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A friendly light beep followed by a knock echoed from behind a red and white door.
“Come,” a distant, aged voice called.
The door to Commander Gampu’s quarters—a refined, museum-like retreat —rolled open. In stark contrast to the casual, modern rooms elsewhere aboard the Exodus, Gampu’s cabin was filled with antiques and artifacts from a bygone era. Along the polished wooden floors, carefully selected relics and historical mementos adorned every surface. Through a domed window on the porch, one could see the vastness of space: countless stars, fragments of what was once Priplanus, and two pieces of an ancient statue silently drifting among the void.
Boxey’s heart leapt at the excitement of graduation. He felt so buoyant he could nearly bounce off the hull and jet into space. Accompanying him, the droid R7-D3 floated dutifully by his side. Boxey’s steps led him past the main lounge and into a smaller, rarely visited enclosure—the private sitting area where Commander Gampu often retreated. There, in an enclosed porch, the dark, grayed commander sat in a finely crafted wooden chair, his eyes fixed with intrigue on the distant cosmos through a well-worn telescope.
Gampu looked over and his weathered face softened.
“Ah, Boxey,” he said kindly. “Graduation assembly in progress?”
“Yes, Commander,” Boxey replied, his hands linked behind his back as he concealed a small package. “And I’ve got a gift for you.”
“A parting gift?” the commander inquired, though his tone held warmth rather than farewell.
“No, it’s a thank-you gift,” Boxey said.
Gampu set aside the telescope and accepted the gift—a five-inch tall model of a flying saucer.
“A Jupiter model,” Gampu mused, his eyes lighting up.
“This was the only one I could find,” Boxey explained. “I thought it would go perfectly with your new space pod addition.”
“Space pod…” Gampu repeated, standing as he carefully examined the model. He moved toward the main living area, where the antiques were arranged like treasures. Spotting a triangular object on a counter, he placed the model next to it. “This is a very rare piece—a Jupiter 4, discontinued shortly after the mission met with that infamous asteroid collision.”
“At least the fifth one reached Alpha Centauri,” Boxey said with a grin. “I picked it up at the Meridian Market on New Avalon Colony.”
“New Avalon?” Gampu snapped, raising an intrigued yet irked brow. “Who did you go with? I don’t recall authorizing any off-ship excursions at that time.”
“Cassian and Quill,” Boxey answered with a grin. “Relax, Commander—we didn’t sneak off. We had clearance for a supply run and just happened to come across it.”
Gampu smiled, then said, “I hope you’ve found a way to repay them for that favor.”
“I helped Cassian repair his viper,” Boxey replied modestly.
“Sounds like something Cassian would persuade the professor into,” Gampu chuckled.
“Are you the one awarding the insignias to the new warriors this year, Commander?” Boxey asked with a teasing smirk. “I heard Deputy Oberon was taking over the honors.”
“Of course I am, Boxey,” Gampu said, placing a gentle hand on the young warrior’s shoulder. “I always keep my word.”
“That makes you a gentleman,” Boxey remarked. “An ancient term for someone polite and kind.”
“Anyone can be a gentleman,” Gampu replied. “It is ageless.” A soft smile played across his face.
Boxey’s eyes drifted toward the domed window. “Are you still studying the void?”
“Just to humor myself,” Gampu said. “I’ve been reviewing papers and reports about it.”
“What does it say?” Boxey asked.
“A hole to another universe, a wormhole, a gateway—a timewarp,” Gampu explained. “No one is sure, but we all agree there’s life on the other side. The void is empty yet filled with stars, like a pond reflecting its surroundings—a most enigmatic pond indeed.”
“That would be a fascinating study,” Boxey mused.
“It would,” Gampu agreed. “Now that the sensors are working again, the Exodus herself will examine it. Remember, we’re all that remains of Earth’s once-mighty empire—every new discovery is a beacon of hope.”
“It’s not just a scouting team—we’re all going,” Boxey said, a sense of gratitude in his voice. “The whole ship, together.”
Gampu nodded, his expression thoughtful yet resolute. “As it should be,” he agreed. “The Exodus was never meant to drift aimlessly—we chart our own course.” Then his tone sharpened. “But that doesn’t mean you’re excused from your graduation. Don’t be late.”
Boxey straightened, bringing his fist to his chest in a crisp warrior’s salute, then extending his arm outward. “Understood, Commander. I’ll see you in the launch bay.”
With that, he turned and strode through the doorway, his step light with anticipation.
Gampu watched the young warrior vanish with a proud smile.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been four years,” R7-D3 remarked in his mechanical tone.
“Boxey’s species age slowly,” Gampu noted, his voice gentle.
“Just like you,” R7-D3 replied with a hint of playful banter, as the droid’s sensors glanced down at a nearby console. “It was meant that you’d be the one to adopt another family member, someone who can stick around as long as I do.”
“He makes four years feel like four weeks,” Gampu said fondly. “It’s remarkable—he arrived with no memory of his past, and now he knows more than he ever imagined.”
“He’ll make a great spy,” R7-D3 added.
“Deactivate your audio vocals,” Gampu ordered sharply.
“Afraid you’ll let him use them for foes like Magnus Voss?” R7-D3 asked, a note of concern in his digital timbre. “Commander, Boxey is fiercely loyal to the ship and her people!”
“I won’t rush to judge the path he chooses, nor will I entertain endless theories,” Gampu said firmly. “I’m anxious enough about his future without extra speculation.”
“Affirmative,” R7-D3 replied. “That concern computes. I’ll keep my analysis to myself when he’s around you.”
“Haven’t you learned that over the past hundred years?” Gampu teased.
“I never do learn, do I?” R7-D3 admitted.
“You’re just selectively forgetting,” Gampu chuckled.
“I suppose I have,” R7-D3 conceded.
“Go on,” Gampu said, his tone softening. “Join your little brother and keep him company.”
“Fortunately, I’m on Bridge duty right now,” R7-D3 replied. “So the proper request would be to check on Cassian.”
“R7-D3, check on Cassian,” Gampu commanded.
“Oraco!” R7-D3 responded in his quirky manner before humming out of the cabin.
Left alone, Commander Gampu stroked his chin, gazing fondly at the replica of the Jupiter model. In that quiet moment among relics and memories, the future of the Exodus and its warriors shimmered with the promise of hope—even in the endless darkness of space.
26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOz48azGf4W
