Claustrophobic in Space

Part 2

****Thanks  again for reading the story! Every reader means alot to me :) Hope you enjoy, two more parts coming! By the way I tired to eliminate all the spelling mistakes, if you find anything just add it in the comments box, thanks! <3 Nellie**********

Groden and I ran through a special passage for the captains only that led from the engine room straight to the high deck and was used for emergencies like this one. We opened the tubes door and started climbing the ladder. Right as we entered the room I realized what the alarm was sounded for, enemy ships. I didn’t know why they had approached us so many times in the past month, but it was starting to worry me. I could always predict or find out what the cause was, but my parents were even quieter on the attempted raids come the last month. However, I tried to ignore them as long as I was in public, otherwise I’d be chewing my nails in the middle of a zoned-out conversation. I turned to Groden who was carelessly petting Clint next to me, somehow that dog knew where I was when I was.

“Do you know why they keep returning Aria?”

“Father says its because they want us paying fare for passing through their territory, but I don’t think he’s telling me everything.”

He just nodded but then he started for the tube again.

“What are you doing?”  I whispered.

“I’m going to find out what’s happening. You coming?”

My father always asked for my presence when an alarm sounded, and I didn’t want him angrier with me, then again it was a lame excuse against my best friend. Reluctantly, I followed him, this time down the tunnel. Half way down he opened an air vent I hadn’t noticed was loose and motioned for me to climb in. The vent led right over my parent control room, and we could hear it all. I wanted to ask Groden how he discovered it, but then I heard my name in the conversation below.

 “Give us the princess and we’ll let you through.” A voice on the transmitter said.

My father spoke back quickly.

“You can’t have her, we must return her to her homeland.”

“Then we’ll come and take her by force, you know we have more strength then you.”

My parents exchanged a glance and whispered just loud enough so she could hear.

“Aria doesn’t even know, but we can’t risk everyone else’s lives. We have to turn her over.”

I could believe me ears; I was being turned over to the man over the transmitter?

My parents spoke back to the man, who I recognized as the Captain who had been bothering us for a month, but then it hadn’t seemed to severe.

“We’ll have her ready for you in an hour.” My father almost sounded sad, but I wasn’t going to pity him, he could have asked me first. He sent a guard to get me, in a few minutes he came back with the news I wasn’t anywhere to be found. Then my father did something I didn’t expect, he pushed a blue button on the control board and all of the sudden my vest started beeping, right where my name was in the golden embroidered letters. Groden looked at me urgently, and my parents looked up toward the vent.

“Bring Aria to me.” My father ordered to Mac, his guard.

Surprisingly, the betrayal was expected, though not perceived to come in that manner. Though I felt my chest trying to burst, I had wanted my mom to say something against it, or my father to arrange something else to happen. It was all too much, too quick, too out in the open. But I wasn’t prepared and I had to face it head on so I waited for my capture.

I prepared Groden to stay silent and wait in the shaft, that way he could escape unnoticed. I gave him a hug, not expecting to see him again but he didn’t seem sad. He put a microphone under my collar and hugged me again.

“Plan 23” He whispered as my legs were dragged out of the vent.

I was brought up and out to the main deck, a room as big as a football field, holding all the people aboard expectantly waiting. Since my parents were just going to let them wait there I decided to do one last nice thing for them. I ordered to relieve everyone out to his or her rooms as I saw Groden heading for the garage. I wasn’t sure if this was going to work but I followed Mac to the control room. As I entered I look at the heartless captains of the ship with a blank expression.

“What are you hiding from me?” I demanded with the stubborn spirit I always had.

My mother smiled weakly to me.

“You aren’t an American citizen as we led you to believe, though I don’t have time to explain you are royalty and the word let out. We were taking you home to another Earth ship, it was secret and safe but we were too late.”

I looked at my father expecting him to laugh and admit they were joking, but it never came. Instead he brought reassurance to the crazy plan.

“For the safety of the people we have to let you go.”

“Your acting like it’s hard but since I’m not your really child it wont be. Now I know why I never felt loved, because I’m really just a cover up.”

I wasn’t scared of being handed over, I was willing to for the sake of the people but I wasn’t willing to if my parents buttered it up. With out even a goodbye I was taken on a quick detour to my room to get the emergency bag I had packed, I asked for a few minutes alone.

“Groden. You there?”

“Yea, I’ll be there to wave you bye.”

I understood my friend through the static of the mini speaking device. I looked at the picture frame of my “Parents” and I when I was ten and I attended my first lesson on flying the ship. I remembered not feeling responsible for the ship and I started crying, my dad said he knew I could handle it but that he’d always be there behind me, making sure I was doing what’s best. I was debating on whether or not to bring it, but I couldn’t hold a grudge my whole life so I brought it.

“Better safe then sorry.” I mumbled to myself while attempting to laugh at the old saying.

I felt tears coming on for sorrow of missing my home, but I fought them back to keep my game face on and headed out the room. Right before I left I heard the familiar whimpering of Clint, I wanted to stuff him in a bag and bring him with me, because he had American blood in him and it would remind me of home. But it wouldn’t be fair for him; living in how knows where and never being content. If I had taken him it would have been for selfish reasons.

“Bye boy”

He seemed to understand me and he nodded and sat obediently.

This was hard. Harder then yelling painful words at my ‘Parents’. Harder then saying my goodbyes. Harder then leaving home. Almost harder then leaving Groden. It felt like each pain was a scratch on my heart; soon it would be left to shreds.

Giving Clint one last hug I headed for the garage and buckled up on the first pod on the launch pad.