Sapphire Star

Chapter 11 Test Flight

I awoke to the smell of coffee. Not that I drank coffee, but the smell itself was invigorating. I stretched practically reaching the curving overhead ceiling above my bed in the attic. Last night I had checked the piece of paper Pacifica had covertly slipped into my pocket and found her phone number in ther along with her name written in purple handwriting. She still wrote her name with a purple heart accentuated above the letter 'i' in her name. I had smiled before I added it to my phone.  Before I went to sleep I texted her. I said, "How is my sapphire star tonight?" Sometimes it seemed unreal when I thought about how beautiful Pacifica was and that she was into someone like me like. I was just waiting to wake up and find out it had all been the bittersweet vestiges of a wonderful dream. I had fallen asleep pondering this. So when I checked my phone in the morning it said one new message. I checked and it was from Pacifica. She had texted me back saying, "Excited for tomorrow. How is my nerd in shining armor?" I chuckled to myself.

I looked over. Mabel was still asleep. She usually wakes me up by staring at me. Time for some payback. I walked over to her side of the room none too quietly...Nothing. Heavy sleeper this one. I leaned right over her face and poked her nose with my nose. She stirred slightly and half-opened her eyes for about half a second before they shot open, her brown eyes becoming large brown saucers of alarm. Then she let out a yelp and pushed me away. I started laughing while she muttered. She stood up to give me her serious face but I noticed she had on kitten pajamas and her hair was in a static halo ball around her head. I burst out laughing. She stormed into the bathroom. Then I remembered I needed to use the bathroom. Didn't plan that out too well I guess.

I headed downstairs and found the bathroom empty. When I came back to the breakfast table after washing my hands I noticed the table was set but no one was there. I looked in the kitchen. No one. I started to make a poppy seed bagel with cream cheese. I scarfed that down while I grilled up some steak I had chopped into cubed pieces and tossed into the frying pan. When the meat was well seasoned and done I tossed it with some green onions and red bell peppers and tomatoes. I put the ingredients in a bowl. I added diced garlic and salt. After visiting the spice garden just outside on the deck plant potter I picked some freshly torn tarragon, thyme, parsley, and chives to add to the omelet. I then poured the seasoned omelet egg mixture I had made into the pan. As it sizzled I added the ingredients to one half followed by shredded swiss cheese. Then a little later I used the spatula to fold the second half across the ingredients sealing it up into a nice steak omelet.

I made two more. I scarfed one down then brought the other two upstairs on two separate plates as a peace offering to Mabel. I knocked on the door. "What do want?" she asked. "I come bearing gift offerings of peace," I said kindly. "So did the Greeks," Mabel said stubbornly. I said softly, "I made you breakfast." She opened the door, her makeup done and her hair wrapped up in a towel above her. "Really?!" she said looking at the omelets. "Truce," she said happily as she took the plate and leaned up to kiss me on the cheek. I smiled. "Did you want this other Omelet?" I asked. "Nah, see if Grunkle Ford is up. I'm almost certain he forgot to eat with the ship and all". THE SHIP! "Oh yeah! I almost forgot!" I said ecstatically. Mabel put on an innocent face and said, "I can't even imagine what had you so distracted." Then a smirk teased her lips. I smiled back at her and quickly turned away before my cheeks got red.

I quickly grabbed some silverware and held it beneath the plate. I headed for the vending machine. I punched in the code. I went down the stairs, entered my credentials, and palmed in with my free hand while I looked at the retinal scanner. "Pines Mason Charlie Tango Whiskey Juliet." "Access granted," the terminal stated as the screen flashed green. As the door opened I walked past the three retracted door pins on either side of the elevator. I entered the elevator and turned around to the interface. As I punched in the lab level the door began to close. The three pins on either side were offset and closed in like teeth on each other to reinforce the door and the wall.