Earth's Last Angel by Leon Castle

Author:Leon Castle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leon Castle
Published: 2015-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 48

The dock for the prospecting vessels is crawling with crew members applying last minute preparations. Sofia can’t help smiling. Mondok is strutting about like a little bantam rooster, ordering people to get a move on and get the PV’s in the correct alignment for launching. She imagines he will crow with delight when they are all out there finally on their way. PV 005 is positioned at the rear of the first five to be launched. Some of the crew stand outside waiting to have their names checked off before they enter the launch area. Sofia takes her case from Ven.

‘Thank you,’ she says.

She reaches over the case and kisses him lightly on the cheek.

He seems surprised by the gesture, and she forces a smile then turns away.

Denise has been half listening to the chatter from the co-pilot, Vardok, when it is announced they will be leaving in 10 minutes. ‘Damn,’ she says, cutting off Vardok mid-sentence. ‘Sofia’s not here.’

‘I’m sure she will be soon,’ says Vardok, in his easy going drawl.

‘I’m not so sure,’ says Denise, thinking of her disappearing act in the hotel. She catches hold of Mondok as he goes past. ‘Mondok, Sofia’s not here.’

‘Keep your frills on,’ he says. ‘I saw her with Ven. Look, there she is now.’

Denise looks where he is pointing and sees Sofia trying to run while clutching her case.

‘This is going to be mega cool,’ says DJ, one of the trainees. His identical twin AJ just nods vigorously in agreement.

Mondok laughs at their enthusiasm. ‘Well, I wish you well on your expedition, guys,’ he says.

They watch him rush off to the next PV, then they enter PV 005. Sofia rans up the ramp after them, puffing. ‘Sorry I’m cutting it fine,’ she says to Denise.

‘There’s nothing to be sorry about, Sofia,’ says Denise. ‘You’re here now.’

‘Count down in one minute.’ Nolack-1’s voice takes them by surprise and they scramble into their seats, buckling in. ‘Ten, nine, eight…’

‘We’re really doing it people!’ whoops a huge Norok looking guy when the vessel lifts from the pad. Sofia sighs, her earlier tension vanishing. PV 005 is space borne and heading for the asteroid belt. ‘Hey, Thirz,’ she says to the big guy. ‘How are you going?’

‘Brilliant now that I’m on this mean machine.’

Thirz is a born systems technician. He lives and breathes technology, like Ven. She thinks of Ven then. She shakes her head as if to break her thoughts. Distraction, that’s what she needs.

‘Quadrant coordinates locked in,’ Frances’s voice drifts back from her pilot’s seat up front of the flight deck. The unfasten seatbelts sign chimes.

The crew unbuckle their belts and Sofia wanders up front. Tom’s face appears on the communications screen. Sofia stares, forgetting he can also see her. ‘Hello Sofia,’ he says.

‘Oh Tom, hello,’ she says after a moment, trying to cover her surprise.

‘How was takeoff?’

‘Exhilarating.’

He grins. ‘Speed freak.’

‘Yeah! Look who’s talking.’

Sofia becomes aware he is looking past her and she turns around. Denise has moved in and is waiting to speak.

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