The Rare Hopper

Prologue: Our Only Chance

The Belloni family has fallen on tough times as other humans are now migrating off Earth with only a few staying behind that are either farmers, too poor to leave, or just don't want to leave. Celio and Brianna is doing the final count for travel but they know they won't be able to go one of their children must.

"We only have enough money for interplanetary passport, the visa, and travel for one child and then not even one of the eldest," states Celio looking over the finances. "Mirabella has to go."

"She's only 5, Celio! Possibly 6 when she finally leaves," cries Brianna.

"Then who then? She is nearing the cut off as is Remy and Franny has missed the cut off for the budget we have."

"Wait another year or so to get more money."

"We may not get another chance, it has to be Mirabella. She will be our chance to get out of this hell hole called Earth. We won't be able to give her much if anything at all when she leaves but we need to get the wheels moving now if we want our family to survive. We both lost our jobs to aliens you as a banker and I as a sales representative. We didn't make that much but enough to have a good life now we can't do that since now I cannot visit stores so they can buy my products and all banks relocated to support alien transactions. This is what we need to give us a leg up in this economy now."

"I still don't like it, there has to be another option in a year's time. If anything let's get some spending money for Mirabella so she can at least eat and be fed even if it isn't the best food."

"She will eat the ship will have food and water?"

"How? Most ships that we are talking about are pirate ships or cargo ships that have plants in them and they don't take kind to people stealing. The passenger ships you said cost more and we won't be able to afford them even if meals are included."

"She will need to work for it and nothing more. Mirabella will find away. Even at 5 years old she is more than ready for this due to resilience that she has and it doesn't help that you baby her even if she is the youngest. Hell she cannot go to school and look at her, her education relies on the aliens coming through here."

"She maybe resilient, Celio, but she is still our child and the youngest. We will most likely be dead before she can bring us to her."

"Then she can start a new family."

"Please don't do this to her."

"She will go and that is final. Brianna, you said you'd let me have the last say and that's what I'm doing. I've listened to you but if we postpone this much longer no one of our family will get off this planet, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Celio, but I still don't agree with it. Who will she go to?"

"I have friends they will be her boss, Cheveyo and Yerazig will take good care of her after she lands"

"Aren't they hopper bosses? That is what you want her to do for money?"

"Yes they are but they are one of the best and they won't put her in unnecessary danger. Most of their hoppers remain out of the system and if they do get in the system action is taken so it doesn't happen again up to the point of being fired."

"But she will still be in danger. What will her tasks be at her age?"

"According to Cheveyo, she will be used for until puberty hits mainly running messages to his colleagues and elder hoppers in his care for missions and from time to time being a companion to elderly people. As she ages though the elder hoppers will train her and she will be sent on collection missions and he said because she will be his first female hopper that her companionship missions will evolve over time and most likely help with kids her age now traveling to other worlds."