“Well, there’s not much going on down here that I haven’t already ranted about to you,” Lilliana said, “But I suppose there’s the fact that I’ll be going down to Atlantis soon.”
“Ooh, do you get to see the ballroom there?” Indi asked excitedly.
“Assuming the Globe is even open. But I hope so! It sounds so neat. I’ll talk to you later, sis! Be sure to call Mom and Dad, okay?”
“I will, right after this,” Indi replied. “Love you, talk to you later.”
“I love you too, D,” Lilliana said, and her picture on the screen became smaller as the list pulled up again and the small picture of Indi’s older sister went back to its place. Indi got up from her bed and walked back over to the small device, scrolling up a while until she reached a picture of a somewhat small, cream-colored house labeled ‘Home,’ and tapped it.
Again, the picture came up and the happy tone filled the room again. The call was answered sooner than the last one and a video came up on the screen this time. It was a woman who looked around in her 40’s, with her long, brown hair pulled back out of her face, although strands of hair were in her face anyway. She was wearing a delighted smile and started by saying in a cheery voice, “Indi, dear! How are you?”
“I’m doing really well, mother,” Indi said happily, but added more seriously, “Although there is something I’d like to talk to you about.”
The woman looked concerned. “By all means, share. That’s what I’m here for. But Indi, would you mind turning your cam on? I’ve only seen pictures of your face for the past two months.”
“Yeah, Mom. Might be a bit.” Once again, Indi got off her bed, picked up her device without disconnected it from the large screen, and gently moved the whole stand that it was on to her bed. She set it on the end of her bed and climbed on it herself, laying on her front. She pulled up a menu and tapped a symbol on it, making a small light come on at the top of her device and a smaller video of her came up on the lower right side of both screens.
Her mother smiled at her screen for a bit. “You’re so beautiful, honey.”
Indi smiled. “Yeah, whose fault is that?”
“Well, it must be your father’s,” her mother replied.
“Pfft,” Indi said. “Says the most beautiful mom I know. Where is Dad, anyway?”
The woman’s smile faded a bit and she looked down at something. “He’s visiting your brother.”
“Oh,” Indi said. “He’s letting you visit him?”
“He’s not very happy about it. In any case, your father should be home soon,” Mrs. Hunt said, a smile coming back as she changed the subject. “He’ll be so excited to see you. Will you stick around for a bit?”
“Yeah, of course,” Indi said with a smile in return. “So can I talk to you about this now?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, by all means!” her mother replied, grabbing a nearby chair from the dining room table and pulling it up.
“Okay, so you know the deep space mission thing that the J.I.A. does every year?” Mrs. Hunt nodded. “I was chosen for this year’s mission.”
Mrs. Hunt seemed to have a mixed reaction. One could see pride for her daughter in her eyes, as though she wanted to leap up and let out an excited explanation, and also concern. “Oh, Indi, do be careful?”
“Of course Mom, but that’s kinda the thing. I’m not sure I want to go.”
“Why not? Are you just nervous?”
“You know me well, mother,” Indi said with a small smile. “Definitely very nervous.”
“Have you prayed about it yet?” her mother asked.
“Not yet,” Indi replied. “I’ve talked to Lilliana and she suggested the same thing. I wanted to talk to you first. I have to go to a meeting next month, so I think if I’m gonna back down, I need to make a decision before then.”
“Well, who else from your branch is going?”
“A girl named Vex. I’ve talked to her a couple different times, but I don’t know her real well.” The video from Mrs. Hunt went out and Indi paused. “Mom?”
Her voice came through badly. “It’s just-- Keep going, you’re st-- ing through clearly.”
“Okay, well, a couple of my friends, Bulot and J.T., are also going. I do Astrophysics with both of them.”
“J.T.? J.T. Zumwalt?” Her mother’s voice was clearing up now.
Indi paused. “Yeah, J.T. Zumwalt… how do you know about him? Have I mentioned him before?” The video came back.
“I think so, but I don’t remember for sure. That’s not how I know about him, though,” her mother added, then continued in a nostalgic voice. “He’s been asking to court you for the past month or so and calls in here every so often.”
“J.T.?” Indi asked disbelievingly. “Human, blonde hair, blue eyes, early 20’s?”
Her mother nodded. “Yes, he’s a nice young man.”
“I will, right after this,” Indi replied. “Love you, talk to you later.”
“I love you too, D,” Lilliana said, and her picture on the screen became smaller as the list pulled up again and the small picture of Indi’s older sister went back to its place. Indi got up from her bed and walked back over to the small device, scrolling up a while until she reached a picture of a somewhat small, cream-colored house labeled ‘Home,’ and tapped it.
Again, the picture came up and the happy tone filled the room again. The call was answered sooner than the last one and a video came up on the screen this time. It was a woman who looked around in her 40’s, with her long, brown hair pulled back out of her face, although strands of hair were in her face anyway. She was wearing a delighted smile and started by saying in a cheery voice, “Indi, dear! How are you?”
“I’m doing really well, mother,” Indi said happily, but added more seriously, “Although there is something I’d like to talk to you about.”
The woman looked concerned. “By all means, share. That’s what I’m here for. But Indi, would you mind turning your cam on? I’ve only seen pictures of your face for the past two months.”
“Yeah, Mom. Might be a bit.” Once again, Indi got off her bed, picked up her device without disconnected it from the large screen, and gently moved the whole stand that it was on to her bed. She set it on the end of her bed and climbed on it herself, laying on her front. She pulled up a menu and tapped a symbol on it, making a small light come on at the top of her device and a smaller video of her came up on the lower right side of both screens.
Her mother smiled at her screen for a bit. “You’re so beautiful, honey.”
Indi smiled. “Yeah, whose fault is that?”
“Well, it must be your father’s,” her mother replied.
“Pfft,” Indi said. “Says the most beautiful mom I know. Where is Dad, anyway?”
The woman’s smile faded a bit and she looked down at something. “He’s visiting your brother.”
“Oh,” Indi said. “He’s letting you visit him?”
“He’s not very happy about it. In any case, your father should be home soon,” Mrs. Hunt said, a smile coming back as she changed the subject. “He’ll be so excited to see you. Will you stick around for a bit?”
“Yeah, of course,” Indi said with a smile in return. “So can I talk to you about this now?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, by all means!” her mother replied, grabbing a nearby chair from the dining room table and pulling it up.
“Okay, so you know the deep space mission thing that the J.I.A. does every year?” Mrs. Hunt nodded. “I was chosen for this year’s mission.”
Mrs. Hunt seemed to have a mixed reaction. One could see pride for her daughter in her eyes, as though she wanted to leap up and let out an excited explanation, and also concern. “Oh, Indi, do be careful?”
“Of course Mom, but that’s kinda the thing. I’m not sure I want to go.”
“Why not? Are you just nervous?”
“You know me well, mother,” Indi said with a small smile. “Definitely very nervous.”
“Have you prayed about it yet?” her mother asked.
“Not yet,” Indi replied. “I’ve talked to Lilliana and she suggested the same thing. I wanted to talk to you first. I have to go to a meeting next month, so I think if I’m gonna back down, I need to make a decision before then.”
“Well, who else from your branch is going?”
“A girl named Vex. I’ve talked to her a couple different times, but I don’t know her real well.” The video from Mrs. Hunt went out and Indi paused. “Mom?”
Her voice came through badly. “It’s just-- Keep going, you’re st-- ing through clearly.”
“Okay, well, a couple of my friends, Bulot and J.T., are also going. I do Astrophysics with both of them.”
“J.T.? J.T. Zumwalt?” Her mother’s voice was clearing up now.
Indi paused. “Yeah, J.T. Zumwalt… how do you know about him? Have I mentioned him before?” The video came back.
“I think so, but I don’t remember for sure. That’s not how I know about him, though,” her mother added, then continued in a nostalgic voice. “He’s been asking to court you for the past month or so and calls in here every so often.”
“J.T.?” Indi asked disbelievingly. “Human, blonde hair, blue eyes, early 20’s?”
Her mother nodded. “Yes, he’s a nice young man.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” she demanded.
Mrs. Hunt was taken aback. “You asked that we not tell you about anyone wanting to court you unless we approved of him and we haven’t made a decision yet. Why is it such a big deal, honey?”
“He’s my best friend! I think I deserved to know that my best friend was interested in me. It’s been a *month* and you haven’t decided yet? Why not?”
Her mother opened her mouth, but someone interrupted and a man’s voice replied, “Because we’re not sure he deserves you.”
“Henry, you’re home!” Mrs. Hunt burst out as an older man came into view and the couple hugged.
“You can’t keep me away for very long,” he replied. “Your food’s too good.” He turned to the screen.
Mrs. Hunt was taken aback. “You asked that we not tell you about anyone wanting to court you unless we approved of him and we haven’t made a decision yet. Why is it such a big deal, honey?”
“He’s my best friend! I think I deserved to know that my best friend was interested in me. It’s been a *month* and you haven’t decided yet? Why not?”
Her mother opened her mouth, but someone interrupted and a man’s voice replied, “Because we’re not sure he deserves you.”
“Henry, you’re home!” Mrs. Hunt burst out as an older man came into view and the couple hugged.
“You can’t keep me away for very long,” he replied. “Your food’s too good.” He turned to the screen.
“Indi, how are things? We haven’t heard from you since the school year started.”
“Good, Dad. My grades are doing really well and Professor Fisler is as fantastic as usual.”
“She’s been chosen to go on the annual space mission, dear,” Mrs. Hunt told her husband.
“Oh, good!” he exclaimed. “Does that mean you’re officially a space cadet?”
“Da-ad,” Indi said, suppressing a smile. “I don’t space off anymore.”
“Well, apparently not if they’re sending you into space, you little cadet,” her dad teased. Indi stuck out her tongue at him, and he did the same.
“All right, children,” Mrs. Hunt said. “Time to be mature now.”
Father and daughter replied simultaneously: “Yes, mother!”
August 14th, 2526
I was chosen to be one of four from my branch to go on the J.I.A. annual space mission. If the pressure of that wasn't enough, it turns out J.T. has been asking my parents if he could court me since before the school year started. J.T., of all people! He may as well be my brother, apart from the fact that we've only known each other a year. I know I shouldn't be worrying about this, either of them. Lilliana and Mum have both told me to pray and although it did help a bit, I can’t stop worrying about how all this will turn out.“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“Good, Dad. My grades are doing really well and Professor Fisler is as fantastic as usual.”
“She’s been chosen to go on the annual space mission, dear,” Mrs. Hunt told her husband.
“Oh, good!” he exclaimed. “Does that mean you’re officially a space cadet?”
“Da-ad,” Indi said, suppressing a smile. “I don’t space off anymore.”
“Well, apparently not if they’re sending you into space, you little cadet,” her dad teased. Indi stuck out her tongue at him, and he did the same.
“All right, children,” Mrs. Hunt said. “Time to be mature now.”
Father and daughter replied simultaneously: “Yes, mother!”
August 14th, 2526
I was chosen to be one of four from my branch to go on the J.I.A. annual space mission. If the pressure of that wasn't enough, it turns out J.T. has been asking my parents if he could court me since before the school year started. J.T., of all people! He may as well be my brother, apart from the fact that we've only known each other a year. I know I shouldn't be worrying about this, either of them. Lilliana and Mum have both told me to pray and although it did help a bit, I can’t stop worrying about how all this will turn out.“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
The next day was not much easier to get through for Indi than the day before. She got plenty of congratulations on being chosen for the mission, but not everyone was so positive.
"You know, everyone can tell how scared you are about this mission," an Asian guy told her as she entered the classroom for her piloting class. "You shouldn't have been chosen for that very reason. I'm a better pilot than you anyway. They should have forgotten about the grades for the other classes because *I* would have been more useful. *I* wouldn't be panicking right now and *I* would be able to keep a level head through the mission.”
“Yeah, they should have used some sense and picked you, Tyland,” Indi replied coolly and took a seat without looking at him and kept her eyes at the front of the classroom.
He shook his head. “It’s always pointless to talk to you, you know. Never say anything worthwhile.” Indi sighed as quietly as she could, biting a reply back.
During a break, Indi and Johanna were in the lounge together. “How unfair that no one told you!” Johanna was saying.
“That’s how my family has always been. I’m not entirely sure it’s that I’m so… frustrated about,” Indi replied.
“Well, what else could it possibly be?”
“Just that J.T.--” An alarm cut Indi off.
“Warning,” a female voice rang through the building. “There is an incoming meteorite that has a 60% chance of making it past our defensive measures. Please take appropriate precautions. Thank you for your calm manners.”
“That robot may sound like a living being,” Johanna commented as the two got up and followed the crowd to a flight of stairs, “but it’s still definitely a robot. ‘Thank you for your calm manners’? What’s that about?”
“A strange way to remind you to stay calm?” Indi theorized. “I don’t know.” Soon, the occupants of the building were a level underground where there were a bunch of seats with buckles. Everyone was strapped in and there was a loud noise caused by the constant conversation among everyone.
“So,” Johanna said casually, but loudly so she could be heard by Indi, who was sitting on her right. “You never said what else it could possibly be that you’re so frustrated about.”
“Oh,” Indi said, recalling. “Well, just… *J.T.*. J.T., interested in *me*?”
“Why not you?” Johanna demanded. “A relationship where you were best friends at one time is, I imagine, one of the better kinds. And I think you may be the only female friend he has.”
“Thing is, I could never think of him like that,” Indi insisted. “It would be weird just holding hands with him. And what do you mean, ‘the only female friend he has’? It’s not like everyone he knows is here. He’s got a life outside of this Academy.”
No comments:
Post a Comment