Rycer and his crew pushed the space jet to travel at top speed for most of the trip. Vesta and her family were able to sleep twice. Every now and then, when the commander slowed the ship to give the engines a break, Vesta would go up to the observation lounge.
During one such quiet time, when her parents and brother slept, Vesta made her way to the observation lounge and ran into Condra Tae. He was standing with his back to the door, hands behind his back, and watching the stars smoothly sail by.
“Hello, Rycer,” Vesta said.
“Hello, Vesta,” Rycer replied, smiling gently. “Don’t feel like sleeping?”
Vesta shook her head.
Coming up beside him, Vesta looked in the direction Rycer had been staring. A series of planets floated serenely in the distance, shining in the light of the galaxy’s sun.