Chapter Eight (part one)

Getting Ready to Building a Ship

Sky woke up to hear her roommate breathing softly in her sleep. She looked over the edge of her bed and seen Jane in the bed below her. Her dirty blonde hair was still up, and she looked at peace in her sleep. With a glance, she saw her parents left the mess hall but had a breakfast set out on the table for everyone. Each plate and bowl had a cute name tag and a small stasis field over it to keep the dishes perfect for eating later. She turned back to Jane and started to undone her hair.

Jane felt a gentle caress on her head; it was and relaxing then it was gone. Blinking her eyes open she seen a small cute face framed with long blue hair looking down at her. She had the appearance of an angel with the radiant smile to match. “Did you have a nice nape Sky? I don’t know about you, but it felt like I slept for hours.” She said stretching out loving the extra space of the new bunk.

“Why thank you I did have a pleasant nap.” She pulled her head back, so just her sparkling blue eyes were showing. With the most delightful giggle, she added. “You slept for six and a half hours; you’re really pretty while you sleep. I would have undone your hair before; you just fell asleep so quickly I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” Her head pulled back from sight, and her furry feet were sliding out quickly followed by the rest of her. In seconds, she was standing on the floor wearing a bunny onesie with the hood pulled back.

Jane smiled at the pajamas; secretly she wanted a puppy onesie. Then it dawned on her what she had just said, six and a half hours. With a jolt, she bolted up wide awake startling the bunny girl. “I slept for over six hours; we’re not going to get anything done sleeping the day away. We’ve got so much to do, and we’re not going to do it on our backs sleeping. Jane in seconds was out of her bed in just her underwear and a long t-shirt reaching just above her knees. On the back in faded words “Hug me” was just visible. Sky did just that as Jane was making her bed.

She was surprised feeling a tiny pair of arms wrap around her waist; hands clasp her abdomen and someone’s body press against her back. It was an odd sensation since the spells cast on her body; she never felt any physical contact like she now was. She found herself enjoying the embrace. “Sky, what’s with the hug suddenly”?

“Your nightshirt says hug me on the back, and I always try to do as I’m told. Once at school a boy had a kick me sign taped to his back, I didn’t kick him though. It said kick me, not kill me so I told him about the sign and he thanked me. I knew I could hug you and it was something you put on knowing it was there, so I thought you wanted hugs today.”

Jane didn’t quite know what to say. Her logic made sense if you thought about it from the point of a young girl who never really seen a whole lot of the universe. “I appreciate the hug but we’ve had to get going, I only meant to nap hour tops. How could you let me sleep that long? You know we’re on a tight schedule to get your ship built.” She stopped to look at Sky’s smiling face still hugging her.

“You slept that long in here but out there you only slept about an hour and a half. Before I went to sleep, I slowed down time to so I could sleep a little longer. I was going to tell you sooner, but you fell asleep so quickly.” She said finally releasing her from the hug with a smile. She looked like just any other little girl; her outward appearance was very deceiving. “Do you want some tea before we go for breakfast? We’re going to have to eat a big meal before we start in the cargo room.” Sky turned to face the wall in the direction of the room. “Todd, Courtney and Heather are still running the simulator in the new ship design. I wonder if they can get used to the new control system. There is a big difference between the new and the old one.”

Jane turned to face the same direction and reached out to feel for her team members and could make them out as faceless shapes. She could tell Todd from the girls. But she couldn’t tell Courtney and Heather apart. They seemed just too much alike without seeing their faces. “Can you tell the difference between the two, I can’t? She asked not turning away from the forms she was watching.

“Close your eyes and feel for their presence as if they were standing in front of you. You know what they were wearing last the differences in their postures. They may look alike, but they give off their aura. Once you do that picture what they look like and how they would look in the position they are now.”

Jane did as she said and closed her eyes and imagined they were right in front of her in the same positions. The process was quick, and their faces and bodies became clearer to imagine. Now she could easily make out the two girls. The images were not crystal clear, but they were easy to make out. “That’s incredible, who taught you how to do that. I can’t believe no one teaches that in school or higher arcane education.”

“I had to learn to be aware of everyone around me even the ones around the corners. Soon I could see everyone. Now I don’t even have to face in any direction to see what is around me. I reach out and feel everything around me, and everything is clear in my head. I should relax and take in my surrounds when I do that I can feel so much more. The other beings in my body are part of me yet not. I know they have an awareness of things outside of my body and can be in more than one existence at once. I’m boring you aren’t I, let’s have a quick cup end get breakfast”? She didn’t wait for a response and set out the tea set. As she put the tea leaves in the pot, the water seemed pulled and heated from the air to make the tea.

Jane enjoyed watching the little girl use her gifts as if it were the most natural way of doing things. “If you keep pulling water from the air around us our skin will start to dry out. You should get the water from a tap.” Jane sat down for the tea with no other comment thinking of how to increase her awareness of the degree Sky had.

“Oh, I just got the water from the tap in the WC. I like to aerate the water it tastes fresher that way. Mommy taught me that she used to pour it back and forth two jugs when she had the time. With magic, it’s so easy to do now and simple. We can call it instant tea; I can’t wait to tell mommy I invented instant tea.”

She looked so proud of herself. Jane didn’t have the heart to tell her they had it over two thousand years ago. “Jane let me know if it tastes better than the artificial stuff in the packets from school.” She handed the cup to her new big sister. Watching her take the first sip the tea was slightly bitter, and she had an idea why.

“It tastes pretty good; but did you twist the leaves so they would have more flavour, quickly. When you twist or press the tea leaves, it can cause the tea to be bitter. You seem to be handy with that time spell just put the pot in a fast timeline so it can brew faster to us.” She jested not thinking she would take her seriously. “You can add another spell to keep it hot and fresh after it’s steeped.” She smiles about to say she was joking. That incantations are dealing with time was not to be taken lightly. The girl just tapped the pot twice and said. “Done and done.”

“We can try it out later right now I’m kind of hungry, you should eat too. You’re going to be casting quite a few healing spells to keep everyone supper down, then their breakfast too. I would race you but the corridors not clear.”

Jane turned and felt outside with her awareness.” Joe’s going for a snack or something.” She was finding it easier to do every time she tried it.

The two left to the room after they dressed, cleaned the teapot and cups. Halfway to the mess, they meet Joe coming towards them. “Hi, Joe Sir have you seen the new ship design it looks cool doesn’t it. It's base design is the Little Tooth’s, but it made to take the bad guys out of service. If you want, I could send you the specs of the ship too. I will build the ship with a lot of the magic sigils impregnating the metals and framework. It’s going to take one-tenth of the energy to run, and the lights run on ambient energy. I managed to put in a few extra rooms to while being the same size on the outside it has close to ten times the space on the inside. I hope the guilds don’t see it. I looked up some of the guilds building code of ethics, and I broke around ten of them if I were to sell the ship and not keep it for our private or military use.”

“To answer your question, yes I did see it, and I tried the controls and the flight simulator. Where did you get the design of the control and the way it operates? It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” He asked his little Ensign.

“They were from a movie I watched when I was little. The movie was fake, but to me, the controls looked cool and looked simple to operate. The controls use thought and slight hand movements to operate the spacecraft.” She looked up to him waiting for praise or even just a comment on if he liked the new control systems. He saw the eager look in her eyes for remarks on his observation. He just smiled at her as if to say “what”? She didn’t want to ask and seem too impatient for his answer. She just needed to know if he could adjust to the radically new controls. “So, what did you think? Were they good, did you like them”?

He feigned recognition of what she was after. “Oh, I thought I told you they are amazing. I’ve tried some similar controls, but you’ve got me hooked.” Sky was beaming; he loved the new control system. Joe continued, “Next time I have tea, those biscuits have to be there.” He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder.

Sky’s face pinched up as she scowled at him. She saw through his façade and didn’t want to hear anything else he had to say. Jane chuckled to herself at their interactions

“You’re just like an older brother giving his sister a hard time. Just tell her you were amazed and want it for Little Tooth after this mission is over, Sir.” Jane said giving him a wink.

He laughed, “I guess I wasn’t fooling anyone. Are you sure you’re just nine-years-old? I can’t get over the fact they work so well with next to no practice. The simulations were incredible too where did you come up with them? Now his face showed his true feelings.

“I’m not just nine-years-old.” She smiled at the shocked look on their faces. “I’m nine and seven-eighths almost ten. If you go by Earth years, I’m almost thirteen and a half. I like to say I’m nine and I’m developing at a normal rate.” She said looking over to Jane, who just nodded in understanding with a smile.

“We’re just going to get a bite to eat and then start on the ship. I’m started up on the healing then Courtney, Heather, and Todd. After that, it’s up to you and Fred if you want a turn. You don’t have to if you have other things to do, our crew can handle it if we need to.” Jane said putting an arm around Sky and pulled her close.

” Hay she was part of my crew first, get your own Sky.” He smiled and laughed at the little girl’s face. It was the first time someone fought over her.

Sky felt her heart swell up and she felt real happiness come over her. She was going to make this ship and the Little Tooth the best she could. “I’m part of Fred’s crew which we all are now as for my team, that’s Jane and me. We are the search, rescue and first-aid team.” Sky put her arm around Jane, and they held each other.

“Well I’ve just had a small snack, so I’m good. So, enjoy your meal and have a good time building the ship. I’ll be passing by now and then even when I’m not there to help with the healing.” He turned to leave and remembered to ask her something. “Could you tell Conny when you’re about to open your pocket space sack of rocks and start bringing out the rocks for processing. That way we can give everyone a heads up, and not taken by surprise.” He continued his way with a wave.

“Sometimes I wish we didn’t joke around as much as we do. I don’t mind it most of the time, and I did start the teasing first. Maybe I’ll become a little more mature as I get older, like mommy and daddy.” Sky said as they reached the mess hall.

Jane gave Sky’s statement a thought and remembered how Rocssanna and William interacted. “I doubt that you’ll be any more mature if you’re to go by your parents. They seem to pretty easy going and teased each other and even me a little too.” Jane looked around in the empty mess with a single piece of paper on a table.

Sky was the first too pick-up the note.

“Dear little Angel

There is a meal in stasis in the first cupboard for you and Jane and some snacks. I know how you like your snacks while you work. You can share them with Jane, Joe, and Fred when they show up from time to time. Don’t work too long without regular meals, if you don’t Willy or I should drag you away for your nutritional intake. Take care.

Love you dearly Mommy and Daddy.”

She smiled at the note and the thoughtfulness of her parents; she could sense them sleeping peacefully not far off. The cupboard in question opened to reveal an enormous pot with a slight glow around it. Walking to the pot another door opened with bowls in it.

Jane seen the doors open and went to the bowls and was almost hit by another drawer opening right in front of her. She looked to Sky and seen a smirk on her face. Nope, not going to be mature any time soon. She took out two spoons, one still in the drawer shook slightly, and she picked it up. The weight was different and had a slight dull sheen to it. A closer inspection revealed a name stamped in it, SKY. She proceeded to get a large bowl for herself, and the even larger bowl she had come to know was Sky’s. She was already waiting for her. As she poached the waiting girl, there was a low rumble coming from her, and a slight flush to her cheeks appeared.

“It’s another one of my favourites, and I know it’s going to be one of yours.” As soon as her bowl hit the table, a portion of the stew rose out of the pot and broke a stasis field. The delicious smell wafted from the food causing her new sister stomach to rumble also. The sound coming for Sky reminded her of better days almost making her forget her problems.

She watched the little girl use her gift for mundane tasks as if it were nothing. She didn’t know moving objects with power actually quite wasteful, only high and archmages did to show somewhat off. Sky did it out of sheer hunger and not knowing how wasteful it was for many magic users. Once Sky served the food into the bowls, Jane handed her a spoon, and they started eating right away. The flavour of the stew exceeded the smell by a large measure. She was going to be spoiled eating like this all the time. She watched Sky’s reaction and a look of bliss pasted over her face. ‘Eating must have been one of the few joys she had growing up. It was hard to believe the little girl, not a week before had no idea magic was real. She could do so much already it was scary to contemplate.

Jane was sitting across from Sky watching her eat, and the stew was going down faster than it should have. “Sky are you using magic to eat your stew”?

“No, can’t you see me using my hands, I’m not eating that much faster am I”? She said blushing and now conscious of how she ate her food and ate slower.

“No, I can see you are using your hands; it just that the level of food is going down quicker than it should or don’t you see that”?

“I don’t bother thinking of how it happens. I accept it as how things are while I am eating.”

She wasn’t quite happy with Sky’s answer, and she couldn’t say anything about it. She said she didn’t know; she didn’t know. Wanting to change the subject Jane asked her a different question. “What do you want to do when you get older with your life or had planned before? Now that you know magic real has your plans changed”?

Sky looked thought full for a second. “I didn’t know what to do for a job or career. I did want to do something to help people in need. I just had to find a way how to do it. Now I can help others with the gifts I have. It’s just a matter how and when I’ll learn to help others.” She gave a slight pause; I guess I’m helping now aren’t I”? She smiles and channeled more stew in her bowl and checked her sister’s bowl level. Jane noticed and covered her bowl with one hand.

“I just ate a few hours ago; I can’t eat that much so soon after waking. I’ll eat more at lunchtime and dinner, so don’t worry about me.” Jane smiled and finished her early breakfast.

Sky finished her breakfast soon after and used her magic to scour the dishes clean. She quickly picked up the dishes and put them away before Jane could even react. After she put another stasis field over the food, she smiled and retrieved the snacks her mommy prepared for her and her friends.

Jane could sense Sky excitement as she made her way the cargo bay. She understood why when they walked in. She could see Todd, Courtney and Heather were still in the virtual model and running the simulations. They boarded the ship for the first time, and Jane's eyes grew wide at the difference between the ships. The girl was in front of her looking at the ship she would soon be building. Once she reached the bridge, she noticed two things Jane was far behind and everyone seated was in a state of exhaustion. She quickly cast a healing spell, and everyone looked up. They were too engrossed to notice their own body’s condition.

Todd was the first one up shortly after Courtney and Heather. “Where did you get the idea for the controls and the operating system? They are amazing to use, so intuitive to everyone’s actions and thoughts. The simulations are really good too though they seem familiar.”

Courtney nudged Todd aside and tried to take sky’s hand and felt her unyielding flesh. “Oh, Sky it’s just amazing what you’ve done with the ship. I can’t believe you’re going to build this in three days regardless of the time distortions you’re going to use. So where did you get the ideas for all of this?

Heather was hanging off Courtney’s side waiting for the answer.