6

Oct 9, Monday, 7:00 A.M.

    Ian had been given a room in the apartments branching off P.E.P.'s HQ.  It was three times as big as his apartment and he felt quite small once he laid down to sleep on his king-size bed.  

    Even Tullie seemed out of her zone in the huge room.  She would walk aimlessly around as if she was trying to familiarize herself with every nook and cranny.

    That morning, Ian had been awaken by his door opening.  "Mr. Stickle, we have some important news to share.  You will be expected in Conference Room C at exactly eight o'clock."

    The door shut and Ian groaned.  He seemed to be getting less sleep in the new apartment.  Tullie would randomly wake him up in

the middle of the night so he could fill her water bowl.  She also seemed restless as she paced the floor.  It almost seemed to Ian that she was waiting for something to happen.  

    He now watched her hobbling toward the door as if she wanted to go to the conference room that instant.

    Ian got out of bed and poured her some food, but she stayed by the door.

    "Psycho cat," he said under his breath as he fixed his own food. 

    Tullie eventually came around to eating, but she ate slowly and kept glancing back at the door.

    Ian got dressed in his signature turtle-neck sweater and brushed his teeth.  Tullie was patiently waiting by the door once Ian finished.

    "You really seem in a hurry today," I an said. "What's the rush?"

    Tullie stared up at Ian with her excited, wide eyes that looked like they were saying, "Hurry up and open the door!  We need to get to that Conference room as fast as possible."

    Ian stood there, shocked by the feeling that he had actually heard his own cat.  But cats don't talk, he said to himself. They don't talk, and they aren't telepaths, right?  Maybe I should start studying cats' brains.

    Ian knew he was being ridiculous, and he just needed to get to Conference Room C and forget all this ever happened.

    Ian opened the door and Tullie shot out in front of him.  He walked slowly down the hallway and Tullie had to slow down.  She looked back at him with an exasperated look, and he walked faster.

    Ian Stickle, you really have lost your mind.

    He made it to the conference room and found it full of people.  A

hand grabbed his shoulder and a familiar voice said, "Mr. Stickle, what a surprise."

    Ian turned and glared at Adam. "I don't see how it's a surprise.  I was Chelsea's best friend and they obviously trust me to know her better."

    Adam just smiled. "Here, you forgot to grab a name tag."

    He held out a clip-on tag with Ian's name on it.  "Thanks," Ian said roughly as he snatched the tag. 

    He grabbed Tullie and sat down in a chair that was rather comfy.  Many chairs encircled the round table and soon everyone was taking their seats.

    A woman with bright orange hair sat to Ian left.  And a wrinkly, old man with the biggest hook nose Ian had ever seen sat to his right.

    Lincoln Hast himself walked through the door as soon as everyone was seated.  He greeted them all cordially and then sat and ot straight to business.

    "Last night we received a voice recording from chelsea that she must have sent out a couple weeks ago.  It took time for the recording to travel through space to reach our satellites.  But this recording has revealed our greatest fear for this mission.  I will let Chelsea herself tell you in her recording."

    He clicked a button and a voice spoke over the sound.  The last time Ian had heard that voice it had been screaming at him.  But now, nothing seemed more lovely.

    "This is day twenty aboard Destination 13.  I have been pulled into orbit around the Destination itself and I'm amazed by what my eyes are seeing.  

    "I haven't landed yet, but I can definitely see water, and lots of green covering the planet.  In fact, I'd say it looks almost like Earth, if not for the orange, turquoise, and red blotches of land scattered across the green."

    It cut off and Hast pressed another button. 

    "Day twenty two," now there was excitement in Chelsea's voice. "I have finally made it into Destination 13's atmosphere and my gas scanners are saying that the air is breathable.  I cannot believe how beautiful this place is."

    A sound like a whirring engine suddenly broke into the recording and drowned out Chelsea's voice. "Oh!" Ian heard her yell. 

    That recording broke off there.

    Hast hit one more button and Chelsea's voice came back over the speakers, now sounding weak and scared. "I don't know where I 

landed, but their shuttles sure pack a punch.  They shot me out of the sky, and I don't know if they'll come search the craft.  I need to escape with my stuff.  Mission command, I need help."

    The speakers went silent for the last time and Hast cleared his throat. "Our explorer seems to have found life forms on her planet.  They were not friendly as we had hoped, but seem to be hostile, and advanced."

    The man next to Ian made a deep hacking sound and then said in a rusty voice, "What are you planning to do, Hast?"

    "I'm thinking about sending out a search team for her.  But they will also see if they can communicate with the inhabitants of D13 and maybe make peace."

    Adam, who was sitting a few chairs from Ian, raised his hand. "Where do you think Chelsea is?"

    "Her tracker was turned off, but we know where she landed.  The only problem is that Chelsea was the only one with the coordinates.  She recorded them in her lab book but took that with her on the trip.  We can still find out the coordinates, but that will delay launch to about a week."

    "We need to get to her now," said the old man. "Didn't Ms. Adams leave the coordinates on any computer or device?"

    "No, I'm afraid she took everything with her."

    Ian was thinking hard.  Chelsea needed their help and they would have to delay saving her for a week, maybe more.  His mind was so busy trying to find a solution that he didn't notice Tullie slipping off his lap.

    The cat swiveled skillfully under the chairs and no one noticed her.

    "I will get my top space scientist on this right away," said Hast. "Now, this meeting is adjourned and - Hey!"

    Hast jumped aside as a furry body hopped onto his keyboard and began typing something with it's paw.

    "Whose cat is this?" Hast demanded.

    Ian looked up and his eyes widened. "Tullie!" he yelled, but the cat payed him no heed.

    People had stood and were reaching toward the cat to pull her off.  But every hand that came near her left empty and scarred.

    Tullie's paws stopped moving and she contentedly hopped off the keyboard and pranced back to Ian.  Hast inched toward the board and stared down at what the cat had done.

    "That cat . . . " Hast said slowly, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "That cat just put in some coordinates."

    Hast immediately searched up the positions of the coordinates and gasped. "She led us to Destination 13."

    All at once all eyes were on Ian and the white cat sitting in his lap licking her paw thoughtfully.  

    "Ahem, meeting dissolved," said Hast quickly. "You, Mr. Stickle, Please walk with me."

    A moments later Ian was walking alongside a multi-billionaire talking about his cat.

    "I bought her from a normal store under normal circumstances," Ian explained. "But I have always thought of her as a weird cat.  Sometimes it feels like she's communicating with me, or trying to at least."

    Hast nodded and then asked, "Would you be willing to surrender your pet for further scientific examinations?"

    Tullie immediately began hissing and jumped out of Ian's arms to hide behind his legs.

    "Um, she doesn't seem to like that idea," Ian observed. "What would you do to her?"

    "Nothing much, just some check-ups and maybe we can scan her brain and see if there's anything . . . different."

    "Um . . . no thank you," Ian answered, and Tullie stopped hissing. 

    "Please, sir," Hast pressed. "There could be something mortally wrong with your kitty and she could be dying."

    "I'm a brain scientist myself and believe me I'd know the signs of her brain failing.  Now, I'm glad she could help you.  But since I don't think I'm needed . . . "

    "Actually, we were thinking about putting you on the team to 

rescue Chelsea," Hast said quickly. "Yes, yes, and you will be leaving in two days because of that smart cat you have."

    "Who would watch Tullie?" Ian asked as he picked the cat up again.

    "We would make sure she's safe and fed." Hast smiled.

    "Yeah, and also put through scientific experiments.  No thank you, sir.  I will be going home now."

    Tullie hissed and dug her claws into Ian's arm.  He yelped and dropped her.  She ran to a door and began clawing at it.  A sign on the door read Stairs to Launch Hangar.

    "Looks like she wants you to go," said Hast.

    Ian couldn't believe it.  How was Tullie suddenly able to communicate so well with him.  But what he couldn't believe more was that she wanted him to go into space and leave her in the

hands of people who wanted to experiment on her.

    Ian sighed and turned to Hast. "I guess I'm staying then."

    Hast extended his hand. "Glad to have you on the team, Mr. Stickle."

    Ian shook his hand and asked. "Do you have an Astronaut-in-a-Day Program?"

    Hast laughed. "I'll get you hooked up; it isn't as hard as you think."

7

Oct 11, Wednesday, 9:00 A.M.

    Ian was awoken bright and early for the launch that day. Mr. Hast himself came to escort him to the car that would take him to the launch pad.

    "Are you ready, Mr. Stickle?" Hast asked as they walked down crowded halls filled with people scurrying around to prepare for launch.

    "I think so. My brain is still having a hard time understanding all that's happened in the last few days. But that's just what happens, i guess."

    "You look tired, Ian, did you get a good rest last night?"

    "Uh, yeah, as good as possible."

    Tullie, who was crouched on Ian's lap, looked up at him and seemed to be conveying sadness for his trouble falling asleep.

    Ian looked away from the cat, creeped out by her sudden power of communication.

    "I will take Tullie to the launch rom where she will be able to see you take off with your crew."

    "Yes, she would like that. And how many people will be on the crew?"

    "Enough that you shouldn't worry about being kidnapped by 

E-T's. We've got all different types of talents on the team and everyone will be able to help."

    Ian was still wondering why Hast had put him on the team. He guessed it was most-likely so he could run tests on Tullie while he was gone.

    At the warehouse Ian was suited up and sent to meet his team. He hopped on the car and said goodbye to Tullie. She hopped into Hast's arms but Ian saw a sign of mischievousness in her eyes.

    And then she winked at him.

    Ian was so surprised he almost fell off the car.

    "Everything all right?" Mr. Hast asked, not noticing Tullie's trick.

    "Y-Yes sir," Ian stuttered, forcing a smile.

    The car started and he was led away to the launch pad.

    As they drove the rocket that would take Ian to Destination 13 grew bigger. And as it grew bigger he grew more nervous. He was going into space with only two days of training.

    All of the terrible deaths he could die flashed before Ian's eyes and he tightened his grip on the seat poles. 

    A small group of four people came into sight and grew with each