Stardust

Chapter Six

Hours later, Sokula returned from school, immediately heading downstairs. She was greeted with two sleeping aliens and a sleeping cat. She giggled at the cat, not sure how it got down here. She put on her hiking boots, which were kept in the garage because they were usually muddy, and headed outside through the back door without waking any of the three animals. She headed for the local junkyard, rummaging through the broken appliances and miscellaneous junk. When she found intact wood planks, she threw them over to the side into a pile. After she found enough wood, she started rummaging for metal parts. Now satisfied, she found a large cloth and placed everything onto it. She then folded it up and hauled it onto the wagon that she had brought with her. Sokula smiled at her hard work and wheeled the wagon back home. She opened the garage and wheeled the wagon in, closing the garage behind her. The cat woke up and stretched, walking over to the wagon. It sniffed it curiously. Sokula wheeled it over to the corner of the garage and she took off her backpack, setting it onto the table. She unzipped it and took out the paper plans for the rocket ship. As she was laying it out across the table, Komako woke up. She sat up, watching Sokula look over the plans. She glanced over at Avysoss, who was still fast asleep. She poked him, making him stir and swat her hand away. She smiled and did it again. Avysoss smiled, opening his eye.

"She's home, Avy."
"But I wanna sleeeeep."
"Ya doof, we've been sleeping for a while."
"Fine..."

He propped himself up onto his elbows, looking over at Sokula. They both watched her for a minute, watching her move between the wagon and the table. Sokula took a few wooden planks and laid them down on the table besides the plans, taking out a tool box. She took out a red marker and drew the shape of the exterior of the rocket, following the construction plans. She then took out a small saw and started cutting it out. She took out another plank out and repeated the process until she had plenty of pieces of wood to make up the skeleton of the rocket. Following the plans, she took the planks and put them together with nails. She clapped when she was finished, proud of her hard work. "Done with the prototype!" She talks to herself, knowing Avysoss and Komako couldn't understand her. She then took out the metal pieces and starts building the wings and outer casing. When that as finished, she discovered a problem. "Now how do I make it take off?" She stepped away and brainstormed for a bit, writing down ideas. " I could use air pressure... I could use fuel..." She sighs, trying to think of something. Fuel was going to be impossible, but air pressure wasn't powerful enough. "I need another way..." She sighed and faced the two aliens on the dog bed. The cat retired back to laying down next to them. Suddenly an idea came to her. "Maybe it doesn't have to be enough! Maybe, if I can find a way to get them up high from the beginning, the rocket can carry them the rest of the way! But how..." She started pacing around the room, trying to come up with more ideas. With each idea she counted on a finger. "Airplane... balloon... tall building... rocket..." Then she went through and disproved the undoable ones. "The building wouldn't be tall enough... the balloon wouldn't hold their weight, unless it was large enough or there were enough balloons... how would I get them on a rocket?" She decided the two main plans would be an airplane or balloons. She decided that air pressure still wouldn't work, so fuel would have the be the one to make the rocket fly. "But how would I get fuel?"

She sighed, and just then, she heard her mother start walking down the stairs to the garage. Quickly, she covered Komako, Avysoss, and her cat with the blanket. She didn't have time to clean up her rocket, however, as her mother reached the bottom of the steps.

"Sokula, what's with all this?"
"Oh, uh... It's a school project!"
"A school project? To build a small rocket?"
"Yeah! It's for.... science!"
"Oh? What are you learning in science that has you building a rocket."
"Rocket science, duh."
"Hah, okay. Do you need to write anything?"
"No, just build the rocket. Oh, question?"
"Yes, sweetie?"
"Do you know where I can get fuel for the rocket?"
"You mean to make it lift off? You'll need more than just fuel."
"What will I need?"
"Well you'll need an engine, propulsion, plenty of things!"
"Uhm... can you get me those things?"
"That would be expensive! I guess, since your rocket is small, I could find small ones at a reasonable price, but I can't guarantee they'll be powerful."
"Please do!"
"Okay, honey. Again, no guarantees."

She headed back upstairs, Sokula giddy. She giggled and skipped over to Komako and Avysoss, uncovering them. The cat, uncomfortable from being covered with a blanket without warning, dashed back upstairs. Sokula danced around the room for a bit, excited that she may actually have a chance to send Avysoss and Komako back into space, their home. Komako tilted her head, questioning Sokula's excitement. Sokula picked her up onto the table where the plans were and drew an engine and other rocket parts, circling them. Komako understood and smiled widely. She clapped and Sokula laughed. Avysoss looked at the two confused.

"Koma?"
"What?"
"What's going on?"
"We're ever so closer to going home!"
"Oh, why?"
"We're getting parts for the rocket!"
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
"Hah, cool."
"C'mon, Avy, celebrate!"
"Im kinda stuck down here."
"Oh, hold on."

Komako hopped down from the table and bounced back over to the bed, smiling goofily. Avysoss smiled back, propping himself up on his elbows. He looked down at his tail, then over at Komako and Sokula's feet. His smile fell.

"Avy? What's wrong?"
"Nothing..."
"Avy, c'mon. You were smiling. Now you're not. What's wrong."
"It's just... I can't do anything. I can only sit here. You can run around."
"Oh, Avy..."
"No, it's fine."
"No it's not. I'll find a way, okay?"
"Koma, I'm fine. Seriously."
"... you sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay..."

Komako frowned, pleading him with her eyes that she could do anything. Avysoss smiled gently, shaking his head. Sokula watched this silent conversation with interest. She figured out that they communicated silently a bit ago, and she found it extremely interesting. Komako looked bothered, so Sokula tapped her shoulder and tilted her head, trying to ask her what was wrong. Komako hopped on the table and grabbed Sokula's notebook and a pencil and drew Avysoss. She then drew Avysoss with legs and circled that one. She showed Sokula and she understood. "Oh, I see..."

She crouched down and looked at Avysoss with a gentle smile, realizing that she hasn't really interacted with him much. He looked at her with an untrusting look and growled silently when she extended her hand towards him. She drew back, startled. Komako nudged Avysoss, pleading him to stop with her eyes. He softened up a bit and let her extend her hand again, Sokula petting his head softly. She was amazed, his hair was smooth and felt like gelatin. She moved to touch his light softly and he flinched, growling again. She pulled back. "Sorry!" She sighed and cautiously moved to pet his head again. He let her, glaring at Komako.

"I don't trust her, and she's trying to touch my light."
"She's trying to befriend you. Just let your guard down. Let her befriend you. Trust her!"
"No, I won't. I just won't."
"Avy, please."
"..."
"Please?"
"... fine."
"Thank you."

Komako smiled gently. Avysoss looked back at Sokula, not glaring but not milking either. He watched her pet him, a small grin on her face. He softened up a bit, realizing that if she meant harm, she probably would have done something by now. He relaxed and closed his eye, enjoying the petting. Komako smiled.

"You're just like that beast."
"What?"
"The one I tamed, the furry beast."
"Oh, you think?"
"Yeah!"
"Alright then."

He smiled, amazed at her excitement. He opened his eye and stared at Sokula, though it was a gentle gaze. She stopped and stood up, sighing. She was satisfied, happy that Avysoss trusted her a bit more. Sokula smiled at Komako and checked the time, realizing that it was late. She waved goodbye to the two and headed back upstairs.

Komako faced Avysoss,

"Guess that means it's time to sleep."
"I'm okay with that."
"Of course you are."

She smiled and laid down, curling up and covering them by the blanket. She waited for Avysoss to fall asleep, which she knew he did when his light dimmed down. She smiled and allowed herself to fall asleep as well.