“Cause that'll make it all better.”
He groaned as the bay door opened revealing the tow service ship.
The front lights on the ship
illuminated the docking bay. Mew's voice came through the
communication collar on the suit.
“I swear Saluter, if you take that
ship out of the bay the only thing you'll ever fly after tonight is a
paper airplane!” Toll glared out the front window at the bay door
where he could see Mew's furious face on the other side. He smiled at
her and pulled the flight stick back hard. The ship shot backward and
narrowly missed the tow shuttle which barely pulled to the side
quickly enough to do nothing more than trade some paint.
“Toll please, you gotta reconsider!
This has gotten out of hand!” Rusty pleaded as he climbed into the
passenger chair and strapped himself in. But it was too late. Toll
was locked in. The cruiser made a mad dash for the ring.
“Did you get that ring command
console set up?” Toll asked, without taking his eyes off the ring
in the distance. Rusty nodded while gripping his seat.
“Yeah, it's ready to go.” He
responded, “please don't kill us, please don't kill us, please
don't kill us.” he chanted with his eyes shut tight. “Oh man I
cannot believe you are seriously doing this!” Toll glanced at the
ring console and flipped the activation switch.
The bright lights of the ring
establishing a slip tunnel for the first time in over a hundred years
caused Rusty to open his eyes. For a split second time slowed down.
Toll and Rusty stared at the beautiful effects of the machine in awe
as they hurtled toward it in an attempt to beat the flight
restrictors racing to get into range. Toll refocused and pushed the
engines to their limit.
“We're doing this!” The cruiser
dashed through the ring and was gone. The flight restrictors slowed
to normal patrol speed and the tow service ship coasted to a complete
stop. The Ring lights dimmed and eventually shut off. Space was dark
and quiet once again.
The view from inside the tunnel was a
different story. Rusty forgot his panic as he watched thousands of
stars blur by, putting incalculable distance between him and the only
home he knew. “Where are we going?” He asked in awe. Toll was
just as moved by the seemingly never ending tunnel pointing eternally
toward the terminus line in the far off distance.
“Tell you when we get there.” He
commented off handedly. Except for the gentle hum of the ship's
engines the compartment went quiet. The light show had completely
drawn all the attention either of them had. Finally the immensity of
what had just transpired hit Toll. He looked over at his friend with
honest regret. “I'm sorry I got you wrapped up in all of this.”
He apologized. Rusty laughed in response.
“Do you really think I would have
done any of this if some part of me hadn't wanted to.” He asked.
Toll smiled.
“I knew you you were as curious as I
was! I knew it!” He glared at Rusty and pointed at him knowingly.
“We've been researching the ring on
and off since we were little kids Toll. Of course I was curious. Just
not curious enough to do...this!” he gestured to the light show
going on outside the cruiser windows.
“How long do you think it will take
us to get where ever this is taking us?” He asked.
Toll shook his head. “I don't know.”
