Halapatov

Chapter Six

"Really? You'll be gone for a week?" Zax commented idly, eyes still fixed on the screen on the other side of the room. "That's cool, I guess."

"Yeah." Jayne added, glancing over her shoulder, momentarily distracted from the poster-board she was putting together for a school project. "Should be fun. I've heard Halapatov's great."

I nodded awkwardly from my spot on the couch in Sierra's lounge room. Having been accepted as part of their group again, I'd been invited with the others over to her house to watch this week's major news broadcast on one of the three channels that the satellite connection between all the planets supported. While they watched it, they also were voicing their opinions and advice to Jayne, whose science project was on the innate abilities of primal animals, and the reasons behind them. It was pretty cool actually; once completed and presented her project would be scanned and uploaded to the data-share, where thousands of people could access it. No wonder she was so intent on it. Currently she had a pen out and was writing in the squares she'd designed about the different types of creatures she'd studied. I looked over her shoulder, not knowing whether to comment or not. Realizing that I only had extensive facts on the animals that would be completely useless in the context of the assignment, I kept quiet, and deferred my attention to the flat screen which was part of the opposite wall.

"This week has seen those in Mullthytude preparing for celebration," the reporter was telling us in he broadcast as images of the beautiful, nature-strewn streets of Straor, a settlement of the planet Mullthytude, and its people were displayed. "As the hype for the upcoming Moving Carnival begins to settle in. As many viewers will know, the Moving Carnival celebrates an ancient day of the Tudians, when the first of their kind began to spread across their planet and create communities in every country. Yes, the carnival will see mass excitement for such an old tradition, hardly dampened by the recent transpiring of a Weraynian Scare on Flauraan. Many aliens will be-"

"I still find it hard to process that you were a part of that, Abigail." Sierra spoke up from her spot in the corner seat. I glanced at her to take in her solemn expression and cloudy green eyes. "I mean, it was crazy for my family. Dad was worrying about taking the twins out of town in case it ended badly, and mam tried to calm him down while I just had no idea what to think. It was barely comprehensible! And you were right in the middle of it... What was it like?"

Suddenly all eyes in the room were on me, and I felt my palms sweating. I'd received a lot of attention including questions from my peers and neighbours over the past week since the event, so I was no stranger to the spotlight, but I still felt disoriented in this circumstance. These were my friends; I didn't know what to say. So I decided to go with the easiest answer I could think of.

"It was hard." I admitted honestly yet simply. "There was a lot of pressure and time was running out. You've probably heard that I passed out afterwards; it was that intense. But at least I knew what was going on. It must have been even harder for you guys waiting without knowing."

Jason nodded in reply, expression thoughtful. "I'd never seen my brother so scared in my life, and he's one of the smartest people I know - apart from you of course." He flashed me a sheepish smile then continued. "We were in the crowd that went down to the field, and when the spaceship started shaking.... it was utter madness. Immediately after you ran in there the leaders evacuated a heap of us but it was probably worse just being at home, anticipating an unknown outcome."

I looked over the new kid, impressed by him. I knew the least about him out of my friends, but he seemed more serious than Zax and had more tact than Runer so I decided I liked him. He was a good addition to the group.