Thera was on the control deck. She was restoring Memory’s coordinates to the way it was when Miguel sneakily approached her from behind. Memories have been programmed to return to their point of origination as soon as they find the Keys. In this case, Thera was unaware that they were returning to Etha’s coordinates.
“So, this controls Memory’s route, huh?” Miguel started, startling Thera. Thera realized how at ease Miguel now was. “How do you make Memory turn?”
Thera moved her hand across the surface of the orb. “This is how you turn Memory,” she explained. She then moved her hand and pushed two fingers into the orb of energy. “This is how you tell her to go faster.”
Miguel indulged himself with the information as he watched her instructions attentively. Thera looked at him, to which he looked back, making Thera consciously look away for no reason.
“Can I try?” Miguel asked, straight to the point. When Miguel was a kid, he loved to pretend to fly spaceships and travel into the far reaches of space, discovering new worlds.
Recently, Thera was not able to read or hear Miguel’s thoughts. To Thera, it was a mystery but to early Atlans, it was understood to have been because of growing feelings for another. It was said that Atlans who have fallen for each other were only able to communicate by sending thoughts to the other. Reading thoughts became impossible.
Would he try to steer Memory back to Earth? she wondered. Reluctantly, she agreed to let him try.
Thera moved back a bit as Miguel stepped onto the platform. As he held his arms and touched the orb’s surface, stimulating sensations surged through him. Carefully, he stirred the surface of the orb and felt how Memory seemed to turn suddenly. He then pushed two of his fingers into the orb recklessly, making Memory speed up through space.
“What are you doing?!” Thera exclaimed for the first time Miguel heard, as she held onto his waist. “This is dangerous!” She shifted her hand and commanded the wall to part, revealing the dangers of flying rapidly. Memory was speeding directly to asteroids, which worried Thera.
Before hitting an asteroid, Miguel quickly stirred his hand just in time to evade it. Thera lost her balance, accidentally embracing Miguel in the process. Miguel looked at her and smiled, to which she suddenly looked away uncomfortably. Miguel did not notice but Thera somewhat blushed. “This is fun, Thera!” Miguel laughed, “You should try it once in a while!”
Later, when it was Thera’s turn, she was still hesitant at first but when Miguel held her hand, she willed herself to try. She laughed as they sped through space, while Miguel regretted teaching her how to break the speed limit. They had fun though.
Sounds of laughter, shades of life are ringing through my open ears, exciting and inviting me. Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on across the universe.
The Beatles