Inhalt der Kiste auf den Boden kippte. \"Alle Essensriegel sind Pilzragu, und es gibt nur zwei Geschmacksrichtungen von Boost zu trinken, Bittermelone und Kaffee. Blech.\" Als er den Boden der Kiste erreichte, zog er ein spiralgebundenes Buch heraus, das dort gelagert war, und hielt es seiner Schwester schnell hin. \"Hier, Yela. Ein Lese-Ding.\"\n\n\"Was steht auf dem Einband?\", fragte Yela. Nach Daymars Missgeschick mit der Beschriftung der Andockstelle war sie fest entschlossen, ihrem j\u00fcngeren Bruder zu helfen, seine Lesef\u00e4higkeiten zu verbessern.\n\nDaymar studierte das Cover einen Moment lang und begann dann seinen Versuch. \"E-meer-gen-ki Praht-o-cowls. Emeergenki Prahtacals?\"\n\n\"Richtig, Notfallprotokolle\", sagte Yela.\n\n\"Was bedeutet das?\"\n\n\"Es ist wahrscheinlich eine Anleitung, was zu tun ist, wenn das Schiff Feuer f\u00e4ngt oder den Druck verliert oder so. Wie dieses Video, das wir uns ansehen mussten, bevor das Transportschiff vom Mars abhob. Willst du die erste Seite lesen?\"\n\n\"Nein\", sagte Daymar und legte das Buch neben seiner Schwester ab. \"Ich will nachsehen, ob im Lagerraum etwas nicht-gro\u00dfes zu finden ist.\" Daymar stand auf, ging zu der Kiste, die Cellin vorhin aus dem Spind geschleppt hatte, und \u00f6ffnete ihren Deckel.\n\n\"Hier sind noch ein paar Druckanz\u00fcge drin\", sagte Daymar, w\u00e4hrend er begann, sie auszuleeren. \"Jetzt k\u00f6nnen wir alle auf die Toilette gehen, wenn wir es brauchen.\"\n\nYela nahm das Handbuch mit den Notfallprotokollen in die Hand und begann darin zu bl\u00e4ttern. \"Anscheinend wurde dieses Schiff in den Werften bei Deimos gebaut und es ist \u00fcber hundert Meter lang. Oh, du kennst doch den Raum mit den ganzen Rohren, durch die wir gegangen sind? Es hat sich herausgestellt, dass das die Lebenserhaltungskontrollen sind. Hier wird der ganze Sauerstoff und das Wasser und so gehandhabt.\"\n\n\"Vielleicht k\u00f6nnen wir sie vergiften\", sagte Cellin, als sie sich von Yelas Scho\u00df erhob. \"Nicht genug, um sie zu t\u00f6ten oder so, aber wenn sie das n\u00e4chste Mal duschen w\u00fcrde, w\u00fcrde das Wasser sie vielleicht krank machen und dann k\u00f6nnten wir meutern.\"\n\n\"Selbst wenn wir einen Weg aus diesem Raum finden w\u00fcrden und einen Weg, das Wasser zu vergiften, erinnerst du dich daran, wie dreckig ihr Zimmer war? Wer wei\u00df, wie lange wir noch warten m\u00fcssten, bis sie tats\u00e4chlich duschen w\u00fcrde.\"\n\n\"Ich h\u00f6re nicht, dass dir ein besserer Plan eingefallen ist.\"\n\n\"Das liegt daran, dass es keine guten Pl\u00e4ne gibt. Wir sind hier eingesperrt und das ist alles, was es gibt. Still zu sitzen und zu warten ist der beste Weg f\u00fcr uns alle, um hier sicher rauszukommen.\"\n\nCellin blickte nach unten und fuhr mit dem Finger besorgt \u00fcber den kleinen Riss in ihrer Schuhspitze. \"Aber was ist, wenn wir es nicht schaffen?\" Nur die nassen Flecken auf dem Laderaumboden verrieten, dass sie weinte.\n\nYela \u00f6ffnete den Mund, um ihrer Schwester zu versprechen, dass es ihnen bestimmt gut gehen w\u00fcrde, aber bevor sie die Worte aussprechen konnte, wurde ihr klar, dass sie sich nicht mehr sicher war. Sie wusste nicht, wo Rose sie hinbrachte oder was sonst passieren k\u00f6nnte. Yela f\u00fchlte sich pl\u00f6tzlich hilflos.\n\nHier erlebte sie tats\u00e4chlich ein Abenteuer, das perfekt in eines ihrer B\u00fccher passen w\u00fcrde, und es f\u00fchlte sich nicht so an, wie sie es sich vorgestellt hatte. Die Charaktere in ihren Geschichten schienen immer so viel Spa\u00df zu haben, wenn sie in Gefahr waren. Aber andererseits las sie auch nie von Leuten wie Annabelle Reynard und Lord Falton, die nur herumsa\u00dfen und still warteten. Vielleicht ist es das, was Baba meinte, wenn sie ihnen sagte, dass \"es schwer ist, irgendwo hinzukommen, wenn man nicht bereit ist, einen einzigen Schritt zu tun.\"\n\n\"Vielleicht k\u00f6nnen wir, anstatt das Wasser zu vergiften\", begann Yela, zur \u00dcberraschung von Cellin, \"diese Notl\u00fcftungssteuerungen benutzen, um die Atmosph\u00e4re aus dem Schiff zu sp\u00fclen und sie bewusstlos zu machen.\" Sie zeigte auf die entsprechenden Diagramme im Handbuch.\n\n\"Ja! Das k\u00f6nnte durchaus funktionieren!\", stimmte Cellin zu und wischte sich die Augen. \"Und wir k\u00f6nnen diese Druckanz\u00fcge benutzen, damit wir wach bleiben.\"\n\n\"Ja! Wir brauchen nur einen Weg, um hier rauszukommen.\"\n\n\"Ich kann diese Kiste nicht \u00f6ffnen\", sagte Daymar. Die beiden M\u00e4dchen schreckten auf, da sie kurzzeitig vergessen hatten, dass ihr Bruder noch da war. \"Und sie l\u00e4sst sich auch nicht bewegen\", sagte Daymar und zerrte am Griff einer Kiste im Lagerraum. Der Nummernblock auf dem vorderen Riegel leuchtete rot und zeigte, dass sie versiegelt war.\n\n\"Du k\u00f6nntest es mit dem Code versuchen, mit dem sie die Schrankt\u00fcr ge\u00f6ffnet hat\", schlug Yela vor. \"2380.\"\n\n\"Woher wei\u00dft du, welchen Code sie benutzt hat?\"\n\n\"Sie hat sie direkt vor unseren Augen ge\u00f6ffnet. Es war irgendwie schwer, es nicht zu sehen.\"\n\n\"Manchmal verstehe ich dein Gehirn nicht.\"\n\n\"Ich auch nicht\", sagte Yela und schubste ihre Schwester spielerisch.\n\n\"Der Code hat funktioniert!\", rief Daymar aus und hob den Deckel an. \"Oh. Da ist nichts drin. Nicht einmal ein Boden.\"\n\n\"Was?\"\n\nYela und Cellin eilten hin\u00fcber, um nachzusehen. Es war wenig Licht im Spind, aber es war nicht zu leugnen, dass das Innere der Kiste viel dunkler war, als es sein sollte. Yela streckte eine Hand hinein, so weit sie konnte, und stie\u00df auf keinen Widerstand. \"Da ist kein Boden.\"\n\n\"Das habe ich auch gesagt\", erinnerte Daymar.\n\n\"Ich frage mich, was da unten ist\", sagte Cellin.\n\n\"Es ist zu dunkel, um etwas zu sehen\", sagte Yela.\n\n\"Ich habe eine Idee\", sagte Daymar, bevor er den Spind verlie\u00df und mit einem der Druckanz\u00fcge zur\u00fcckkam. Er fummelte einen Moment und dann wurden alle drei Geschwister pl\u00f6tzlich geblendet, als die Taschenlampe des Anzugs aufleuchtete. Ohne einen Moment zu verschwenden, lie\u00df Daymar den Anzug in die Kiste fallen. Er fiel einige Meter tief, bevor er in einer Art Kriechgang unter dem Boden zum Stehen kam.\n\n\"Das ist ein Geheimtunnel.\"\n\n\"Wohin f\u00fchrt er?\"\n\n\"Lass es uns herausfinden\", sagte Daymar. Er zog sich \u00fcber den Rand der Kiste und hakte seine F\u00fc\u00dfe in eine kleine Einbuchtung dort ein. In der Kiste war eine Leiter eingebaut! Daymar kletterte hinunter in den Unterboden und krabbelte au\u00dfer Sichtweite. \"Hier unten gibt es einen ganzen Raum.\"\n\nUm nicht au\u00dfen vor zu bleiben, folgten Cellin und Yela schnell nach unten.\n\nAutomatische Lichter schalteten sich ein, als sie das Ende des Tunnels erreichten und enth\u00fcllten eine kleine Nische, die mit Regalen ausgekleidet war.\n\n\"Wir haben den Piratenschatz gefunden\", sagte Daymar und betrachtete staunend die verschiedenen Gegenst\u00e4nde in den Regalen.\n\n\"Hier muss sie das ganze Zeug verstecken, das sie schmuggelt\", sagte Yela. Sie hob vorsichtig einen flachen, gravierten Stein aus dem Regal und fuhr mit den Fingerspitzen leicht \u00fcber die Markierungen. \"So einen habe ich bei unserem Schulausflug ins Moskauer Geschichtsmuseum gesehen. Das ist eine Keilschrifttafel. Sie ist tausende von Jahren alt.\"\n\n\"Schau dir diese Brille an\", sagte Cellin und schob sich die dunkle, \u00fcbergro\u00dfe K\u00e4feraugenoptik auf den Kopf. \"Sie ist genau wie die, die die Siedler in den alten Grenzsendungen benutzen, die Dad so gerne sieht.\"\n\n\"Das Zeug ist wirklich wertvoll\", stellte Yela fest. \"Ich glaube, Rose muss sich auf den Schmuggel von seltenen historischen Artefakten spezialisiert haben. Das erkl\u00e4rt all die B\u00fccher und Sachen in ihrem Zimmer.\"\n\n\"Hey, s\u00fc\u00dfer kleiner Kerl\", sagte Daymar und klopfte auf einen durchsichtigen Glaskasten. \"Wie ist dein Name?\"\n\nIm Inneren krabbelte ein haariges, schnecken\u00e4hnliches Wesen an der Seite entlang, dessen Unterseite sich in einem Schauspiel aus bunten Wellen wogte, wo es an der Oberfl\u00e4che entlang glitt. Daymar schob den Deckel des Kastens ab.\n\n\"Vorsichtig, nicht anfassen\", warnte Yela.\n\n\"Keine Sorge, es ist freundlich\", versicherte Daymar, w\u00e4hrend er ganz vorsichtig seine Hand in die Kiste steckte. \"Es ist ein Sniblet. Sie kommen aus Aremis. Ich habe alles \u00fcber sie bei Kid Kadets gelernt.\"\n\n\"Und was macht es hier drin?\"\n\n\"Das ist ganz einfach. Sniblets sind auch Sch\u00e4tze, weil die Menschen auf Vega versucht haben, sie auszurotten. Es gibt nicht mehr sehr viele von ihnen.\"\n\n\"Ich dachte, du h\u00e4ttest gesagt, dass sie freundlich sind.\"\n\n\"Freundlich zu Menschen. Sniblets fressen aber Metall. Schau mal.\" Daymar setzte die wurst\u00e4hnliche pelzige Kreatur auf eine Bronzeskulptur, die zwei Menschen beim K\u00fcssen zeigte. Als die Kreatur entlang kroch, verschwand das Metall praktisch und innerhalb von Sekunden war nichts mehr von den Torsos der jungen Liebenden \u00fcbrig.\n\nYela \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte das Schild an der Skulptur. \"Er hat gerade einen Rodin gegessen. Was auch immer das ist.\"\n\n\"Ich sch\u00e4tze, er hatte Hunger\", sagte Daymar. \"Vielleicht ist das ja sein Name.\" Daymar hob den Brocken an sein Gesicht. \"Wie w\u00e4re es damit. Gef\u00e4llt dir der Name Rodin?\"\n\n\"Was meinst du, wie viel Metall kann Rodin essen?\"\n\n\"Sie k\u00f6nnen eine Menge essen. Warum?\"\n\n* * *\n\n\"Diese Bittermelonendrinks sind ziemlich gut\", sagte Yela und nahm einen weiteren Schluck. \"So \u00e4hnlich wie ein Zitronen-Apfel-Geschmack. Willst du wirklich nicht probieren?\"\n\nDaymar sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf, nein, und konzentrierte sich darauf, Rodin zur\u00fcck auf den Weg zu f\u00fchren, den sie gezeichnet hatten. Der kleine Sniblet hatte sich bereits ein gutes St\u00fcck an der Ausgangsluke des Frachtraums entlang gefressen.\n\nCellin zappelte in dem sackartigen Druckanzug, den sie trug. Alle drei Geschwister hatten die Anz\u00fcge angezogen, um bereit zu sein, die Atmosph\u00e4re des Schiffes zu verlassen, sobald die kleine Kreatur ihren Fluchtweg zu Ende gefressen hatte.\n\n\"Ich h\u00e4tte dich nicht den Kaffeeboost trinken lassen sollen\", sagte Yela zu ihrer Schwester. \"Schau, wie nerv\u00f6s du bist.\"\n\n\"Wie lange wird das noch dauern?\"\n\n\"Es sollte nicht mehr lange dauern. Rodin macht wirklich gute Fortschritte\", sagte Yela.\n\n\"Nein, tut er nicht\", sagte Daymar.\n\nDie Schwestern schauten nach. Sicherlich bewegte sich der merklich fettere Schnabel nicht mehr.\n\n\"Ich glaube, er k\u00f6nnte voll sein\", hob Daymar sanft an und stupste Rodin an, aber es hatte keine Wirkung.\n\n\"Ich sch\u00e4tze, wir m\u00fcssen einfach warten, bis er wieder aufwacht\", sagte Yela.\n\n\"Nein, ich passe schon durch\", sagte Cellin. Sie zog den gro\u00dfen Druckanzug aus und steckte einen Fu\u00df durch das Teilloch in der T\u00fcr und dann den n\u00e4chsten Fu\u00df. Sie dr\u00fcckte sich bis zu den H\u00fcften durch, dann sog sie den Atem ein, drehte und wackelte, bis sie es gerade noch schaffte, sich ganz durchzuzw\u00e4ngen. Es gab keine M\u00f6glichkeit, dass Yela oder Daymar auf die gleiche Art und Weise durchkommen w\u00fcrden wie ihre j\u00fcngere, flexiblere Schwester.\n\n\"Fantastisch! Jetzt kannst du die Luke f\u00fcr uns \u00f6ffnen!\" sagte Yela.\n\nCellin versuchte es mit dem Bedienfeld, aber die T\u00fcr blieb fest an ihrem Platz. \"Sie ist auch auf dieser Seite verschlossen. Sie sagt, ich habe keine Erlaubnis.\"\n\n\"Das hei\u00dft, die einzige M\u00f6glichkeit, sie zu \u00f6ffnen, sind die Sicherheitskontrollen auf der Br\u00fccke.\"\n\n\"Gib mir meinen Anzug und ich hole dich raus.\"\n\n\"Was? Dich alleine gehen lassen?\"\n\n\"Ihr zwei seid zu gro\u00df und wir k\u00f6nnen es nicht riskieren, darauf zu warten, dass Rodin aufwacht. Wer wei\u00df, was passieren k\u00f6nnte oder wie lange Sniblets Nickerchen dauert\", sagte Cellin. \"Sag mir einfach, was ich tun soll und ich kann die Luft sp\u00fclen.\"\n\nYelas Instinkt war es, zu argumentieren und ihre Schwester zu sch\u00fctzen, aber nach allem, was sie an diesem Tag durchgemacht hatten.\n\n\"Hier.\" Yela reichte ihrer Schwester den zerknitterten Druckanzug und den Helm durch die kleine \u00d6ffnung und erkl\u00e4rte ihr anhand der Diagramme im Handbuch, was Cellin tun musste, um die Notl\u00fcftungssteuerung auszul\u00f6sen und die Laderaumluke zu \u00f6ffnen.\n\nSobald ihre j\u00fcngere Schwester au\u00dfer Sichtweite war, setzten Yela und Daymar ihre Helme auf und warteten.\n\nEs waren wahrscheinlich nur ein oder zwei Minuten, aber als sie dort stand und ihren eigenen Herzschlag im Helm h\u00f6rte, hatte Yela ein viel tieferes Verst\u00e4ndnis daf\u00fcr, wie ihr Wissenschaftslehrer versucht hatte, ihnen zu erkl\u00e4ren, dass Zeit ein relatives Konzept ist.\n\n\"Glaubst du, dass Rose Cellin gefunden hat?\", fragte Daymar und strich mit seinem behandschuhten Finger sanft \u00fcber Rodins R\u00fccken, um sich zu beruhigen.\n\nWie als Antwort ert\u00f6nte ein lautes Klirren, gefolgt von dem Rauschen des Windes. Die Atmosph\u00e4re wurde aus dem Laderaum gesaugt!\n\n\"Rodin, schau\", sagte Daymar. \"Cellin hat es geschafft!\"\n\nRodin! Yela war so besorgt um Cellin gewesen, dass sie den kleinen Schnibbler fast v\u00f6llig vergessen hatte. \"Daymar, Rodin kriegt keine Luft mehr\", sagte Yela. \"Wir m\u00fcssen ihn in einen Anzug bringen.\"\n\nWenn sie aufgeh\u00f6rt h\u00e4tte zu denken, h\u00e4tte sie es auf keinen Fall getan, aber in diesem Moment, als die ganze Luft aus dem Raum entwich, schien es die offensichtliche Wahl zu sein. Yela holte tief Luft und nahm ihren Helm ab.\n\nDer Wind rauschte so stark an ihrem Gesicht vorbei, dass sie kaum die Augen offen halten konnte, und dann, einen Sekundenbruchteil sp\u00e4ter, h\u00f6rte der Wind auf. Die Atmosph\u00e4re war v\u00f6llig verschwunden. Yela beugte sich nach vorne, damit Daymar die \u00d6ffnung ihres Anzugs erreichen konnte und hoffte, dass er es verstehen w\u00fcrde. Ihre Lungen brannten, als Daymar nach vorne griff und Rodin in ihren Druckanzug schl\u00fcpfte. Ohne einen weiteren Moment zu verschwenden, schnappte sie sich ihren Helm und holte tief Luft.\n\nW\u00e4hrend sie schwer keuchte, begann Rodin \u00fcber ihre Gesichtsplatte zu krabbeln.\n\n\"Er ist wach! Du hast es geschafft!\"\n\nIn diesem Moment glitt die Frachtraumt\u00fcr auf.\n\n\"Komm schon\", keuchte Yela. \"Lasst uns Cellin finden.\"\n\nAls sie den Maschinenraum betraten, h\u00f6rten sie wieder das Rauschen des Windes. Die Notl\u00fcftungsprotokolle des Schiffes, die Br\u00e4nde l\u00f6schen und Gifte aussp\u00fclen sollten, pumpten die Atmosph\u00e4re bereits wieder hinein.\n\nAls sie die Lebenserhaltung durchquerten, kamen sie im Mannschaftsquartier an und sahen Cellin \u00fcber dem bewusstlosen K\u00f6rper von Rose stehen und Babas Geschenk stolz \u00fcber ihrem Kopf halten.\n\n\"Meuterei! Das Schiff ist unser!\", rief Cellin triumphierend.\n\nFortsetzung folgt","zh_CN":"A Gift for Baba\n05\/11\/2021 - 5:00 PM\n\nBy: Will Weissbaum\n\nWriter's Note: A Gift for Baba (Part Two) first appeared in Jump Point 5.9. Read Part One here. Original artwork by Sean Andrew Murray.\nPart Two\nShe was going to get in so much trouble for this, was the first thought that ran through Yela\u2019s head as the large hauler they had mistakenly become trapped on pulled away from Banaru Station. Staring up at the towering stacks of cargo containers surrounding the three children, she wondered, how could things have gone so wrong? All she had to do was get her two siblings safely aboard their connecting shuttle and instead, here they were rocketing to some strange location aboard a strange ship.\n\nThe next thought Yela had was, this is just like that time when Annabelle Reynard accidentally boarded Lord Falton\u2019s ship when he was posing as the pirate king and the two of them dueled until they realized that both were secretly attempting to \u2014\n\n\u201cCome on.\u201d\n\n\u201cHuh?\u201d said Yela, snapping out of her House of Ashen Grey daydream. It seemed that no matter what was going on, she could always lose herself in one of her books, even when she wasn\u2019t actually reading it.\n\n\u201cWe need to stop this ship,\u201d Cellin said as she grabbed her sister\u2019s sleeve and pulled her towards the exit on the far side of the cargo hold.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d said Yela, freeing her arm and taking the lead. \u201cIf we can get the captain to take us back to Banaru right away, we can try to get on the 19:45 flight to Europa. Maybe they will even let us comm Baba and tell her what happened. She\u2019ll be worried when our shuttle arrives and we\u2019re not on it.\u201d\n\nYela felt better. They had a plan now. If she just focused on that, there was less room in her head for the doubt and worry.\n\nThough Baba would probably scold them at first for missing their flight, when she found out about their adventure and how well Yela had handled the situation, their grandmother was sure to give one of the little smiles she gave whenever they were particularly brave or clever. As Baba said, \u201cA good adventure is always worth getting in a little bit of trouble for.\u201d\n\n\u201cDo we have to leave so soon? I\u2019ve never been on a hauling ship before,\u201d Daymar asked as he walk alongside his sisters. \u201cWait!\u201d\n\nCellin and Yela froze in their tracks as Daymar dropped to his knees and ripped open his rucksack. \u201cWhat? What is it? Did we lose Baba\u2019s gift?\u201d Yela asked.\n\n\u201cNo, I have it right here,\u201d said Cellin, showing her older sister.\n\nYela was relieved to see the precious gift still safely tucked into Cellin\u2019s bag. After working so hard to get a replacement for the first gift they lost, she didn\u2019t even want to think about the chance of losing this one. Even the dim lighting of the cargo hold did little to hide how beautiful its craftsmanship was. It had clearly been well used over the years, but carefully cared for. Exactly the sort of thing that Baba loved.\n\nPart of Yela was still amazed that the stall owner had agreed to give the gift to them in exchange for only partially opening her Banu lockbox. Yela supposed that after years of trying to open the thing, even making that little bit of progress must have seemed well worth the trade. The stall owner was probably sitting with the lockbox right now trying to open it the rest of the way, but Yela had a sneaking suspicion that when she returned to Station Banaru on their way back to Mars, the stall owner and the box would be in very much the same state they were in when the children had left.\n\n\u201cThere it is,\u201d said Daymar as he pulled out a worn, bright yellow cap and secured it on his head. \u201cNow I look like a real hauler. Maybe the captain will even let me fly the ship. Oh, maybe I can fly us all the way to Baba\u2019s house!\u201d\n\nCellin was consistently amazed by her brother\u2019s ability to find the bright side of any situation. If she was a stormcloud as her father liked to say, Daymar was the ray of sunshine that poked through it. \u201cMaybe,\u201d said Cellin with a half-smile. \u201cBut first we have to hurry up and go talk to them.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen let\u2019s go!\u201d\n\nWith that, Daymar let loose an even bigger grin and sped up, leading the way through the cargo stacks.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s this way, Daymar.\u201d\n\nWithout losing a step, Daymar stopped, turned, and followed his sisters in the correct direction.\n\n* * *\n\nIt turned out that the hauling vessel not only had one of the biggest rooms they had ever seen on a ship, it also had one of the messiest. After heading out of the cavernous cargo hold, through the deafening engine room, and past whatever it is you call those rooms that are almost completely full of pipes and valves, they had come to the crew quarters.\n\nEven though there were two beds, it was clear that only one was in use since the other was completely covered in an assortment of items, the bulk of which could most easily be described as \u2018junk.\u2019 The small kitchenette on the side of the room housed a museum\u2019s worth of dirty dishes, the work desk was covered with dozens of small vials, and the floor itself only had the narrowest of navigable paths through the flotsam accumulated there.\n\n\u201cWoah. Look at all this stuff,\u201d exclaimed Cellin, impressed. Her own personal choice of living conditions hovered slightly around disaster area, but even her sleephab back on Mars paled in comparison to the sheer magnitude of chaos that filled the small crew area.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cIt smells like dad\u2019s feet,\u201d said Daymar, crinkling his nose.\n\n\u201cYou still sure you want to be a hauler?\u201d Asked Yela.\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d said Daymar, but not that confidently.\n\n\u201cLook, it\u2019s not trash. It\u2019s a collection,\u201d said Cellin, stooping to pick up a small rock off the ground. \u201cDad showed me one of these before. It\u2019s a flint arrowhead.\u201d She cut across the mess to hold up a large loose piece of fabric from the floor. \u201cAnd this. I learned about this flag from school. It\u2019s from Port Renatus\u2019 first election when they formed the Mars Union.\u201d\n\nCellin\u2019s eyes narrowed and she protectively pulled the flag close to her. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t put the Martian flag on the floor. Even if it is an old one.\u201d\n\nDaymar was looking unhappily at the bottom of his left shoe where there were clear signs of him having stepped in something sticky and quite unpleasant. \u201cAre you sure it\u2019s a collection and not just trash?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s both.\u201d Yela was surveying the room with new appreciation. \u201cI couldn\u2019t see it under the mess, but whoever lives here definitely loves history.\u201d She turned her head sideways to look at the books that lined the packed shelf along the wall. \u201cLook at all the books. This one\u2019s about the Mars Tragedy. That one\u2019s about ancient Rome. There\u2019s Nick Croshaw\u2019s biography. There\u2019s even three books about the Stanley Mutiny.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s the Stanley Mutiny?\u201d Daymar and Cellin both asked.\n\n\u201cWhen the UNE formed, a bunch of starmen didn\u2019t like it, so they captured their captain and took over their warship. It\u2019s what started the Unification Wars,\u201d said Yela. \u201cBut we\u2019re getting distracted. Right now, we still need to figure a way to get to Baba. Come on.\u201d\n\nCarefully stepping around empty mealbar wrappers, crumpled cans of boost, dirty clothing and the surprisingly ill-treated collection of artifacts, the trio arrive at the bridge bulkhead. Yela, took a deep breath to calm herself, immediately regretted doing that because of the smell, and then pressed the button to open the hatch.\n\nWhen the bridge door slid back, the three siblings were hit by a wave of gutter rock music. Daymar quickly slapped his hands over his ears to try to drown out the noise, but he could still feel the deep bass causing his heart to beat faster and faster.\n\n\u201cExcuse me?\u201d Yela said to announce their arrival, but the heavy guitar riffs swallowed up her voice.\n\n\u201cHey!\u201d Cellin tried shouting over the din, to little effect. Marching forward past the two utility terminals that populated the back of the room, she approached the pilot\u2019s chair at the nose of the ship where a narrow band of thick-paned cockpit-glass provided a cramped view of the nearby jump point beacons.\n\nWhen Cellin was close enough to see past the bulky thrust-padding that lined the back of the seat, she stopped in her tracks, confused. Yela and Daymar caught up with her and saw for themselves what had perplexed their younger sister. The pilot\u2019s seat was empty.\n\nNo one was flying the ship.\n\nSuddenly, the music switched off, and the silence that followed was almost as deafening.\n\n\u201cAll right. Here\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen,\u201d said a deep, melodic voice. \u201cYou\u2019re going to slowly raise your arms and turn around. Try anything else and you\u2019ll regret it.\u201d\n\nDoing as they were asked, the three turned to see a very tall woman standing in an alcove next to the door, her head almost touching the ceiling. They must have walked right past her when they came in. However, more concerning at the moment was the massive rifle she was aiming at the floor by their feet.\n\n\u201cIs that a real gun?\u201d asked Cellin.\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t want to find out,\u201d said the woman. \u201cNow, who the heck are you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Daymar, and I\u2019m going to be a hauler.\u201d\n\n\u201cFantastic, kid. You definitely got the hat for it. But I meant what are you doing on my ship. You,\u201d she said, gesturing the rifle vaguely at Yela. \u201cTalk.\u201d\n\nYela nervously stepped forward. \u201cWe accidentally got on your ship at Banaru. We didn\u2019t meant to, but before we could leave the door closed and we were stuck. If you could take us back, we could \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cAnyone know you\u2019re here?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, we\u2019re traveling by ourselves, but our grandmother will be worried when \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cHere\u2019s what\u2019s going to happen. I\u2019m going to lock you three in the hold and you\u2019re gonna sit there not touching anything until I can get someone to pick you up.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re going to comm our Baba?\u201d asked Daymar.\n\nThe woman gave a smile, \u201cSomething like that. First things first. Take off your bags and put them on the ground.\u201d\n\nDaymar and Yela did as they were told, but Cellin held firmly onto her pack. \u201cNo.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you mean, no?\u201d demanded the woman.\n\n\u201cYou can\u2019t have Baba\u2019s gift,\u201d said Cellin, clutching the bag tighter to her chest.\n\nYela reached out her hand for her sister to give the bag to her. \u201cLet\u2019s give it to her, Cellin. We don\u2019t want to make her angry.\u201d\n\nThe tall woman took a step forward, and use her full height to tower over the kids.\n\n\u201cYour sister\u2019s right. I don\u2019t think you\u2019re grasping the full ramifications of your situation here. You three picked about the worst ship possible to stow away on. See, this isn\u2019t just any ship. I\u2019m an infamous smuggler. I mean, you ask anyone who knows about such things if Rose Bryer is to be trifled with and they\u2019ll tell you under no uncertain terms that I am not one to cross lightly. Either that or they\u2019ll say they have never heard of me. Both answers show just how good of a smuggler I am, clear?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re like a pirate?\u201d asked Daymar, his eyes so wide they looked like they were about to fall out of his head.\n\n\u201cClose enough,\u201d said Rose.\n\n\u201cWoah. That\u2019s even better than a hauler.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot for you. Now this is the last time I\u2019m going to say it, hand over the bag or else.\u201d\n\n\u201cOr else what?\u201d asked Cellin.\n\n\u201cOr else this.\u201d With lightning speed, Rose reached down and yanked the bag from Cellin\u2019s grip. \u201cDidn\u2019t see that coming, did you?\u201d\n\n\u201cHey! That\u2019s stealing!\u201d Cried Cellin.\n\n\u201cShe knows, Cellin. She\u2019s a pirate,\u201d explained Daymar.\n\n* * *\n\nA little bit later, Yela, Daymar, and Cellin stood once again inside the cargo hold, except this time a thick power cord had been wrapped around them, binding the trio face to face in sort of an awkward prisoner hug. It had taken forever to shuffle from the bridge to the rear of the ship bound in this configuration, but Rose patiently followed them with that menacing rifle of hers at the ready just in case.\n\n\u201cThere. Now you three just cool your heels in here and behave yourselves. We should be in Croshaw soon enough.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re taking us out of Sol?\u201d asked Yela, rotating her siblings around so she could look at the smuggler.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s usually what going to Croshaw means,\u201d replied Rose.\n\nYela felt her mouth go dry. She had always wanted to go through a jump point, she just hadn\u2019t expected to do it today. Much less as a prisoner. This really was turning into something straight out of House of Ashen Gray.\n\nRose studied the children for a second. \u201cLet me guess, you\u2019ve never jumped before?\u201d\n\nThe sibling\u2019s silence was all the answer she needed. Rose took a few strides to a nearby storage locker nested in the wall, and keyed opened the coded latch. From inside the small chamber she pulled out a well worn EVA suit and tossed the helmet with a clatter next to them. \u201cHere, if you get sick use this old helmet as a bucket.\u201d\n\nRose turned to leave.\n\n\u201cWait. What if we have to use the bathroom?\u201d asked Daymar, his feet already dancing back and forth a bit.\n\n\u201cThe suit has a recycler in it. Might still be working. You can use that.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd if we get hungry, are we supposed to eat the suit too?\u201d said Cellin.\n\nRose rolled her eyes. \u201cThere\u2019s a ration kit in the locker too. I would recommend waiting till after the jump to eat or it\u2019s all just going to wind up in the helmet.\u201d\n\nRose stepped into the bulkhead separating the cargo hold from the rest of the ship.\n\n\u201cWait, what about untying us?\u201d asked Yela.\n\n\u201cNo.\u201d\n\nAnd with that, the smuggler sealed the cargo hold behind her.\n\nNot wasting a second, Cellin sucked in her breath and slipped easily from her bindings. Heading to the exit, she stopped and picked up the helmet off the floor. \u201cDaymar, bang on the door and beg her to come back. When she comes in we can hit her on the head.\u201d\n\n\u201cOkay,\u201d said Daymar, lifting the loose cord away and following after Cellin.\n\n\u201cWait, what do you think you two are doing?\u201d asked Yela as she stepped out of the cord and hurried to catch up.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re mutiny-ing,\u201d answered Daymar. He began to pound his fists on the sealed hatch. \u201cHelp! Help! There\u2019s a monster!\u201d\n\nCellin grabbed a crate from the bottom of the storage locker and dragged it next to the door. \u201cOnce we take over the ship, we can fly to Europa ourselves.\u201d Climbing on top of crate, she raised the helmet over her head ready to attack whoever came through.\n\n\u201cHave you gone crazy? Get down from there. We can\u2019t attack Rose.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy not? She attacked us.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor one thing, she has a gun. For another, you have to listen to me. Dad put me in charge of keeping you safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd look where you being in charge has gotten us,\u201d Cellin muttered as she shifted her grip on the helmet. \u201cWe\u2019ve lost two gifts, missed our flight, and got kidnapped. Maybe I should be the older sister from now on.\u201d\n\nYela felt her stomach drop out from beneath her. Maybe Cellin was right again. Her heart beat faster and the room began to swim around her. Maybe their dad shouldn\u2019t have trusted her.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t feel so good,\u201d said Daymar, clutching his stomach.\n\nAs Yela watched Cellin puke into the helmet, she finally realized why she felt like her insides were being stretched and squashed at the same time.\n\nThey had entered a jump point.\n\n* * *\n\nCellin laid with her head in Yela\u2019s lap as her sister gently ran her fingers over her back.\n\nDaymar sat nearby riffling through the rations in the box that Rose had left them.\n\nThe three were finally starting to feel normal again after their trip through interspace. Yela still couldn\u2019t quite wrap her head around the idea that on the other side of the hull was an entirely new star system, and had instead chosen to focus on taking care of Cellin, who had experienced the worst of the jump symptoms.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s like dad picked these out,\u201d said Daymar as he dumped the last of the box\u2019s contents onto the floor. \u201cAll the mealbars are mushroom ragu, and there are only two flavors of boost to drink, bitter melon and coffee. Blech.\u201d When he reached the bottom of the box, he pulled out a spiral bound book that had been stored there and quickly held it out to his sister. \u201cHere, Yela. A reading thing.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat does the cover say?\u201d asked Yela. After Daymar\u2019s mishap with the docking port lettering she was determined to help her younger brother improve his reading skills.\n\nDaymar studied the cover for a moment, and then began his attempt. \u201cE-meer-gen-ki Praht-o-cowls. Emeergenki Prahtacals?\u201d\n\n\u201cRight, Emergency Protocols,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s probably a guide on what to do if the ship catches fire or loses pressure or something. Like that vid they made us watch before the transport ship took off from Mars. Do you want to read the first page?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d said Daymar, putting the book down near his sister. \u201cI want to see if the storage locker has some not-gross food in it.\u201d Getting up, Daymar went to the crate Cellin had dragged out of the locker earlier and opened its lid.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s a bunch more pressure suits in here,\u201d said Daymar as he began to empty them out. \u201cNow we can all go bathroom if we need to.\u201d\n\nYela picked up the Emergency Protocols manual and began paging through it. \u201cSeems this ship was built in the shipyards near Deimos and it is over one hundred meters long. Oh, you know that room with all the pipes we walked through? Turns out that\u2019s the life support controls. Handles all the oxygen and the water and stuff.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaybe we could poison her,\u201d said Cellin as she sat up from Yela\u2019s lap. \u201cNot enough to kill her or anything, but like maybe next time she took a shower the water would make her sick and then we could mutiny.\u201d\n\n\u201cEven if we could find a way out of this room and a way to poison the water, do you remember how filthy her room was? Who knows how long we would have to wait for her to actually take a shower.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t hear you coming up with any better plans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s because there are no good plans. We\u2019re locked in here and that\u2019s all there is to it. Sitting and waiting quietly is the best way for all of us to get out of here safe.\u201d\n\nCellin looked down and worried her finger at the small tear in the top of her shoe. \u201cBut what if we don\u2019t?\u201d Only the wet spots on the cargo hold floor revealed that she was crying.\n\nYela opened her mouth to promise her sister that they definitely would be all right, but before she could say the words, she realized that she wasn\u2019t sure anymore. She didn\u2019t know where Rose was taking them or what else might happen. Yela suddenly felt helpless.\n\nHere she was actually living an adventure that would fit perfectly into one of her books, and it felt nothing like she imagined. The characters in her stories always seemed like they were having so much fun when they were in danger. But then again, she never read about people like Annabelle Reynard and Lord Falton sitting around and quietly waiting either. Maybe this is what Baba meant when she would tell them that, \u201cit\u2019s hard to get anywhere if you\u2019re not willing to take a single step.\u201d\n\n\u201cMaybe instead of poisoning the water,\u201d Yela began, to the surprise of Cellin, \u201cwe can use these emergency ventilation controls to flush the atmosphere out of the ship and knock her unconscious.\u201d She pointed to the corresponding diagrams in the manual.\n\n\u201cYeah! That could totally work!\u201d agreed Cellin, wiping her eyes. \u201cAnd we can use those pressure suits so that we stay awake.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes! We just need a way to get out of here.\u201d\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t open this box,\u201d said Daymar. The two girls started, having temporarily forgotten that their brother was still there. \u201cAnd it won\u2019t move either,\u201d said Daymar, tugging on the handle of a crate in the storage locker. The number pad on the front latch glowed red, showing that it was sealed.\n\n\u201cYou could try the code she used to open the locker door,\u201d suggested Yela. \u201c2380.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow do you know what code she used?\u201d\n\n\u201cShe opened it right in front of us. It was kind of hard not to see.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t understand your brain sometimes.\u201d\n\n\u201cSame,\u201d said Yela, playfully shoving her sister.\n\n\u201cThe code worked!\u201d exclaimed Daymar, lifting up the lid. \u201cOh. There\u2019s nothing in it. Not even a bottom.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\nYela and Cellin rushed over to look. There was little light in the locker, but there was no denying that the inside of the crate was much darker than it should have been. Yela reached a hand in and as far as she could and met no resistance. \u201cThere\u2019s no bottom.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s what I said,\u201d reminded Daymar.\n\n\u201cI wonder what\u2019s down there,\u201d said Cellin.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s too dark to see anything,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cI have an idea,\u201d said Daymar before he left the locker and came back with one of the pressure suits. He fumbled for a moment and then all three siblings were suddenly blinded when the suit\u2019s flashlight turned on. Not wasting a moment, Daymar dropped the suit down into the box. It fell for a few meters before coming to a stop in what appeared to be a crawl space located below the floor.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a secret tunnel.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere does it go?\u201d\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s find out,\u201d said Daymar. He pulled himself over the edge of the box and hooked his feet into a small indentation there. The box had a ladder built in! Daymar climbed down into the subfloor and crawled out of sight. \u201cThere\u2019s a whole room down here.\u201d\n\nNot wanting to be left out, Cellin and Yela quickly followed down.\n\nAutomatic lights kicked on as they reached the end of the tunnel, revealing a small alcove lined with shelves.\n\n\u201cWe found the pirate\u2019s treasure,\u201d said Daymar, looking at the various items on shelves with wonder.\n\n\u201cThis must be where she hides all the stuff she smuggles,\u201d said Yela. She delicately picked up a flat engraved stone from the shelf and lightly ran her fingertips over the markings. \u201cI saw one of these during our school field trip to the Moscow History Museum. This is a cuneiform tablet. It\u2019s thousands of years old.\u201d\n\n\u201cLook at these goggles,\u201d said Cellin, sliding the dark, oversized bug-eyed optics onto her head. \u201cThey\u2019re just like the ones the settlers use in those old frontier shows Dad likes to watch.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis stuff is really valuable,\u201d realized Yela. \u201cI think Rose must specialize in smuggling rare historical artifacts. That explains all the books and stuff in her room.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey, cute little fella,\u201d said Daymar, tapping on a transparent glass box. \u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d\n\nInside a hairy, slug-like creature crawled along the side, its underside undulating in a display of multicolor ripples where it glided along the surface. Daymar slid the lid of the box off.\n\n\u201cCareful, don\u2019t touch it,\u201d warned Yela.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry, it\u2019s friendly,\u201d assured Daymar as he very carefully put his hand into the box. \u201cIt\u2019s a sniblet. They\u2019re from Aremis. I learned all about them on Kid Kadets.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo what\u2019s it doing in here?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s easy. Sniblets are treasures too because people in Vega tried to wipe them out. There\u2019s not very many of them left.\u201d\n\n\u201cI thought you said it was friendly.\u201d\n\n\u201cFriendly to people. Sniblets eat metal though. Look.\u201d Daymar placed the sausage-esque furry creature on top of a bronze sculpture of two people kissing. As the creature crawled along, the metal practically vanished and within seconds there was nothing left of the torsos of the young lovers.\n\nYela checked the tag on the sculpture. \u201cHe just ate a Rodin. Whatever that is.\u201d\n\n\u201cI guess he was hungry,\u201d said Daymar. \u201cMaybe that could be his name.\u201d Daymar lifted the sniblet up to his face. \u201cHow about it. Do you like the name Rodin?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much metal do you think Rodin can eat?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey can eat a lot. Why?\u201d\n\n* * *\n\n\u201cThese bitter melon drinks are pretty good,\u201d said Yela, taking another sip. \u201cSort of like a lemon apple flavor. You sure you don\u2019t want to try?\u201d\n\nDaymar shook his head no, and focused on guiding Rodin back onto the path they had drawn. The little sniblet had already eaten his way along a good chunk of the cargo hold\u2019s exit hatch.\n\nCellin fidgeted inside the baggy pressure suit she was wearing. All three siblings had put on the suits so they\u2019d be ready to flush the ship\u2019s atmosphere the minute the little creature had finished munching their escape route.\n\n\u201cI shouldn\u2019t have let you drink that coffee boost,\u201d said Yela to her sister. \u201cLook how jumpy you are.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much longer is this gonna take?\u201d\n\n\u201cShouldn\u2019t be much longer. Rodin\u2019s making really good progress,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cNo he\u2019s not,\u201d said Daymar.\n\nThe sisters came to look. Sure enough, the noticeably fatter sniblet was no longer moving.\n\n\u201cI think he might be full\u201d Daymar gently picked up and prodded Rodin but it had no effect.\n\n\u201cI guess we\u2019ll just have to wait for him to wake back up,\u201d said Yela.\n\n\u201cNo, I can fit through,\u201d said Cellin. Taking off the large pressure suit, she put one foot through the partial hole in the door and then the next foot. She pushed herself through up to her hips, and then sucking in her breath, twisted and wiggled until she managed to only just barely squeeze all the way through. There was no way that Yela or Daymar were going to be able get through the same way as their younger, more flexible sibling.\n\n\u201cFantastic! Now you can open the hatch for us!\u201d said Yela.\n\nCellin tried the control panel, but the door stayed firmly in place. \u201cIt\u2019s locked on this side too. Says I don\u2019t have permission.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat means the only way to open it is the security controls on the bridge.\u201d\n\n\u201cGive me my suit and I\u2019ll get you out.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat? Let you go alone?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou two are too big, and we can\u2019t risk waiting for Rodin to wake up. Who knows what might happen or how long sniblets nap for,\u201d said Cellin. \u201cJust tell me what to do and I can flush the air.\u201d\n\nYela\u2019s instinct was to argue and protect her sister, but after everything they had been through that day . . .\n\n\u201cHere.\u201d Yela handed her sister the crumpled pressure suit and helmet through the small opening, and using the diagrams in the manual, proceeded to explain what Cellin would need to do in order to trigger the emergency ventilation controls and open the cargo bay hatch.\n\nOnce their younger sister was out of sight, Yela and Daymar put on their helmets and waited.\n\nIt was probably only a minute or two, but standing there, hearing her own heartbeat inside the helmet, Yela had a much deeper appreciation for when her science teacher had tried to explain to them how time was a relative concept.\n\n\u201cDo you think Rose found Cellin?\u201d asked Daymar, gently stroking his gloved finger along Rodin\u2019s back as way to calm himself.\n\nAs if in reply, there was a loud clunk, followed by the rushing sound of wind. The atmosphere was being sucked out of the cargo hold!\n\n\u201cRodin, look,\u201d said Daymar. \u201cCellin did it!\u201d\n\nRodin! Yela had been so worried about Cellin that she had almost completely forgot about the little sniblet. \u201cDaymar, Rodin won\u2019t be able to breath,\u201d said Yela. \u201cWe have to get him inside a suit.\u201d\n\nIf she had stopped to think, there was no way she would have done it, but right then, as all the air drained out of the room, it seemed like the obvious choice. Yela sucked in a deep breath and took off her helmet.\n\nThe wind rushed past her face so hard that she could barely keep her eyes open, and then a split second later the wind stopped. The atmosphere was all gone. Leaning forward so that Daymar would be able to reach her suit\u2019s opening, Yela hoped that he would understand. Her lungs were burning as Daymar reached forward and slipped Rodin into her pressure suit. Not wasting another moment, she snap her helmet back into place, and sucked in a deep breath.\n\nAs she panted heavily, Rodin began to crawl across her faceplate.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s awake! You did it!\u201d\n\nIt was then that the cargo hold door slid open.\n\n\u201cCome on,\u201d panted Yela. \u201cLet\u2019s find Cellin.\u201d\n\nAs they entered the engine room, they heard the rush of wind again. Designed to put out fires and flush toxins, the ship\u2019s emergency ventilation protocols were already pumping atmosphere back in.\n\nCrossing through life support, they arrived at crew quarters to see Cellin standing above the unconscious body of Rose and holding Baba\u2019s gift proudly above her head.\n\n\u201cMutiny! The ship is ours!\u201d cried Cellin triumphantly.\n\nTo be continued"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":0,"created_at":"2021-05-12T02:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"4 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 20:10:41","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":18115,"next_id":18117}}