“Make yer mind up. I don’t got all night,” the mechanic growled.
Aelanna got in, then Nayli, then Kora. The mechanic loaded their bags and hauled himself into the driver’s seat, bringing a whiff of cigarettes. He started the motor and moved off.
The sun was on their left, casting the truck’s weirdly long shadow over the gently swaying grass. Aelanna was having an out-of-body experience, she was sure.
She heard Kora's voice, thin and uncertain. “Babe, you'd better be sure. Considering how you felt before the flight...”
The truck was moving down the runway at quite a speed when it jerked to a halt. The mechanic rammed the gears into neutral and twisted to face the girls. It was a stick shift, and they were crammed together on a bench built for two.
“I can take you to the terminal, orthere... ” he said, impatiently. The last word was weighted with meaning. Nobody wanted to sayalien shipout loud.He grinned, more of a leer than a smile, showing tobacco-stained teeth. “Unless youwant to party.”
Nayli pursed her lips to cover a grimace. “No thanks, we’ll pass, but thank you for the offer,” she said sweetly.Too sweetly.He got the message.
“Take us there,” said Aelanna. She crossed two sets of fingers and squeezed her eyes shut.
“All. Righty,” he drawled, and they were moving again. He turned off onto a track in the grass, into the sun. It was hard to see and bumpy. After bouncing forward for a few minutes, the truck stopped.
“This is as far as I go. Get out. I’ll get yer bags,” he said, opening the driver’s door and hopping out into the grass at the track edge.
Nayli gasped. “But you can’t leave ushere!”
He didn’t hear her, or he ignored her; Aelanna wasn’t sure which. Kora marched up to him.
“Where is it?”
He jerked his head again toward the north-east horizon. “There.”
Aelanna heard a door slam. She turned and watched him reverse down the track, leaving them alone with their carry-ons.
They saw it. A black shape on the distant horizon against a sky that was already dark blue and peppered with early stars. Smooth lines, sleek and elegant, glinting in the setting sun.
Waiting.
For them.
Not threatening. Just…there.
It glowed faintly and a heat shimmer made the edges ripple, giving the ship an other-worldly quality, which it was, of course.
Aelanna swallowed.
Would she get on? Would she go through with it? What would Brad do? He’d run a mile. He’d been scared of his own wedding. Well, she had a spine; she’d do it. Her resolve had hardenedduring the flight.
“That’s not on the departure board,” Kora muttered.
“It sure is, sweethearts,” said Nayli. “So… we’re walking toward the ominous glowing object? That’s the plan?” she asked, confused, awestruck, disbelieving, or maybe all three.
“We are,”Aelanna replied with determination. They set off toward the craft, their carry-ons bumping along behind them.
Kora’s bun had disintegrated, and her loose hair kept blowing into her lip gloss. Nayli was looking decidedly rumpled in her designer yoga pants and kitten heels. She glanced at Kora.
“You only get one chance to create a good impression,” she said.
Kora huffed. “Do you see hair and make-up? Anywhere?”
“Maybe they’ll have them on the ship.”
Aelanna stopped abruptly.
