Hey Gadget, just an FYI, I'm coming later today to pick you up.
Ok... WAIT WHAT?!
Does 8 p.m. suit you? Or should I go later just to drag Delmar from his sleep?
Ranell... what are you freakin' talking about?!
I'm just messing with ya. Though, I am getting ready right now to be sent up in a shuttle to safely bring the two of you down.
Yeah, you'd better get us down safely. Also, about that comment about dragging Delmar from his sleep...
What?
With how many packs of instant coffee powder you've been shoving through that daily delivery portal, I think he's gonna need rehab to stop eating the powder dry. He hasn't slept for the past few days, and all he does is sit and stare at the Z.S.S. monitor setup, even if it's blank.
Um...
Gotcha. XD
I'm just gonna... put my suit on now.
Okay.
ALRIGHT, WHO THE CRAP THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY TO GIVE US A FARTING BEANS ROCKET?!
"Gadget? Open up, please."
"Ranell?" I asked, looking around for the boy. "Where are you?"
Ranell thumped on the one remaining functional airlock bay, his voice echoing from the console speaker. Funnily enough, Delmar really is sleeping right now.
Alrighty then... let's see here...
"DEPRESSURISING AIRLOCK 93-2." blinked across the monitors.
Okay then. Seems to be working just as well as the last time we tested it.
"UNLOCKING AIRLOCK 93-2"
"AIRLOCK 93-2 NOW SHUTTING"
"AIRLOCK 93-2 IS NOW PRESSURIZED TO CABIN LEVELS"
"AAAAAAY!"
"WAIT WAIT--" Ranell reached a shaky arm towards a grab bar. "--Remember? Muscle control issues? I've been getting better at controlling it over the past few weeks out of necessity, but there's always a chance that something crazy might happen."
Oh yeah. I actually forgot entirely that he had that problem.
"So... uh, do we just hop into the shuttle now or something?"
Ranell shook his head. "This shuttle isn't designed to dock with cargo bay airlocks like the one this space station has. I've had to carefully anchor it to an area where it wouldn't damage anything important if it drifts."
I shrugged. "Fair enough. Should I just float Delmar into there, or should I wake him up by cramming this foil onto his forehead?"
"Just wake him up normally. We don't have time," Ranell replied as he made his way towards our stash of things sent through the portal. "Have you tried on the new suits we sent you?"
I nodded.
"Has Delmar?"
Another nod.
"Good. Though, it's gonna be hard to get him into that thing if he's still sleeping."
I grinned. "Sleeping? That won't be a problem..." quietly, I picked up the foil ball, inching up to the scientist.
"No, Gadget. I said wake him up normally."
Fine. I'll just pinch him or something.
"We're going on a trip, in our favorite rocket ship, soaring through the skies, Litt--"
"You know, I can hear that."
"The rockets on the ship go zoom zoom zoom, zoom zoom zoom, zoom zoom--"
Ranell fiercely whipped around in his seat to glare at me a second time. "Be glad that we're in autopilot," he seethed as he slowly turned back.
Geez, I haven't seen him this agitated before. Probably all the craziness going on...