Starships

Chapter 18

I am happy that my parents were in their bedroom when I got through the door. I would not know what to do if I saw them right away. I make my way to my bedroom. I have one mission, find my old body armor from Tamaran. I get to my bedroom, and lock the door behind me. I dart to my bed and kneel beside it. I look under my bed. There are dust piles and misplaced socks. Note to self, clean under my bed when I am done. I find a silver suitcase and slide it out in front of me. 

I look for the zippers with my fingers and find them. Along with a lock. I forgot that my parents had Komi and I lock these, and they hid the keys. I sighed and tilted my head back. Where would they put those keys? I think and think. I jolt up to put the suitcase on my bed. I hold the lock in my hands. I use my starbolts to hopefully melt the lock. Why didn't I think of this sooner? My hands glow a bright green. The room is illuminating with the color. I release the lock. I look at it and it looks like it was untouched. More than likely my parents got it from someone where it couldn't be melted. I try again, again, and again. I pull my phone out of my back pocket. I dial Richard's number, and hold the phone up to my ear.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Hello?" Richard's voice comes through.

"Richard, I need help. Are you far? Can you turn around?"

"Yea. Is everything okay?" Richard's voice changes.

"Yes. Yes. Everything is the okay. I just found my armor, but it's locked. I don't know where my parents hid the key..."

"So you need it picked? I will be there in seven minutes."

"Okay... please don't knock, my parents are asleep."

"Okay, just open a window. See you soon."

Before I can ask why, I hear the phone click. I look to see that the call has ended. I follow his directions and head to my bathroom, and open the window. It's the only window that is farthest from my parent's room. I walk back to my room and look at the lock. I sit next to it again and put the lock in my hand. I squeeze my hand shut, hoping to break the lock with my strength. Nothing. I try melting it again. The room lights up with the green glow. I stop when I hear a tussle in the bathroom. 

I look up and see Richard coming out. I look at him and then back at the lock. Richard comes and sits next to me on the bed.

"That's our first enemy?" Richard points at the tiny lock, "It looks like I can crush it in my hand."

"Okay, go ahead." I cross my arms and legs and give him the honors. Richard pulls the suitcase towards him and takes hold of the lock. He quickly takes his hand back and shakes it.

"Why is it so hot?" he whispers.

"I tried melting it."

"That didn't work?"

"That is the stupid question." I look at him.

"You're right." Richard leans to the side and pulls out what looks like a wallet. He unfolds it, revealing a set of tools, "This is a pick locking set."

I watch Richard pull out different tools and carefully examine each one. After the lock is cool enough, he tries to pick the lock. I can see him focusing on the task. I sit and watch, trying to figure out how he is doing it. He takes one tool and puts in through the keyhole. He takes a second and puts it in as well. With that second tool, he is moving it up and down. He fails, and tries again. This continues for a while. I grow impatience and start pacing. I walk and walk. I can hear Richard still trying to pick the lock. 

Then I hear a click. 

I stop pacing, and turn around. I see Richard hold the unlocked lock in his hand. I fly over to the suitcase, nearly pushing him off the bed. I unzip the case. I can feel Richard tensing up too. Why is he nervous? I open the top and see my uniform. Purple, silver, and the emerald looking at Richard and I.

I feel Richard's body relax and mine does too. Everything is still here, as I had left it. I pull my uniform out. It's a leotard, mostly purple, with silver accents. The emerald is placed in the chest plate.

"That's your uniform?" Richard whispers. I forgot that he is still here.

"Yes." I look at him. I hold the uniform out towards him to examine it. He takes some of the fabric and rubs it between his index finger and thumb.

"This is made of steel?" Richard asks me.

"It's made of a type of steel that you can find on Tamaran, yes." I answer. I put the leotard in my lap and look to see what else is in the case. I pull out a pair of purple boots and set them aside. I pull out a head piece and set it behind me. 

Richard takes it and looks at it, "What is this? Some type of weapon?"

"No," I laugh, "it's a head piece." I show him by placing it on my head.

"It reminds me of Batman." Richard smiles. I look at myself in my mirror's reflection. The two points at the top of my head do look like Batman's mask. I chuckle and take it off, putting it back behind me. I take out a pair of silver fingerless gloves. Each glove has a small emerald on the tops. I pull the gloves on and show them off to Richard. He points at the jewels, he's questioning them.

"They help conserve our power while in battle." I explain. He sighs. The last thing I grab is a silver band. It goes around my right arm. I see Richard's eyebrow raise again, "I injured my arm in battle, so this helps protect it when needed."

"This is so cool Star. You would need to show Bruce when you come over again." Richard looks around my bed and sees the things laid out.

"I don't think I would be able to wear any of these though. My parents watch the news. They know what this uniform looks like." I tell him.

"Alfred can make you a new one. He can add anything you would like to it." Richard tell me. His body moves closer to me. He takes a peek of what else can be in the bag. There is an envelope left. I take the closed envelope and open it. There are pictures of Tamaran inside. I give Richard the pictures for him to go through. There are some pictures of my family and I, and some of the actual planet before we were under attack. Richard is surprise that we had purple mountains. I told him that our soil is purple instead of brown like it is here on Earth. Richard explains that it reminds him of the Rocky Mountains. I did not know what those are, so Richard explains them to me.

After looking through the pictures, I gather my things and put them nicely back in the case. Richard watches as I do this. I zip the bag close. I fold my arms into my lap and smile at Richard. He smiles back. 

"Richard?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what? Picking the lock?"

"Well yes, and for being here. I think people would have run away."

"No problem. I am happy that I could help."

We sit there together, just enjoying our unspoken presence. 

Richard breaks the silence, "Well I should get going. I will talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay." I tell him. We both get up and Richard walks back to the bathroom. The room is cold from the outside. Richard straddles the window sill.

"Good night Star." Richard whispers.

"Good night Richard." I whisper back. Richard pulls his other leg through the window and jumps down. I look out the window and see that he somersaulted his landing. He gives me a two finger salute and makes his way to his car. I close the window and lock it. I then get ready for bed. I make sure to put my silver suit case back under my bed before I climb in for the night. Before my head hit the pillow, I am asleep.