Jump

       The Celestial Eclipse rose up, higher and higher into the clear azure sky.  Scarlet trees, brown roads and Selah's white house got smaller and smaller, fading into the overall forest-green color of the landscape.
       "I'm glad we told our parents goodbye already," Mitsuko told Takashi, as they watched the cockpit viewscreens.  Takashi closed his eyes and nodded.
       Tiras leaned against the back of the cockpit, chewing on a piece of jerky, watching the sky grow darker through the windows.  Kelphus and Selah were talking in low tones by one of the doors, as Kelphus explained to Selah what had happened.  Skylar had his hands firmly on the control sticks, watching the monitors and dials.
       "Transmission coming in," said the computer.
       "Go ahead," said Takashi.
       A male tenor voice came over the radio.  "Starship SEP-967SXL, callsign Celestial Eclipse, this is the Bureau of Spaceflight.  You are required slow to docking speed and prepare to be boarded, as you are in violation of ordinance 7765."
       Skylar rolled his eyes.  "Same ruse, I bet."
       "Computer, does their ID match up to the Spaceflight Bureau?" asked Takashi.
       "No."
       The voice repeated.  "Starship SEP-967SXL, callsign Celestial Eclipse, this is the Bureau of Spaceflight.  You are required slow to docking speed and prepare to be boarded, as you are in violation of ordinance 7765."
       Takashi sighed in exasperation.  "Skylar, jump to the Vantares system before they attack us."
       "Roger that."  Skylar pushed the throttle forward.  "Computer, we're going to Vantares.  Start crunching numbers."
       "Starship Celestial Eclipse, slow to docking speed imme--"
       "Silence!" shouted Takashi into the radio.
       "Ready to jump!" said the computer.
       Green laser bolts sailed over the cockpit.  "Punch it," said Takashi.
       Skylar hit the flashing green button on the panel in front of him, then his eyes went wide as he turned to Takashi.  "Oh flip."
       "What?"
       "You and I are the only ones who've been through a jump before."
       Pure white light flooded the cockpit, then the light split apart into all hues of reds and oranges and yellows and greens and blues, mixing together and breaking apart, sailing backwards, then forwards, then swirling, then slowing, lining up evenly, then all mixing together into a final white light, which shrunk and faded into a single star.

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