Chapter 7
Back down on earth in Florida, Kirk drove Lil Darlin and the wagon through the back gate of his property. Timmy, Frankie, Monica, and Luna followed behind the wagon
He drove Lil Darling and parked it by the Cousteau capsule.
"Timmy, you and Frankie go inside my tool shed by the back gate. Get some pruning shears and cut down some tree branches and what not. I want you to cover up that spaceship. We don't want NASA to find it. If they do, they might come after our Prince Luna friend," Kirk told the two boys.
Timmy and Frankie rushed off toward the tool shed by the back gate.
While Timmy and Frankie opened up the tool shed, Kirk looked at Neila 1's rocket engine. He was clueless on how to install this piece of advanced technology. "I guess you're in charge, Prince Luna. I don't know how to work on this type of engine," he said.
"Show me the tools you earthlings use," Luna told Kirk.
Kirk motioned for Luna to follow him.
Luna and Monica followed Kirk to his tool shed.
Timmy and Frankie stepped out of the tool shed with large pruning shears in hand.
They rushed through the back gate and headed off into the woods.
Kirk and Luna stepped inside the tool shed.
Luna looked around the inside of the shed.
Kirk walked over and opened up a sizeable red Craftsman toolbox. "I should have everything you need," he said while he motioned for Luna to come over and check out his prized tools.
Monica waited outside the shed while Luna checked out Kirk's tools.
While Luna gathered up tools he felt he could use, Timmy and Frankie were busy cutting off small tree branches with leaves. They started to use them and other vegetation to hide Neila 1 from view.
Back at Kirk's place, Monica and Kirk were inside the Cousteau capsule and assisted Luna while he installed the controller box with wiring.
Back at Neila 1, Timmy and Frankie continued to cover the rear section of Neila 1 with different types of vegetation they could locate. They almost had it half covered out of view.
An hour had passed, and the sun started to settle below the horizon.
Timmy and Frankie were dirty and exhausted while they walked back through the back gate of Kirk's place.
They placed their pruning shears back in the tool shed and rushed over to the Cousteau capsule.
Timmy and Frankie walked up to Monica, who stood down by the steps to the capsule.
"What are they doing?" Timmy curiously asked while he looked up at the capsule and heard some noise of them installing something.
"Installing the controller and some other items," Monica replied while she looked up at the capsule.
Luna and Kirk came out of the capsule and headed down the steps.
"We'll be working during most of the night. You kids better get home before your parents are yelling at me," Kirk told the Space Dreamers.
"When are you going to fly back home?" Timmy asked Luna.
"First thing in the morning," Luna replied then looked at the Space Dreamers and pondered for a few seconds. "I can't thank you enough for all the help - and I hate to ask for more - but - Meena's pretty crafty so, I need you to come along as proof that Meena shot me down," Luna asked them.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica looked at Luna, not sure they understood his request.
"What?" Timmy asked Luna.
Frankie and Monica nodded that they also were unsure of Luna's request.
"I want you to come back with me to Neila. I can't stop General Meena alone. I need you to prove he shot me down so my father will believe me. That's the only thing that will ensure I become King," said Luna and looked dead serious.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica looked at each other in disbelief.
"I'd go, but I'm too old, and that ride just might do me in for good," Kirk replied and wanted to kids to go on this opportunity.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica's eyes lit up with the idea of traveling in outer space.
"We'll be Astronauts," Monica said with sparkles in her eyes.
"Yeah, Astronauts," Frankie added with sparkles in his eyes.
Timmy glanced up at the sky that started to get dark. He saw the Crescent Moon. "Astronauts," he said with sparkles in his eyes.
"Wait, how will we get home?" Monica asked and looked concerned.
"I'll fly you back in one of my spaceships. You'll love it," Luna replied.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica looked at each other.
"I'm in," said Timmy.
Frankie and Monica nodded their heads in agreement.
"Don't forget to tell your parents that you'll be going with Luna to his home planet," Kirk said with a chuckle knowing this wasn't going to happen. He felt the kids would chicken out.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica looked concerned on how to tell their parents.
"How long will we be gone?" he asked Luna.
"Oh, I would say a week in your time. At the most but I might have you back sooner if we immediately stop General Meena," Luna replied.
"What can we tell our parents? I mean, we'll be gone for a week," Frankie asked and looked concerned.
"A week in outer space," Frankie replied and looked concerned.
Monica nodded in agreement.
Luna thought of a solution for a few seconds. Then his eyes lit up. "When I bring you back, I'll tell them that I kidnapped you. I can tell them that from my spaceship after I depart for earth so your other earthlings won't eat or dissect me," he said.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica thought about Luna's solution. Then their eyes all lit up liking Luna's idea.
"We'll be here at eight in the morning," said Timmy.
Luna looked at Kirk and was clueless.
"Don't worry, I'll let you know when that time comes around," Kirk replied.
"Okay, I'll see my friends at your eight in the morning," said Luna and looked happy they were coming along with him.
"You kids better get home and get some rest. We'll see you in the morning," Kirk said and motioned to Luna that they should start installing the rocket engine.
Luna smiled at Timmy, Frankie, and Monica.
They smiled back and rushed over to their bikes by the building.
Luna and Kirk started working on installing the rocket engine while Timmy, Frankie, and Monica rode off on their bikes.
It was a quiet ride for the Space Dreamers while they rode home on their bikes.
It was dinner time at the Watson home, and tonight Leslie cooked fried chicken with mashed potatoes and cream corn. Scooter was not there, as he was at work at the launch pad.
"So Timmy, did you do anything exciting today?" Leslie asked.
Timmy looked at Leslie and wanted to tell her the truth. "Oh, nothing too exciting. Kirk told us stories about aliens that the space shuttle Astronauts claimed to have seen," he replied and silently prayed she would not ask any more questions about his day.
"That sounds exciting," Leslie replied.
Timmy was quiet during the rest of their dinner.
At the Blake home, Frankie's father was forty-two-year-old Ernst. He was a software engineer for NASA and worked on the software for launching the Magellan rocket. His wife was Elaine, and she worked as a nurse at the Cape Canaveral Hospital.
The Blake's ate a nice steak dinner.
"So, Frankie, what did you do today?" asked Ernst.
"Oh, Timmy and Monica and I listened to Kirk Dakota tell us stories of the old days at NASA," Frankie replied and silently prayed they would not ask any more questions about his day.
"How is old Kirk doing?" I haven't seen him in years," asked Ernst.
"He's doing good and just loves telling us stories about the old days," Frankie replied and ate some steak.
Frankie was quiet during the rest of their dinner.
At the Hernandez home, they ate a nice spaghetti dinner.
Monica sat at the table with Ricky Hernandez, her forty-one-year-old father, and Rose her forty-year-old mother.
Ricky was an avionics system engineer with NASA while Rose worked for an accountant's office.
"How was Monica's day? Exciting I hope," Ricky asked.
Monica was dying to tell the truth. "We listened to stories about aliens by Kirk Dakota," she replied and silently prayed they would not ask any more questions about her day.
"Good old Kirk. I remember him telling me stories about the Apollo days when I first started at the space center. He's a good man," Ricky replied.
Monica remained quiet during the rest of their dinner.
Back at Kirk's place, he and Luna finished installing the rocket engine from Neila 1 onto the bottom of the Cousteau capsule. It took some engineering, but Kirk had enough materials to make a bracket to tie the engine to the bottom of the capsule.
They next started to work on some landing struts out of some angle iron he had stored in his tool shed.
Over at Timmy's home, he sat in his bedroom and stared at his computer monitor. He had the Internet up and stared at some pictures taken by the Hubble telescope. He started to get a little nervous.
Over at Frankie's home, he also sat in his bedroom and stared at his computer monitor. He looked up a website that mentioned the hazards involved with traveling through deep space. He also started to get a little nervous.
Over at Monica's home, she also sat in her bedroom and watched a DVD movie on her TV. She was half-way through the Star Wars movie. She also started to get a little nervous.
Back at Kirk's place, he and Luna finish installing four landing struts made out of angle iron. They angled outward to that the capsule could clear the stand during its launch.
Kirk and Luna went back inside the Cousteau capsule to see what other modifications needed to be performed.
Two hours had passed.
Timmy tossed and turned in his bed, as he could not sleep a wink with tomorrow in his mind.
Frankie also tossed and turned in his bed, as he could not sleep a wink with tomorrow on his mind.
Monica also tossed and turned in her bed, as she could not sleep a wink with tomorrow on her mind.
Back at Kirk's place, he and Luna installed the batteries out of Neila 1 to power the Cousteau capsule. They also removed and reinstalled other instruments and gauges Luna deemed necessary for the flight back home.
They were exhausted and figured they had to disconnect the Cousteau capsule from the stand.
The sun rose above the horizon for the start of another morning on earth in Florida.
At Kirk's building, he slept in his bed while Luna slept on the couch.
They both woke up, and Kirk started to make Luna old fashioned earthling's scrambled egg breakfast. Luna loved it!
Back at Timmy, Frankie, and Monica's home, they got up and had their breakfast.
After telling their parents they would be off playing all day, they jumped on their bikes and headed off to Kirk's place. They were quiet while they rode down Atlantis Street.
A little while later, Kirk and Luna conducted a final inspection of the Cousteau capsule. They stood down by the steps on the stand.
"It's ready for the flight back home per my inspection," Luna told Kirk.
"You know better than me," Kirk replied.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica rode up on their bikes.
"My friends are here and ready to help me become King!" Luna said with sparkles in his eyes. "I'll start the process," he said then headed up the stairs to the platform and went inside the capsule.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica walked up and looked at the Cousteau capsule with the four added landing struts.
"Ah, Luna, we kinda decided it might be safer if we stay here on earth," Timmy said and looked a little ashamed.
Frankie and Monica nodded their heads in agreement.
"But I need you!" Luna told them with sad eyes.
"We might die!" cried out Frankie with fear in his voice while he recalled last nights Internet article.
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica waved goodbye to Luna while he sadly closed the hatch of the capsule.
Kirk walked up to the Space Dreamers. "You know, even if you applied, you might never get accepted into NASA's Astronaut program. This here is a sure way to travel in outer space. You'll go where no other NASA Astronaut will ever go during your lifetime. You'll go to another planet," he said and looked dead serious. "I wished I had the opportunity to go to another planet."
Timmy, Frankie, and Monica looked at each other then at Kirk.
"Plus it sounds like you'll save earth. I think your parents will forgive you for that," Kirk added.
Inside the capsule, Luna sat depressed in his seat, as he needed the help, and he took a liking to his newfound earthling friends.
Loud banging echoed inside the capsule while someone knocked on the hatch.
Luna quickly opened the hatch. His eyes lit up when he saw Timmy, Frankie, and Monica, with her eyes closed, on the platform.
"Will you promise to bring us back home and tell our parents why we came along?" asked Timmy.
"Yeah, I don't want to be grounded for the rest of my life," added Frankie.
Monica nodded in agreement with closed eyes.
"Cross both of my hearts," Luna said and made two cross movements with a finger across the middle of his chest.
He noticed Monica looked scared with her closed eyes and started to shake, and she had a death grip on the handrails of the platform. "Are you feeling ill, Monica?" Luna asked.
"I'm afraid of heights," she replied, then quickly crawled through the hatch before she changed her mind.
Timmy and Frankie crawled through the hatch.
Luna quickly closed the hatch then looked happy.
He rushed over and got in the middle right seat where the joystick from Neila 1 was installed.
Timmy sat in the outer left seat while Monica sat in the middle left seat.
Frankie sat down in the outer right seat.
Luna reached over to the console where his controller box was installed. He pressed the "Engine Fire Sequence" button on the modified console.
The Neila 1 rocket engine ignited from the bottom of the Cousteau capsule with a light-colored purple flame.
The Cousteau capsule lifted off the stand.
Kirk watched from the roof of his building while the Cousteau capsule soared into the morning sky. He saluted the soaring capsule.
Inside the Cousteau capsule, the G-force pushed Luna and the Space Dreamers back against the seats.
"Yahoooo!" Timmy and Frankie screamed out in joy.
Monica looked scared to death and clung on to her seat with white knuckles.
Outside Timmy's home, Leslie walked out of the front door in her Target store work clothes. She noticed numerous neighbors standing in their driveways and stared at the sky.
She got curious and looked up at the sky. She saw the Cousteau capsule while it soared up high.
"I didn't know NASA was going to launch a small rocket today," a male neighbor called out to Leslie from his driveway.
"Me neither," Leslie replied while she still looked at the Cousteau capsule while it raced toward outer space.
She could care less about a rocket launch while she scanned the neighborhood. She walked over and got inside her Corolla, as she was more concerned with being late for work.
The Cousteau capsule ascended toward space, and the whole state of Florida was visible below.
The whole United States was visible below.
The whole earth was visible while the capsule zoomed into outer space.
Inside the Cousteau capsule, Luna and the Space Dreamers floated inside and they loved the feeling of being in Zero-G.
Timmy and Frankie had their faces glued to some of the capsule windows.
Monica was still scared to death while her nails dug harder into the seat so she would not float away.
"Can you fly us around earth?" Timmy asked Luna.
"It would be my pleasure!" Luna responded while he maneuvered the joystick around a little.
From the capsule windows, they saw Europe.
They saw the Middle East.
They saw India, Russia, China, and Asia.
They saw Australia.
They see the middle of the Pacific.
They saw the Hawaiian Islands.
They saw the West Coast of America.
They saw the entire United States and ended back at Florida.
"There's home," Timmy said while he stared down at Florida.
"Yep," Frankie replied and could not believe he was up in space.
Monica still clung with her nail digging in her seat, scared to death.
Luna monitored the console and moved the control stick, and the capsule left earth's orbit.
He pressed the "Get There Quick" button, and the engine quieted, and it zoomed away at warp drive speed. Frankie and Timmy slammed against the back wall. Monica almost peed her pants.
"Man, that was a blast!" Timmy yelled out while he and Frankie floated back the windows.
An hour had passed
The Moon came into view for Timmy and Frankie.
"You're missing a cool view of the Moon, Monica," Timmy called out.
"That's alright," Monica replied and kept her eyes closed.
After the capsule flew past the Moon, they floated around and still loved the feeling of weightlessness. Monica stayed in her seat with her eyes closed.
Luna monitored the console gauges.
The earth probe with attached Neila probe flew toward Mars.
The Cousteau capsule zoomed toward Mars and flew above the two probes at a faster speed.
Timmy and Frankie stared out the windows
"Monica, you have to see Mars!" said Timmy.
Monica still sat in her seat with her eyes closed.
"I don't believe it!" said Timmy.
"Whoa!" said Frankie. "Cool!"
"Monica, you have to see this!" said Timmy.
Timmy and Frankie looked in awe at the Tesla with a robot in the driver's seat heading to Mars.
"It's the Tesla that SpaceX launched!" said Timmy
Monica opened one eye, curious. She closed it still too scared to leave her seat.
Timmy and Frankie watched while the SpaceX Tesla continued its trek to Mars.
"I guess SpaceX will go to Mars," said Frankie.
Timmy nodded in agreement.
The Cousteau capsule zoomed past Mars.
The Cousteau capsule soon zoomed to Saturn and its rings.
Inside the capsule, Timmy and Frankie stared out the windows loving the view of Saturn and its rings.
Monica still sat in her seat with her eyes closed.
Luna monitored the console gauges from his seat.
The Cousteau capsule turned and flew over the rings of Saturn.
"This is so cool!" Frankie called out while he stared out the window.
Timmy nodded in agreement while he stared out another window.
He glanced over at Monica, who still had her eyes closed. He felt sorry for her and wanted her to see these beautiful sights.
The Cousteau capsule zoomed in the direction of a black hole.
The capsule zoomed into a black hole.
Inside the capsule, psychedelic colors filled up the windows and the capsule while it raced inside the black hole. Timmy and Frankie loved the colored show from the windows, except for Monica, who still had her eyes closed and shivered in fright.
Luna sat back and monitored the console gauges from his seat.
The capsule started spinning.
"Yeah!" Timmy and Frankie cried in unison, loving this feeling.
The capsule raced out of the black hole.
The spinning stopped, and everybody started floating around. Monica still clung to her seat with her death grip on the arms of the seat.
"That was so cool!" said Timmy with a huge grin. Frankie nodded in agreement.
"Are we there yet?" asked Monica with one eye open. Luna looked out a window.
"Almost," Luna answered.
Monica looked a little relieved.