The Distance Between

by Blair Cousins

  “But Captain Pole, it’s not me!” Ester cried out in her defense.

  “What! That’s nonsense,” Murk hissed.

  “We are watching you.” Captain Pole held up his hand to Murk, signaling him to be quite. “It doesn’t matter who starts what, a true ranger knows when to walk away. This is not play school. If you graduate ranger academy you will be working with hostile and provoking forces. It is vital that you keep a cool head, reckless behavior could jeopardize the mission.”

  Ester wanted to protest more, but Captain Pole had already moved onto another subject. She couldn’t believe she was being punished for something Murk started. If they were truly watching them then they must be doing a poor job. It was ridiculous and frustrating in her eyes. She sat at her desk simmering in anger. This was all Murk’s fault.

  The classed ended, and everyone was assigned chapters of work on intergalactic relations. Ester exited the classroom and stormed down the hall near breaking point. Angel followed behind her.

  “Ester, wait up.” Angel chased after her.

  “It’s not fair.” She slammed her fist into the wall, generating enough electricity to cause a nasty shock.

  “Forget about him,” Angel said. “At least they know he’s an asshole.”

  “Yeah, but I got in trouble too.” Ester slumped. From day one, that kid had it out for her. It wasn’t fair that she was getting in trouble too.

  “How about this? For break we can do something extra special to take your mind off this. I’m sure there’s something fun going on in central Ans-on; there always is.”

  Ester straightened up. She was looking forward to seeing the shops.

  “Hey, what about going to Snow Mountain? It’s a really nice jelly bar, oh, and Button’s Core Spa is a place that can resurrect any crappy mood. I love that place, and don’t worry about paying.” Angel pulled out his tablet. “Oh and Galaxia will be preforming at Centra, but if you’d rather go shopping, that’s fine too.”

  “Wait, Galaxia is preforming in Ans-on? This weekend?” Ester grabbed Angel by the shoulders.

  “Yeah,” Angel nodded. “She usually tours around this time of year, why?”

  “Can we see her?” Ester said with one hundred percent seriousness.

  “Sure.” Angel clicked on a few links on his tablets. “First row seats okay with you?”

  “Wait, how?” Ester looked over Angel’s shoulders.

  “My family gets invites to these things all the time, so it’s no biggie.”

  Ester could not believe what she was hearing. “Oh my gosh, I would die if we went.”

  “Well, I need you alive, so I can have a study partner.”

  “Fine, just can we go?” Ester begged.

  “Clicked and booked.” Angel smiled from ear to ear.

  “Oh my gosh! Thank you! Thank you!” Ester shouted and hugged him.

  This news melted away all of Ester’s anger. She was so excited about break she could barely focus in class for the rest of the day. It was one thing to be in ranger academy; it was another thing to see one of her idols preform live. She walked behind Angel to the gym feeling much better about the week.

  ***

  To Ester it felt like the week just flew by. Ester and Angel were ready for a break after an intense week of studying. Ester was especially excited about the break because she was seeing Galaxia live for the first time. Galaxia had been her favorite singer songwriter ever since she was fifteen and she couldn’t believe Angel got front row seats. This was more than a dream, it was something she never thought possible. Back at the dorm, Ester packed her bag for the two-day trip. She didn’t have many clothes, but they were comfortable, and she didn’t care either way how she looked. Angel joined her, pulling out his bag of make-up and luggage. He turned and looked at what Ester was packing and cringed.

  “You’re not taking that are you?” He eyed her half full zipped bag.

  “What?” Ester said.

  Angel stepped over to her bed and peeked into the bag. He poked at her tattered clothes and made a face.

  “How long have you had these?” Angel backed away from the bag as if it were cursed.

  “They’re secondhand, but they’re new to me, so what does it matter?” Ester picked up her favorite t-shirt with the faded logo of a beverage company that had long gone out of business. She smiled fondly, as Angel looked like he wanted to vomit.

  “Yeah, no.” Angel placed his hands on her shirt and brought it back to the bed.

  “What’s wrong with this shirt? It doesn’t have any holes,” Ester complained.

  “Maybe not, but it is not proper Ans-on attire.”

  “And what do I wear then? All my clothes are like this.” Ester crossed her arms.

  Angel looked like he was going to gag. “All? Okay, intervention time. First thing we’re doing when we get to the mainland is going shopping.” Angel looked at Ester’s natural appearance and hair. “And makeovers.”

  Ester touched her face. “What’s wrong with my face?”

  Angel winced. “Do you want an honest answer?” Ester was starting to get mad as the electricity made her hair frizzy. “It’s okay, it’s not terminal. I can help you out.” Angel put his hands up in defense.

  Fermit and Samay walked over to join them. Samay had her bags packed too.

  “Heading out?” Angel asked Samay.

  Samay nodded. “I’m visiting my uncle who lives in Ans-on. He was nice enough to send me tickets.” She smiled warmly.

  “Nice,” Angel said.

  “What about you, Fermit?” Ester asked.

  “I’m staying here,” Fermit grinned as he scratched the back of his shaven head. “Gotta cram for the test. Don’t want to fall behind,” He laughed.

  “That’s fair,” Angel said. “Well try to get some kind of break in there.”

  Fermit nodded.

  Ester and Angel said goodbye to their friends as they headed to the train station. Angel was a little sad that his new friends couldn’t come with them, but it was a short break and it was good to see that everyone was making the most of it.

  Angel and Ester stood at the terminal in the train station and waited for their train to arrive. This terminal was a lot different than the busy one Ester arrived at a few months ago. There were less people and a lot more security. Even the people waiting for the train looked different. Ester looked closer and recognized some of the people by their honors. There were a lot of junior sergeants and civil servants. Angel seemed unfazed. After all, Angel was the son of civil councilors, so he was probably used to this. There was a low rumble coming from the blue lit tunnel as the train arrived. Angel pulled out his express card and digi-id and waved for Ester to follow. The train was nothing like the one she road in on. This one was huge. She followed Angel to the door and waited behind him as the people got off. It was so big she wasn’t tall enough to see inside the windows. Once the last person got off, everyone filed in and scanned their cards. Ester pulled out hers, but Angel stopped her.

  “I got this,” Angel reached over and scanned his card, then scanned his wristband over the panel. “My guests ride free.” He winked.

  Ester nodded in amazement as the light turned green and the two walked up the short flight of stairs. There were little cameras in the walls, and at the top was a man in a red and gold ride suit directing people to their seats.

  “Anywhere is fine.” Ester heard Angel say. She was barely listening as she was so amazed at how fancy it looked. The seats were all booths with tables in the middle. The cabin was super clean and spacious. There were staff taking food and drink orders and the walls were completely digital with news, weather, and investment updates flashing by.

  “Ester, over here.” Angel waved.

  Apparently, she was so lost in her surroundings she forgot to move. The door man eyed her as she shrunk away to Angel’s booth.

  “This is a train?” Ester felt the seats, which were unbelievably soft.

  Angel looked around and s
hrugged. “Yeah, this is about standard. I like the trains in the Ans-on underground better. Some of them have dance clubs in them.”

  Ester looked at Angel. She wasn’t even going to ask how a dance club could fit onto a train or why it would be on a train in the first place. The doors closed, and the train made its way out of the station. The lights in the tunnels sped past, but the service workers working the tables walked around unaffected.

  Ester leaned over to Angel and whispered. “How come nobody is falling over?”

  Angel gave her a weird look at first, but then he looked at who she was pointing to.

  “Oh, you mean the wait staff?” Ester nodded. Angel laughed out loud, which made his platinum blond curls bounce up and down. “It’s because of their ride suits. I think it’s the J-model. It’s magnetic and has balancing features. Some of the space rangers wear J-suits to make it easier to walk around. Civilian models are available in the shops, but they’re pricey. In my opinion, they’re not that cute either.”

  Ester nodded as she tried to process the information. When it came to Angel talking about expensive things, it seemed as common as talking about the weather. This was the distance that Ester felt sometimes in his presence. She couldn’t imagine a life where tones flowed like water, and everywhere you went you were connected digitally. A waiter came to their table and Angel ordered a drink, but Ester declined. She was too distracted by the beautiful view outside. They were crossing the ocean, and it was a marvelous sight to see. She would never get used to seeing it. High in the sky birds glided in the air as they circled schools of breaching fish. Ester kept her eyes on it the whole time, which amused Angel.

  When they arrived in Ans-on, there was a security officer there to meet them. Angel waved to him, and they followed him to an all-black hover car.

  “This is fancy.” Ester watched the man with the dark brown hair close the door behind them.

  “It’s standard; we always travel like this.” Angel turned on his wristband. “We can stay at my place for the break. The concert is tonight, so that doesn’t give us much time to get dolled up. Plus, I need a deep cleanse skin treatment because all that sweat has made my skin wrinkly.”

  Ester looked at Angel’s face and arms. Her face was a mix of amusement and confusion. The hover car ascended and joined the traffic pattern in the sky. Ester’s face was glued to the window. They were hundreds of feet in the air. She could see all the roads below her as they cruised among the tall buildings. They rose higher and jetted by sky malls, and past hover screens with large ads on them. One of which advertised the very concert they were going to tonight.

  “Look, Angel!” Ester pointed to her idol.

  Angel looked over. “Wow,” Angel said with little enthusiasm in his voice.

  Ester rolled her eyes.

  “I have to remember that you have never seen this before, which is like crazy.” Angel swiped through a few screens projected from the table. “Okay first, we have to get you something to wear.”

  “Angel,” Ester groaned.

  “I am not taking no for an answer.” Angel made a face. “You’re meeting my friends, and I want you to make a good impression.”

  Ester slouched in her chair and threw her hands up. Angel clapped with delight and began going over all the shops they would visit. Ester tuned it out to watch Galaxia sing. She melted at the thought that in just a few hours she would be seeing her live, which was well worth the hassle of a shopping spree.

  Angel’s home was located in the civil building. Civil servants and councilors were required to live in the civil buildings, which were amongst the most luxurious buildings in Ans-on. They pulled into the garage as a door on the side of the building closed. They hopped out, and Angel said goodbye to his driver and ran to elevator door. Ester nodded to the driver as well and rushed to catch up with him. She looked around and had never seen so many jet black and silver hover cars in her life. They were all newer models, top of the line. To her, it reminded her of a parking area, except it wasn’t on the ground and located inside of a multi-level sky scrapper.

  “I cannot wait to show you my closet. I have so many outfits and shoes.” Angel jumped up and down.

  The door opened to a room that was metallic gold and silver. Angel hit a button for A-22 and the elevator glided up smoothly. Ester marveled at how quiet it was; it was even quieter than the ones back at the academy. Angel pressed a button on his wristband and spoke into it.

  “Master, is mother and father home?”

  “Hello, Angel. Welcome home. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are not in the building. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?”

  The AI startled Ester.

  “What the heck was that?” Ester looked at Angel.

  “No, thank you, Master.” Angel sighed. “It’s just Master, our home private assistant AI. I thought they would be here. I sent them a message.” Angel lowered his eyes.

  “It’s okay, Angel I’m sure they have important work to do.”

  “Yeah, right.” Angel tapped a few buttons on the elevator display. “Master, what is my parents’ current location?”

  “Mr. Johnson’s current location is at the Mayfield Skybar, and Mrs. Johnson’s current location is at Salle’s Hair Salon and Spa. Estimated time of home arrival: Unknown.”

  “Thank you, Master.” Angel rolled his eyes. “See.”

  “Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

  “No, thank you, Master.” The door opened to a small hallway with three doors. “That’s my parents’ office.” Angel pointed to the right. “And that’s the briefing room.” He pointed to the left. “It’s for when they actually do work,” Angel joked as he placed his palm on the fingerprint reader. “And this is our home.”

  When Ester walked in she could not believe her eyes. The condo was so modern and sleek, with a metallic silver finish, much like how ranger academy was. All the tables and furniture were made from a tough clear resin and art decorated the walls accenting the apartment with color. Ester looked to her left at the living room that had flowering plants on the tables and a white and gold couch set. On the walls leading to the kitchen were family portraits. She stopped and smiled. Angel looked just like his mother, with her matching pale skin, almost white blond hair, and clear blue eyes. His father had golden blond hair and soft facial features that almost looked feminine. He was very handsome. Now she knew where Angel got it from.

  “Is it just you?” Ester stopped and looked at all the pictures.

  “Yup.” Angel shouted from the kitchen. “Mother lost all the rest of my siblings before they were welcomed into the world.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay, that’s why she named me Angel, from the lore of my great-great-grandmother. It was said an angel was a creature of luck, and if you saw one, you must drop to your knees and praise it and in return for the warm welcome it gives you good luck.”

  “Sounds kind of weird.” Ester stepped back from the wall and walked to the kitchen.

  Angel shrugged. “I think I’m good luck. Mother also said I was. She said I was the best thing to happen to her, that and the invention of deliverable wine.” Angel laughed as Ester looked around the kitchen.

  “Wow, I can’t believe you live here.” Ester admired the glass table and smooth white steel refrigerator and cooking oven. If someone told her that this place was brand new, she would believe them, because that’s how clean it looked.

  “Hungry? Want some water… or wine?” Angel offered.

  “No, thank you.” Ester continued to walk around the kitchen and Angel watched her in amusement.

  “Now I know where you’re from they have kitchens.”

  “Shut up. It’s nothing this fancy.” Ester pressed a button and a cabinet door opened revealing neatly placed glasses and plates.

  “Okay, okay,” Angel disappeared in the back. “Hey, come here I gotta show you my stuff, and you have to help me pick out something cute to wear.”

  �
��Okay.” Ester pressed the button again and the cabinet door closed. If she ever got this rich she would love to buy this kitchen for Sister Genevieve. “Where are you?” Ester walked down the hall.

  There were a lot of closed and open doors. She looked in one room and the lights turned on automatically. It was a bathroom and it was just as nice. Ester gaped at the tile floors and glass sink when she was shaken from her thoughts by Angel’s voice.

  “I’m in my room, last door on the left.” The sounds of drawers could be heard opening and closing from down the hall.

  Ester stepped out of the bathroom and walked down the hall. She stopped and looked at the artwork on the wall briefly before looking ahead.

  “You parents sure like…” Ester stopped in her tracks.

  Angel’s room was huge. It was so big Ester was sure it could fit about five people comfortability.

  “Do you share this with your parents?” Ester looked around at the soft pink and blue decorated walls, with posters of every big name model on Rean.

  “Eww, no. This is my room.” Angel ran around the room with a handful of clothes in his hands.

  “This whole thing?” Ester wanted to take a seat, her legs felt weak.

  “Yeah.” Angel gave her a weird look. “Help me find something cute.” Angel threw his clothes on his bed.

  Ester looked around. There were even rooms in his room, even a bathroom. “Are those closets?”

  “Yeah, I have three.” Angel held up a royal blue ride suit with cut outs on the front and back. “What do you think of this?”

  Ester shook her head to bring herself back down to Rean and stared at the suit. “Is it torn?”

  Angel laughed. “No silly, it’s a fashion suit, a FIN-ver, to be exact. What about this one?” The second suit was white and pink and looked like a crop top strapped to tight pants.

  “Um, I don’t know Angel. It all looks a little exposing to me.”

  “Good, so which would you say makes my butt look better?” Angel picked up two more suits and turned and showed off his backside.

  Ester stared in confusion. “I-I don’t know.”

  “Aww, you’re no fun.” Angel pouted.