The escape pod landed gently in the calm sea, just a few hundred meters away from the living island where the Fireball had docked.
«I can't believe it, Smogghel, we made it! And it's all thanks to you!» Roy exclaimed, overjoyed.
«Remember to tell the deolians that, in case they want to give me back to the Dignitary Supreme of the Kwxygrtklst Emirates so that he can send me into exile again!» said the alien, with a hint of pride in his voice for having led the youth to safety and a hint of concern for the future that awaited him.
«Don't worry, the deolians will welcome you with all the honors that you deserve» smiled Roy, «in the meantime, let's get out of here, shall we?»
«Right» answered Smogghel, sliding open the escape pod's control panel and searching for hatch opening control.
«okay, it should be this one...» he guessed, touching a flashing icon on the armrest display panel.
They were instantly hit by a powerful spray of a substance that smelt like bleach, coming out of little holes dotted all over the pod's walls.
«For pity's sake! Turn that damn thing off!» Roy yelled, coughing and covering his face with his hands in a vain attempt to protect himself from the poisonous fumes.
«Sorry, sorry! Must be the decontamination substance, it should stop soon!» said Smogghel mortified.
«Before I suffocate, please!»
«Here it is!» said the alien, confidently, «I've found it!»
This time the rugged alien pressed the right command and the pod's ceiling opened wide, allowing the peaceful sunlight to come in and the sterilizing substance fumes that were suffocating Roy to go out.
«Thanks...» the teenager sighed, filling his lungs with fresh air, «Thank God the departure and landing procedures were fully automated...»
«Whaddya mean?» said Smogghel, a bit resentful for the sudden loss of faith on his part.
Roy smiled at his friend without answering, he just patted him on the shoulder and then pulled himself up, grabbing on to the handles on either side of the pod's opening. He hauled himself upwards with some difficulty, due to the pain in his knee, until he was standing on the seat and leaning out to get a look around.
He was struck by overwhelming emotions that took his breath away, those same emotions were shared by the group of castaways waiting on the islet not far away.
«GRAMPS, STEPHANIE, WENDI!» he cried out, waving his arms to greet the Fireball's crew so enthusiastically that he almost lost balance.
«ROY! YESSS!» Moses went from the depths of despair to complete elation, raising his hands and throwing Wendi ecstatically up in the air, before joyfully catching her in his arms, in celebration.
Stephanie moved closer to the shore, waving with outstretched arms, while Martika struggled to contain the emotions that Tex, on the other hand, openly demonstrated, by barking and wagging his tail as much as possible.
Vitalius and Rubios, kept their distance, watching the terrestrial's celebrations with amusement. Then, smiling widely, the deolian scientist gave the astonished Director a big slap on the back, making him visibly stagger due to the friendly, but rather energetic blow received.
«So, that guy over there, is the famous 'grandad'?» asked Smogghel, emerging out of the pod's open hatch.
«Yes, and there's Stephanie and Wendi too, I can't believe it!» replied Roy, continuing to wave happily to the little group on the islet.
YOU ARE READING
Roy Rocket - Beyond infinity
Sci-fiRoy is just a teenager falling in love for the first time in his life; all he wants is to be close to the beautiful Stephanie. But a mysterious alien artifact literally tears him away from the world he knows and throws him headlong into a new, incre...
