Spung at Heart

The Christa glided effortlessly through space. Outside, a tiny ship was sending out a distress signal. The Christa moved in to help the vessel. In the command post, Harlan and Radu were at watch. A strange beeping filled the room.

“What is it?” Harlan asked

“It’s a distress signal, Harlan,” Radu replied as he checked the signal at communications. “Whoever it is, they’re in big trouble. They’re loosing power.”

Radu moved back to his position beside Harlan at the helm.

“We have to help them,” Harlan said from the Christa’s main console. He pushed the hailing frequency. “Alien vessel, can you hear us? This is the Star cruiser Christa. Uh, Captain Harlan Band speaking.”

Radu looked at him questioningly. Harlan closed the channel with the alien ship and looked at his Andromedan friend.

“We have to show rank, don’t we?” he said, explaining himself.

He reopened the channel.

“Alien vessel . . . “ he began.

“Starship Christa,” a female voice interrupted. “Captain Harlanband. I hear you loud and clear. I’ve had a protomix blow out. I’ve lost all power. I’m all alone out here. Request permission to dock for emergency repairs.”

“Stand by for a second, miss,” Harlan told her.

He turned to Radu.

“Okay, we do the heroic thing and bring her aboard, right?” he asked.

“Why ask me?” Radu replied. “You’re the one who appointed yourself Captain.”

“That’s right, I am,” Harlan said, getting defensive. “Besides, Stardog regulations say we have to respond to an emergency distress signal.”

Harlan leaned against the console and stared at the small vessel on the main view screen.

“Okay, look,” Radu sighed. “We bring her in through the airlock and I’ll call Commander Goddard so he can be there when we open the inner door.”

“That’s a good idea,” Harlan agreed. “And you can be vice captain.”

Radu raised an eyebrow at his friend.

“Assistant captain,” Harlan corrected.

Radu looked straight ahead as if reading his name in lights.

“First officer,” he said.

Harlan made a face. “Whatever.”

He pushed a button to hail the alien ship.

“Attention, ship in distress,” Harlan said. “Stand by for docking. We’ll get you all fixed up, no problem. You have the solemn promise of Captain Harlan Band.”

Now, it was Radu’s turn to make a face.

*****

The little ship approached the Christa and began docking procedures. As it made its way into the ship, Radu and Harlan headed down to the airlock. Radu had already notified Commander Goddard who was on his way as well.

"What a great voice she had, you know?" Radu commented as they walked. "She sounded like an Andromedan."

"No way," Harlan argued. "Not with that voice. No, she's human."

Harlan put his hand on the control to open the airlock door.

"She's Andromedan," Radu protested.

"Human," Harlan assured his friend.

"Andromedan," Radu insisted.

Behind them, Goddard came walking more quickly than usual.

"Alright, Band," Goddard said.

The two boys turned to face him. Goddard walked up to Harlan and stood directly behind him.

"What's this I hear from Mr. Radu? Why did you let an unknown alien aboard this ship?" Goddard demanded.

As Harlan opened his mouth to answer, the airlock door hissed. Radu straightened his jacked and crossed his hands across his chest in anticipation for the first glimpse of their damsel in distress.

The circle door twisted open to reveal a young lizard like alien sitting in the airlock, absently playing with her three elongated fingers. She had scaly skin and a high ridge on her forehead that left only a little room for the long brown hair to flow down her back. Her long tail was curled around her. She raised her eyes to see her saviors.

"No way!" Harlan gasped.

"Uh oh," Goddard muttered.

"She's a Spung!" Radu exclaimed.

*****

The Spung female remained in the airlock and viewed the three men standing before her.

"Which one of you is Captain Harlanband?" she asked.

"I am," Harlan said.

Behind him, Commander Goddard glared at him with anger evident in his eyes.

"You promissed me help with my repairss?" she continued, a hiss evident in her voice.

"Yes, we did," Harlan agreed. He nodded to Radu. "This is my first officer, Radu, and . . uh, this is . . uh . ."

"Commander Seth Goddard," the commander said.

"Right, right," Harlan said quickly. "This is Commander Goddard, our . . . uh, our cook."

Radu furrowed his brow as he looked from the Commander to the self-proclaimed Captain. Harlan hurried ahead before either of them could say anything more.

"Welcome aboard."

The Spung female bowed her head in greeting.

"Would you excuse us?" Goddard said, putting his arm across Harlan's chest. "Something is burning. Cook's stuff, you understand."

He pulled Harlan down the hall. Radu quickly followed, keeping a watchful eye on their guest.

"What do you think you're doing?" Goddard demanded in a hushed whisper.

"She's a Spung," Radu said.

"She was in distress," Harlan insisted. "And the Stardog code says . . . "
"I know what the Stardog code says," Goddard cut him off.

'We have got to get her off this ship," Radu decided.

"And I promised," Harlan continued. "I gave her my word as a captain."

"As a captain?" Goddard struggled to keep his voice under control. "Yeah, that's another thing."

"I asked myself what Commander Seth Goddard, Stardog, would do. She was in distress! We have to keep our promise," Harlan said.

"It's a trick!" Radu exclaimed.

From the airlock door, the Spung female began to get restless. She looked down the hall the strange human captain had gone, wondering when they would return.

"You have put us in a very dangerous situation, Harlan," Goddard whispered.

"What else could we have done, Commander?" Harlan protested. "Left her there to die?"

"That's what she would have done to us," Radu told him.

Commander Goddard sighed. "Harlan's right," he said finally. "We've got to help her."

Radu gave the commander a look of disbelief. Help a Spung? It was absolutely unheard of. Harlan nodded, his face serious yet inside he was smiling.

"We'll keep a tight watch on her and as soon as her repairs are completed, she's off this ship, agreed?" Goddard decided.

Harlan nodded. "Agreed."
"Agreed," Radu said reluctantly. He had a funny feeling about this Spung, something he knew he should listen to.

Harlan spun on his toe to go back to their guest. Goddard grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. Commander Goddard proceeded first, followed closely by Harlan and a still hesitant Radu.

*****

"Trust you?" Radu said incredulously. "The Spung enslaved my entire race. Your people started a galactic war."

The Spung was sitting in the teamroom, using Thelma to repair part of her ship. Radu paced around her, glaring as she casually went about her repairs. Catalina and Harlan stood in the corner, watching their guest work.

"The war was an awful thing for both sides, Mr. Radu, but like you I was only a child when it was happening. I had nothing to do with it."

She used Thelma to probe her device. The android was happily helping the visitor.

"That's another thing, Radu," Goddard said. "The Spung don't let their females fight or have anything to do with policy decisions. They don't think they're smart enough."
"That's the reason I left and struck out on my own," she explained.

"Slavery and ignorance," Cat said, rolling her eyes. "What a fun race."

"You can't blame the mistakes of others on her because she's from the same planet," Harlan commented.

"All I ever hear from you is you don't trust me because Andromedans killed your father during the war," Radu said.

Catalina grimaced, knowing what was about to happen.

"Well, it was the Spung who forced the Andromedans to fight that war," Radu continued.

"You heard her First Officer Radu," Harlan yelled. "She didn't do it!"
Catalina bowed her head as Harlan lashed out.

"Neither did I," Radu shot back.

"Yeah? Well, this is different," Harlan told him.

"I'm sorry, Captain Harlanband," the Spung said. "I did not mean to cause trouble between you and your crew."

"We understand that," Harlan snapped.

"Elmira, is it?" Goddard asked.

The Spung nodded.

"Elmira, the fact is no matter what your explanation, we have to proceed with caution. We made our peace with the Andromedans," Goddard said, gesturing to Radu. "The Spung are still hostile."

"I understand," Elmira said with a nod. "I only need to stay long enough to repair my navigations and communications systems. In return," she continued, "I'll offer you the use of my talents."
"Your talents?" Catalina repeated, her voice full of doubt.

"I am an Oracle. I see the future," Elmira said.

Radu looked unconvinced and Harlan spoke out to clarify her claim.

"You're a fortune teller?" he questioned.

"If you wish," Elmira said, "I'll do a projection for each of you."

"And Suzee too, please?" Catalina asked hopefully.

"Suzee's Catalina's imaginary friend," Harlan explained.

"Uh, invisible," Catalina corrected.

"It's a trick," Radu accused.

Elmira looked at him sharply.

"We can't trust her!" Radu insisted.

He looked to Commander Goddard for help. The Commander was no help.

"Hold it, Radu," he said calmly. He turned back to the Spung. "Considering your status, you can't be left unguarded at any time. You do understand that?"

"I have already seen my own future, Commander," Elmira said. "We will all do what we are destined to do."

Radu shook his head and left the room, disgusted that his crewmates could fall for the Spung's trap.

"All right," Goddard agreed. "If you're willing to keep her under constant watch, we'll provide assistance. I'm trusting you people not to screw up."

With that, he turned and left the room. Catalina looked smugly at Harlan, who returned the look with one of nervousness at the sudden responsibility given to him.

"May I ask a question, Captain Harlanband?" Elmira asked.

Harlan nodded.

"Is the cook always this important on an Earthling star ship?"

Harlan looked uncomfortable as he searched for an answer. Catalina just watched as her friend tried to provide a reasonable answer.

"Um, it's an old Earth tradition," he said. "If the cook doesn't get his way," Harlan looked for a good excuse. His eyes lit up as he found one. "We don't get desert."

"Oh," Elmira said, not sounding convinced.

Catalina rolled her eyes at him in amusement.

*****

The Christa continued her way through space, passing asteroids and planets. Inside, things were getting better as Elmira prepared to do a projection for the crew. Ms Davenport, Catalina, Rosie and Bova sat at a table as Elmira appeared. Radu, who was guarding her, watched from the corner. Elmira stood before them. She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, going into a trance. The crew of the Christa waited impatiently. Her eyes snapped open and she threw a handful of sparkly dust into the air. It shimmered down, reflecting the light into a rainbow of patterns. Radu watched with concern and Ms Davenport brushed the dust away from her face in disgust. Elmira moved over to her first client. As she walked, Bova sneezed, his antennae sparking.

Catalina smiled as Elmira stopped behind her and put her three fingered hands on the Saturnian's face. She rotated her hands, contorting Catalina's face.

"No one can see who's coming here, but Catalina disappears," Elmira predicted.

She moved onto Rosie, leaving Cat with a look of fear on her face.

"A chilling fate I see for you, you will soon be very blue," Elmira told the Mercurian.

"I don't like being sad," Rosie protested.

Bova was next. He looked at Elmira with some discomfort as she massaged his face the same way she had done Catalina and Rosie.

"A sneeze in time will make it true, all the trouble starts with you," she told the Uranusian.

"Trouble?" Bova repeated. "That must mean some of my predictions are going to come true!"

Elmira moved onto Ms Davenport who looked eager to have her future revealed.

"Dreadful moans down every hall, for days your ghost on every wall," the Spung said.

"Ghost?" Ms Davenport questioned. "Oh, poppycock. It's all a game, fortune telling. One shouldn't put too much faith in it, really."

Elmira blinked and shook her head, coming out of the trance. Ms Davenport dismissed the predictions with a wave of her hand.

"Goodness," she laughed.

Harlan came in as Elmira moved to sit down.

"Ah, the sparkly dust," Bova complained. "It makes me wanna . . ."

"ACHOO!" he sneezed, sending a bolt of electricity across the table. It hit Catalina who flew backward with the impact, her hair standing on end.

"Did that hurt?" Thelma asked.

"Did what hurt?" Catalina asked back, slightly unsteady.

Ms Davenport, Thelma, and Harlan exchanged a three way glance.

*****

They brought her to the medlab where Rosie began to scan for any problems. Catalina lay on the chair with a grin on her face and her hair still standing on end from the zap.

"Catalina's fine," Cat said in a voice not unlike her own. "You can ask her yourself. She's right over there."

Rosie continued to scan her friend.

"I'm Suzee," Cat continued with a smile.

"She thinks she's her imaginary friend," Ms Davenport remarked.

"Invisible," Bova corrected.

"Whatever," Ms Davenport said.

" 'A sneeze in time will make it true, all the trouble starts with you,'" Rosie repeated Elmira's prediction as she finished her scan. "'You can't see who's coming here, but Catalina disappears.'"

"Elmira's predictions!" Ms Davenport gasped. "They're coming true! That means I'm going to be a ghost!"

Catalina made a face as Ms Davenport realized her fate.

"And it's my fault," Bova said. "I started it."
"The macro scanner says she's okay physically," Rosie reported. "I don't understand. We'll have to use the micro scanner."
Rosie pulled out a long, glowing rod and held it unsurely.

"This should do it," she said.

"Be careful, Rosie," Bova warned.

"I know what I'm doing," Rosie assured him. "I think."

Catalina rolled her eyes. Suddenly, the micro scanner shorted out and blue electricity zapped Rosie. She put down the scanner, still in shock. Her skin had gone from warm pink to frigid blue.

"Then again, maybe you don't," Bova said.

"Oh no," Rosie said in a stuffed up voice. "I've got a thermal inversion!"

Catalina giggled as Rosie moaned. Ms Davenport appeared shocked as Bova calmly looked on.

"A Mercurian cold," the gloomy Uranusian commented. "'A chilling fate I see for you, you will soon be very blue' I'm sorry, Rosie. It all started with my sneeze in time."

Rosie shivered and hugged herself, trying to stay warm. An expression of fear and disbelief passed over Ms Davenport's face.

"I'm going to be a ghost," she gasped. "I am going to be a ghost!"

"Maybe you don't have to be a real ghost," Rosie said, with a shaky voice.

"What other kind of ghost is there?" Bova asked.

Ms Davenport muttered something under her breath and fainted dead away. From the chair, Catalina who thinks she's Suzee laughed.

*****

Harlan walked down the hall of the Christa. He came up behind Commander Goddard who was trying to fix something in the Christa's ceiling. All around him hung wires and coils. Harlan cleared his throat.

"Commander," he said.

"What is it, Captain?" Goddard said mockingly.

"You are never going to let me live that down, are you?" Harlan asked.

Goddard smiled at his student over his shoulder and kept working. Harlan took a deep breath and continued.

"What if Radu's right?" Harlan continued.

Goddard stopped his work and stepped down off the ladder. He sat down and stared into Harlan's eyes.

"You're worried, aren't you?" he said, more of a statement than a question.

"Well," Harlan plunged forward. "I hate to think that I endangered the crew. I guess, I screwed up."

"Did I just hear you admit a mistake?" Goddard teased.

Harlan rolled his eyes. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Yes, it is," Goddard insisted. "You're starting to recognize that sometimes a Stardog doesn't know everything."

"What if Radu is right?"

Goddard sighed and lead Harlan back down the hall.

*****

In the team room, Elmira was still repairing her communications console with Thelma's help. Elmira stopped her repairs and Thelma looked closely at the console.

"Hmm, I believe you will need a new dillutium 235 intenator socket. I will get one for you," the android said.

Elmira nodded as Thelma stood and left the room. Her communicator started to beep and Elmira pushed a button to activate it.

"Attention," it said. "This is Warlord Shank of the Spung killcruiser Kazata. We have received your signal and we are on our way."

The communicator began to spark and smoke rose up. It went dead. Elmira nodded and waited for the android to return.

*****

Harlan and Commander Goddard walked into the team room to find Elmira and Thelma still working on the communicator. The android stood as they approached and Elmira stopped her work to greet them.

"You're going to have to complete your repairs and leave the Christa," Goddard ordered.

"Is that your order, Captain Harlanband?" Elmira asked.

Harlan stepped forward, nervous under the eyes of both Commander Goddard and Elmira.

"Uh, yes, yes. That comes from me," he said.

The door slid open and Radu walked in, having heard the conversation from the hall.

"I know you're not the real captain here," Elmira told him. "I know that Commander Goddard is in charge."

Radu watched the conversation taking place without speaking.

"My repairs are almost complete," Elmira assured them.

"What about my fortune?" Harlan asked.

Elmira rose from her seat and walked towards him. She threw some sparkly dust in the air and took a hold of the sides of his head.

"Think of where this all began, and then you'll understand the plan," she said.

"Where this all began," Harlan repeated quietly. "Where it all began. We're going home!" he cried. "Yes!"

Radu continued to look skeptical.

Elmira moved onto Thelma, who looked quite confused as the Spung took her face.

"A hole in space that glows with light, will take you all the way tonight," Elmira predicted.

"The white circle, Thelma," Harlan told her. "You're going to find the white circle, and we're going to go home."

Goddard shied away from Elmira as she took his face next.

"Not many Stardogs live to say they've seen what you will see today."

"What does that mean?" Goddard demanded.

Elmira rocked back and forth and looked at Goddard in confusion.

"What does what mean?" she asked.

"It sounded like bad news," Harlan remarked. "And all of her predictions have come true."

"Not all of them," Elmira disagreed.

"Not yet," Goddard said.

The wall screen swirled into life to reveal Ms Davenport moaning like a ghost.

"There's another one," Harlan said as they all turned to watch.

"Oooo . . . I am a ghost . . . " Ms Davenport moaned.

"To the command post," Goddard ordered.

He and Harlan rushed to the door and Radu turned to join them.

"Radu, stay with her," Goddard told him as they left.

Radu turned to look sharply at Elmira who returned the look with a cool glare.

*****

Harlan and Goddard hurried to the command post to find Ms Davenport standing against a wall, moaning into a camera. Bova was then projecting her recorded image onto every wall of the Christa.

"Ms Davenport, are you all right?" Goddard asked.

Ms Davenport stopped her moaning and pointed to the image of herself on the main viewing screen.

"There," she said. "A ghost on every wall just as Elmira predicted. The way to control your destiny is to make it up yourself. Now, I must moan for four days, just as Elmira said."

"I don't know, Ms Davenport," Bova remarked. "That's forcing it, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think," Ms Davenport told him, "and neither will you."

She hit him on the arm to signal him to start recording again. Bova turned on the camera and Ms Davenport continued her wailing. From the main console, Catalina giggled and Bova rolled his eyes. Harlan and Commander Goddard exchanged a look.

"Commander," Catalina said, "the scanners are picking up something."

Commander Goddard and Harlan rushed over to see what Catalina had found.

*****

In the team room, Radu stood in front of Elmira with his arms crossed and an expression of hatred on his face. Elmira had just finished her repairs and sat back to meet his gaze. She stood and walked toward him, preparing to give him his fortune.

"Fire and darkness, you will tame. Hero added to your name. Noble Radu, worthy and brave. Those who scorn you, you will save."

"So it is an act, isn't it?" Radu asked her.

"No, it isn't," Elmira protested. "But I like to use sparkly dust because people like a performance, that's all."

Radu looked at her warily.

"Harlanband doesn't hate you, Radu. He's afraid of you."
"Afraid?"

"Yes," Elmira insisted. "Every time he looks at you, he's afraid everything he knows is wrong, and so are you, every time you look at me."

*****

"Something big dropping out of hyperspace," Catalina reported.

Commander Goddard walked up to where Harlan stood at helm. They both stared at the screen as a large form appeared out of hyperspace, dwarfing the Christa.

"It's a Spung killcruiser," Goddard informed his crew. "Stand by for evasive maneuvers."
Ms Davenport continued to moan. Harlan and Goddard both looked at her as if she were insane.

*****

Radu stared at Elmira. On the table, forgotten, the communications device Elmira had repaired sprung into life.

"Attention, this is Warlord Shank of the Spung killcruiser Kazata. Stand by to surrender your ship or be destroyed."

Radu looked from the device to Elmira, his face an expression of shock and disbelief. Elmira looked back at him with the same expression.

"I was right," Radu accused her. "You did trick us!"
"No, Radu," Elmira protested. "They're not after you, they're after me. They want me for my talents. They want to use my power for military purposes. We are both very much alike, Radu. We're both . . . outsiders. We understand each other."

"Why should I believe you now? Maybe we should keep you as a hostage," Radu said.

"Then Warlord Shank will destroy all of us. If he can't have me, he'd rather kill me than have anyone else have the use of my powers. You've got to let me go, Radu."

"What if you want to get off the ship so that Warlord Shank can destroy us?"

"If Warlord Shank wanted to destroy the Christa, he would have done so already. Do you really think he'd worry about the life of a female Spung? If you hold me, he'll capture us all and we're running out of time."

Radu thought out her words as he tried to decided what to do next. Elmira seemed so convincing and she answered all of his questions logically. He could not think of a reason to hold her.

*****

"Oh my, oh, oh, my," Ms Davenport stuttered as she pointed at the image of the killcruiser on the screen.

"Not many people have seen a Spung killcruiser up close and lived to tell about it," Goddard told Harlan.

"How many?" Harlan whispered.

"If we live, we'll be the first."

*****

Radu carried Elmira's communications device to the airlock with the Spung oracle following close behind. As the airlock door opened, Radu expressed his concern.

"This could be a big mistake," he said.

"You know it isn't," Elmira told him.

"I don't know that," Radu shot back.

Elmira looked into his eyes. "Then why did you change your mind?"

Radu averted his gaze, pretending to be interesting in the wall.

"I'm trusting that you told the truth," he said at last, looking into her eyes, "a-about me, about Harlan, and all your other predictions came true. You're right. You are a powerful weapon and we can't let you be capture."

Radu said the last few words quickly and turned back to face the wall. Elmira moved closer to him and kissed him lightly on the lips. Without another word, she stepped into the airlock and held out her arms for the communications device. Radu handed it to her and the airlock closed.

*****

Rosie had opened up a channel with the Spung killcruiser and Harlan was trying to talk them out of attacking.

"I'm warning you, Warlord," Harlan said, trying his best to look fierce, "the hull of this ship is made with cenorite. Destroy us and the resulting explosion would destroy you, too."
"You don't seriously expect me to fall for such an obvious bluff, do you? Hah!" Shank laughed as he closed the channel.

Commander Goddard came up beside Harlan.

"Nice try, Harlan," he said.

The jump tubes began to signal an incoming person and Radu landed in the command post. He headed for his post at navigation.

"Where is she?" Catalina-Suzee asked.

"She got away," Radu told Goddard.

Goddard nodded. "Stations, everybody," he ordered. "Prepare for hyperdrive. Let's see if we can outrun them."

There was some scurrying in the back as Catalina-Suzee left navigation for her normal post at engineering. Bova headed for tactical while Rosie remained at communication.

"Not a problem," Harlan assured him.

Thelma walked into the room as Ms Davenport was getting down from her position in front of the camera.

"I have a surprise to announce," Thelma began.

"Commander," Radu interrupted as he stared at his console, "Elmira's ship, it's moving towards the . . . "
"Look!" Harlan interrupted again, pointing to the screen where the white circle had just appeared.

"The white circle has returned," Thelma finished.

"Just like Elmira said," Harlan added. "It's going to take us back to where this all began."

"But, Catalina says that if we go in we could all be destroyed," Catalina-Suzee protested.

"If we stay here, we're dead anyway," Radu objected.

"And Elmira said that they white circle would be back to take us home," Harlan concluded.

"Yeah, but she didn't guarantee it would get us home alive," Goddard pointed out. "We've got no choice. Do it!"

The ship turned and prepared to head for the white circle.

"Course laid in," Radu reported.

"Thrusters on line," Catalina-Suzee added.

"Bringing us around," Harlan said. "Commander, the killcruiser's moving in to intercept!"

"What about Elmira?" Radu asked.

"I'm picking up a transmission," Catalina-Suzee announced.

"Attention Christa. Dive for the white circle. It's your only chance," Elmira told them.

"Eleven seconds to interception," Radu reported.

"Punch it!" Harlan shouted.

The Christa headed to the white circle.

"Turn around, Elmira," Catalina-Suzee said. "Come with us!"

"My destiny lies elsewhere," Elmira replied.

The ship continued toward the white circle, picking up speed as it drew them in. The killcruiser powered up to fire, hitting the Christa several times.

"We're not going to make it," Harlan cried.

Ms Davenport yelled as sparks flew up around them. Elmira's ship flew under the killcruiser and began to fire at its weapons systems.

"It's Elmira!" Catalina-Suzee exclaimed. "She's firing on the Spung, distracting them!"

"White circle, dead ahead!" Harlan reported.

"We have to go back," Radu shouted. "Go back and help her!"

"We can't," Harlan yelled back. "The white circle's gravity field has got us! It's too late to break out!"

"Hang on!" Goddard yelled.

The ship was pulled through the circle and thrown out the other side, leaving the Spung killcruiser and Elmira's little ship far behind.

"We made it! It's over!" Harlan exclaimed.

"Is every body all right?" Goddard asked.

"Yeah," Radu replied. "Look! Catalina and Rosie are back to normal."
"Going through the white circle must have done it," Rosie remarked.

"Suzee, are you all right?" Catalina asked. "Oh, good."

"I'm back to normal, too," Rosie said. "200 degrees!"

"Lovely," Ms Davenport said was as much dignity as she could muster. "I can stop moaning now."

"Harlan, scan for the Starcademy," Goddard ordered.

"It's not here," Harlan remarked. "It's just empty space."
Everyone's faces fell as they stared at Harlan.

"Scanning for position," Radu reported. "Uh oh."

"Elmira's prediction was wrong?" Catalina asked.

"No, I think she was right," Harlan said.

"We're back where the white circle dropped us off the first time," Radu announced. "Seven years, four months, and twenty two days from home."

"Oh no," Bova sighed.

"You think Elmira survived?" Radu asked.

"I don't know. She was outgunned, but she was small, maneuverable," Goddard said. "I don't know."

"Do you think we'll ever see her again?" Catalina asked.

"I think so," Radu said.

"Did she predict that?" Harlan asked.

"No," Radu answered. "I'm predicting that."

Radu threw a handful of sparkly dust into the air and Catalina smiled. Bova inhaled as if to sneeze, his antennae coming to life.

"Ah . . . ah . . . "
The Christa sailed off into new adventures.