Return Visit (299 Words)

Hadris shifted in her seat. “You sure you know where we’re going?”

“Sure I’m sure,” Neith replied. “I used to live here.”

“Hmphf. Middle of nowhere. Way off the lanes.”

“Oh, relax. There’s an uncharted wormhole five minutes away.”

“Which planet did you say you were stationed on?”

“That blue and white one there, see?” He pointed at the display. “Right there. See how big its moon is? Can’t miss it.”

“You’re not actually going to land there, are you?”

“No, no, that's not allowed anymore,” Neith said. “But they built something down there I want you to see.” The ship rotated around one of its square sides and entered onto the designated approach. "We'll overfly it."

He turned the ship again and then the planet was big in the front window. “Ohh,” Hadris said. “That is pretty. Where were you stationed?”

“You see that big piece of land there, right in the middle? See how the top of it is all desert? My station was up in the corner of that.” He steered the ship and manipulated controls, entering the atmosphere and turning so that the ship pointed toward the ground. “There!” he pointed. “You see that?”

“Oh, yes,” Hadris said, laughing. “That’s hilarious! Those are supposed to be your ships, right?”

“Right! We only landed the one time, but they’re observant little creatures, and imitative. Two big ones and one small one, that’s how we used to configure.”

“Marvelous,” Hadris said. “I never much liked those big pyramid ships. My father had one.”

“I remember. I didn't like them either.”

“Well, that was interesting.”

“I thought you might like that,” Neith replied, manipulating the controls again. “Let’s go have some lunch, shall we?” The ship rose and the two of them departed the planet, never to return.