Return Of The Cosmic God

As we went closer to the shuttle's entrance, a familiar voice called out from behind us.

"WAIT!!!"

Joseph and I turned our heads and saw Abdul sprinting toward us in his space suit, helmet tucked under his arm, his expression with a mixture of frustration and urgency. He skidded to a halt. After reaching he was panting heavily…

"Abdul?!" I blinked, surprised. "What are you doing here?!"

Abdul gave us both a look like we were the biggest fools on the planet. "What am I doing here? Did you both forget I'm one of the main engineers on this mission? I'm supposed to check the main ship on Mars!!!"

Joseph smirked and clapped Abdul on the back. "Well, look who decided to crash the party. Thought you'd be too busy with Earth stuff, you know, like plotting how to keep us grounded…"

Abdul shot him a glare. "Don't start with me, Joseph. I've got one mission goal, and that's keeping you two idiots from turning this mission into a disaster…"

I laughed, giving Abdul a nod. "Good to have you on board with us, Abdul. Though you almost missed it…."

Abdul sighed while rolling his eyes as he adjusted the clasps on his helmet. "I swear, with you two, I need a vacation. Or at least a raise…"

Joseph winked. "Hey, if we make it back in one piece, maybe you'll get both..."

We boarded the ship. The inside of the shuttle was like we were stepping into the future…

Smooth metallic walls lined with illuminated control panels gave the place a sleek and futuristic look. The seats were ergonomic and reclined automatically. The seats automatically adjusted to each person's body shape for maximum comfort. Each seat had a built-in monitor and control screen. It allowed us to access navigation, communication, and mission data with a simple touch…

The floors glowed with a faint blue light. The lights led us to our seats at the front of the cabin. The shuttle's interior was spacious but it was filled with all kinds of equipment. But all of them were neatly organized into compartments that could only be accessed through fingerprint scans.

Screens lined the walls, showing real-time updates of our mission data, vitals, and a countdown timer ticking away to liftoff.

Joseph took his seat beside me. He was bouncing with excitement. "Shin, look at this man! They've got temperature control for each seat!!! And look, the snack menu has actual food options. This is luxury, man…"

Abdul settled into the seat beside us, looking all too ready to roll his eyes out of his head. "This isn't a cruise ship, Joseph. You're not here to browse the snack menu."

Joseph shrugged while grinning as he explored the controls. "Says the guy who almost missed the shuttle. At least I'm appreciating the perks. Shin, check out this seat warmer—I might never want to leave…"

I chuckled as I adjusted my own seat and tilted it to a perfect angle. The seats were very comfortable. "Honestly, it's a step up from what we've been training in. I might just nap on the way to Mars…"

Abdul gave us both a stern look. "Both of you need to focus. This isn't a field trip; we're heading into deep space. Mars is just the first stop before you board the main ship for the mission..."

Joseph waved him off. "Relax, Abdul. You're here to keep us in line, remember? So let us enjoy the ride a little."

The three of us buckled into our seats. Suddenly the countdown clock glowed ominously on the screen in front of us, ticking down the seconds. Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was tense, yet it also felt somehow exciting. This was the moment we had been training for, the moment we were about to leave everything behind. Well, most of us trained for it…

Joseph looked entirely at ease. He leaned back in his chair like he was settling in for a movie, while Abdul squirmed uncomfortably beside me, adjusting his seat straps for the hundredth time.

"Are... are we sure these straps are tight enough?" Abdul asked, his voice a bit shaky. He pulled them tighter, even though they were already at maximum tension. "I mean, I'm not trained for this whole 'leaving Earth at breakneck speed' thing."

Joseph raised an eyebrow, smirking. "What's wrong, Abdul? Feeling a little out of your element? Thought you were the main engineer on this mission."

Abdul shot him a glare. "My job is to keep the ship functional from Mars, not to be launched into orbit with you two lunatics. I'm more used to... desks and screens, not... g-forces!"

I chuckled as I glanced at both of them. "Just hold on, Abdul. It's over in seconds, then you'll be floating in zero gravity…"

Abdul looked horrified. "Floating?! Oh, right, like that's any better! I need gravity…. I like gravity…. it keeps me grounded…." He took a deep breath as he was trying to calm himself but failed spectacularly. "Shin, if anything happens, remember this was Joseph's fault. He got me into this mess."

Joseph gave a dramatic sigh. "Oh, come on, Abdul. Think of it as expanding your horizons. You'll thank me when you're out there, looking at the vastness of the galaxy. It's poetic..."

Abdul shot him another glare. "I don't want poetry. I want solid ground and my lab back on Earth…."

I couldn't help but laugh along with them. But suddenly the laughter faded as I glanced out of the shuttle's small window. My eyes were scanning the launch site one last time, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Maki for one last time. She was probably somewhere down there, watching, waiting. A sense of longing and love washed over me. It was mixed with the bittersweet weight of goodbye.

Joseph noticed me while I was looking out the window and nudged me.

"Oh, look at him, getting all romantic. Don't worry, lover boy. She's probably waving at you right now... even if you can't see her..."

Abdul groaned while rolling his eyes. "Joseph, you're unbelievable… The man's got a life waiting for him back home. You think you would understand that..."

"Of course, I understand it!!!" Joseph replied with a grin on his face. "I'm just saying, by the time we get back, he'll be so legendary that she'll be the one writing love letters to him…"

I rolled my eyes, feeling my chick slightly warm from embarrassment. "Will you two shut up for just one minute?! I'm trying to have a moment here…"

Joseph chuckled. "Oh, don't mind us. Have all the moments you want, Romeo…"

As the countdown ticked down, Abdul shifted in his seat again. He looked more uncomfortable with each passing second. His face had turned a slight shade of green, and he seemed to be gripping the armrests for dear life.

"Are you sure this is safe?!" he muttered while his eyes darted around the cabin. "I mean, all this fancy tech... it's reliable, right?!"

Joseph sighed dramatically. "For the hundredth time, yes, Abdul. This shuttle has been tested, retested, and re-retested. You're not going to blow up. Probably..."

Abdul shot him a horrified look. "Probably?! You're supposed to be comforting me here, Joseph, not giving me more things to worry about!!!"

Joseph shrugged. "Hey, if you can't handle a little risk, why'd you come on this mission in the first place?"

Abdul glared at him; his knuckles turned white as he clutched the seat handles. "Because it's my job!!! I have to check the main ship with my own eyes before it departs. But no one told me that I would be strapped in with you two clowns for liftoff…."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Come on, Abdul, you're doing great. Just think of this as another part of the job..."

He took a shaky breath, looking unconvinced. "Right. Sure. I'll remember that when we're hurtling through space..."

Suddenly, the voice of Mission Control crackled through the speakers. "Final countdown initiated. T-minus 10 seconds…"

The three of us sat in silence as the countdown began. The gravity of the moment settled over all of us. Despite the jokes, the anxiety, and the goodbyes, this was it... We were about to leave Earth.

The voice continued. Each second felt like an eternity…

"10... 9... 8..."

Joseph leaned over, grinning. "Still sure you want to do this, Abdul?!"

Abdul glared at him. "No. But it's too late now."

"7... 6... 5..."

I gripped into my seat, my heart pounding as the engines roared to life, vibrating through the entire shuttle.

Joseph gave me a wink. "See you on Mars, Takamiya. Don't fall asleep on the way…"

"4... 3... 2..."

Abdul closed his eyes tightly, mumbling to himself. "Please let this be over quickly. Please let this be over quickly…"

"1... Liftoff!"

The force of the launch pressed us back into our seats, the shuttle roared as it surged upward, breaking free from Earth's gravity…

I could feel the incredible pressure on my chest, my vision blurring slightly from the g-forces.

Next to me, Joseph whooped with excitement. He was clearly enjoying every second, while Abdul looked like he was experiencing his worst nightmare…

"Is... is this normal?!" Abdul gasped, trying to look around despite the pressure pinning him down.

Joseph still managed to laugh even in this type of situation though his voice was strained by the g-forces. "Relax, Abdul!!! This is exactly what you signed up for!!! Welcome to space, buddy!!!"

As the shuttle settled into orbit, weightlessness took over, and we all began to float above our seats. The cabin lights glowed white. It signaled that we had successfully broken free from Earth's gravity. For a few moments, the silence was thick… Each of us was enjoying the feeling of floating in zero gravity…. well, most of us, anyway…

Joseph immediately unbuckled. he launched himself upward with a whoop of excitement, his arms outstretched as he drifted toward the cabin ceiling. "This... is amazing! It's like a theme park, but way cooler!!!"

I unbuckled too, gently drifting above my seat, while Abdul hesitated… his fingers clenching the straps of his seatbelt as if letting it go would send him hurtling into the unknown. His face was pale, and he looked every bit the man who hadn't signed up for this part…

"Uh... yeah... amazing…" Abdul muttered, finally unbuckling. But the moment he did, he lurched forward, spinning awkwardly, his limbs flailing as he struggled to stabilize himself…

"Help!!!" he yelped as he was reaching out for anything to grab onto.

I reached over to Abdul and grabbed his arm to steady him. "Take it easy, Abdul. Just go slow..."

Joseph smirked while drifting around with effortless grace. "Come on, Mr. Main Engineer. Thought you'd be a pro at this by now…"

Abdul glared at him while clutching onto my shoulder. "I'm an engineer, not an astronaut. My feet belong on the ground, not... floating around like this!!!"

As we adjusted to the lack of gravity, the other five astronauts drifted toward us. All of us trying to adjust ourselves in this weightless situation. One of them, a tall, lean man with a sharp gaze, gave us a quick nod as he floated over…

"Hey there…" he said with a grin. "Welcome to orbit, guys. I'm Commander Hayashi, and I'll be leading this part of the mission to Mars. Nice to finally meet all of you…"

One by one, we all introduced ourselves, and as each of us floated closer, Joseph couldn't resist making a dramatic bow in mid-air…

"I'm Joseph," he announced while grinning widely. "Resident troublemaker, and apparently, your new best friend. My duty is to keep everyone thoroughly entertained…."

Hayashi raised an eyebrow. He also looked amused. "Good to know. Though I hope you can focus when you need to, Joseph…."

"Oh, I'm the most focused one here…" Joseph replied with a wink and again launched himself off the wall in a lazy somersault, spinning with ease. "Focus is my middle name..."

The other astronauts laughed at Joseph. Then the other astronauts introduced themselves: Dr. Lena Morales, a biologist; Tom Davies, a jovial aerospace mechanic; Ingrid Larsson, a navigation specialist with a quiet but steady demeanor; and Ali Reza, the calm and collected communications officer.

Then Dr. Morales' eyes fell on Abdul, who was still holding onto me for his dear life. A wide smile spread across her face as she recognized him.

"Well, look who we have here," she said with a laugh. "Abdul Naqvi, in the flesh! The genius engineer. I thought they'd keep you grounded at mission control..."

Everyone turned to look at Abdul and Abdul suddenly looked a little less terrified and a little more... proud. He straightened, or as straight as one could in zero gravity, trying to regain his composure.

"Oh, you know…" Abdul said, a smug smile creeping onto his face, "They needed someone of my expertise up here. Couldn't do it without me…."

Joseph's mouth dropped open, a look of mock surprise on his face. "Wait, you're famous? Since when?"

Abdul smirked. He was clearly enjoying the attention. "Oh, I don't like to brag, but yes, I'm... quite well-known in the engineering world. The Abdul Naqvi. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

I couldn't help but chuckle and I nudged him playfully. "Keeping secrets, are we, Abdul?"

He gave me a shrug. He was still trying to hold onto the semblance of composure, though his cheeks were turned pink. "You two were too busy causing chaos. You wouldn't understand the intricacies of my... renown…."

TO BE CONTINUED