Frustrated, Betsy’s jaw clenched, and she shut her eyes to think about the reasons for the ship to be this close to Earth. She’d tried to distract herself with cards and flirting. Gah! Me, flirt? No one would believe it. All around her, the crew’s faces were somber and tight with their apprehension as they turned the ship and headed back to Earth.

As they flew home, Betsy got out her laptop and began her report for Juk. She knew the government official would see this as a win for ‘not worrying.’ The problem is, if there’s nothing to be concerned about, then why am I so worried?

Chapter 8 - Where’s the App For That?

Viera

Viera woke early Monday and double checked that all her stuff was packed. She had called her parents one more time over the weekend to tell them she’d be going back to that cabin up north and wouldn’t have access to a wireless network. She’d call when she returned.

I just hope they don’t try Betsy while we’re away. She’s coming with this time.

After one last circuit around the house to make sure all the electronics were off, Viera knew she’d put her departure off as long as she could. She tapped the panel. “Viera Kor, ready to leave—”

Before she could list what she wanted to bring, her house melted around her like a watercolor painting, and she suddenly stood in a quiet, clean, and spartan room. It had a bed, dresser, a window with stars on the other side, and three doors. Her body tingled from the transport.

Around her on the floor were all her bags.

Viera began at the window. She pressed her nose to the cool—but not cold—surface, but no matter how far out she looked, she could only see Earth. She could see the edges of the sun and most of the moon. That tickled her to her toes.

Fuck! I’m in space again! Chills ran up and down her body.

Spinning, she went to the first door on the left. A small bathroom with a shower. Peeking in, she saw the controls for the magical soak. Now that she was off Earth and its thick blanket of magic, she’d need to soak daily. Just seeing the yellow button made her relax.

The second door opened up to a closet. Inside she found … for fuck’s sake! She found Gandalf’s walking stick. “Aren’t you supposed to be back on Earth in Betsy’s house, safe and secure? What are you doing here? I’ll have to find her and figure out what to do with you, you wooden menace!”

The third door, by elimination, headed out into the corridor. She knew she should unpack, but she decided to figure out where she’d been dropped on the ship and if she was needed for anything.

The hall was light blue and nondescript. The far wall had a panel, much like the one in her kitchen. She approached and said, “Can you show me where Scout is?”

Viera knew that Thorn, Flower Prancer, Horax, and even Betsy would all be on the ship. In all likelihood, they’d all be busy. Scout would know where everyone was, what they were doing, and who could be interrupted. The kid knew everything. If she could find him, he could provide all the information she needed or wanted.

Lights lit up along the floor in a wave, indicating the direction she needed to walk. As she sauntered down the hallway, the lights behind her went out and new lights began their dance in front of her. At one point they indicated a lift that brought her to a new floor, with the correct level pre-selected. By the time she arrived at the door, it occurred to her that she could’ve just called Scout and he’d have come to her room to show her around.

Laughing at herself, she knocked on the door. Tiffany answered. “Ms. Kor! Oh, my, what are you doing here?” The girl’s face reddened as if embarrassed to see her teacher outside of school … or maybe on the spaceship.

Before Viera could answer, Scout’s voice floated to her. “Ms. Kor! You found us. Wanna play Candy Land with us?”

Viera relaxed. “I’d love to.”

Scout’s head appeared in the doorway. “Tiffany has a bunch of games. We’re practicing chanziian while we play. You want to learn my native language, too, right?”

She nodded at the boy's exuberance. “I do. I’d love to join you in both the games and the language lessons.”

In the room, a bigger family set of rooms, with a living space, small dining room table, and several doors, sat Juniper. She smiled at Viera. “I decided to spend some time getting to know Tiffany.”

“Sounds good to me.” Viera took her place to the other woman’s left. They started a new game.

Scout patiently explained colors and numbers as they flipped over the cards. On her turn, Viera always tried to repeat the colors back. “I’m going to hold off on the numbers for now and just focus on colors. Two tsu-za.”

Everyone at the table beamed at her as she moved her piece forward two red spots. Apparently Tiffany had mastered the colors already.

When it got to her turn again, she drew red again. She held out her hand to forgo any help. “One su-za.”

Juniper opened up her mouth to say something, but both Tiffany and Scout laughed. Finally Scout said, “You said a horse, Ms. Kor, not one red.”

Her brow furrowed. “A horse? I thought I said the same thing.”

He shook his head. “You said su-za, not tsu-za.” The two words he said sounded almost identical. She’d have to see the words written down.

Smiling at him, she nodded. “Okay.”

The remainder of the game involved color identification. She was right about fifty percent of the time.

If only I knew what I was doing wrong! Why isn’t there an app for this?

Chapter 9 - Your Box Or Mine?

Viera

Viera stretched, yawned, and opened her eyes. She knew with the gizmos and dumaflaches, there was no way she could feel the movement of the ship, but her low-grade nausea told another story. Her arms trembled as she pushed herself up. “God above, I need to soak in magic. Is this trip worse than the last one?” she mumbled to herself. “Maybe it’s because I use magic.”

There was no one to answer her, but she couldn’t think of any other reason for the way she felt. I should see about adopting one of the ven, then when I talk to myself, I’d really be talking to Fezzik or one of the others … but probably him. Viera’s head pounded. After a day of playing games with Juniper, Scout, and Tiffany, her head was full of very few chanzii words, and she hoped to hang on to the little she had. She worried every pound was a word lost.

Chanting the colors in chanziian, or at least what she hoped were the colors, Viera trudged to the closet and pulled open the door. Her bags were piled in the bottom, blocked by the damn walking stick. When she’d returned to her room the night before, she’d stuffed her bags away to get them out of her way but didn’t feel like doing much more for the two-night flight.

With a sigh, she yanked her bag out and flopped it on the bed, unzipping the large bag.. She selected the top pair of jeans and clean panties, then stood to grab one of the tops that the ship's crew had stocked in the closet. She loved the doublet tops and thick black belts. They were comfortable and nothing like what she wore back home. She didn’t know what the different colors meant, but since no one had criticized her, and the clothes were in her closet, she didn’t care. In the center, she found a brilliant purple top for the day.

With clothes draped over her arm, she continued her trek to the bathroom. Viera stripped and stepped into the small washing area. In the shower, she quickly pressed the blue button and a wave traveled over her body, giving her a tingling sensation. Despite all the upgrades of living in an alien world, she still wasn’t sure what she felt about waterless cleaning. Like the last time on the ship, she smelled her armpits, impressed again at how well the alien shower cleaned, and felt her skin and hair. Everything seemed to be in order.

It’s a marvel what these people must save on shower products!

Satisfied, she tapped the yellow button. A second invisible wave, this time a soak of magic, traveled down her body. The end result was more substantial, making Viera feel grounded … ironic while flying in a spaceship. Remembering the warning of a few months back, she did a double soak. A lesson with Flower Prancer wasn’t on her schedule, but that didn’t mean the cantankerous Elder hadn’t planned one on his own.

The sensation of the shower water splashing down over her face in the morning often made her feel awake and ready to face a room full of eight-year-olds. She’d take a leisurely fifteen-minute shower to wake up and center herself for the day. Here on the ship it took less than five minutes to get clean and soak in magic. Viera pulled on clothes, just as tired as when she pushed herself up and out of her warm bed, when a yawn cracked her face.

Time to find food … and coffee! Lots and lots of caffeine.

While Tiffany and her family were located on a different level, Betsy and Thorn were both on this level, as was Scout. Thorn and Scout didn’t have a family unit; the trip wasn’t long enough, and Scout liked a bit of freedom. Also, as the ship’s captain, Thorn was in and out at all hours. Scout could sleep better without interruptions in his own separate room. Their rooms were next door to each other.

As it went, Viera was assigned a room on the other side of Scout’s. Just as she stepped out, she heard him laughing, a feat considering the soundproofing installed in the walls and doors of the Ziner. Curious, she knocked on his door … well, typed the command to ring his bell on the pad to the right of his door. It took a moment for his door to open, and then an avalanche of baby ven were atop her. As they all focused on her, Buttercup and Westley climbing her legs, Inigo perched on her shoulder, Fezzik on her head, and … “Where is Miracle Max?”

Scout’s laughter filled the hallway. “Ms. Kor, you’re covered in ven; it’s a look! You could walk down the runway at a fashion show, make a new statement. The ven statement!” He fell over laughing. Just then Miracle Max flew out the door and down the hallway followed by Beaver, the baby ven’s mom. She was much bigger than the pint-sized moth-like creatures, with big dark eyes, and long antenna, and ready to catch her escapee.

Viera tried to turn but feared for the babies atop her.

Thorn came out of her room and rolled her eyes. “For goodness sake, Scout, can’t you control those things? They’re all over Viera. Look at her, she’s acting like a statue. As if, because they’re on her, she can’t move. Like they’re the boss.”

Viera pet Fezzik; he was so soft. A low rumble came from his belly. “But, Thorn, they’re so happy.”