* * * *
“OK Sofie, I think we can get out now.” Jessie pushed open the lid.
“Air, I need air!” Sofie tumbled to the floor. Jessie struggled to keep from giggling.
“Hey, we’re still in the hanger, we'll be able to watch the take off.” said Jessie looking out one of the windows.
“Shouldn't we keep quiet?” Sofie gave a worried look.
“Don’t worry, they can’t hear us.” Jessie said smugly. She spent enough time working on the ship to know that sound just didn’t carry very well inside. Maybe it was something to do with the shielding.
They looked out the windows. “I wonder what’s taking so long; we should have taken off by now.” Jessie wondered.
“We just wanted to make sure our guests were comfortable before we took off.” They jumped at Phyllis’s voice coming from behind them. She was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed looking grim.
“Hi” Sofie choked. “We were just leaving.”
Phyllis’s grim expression changed to a smile. “Come on girls, we have some seats for you in the main cabin. You’ll find those more comfortable than that storage bench.”
“What?” The girls said in unison.
“Your parents knew you were going to stowaway before you even thought of it yourselves.” Phyllis replied to their puzzled looks. “Why do you think you had chili last night?” She gave Jessie a wry smile before turning back to the main cabin.
Sofie glared at the chortling Jessie.
The shuttle’s interior was completely revamped as part of the retrofit. The original 2 seat cockpit was now a full sized bridge complete with a raised pilot chair flanked with co-pilot and communications stations. Four large passenger seats were set against the back wall, two on each side of the cabins entrance. Windows lined the front and side walls giving them a view of the activities going on in the hanger. Three large view screens were suspended from the ceiling.
Leland sat in the pilots chair talking into a headset while typing on a small keypad attached to the chairs armrest. Jade sat at her navigation console going over their planned course around the moon with her map displayed on one of the overhead view screens. She swung her chair around as they entered.
“Hey kids, how was your stay in the storage bin?” Her laughter at their sour faces made Leland look up from his work. He gave an irritable nod then returned to his deliberations with the ground crew.
“What about our dads?” Sofie asked looking around the bridge expecting to see them.
“They thought it might be too crowded if they came along, and they didn’t want to infringe on your adventures.” Phyllis told them taking her spot at the co-pilots station.
“Huh? Why not?” Jessie had really been looking forward to taking the trip with her dad.
“They wanted to come, but thought if there was any trouble they wanted to be on the ground to help... and I think they didn’t want to leave your moms alone. You can see them now.” Jade pointed out the front.
Alec's Dream Page 21