Never had groups of children been so quiet.
With Ashley leading and Kibi bringing up the rear, the little ones sat proudly in the bridge-station seats and gazed with wonder at the glowing displays and control symbols. Kibi had locked all the controls, but the children were so spellbound that it was hardly necessary.
Some jumped into the lift with both feet after Ashley explained it, others refused to go near until the tour was threatening to leave them behind.
As they wandered through the engineering ring, several decided, on the spot, to be engineers when they grew up.
A few, upon returning to the passenger area, looked with keen interest at the clear tank and wanted to learn all about sea creatures. Two or three were touched by the little galley and declared that they would be chefs who could make fancy food in space.
After Ashley got them all seated in the passenger area, the children stared with big, round eyes at the display as Kibi showed them their own planet from space, their moon, and all the other planets of the Ko-tera system in much clearer pictures than they would see, a few weeks later, on television from those stored in the space probe.
On the last tour, of only five children, the oldest girl seemed to be lost in a dream. The nine-year-old lagged behind the others at every stop, and Kibi sensed she wanted the experience to last forever.
NEBADOR Book Nine: A Cry for Help 424
When the other four finally left through the hatch, she lingered near the steward’s console, gazing at it with an intense expression.
Ashley looked at Kibi, and Kibi nodded.
“Would like you sit in steward’s chair?” Ashley asked.
“Yes,
please.”
Kibi swiveled the chair for the girl.
She got comfortable in the seat and closed her eyes.
Both Ashley and Kibi remained silent.
When the girl opened her eyes, she slowly reached out toward the console with one hand.
Kibi wasn’t worried.
The girl didn’t touch any control symbols, just moved her open hand above the console. To Kibi’s surprise, several symbols changed color, starting diagnostics and status checks. The results flashed onto the console display.
Both Kibi and Ashley stared in wonder.
With her hand still hovering over the console, the girl struggled to form a word. “Man . . . Manessa.”
“Daphne,” the ship replied.
The girl smiled.
All three became aware that another presence had just entered the room.
They turned toward the passenger area to see a timeless lady in shimmering blue robes.
“Greetings, Melorania!” Kibi said in the language of Nebador.
“Hello, Kibi my dear.”
With wide eyes, Daphne turned and looked. “I think . . . I’m supposed to be a steward or navigator or something,” she said to the new arrival without fear or hesitation.”
Melorania spoke in the language of Ko-tera Three. “Yes, you are, and a captain too.”
Daphne
grinned.
“You have many years of learning ahead of you,” Melorania continued.
“That should start now, and is not possible on your planet.”
“I know,” Daphne admitted with a hint of sadness.
“But do you have the wisdom to know what would happen if you stayed
NEBADOR Book Nine: A Cry for Help 425
inside the ship right now, and did not go back out to your grandmother, who is waiting at the edge of the platform?”
Daphne scrunched her face for a moment. “Um . . . it would look bad, and make it hard for the people who came in this ship to finish what they’re here to do.”
“That’s right. So what are you going to do about that?”
The girl took a deep breath. “I’m going to go talk to my grandmother and get her to give me permission to go with you!”
“Good thinking. That is your first mission, and if you accomplish it, I will be well pleased.” Before even finishing her sentence, the shimmering lady faded from sight.
“Her name Melorania, head of Transport Service,” Ashley explained.
Daphne just sat breathing for a long moment. Ashley and Kibi waited silently.
“I have something I have to go do,” Daphne declared as she hopped out of the steward’s chair and dashed for the hatch.
Both Ashley and Kibi noticed the deep determination in Daphne’s voice, bearing, and movements.
The mission leader and steward returned to the outdoor platform where everyone was chatting and enjoying the festive mood. Someone had delivered several boxes of pizza to those on the platform, and most of the military officers, scientists, and crew members were having some. Kibi slipped back into the ship to get fish, grass, and seed cakes for the contact specialists.
Ashley did what she could to overhear the conversation between Daphne and her grandmother at the edge of the platform, without being caught eavesdropping. She gathered that Daphne’s mother liked having babies, but only enjoyed taking care of them for three or four years. When they started growing up and having minds of their own, she lost interest.
Further, it seemed that Daphne and her grandmother would soon be moving in with Daphne’s Uncle Bob, whose house wasn’t very big. Daphne was making each of her argument points clearly and firmly.
Eventually, the deciding factor appeared to be that Daphne wasn’t really asking for permission to leave on an alien space ship. She was telling her
NEBADOR Book Nine: A Cry for Help 426
grandmother what she intended to do, and daring the woman to figure out a way to stop her, pointing out that she would have opportunities almost daily to disappear on her own if the requested permission was not given.
Ashley wasn’t sure this was what Melorania had in mind, but decided that the head of the Transport Service was quite capable of expressing herself if not pleased with Daphne’s arrangements.