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Nothing about the day seemed practically special. Senkuu had a schedule he had so far kept that Friday afternoon. He was in his class of the day, listening to the teacher lecture the class about a math formula Senkuu already knew and already had notes over so he took the time to read the old textbooks Byaukya had left behind when he went to ISS.
“Woah Senkuu that’s your dad?” The class awed after they heard Byaukya say his name in the broadcast.
“Quiet down class,” The teacher called.
The class quieted down but after class, his classmates came up to him and asked him a bunch of questions.
“Is that really your dad?”
“You two do look alike,”
“Are you worried for him?” His classmates asked him.
“One, the old man adopted me, the hair thing is just a conscience and I’m not worried one millimeter for him,’ Senkuu snickers.
“Really? Like at all?” Another classmate asked.
“As hard as I am on him, he’s no moron, and besides this is the ISS we’re talking about. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Senkuu still stuck to those words. Tomorrow was the day Byakuya was supposed to come back. Taiju had made a big display when he heard. Senkuu felt the same but unlike his big oaf friend, he could keep his emotions in check.
Senkuu was walking with Taiju to the apartment building they lived in like they did every day with little delay. Senkuu had a project he wanted to work on too.
Buzz buzz.
Senkuu’s phone buzzed. The two continued to walk as Sekuu pulled out his phone.
“Oh is it Byakuya?” Taiju asked.
“No, he shouldn’t be landing until later,” Senkuu reminded Taiju.
Senkuu checked the Id to see who was calling him. Very few people had his number and one of those few people was standing next to him. Senkuu fully accepted a telemarketer or unknown number but no… It was his mentor Dr. Xeno.
“But it’s super early in Houston right now. WHat is he doing calling me?” Senkuu questioned out loud. Putting his questions aside Senkuu answered the phone and put it close to his ear.
“Hello?” Senkuu asked.
“Ahh Senkuu,” Xeno spoke. He seemed like he was in a crowded area. Senkuu could hear a bunch of voices rushing around in the background.
“Doc isn’t it super early over there? What are you-?”
“Nevermind that. It’s about Byakuya and the crew,” Xeno spoke. Senkuu wanted to ask more but let his mentor talk. “I don’t know how but we lost contact with them. It seems like one of the power went out,”
“How? The space station is powered but solar power,”
“Well yes, but we think something happened. We can’t reach them,” Senkuu was starting to panic. “We’re trying but nothing is getting through and if they are going of the power reserves,”
“They’ll run out of oxygen,” Senkuu finished the sentence for Xeno.
“Luckily they were trained for something like this but-,”
“I’ll be there,” Senkuu blurted.
“Ahh wait Senkuu that’s-,” Senkuu hung up before Xeno could finish.
“Hey Senkuu…,” Taiju tried to say.
“Taiju, I need you to watch more the apartment,”
“Ok but why?” Taiju could hear the panic in Senkuu’s voice.
“It’s Byakuya, He’s stuck in space,” Senkuu tried to explain calmly. He didn’t need Taiju to freak out. He was already so panicked he didn’t need Taiju too as well. “I’m going to get on a plane to America,”
“What?! Isn’t that a bit last minute?”
“I’ve done it before,”
Senkuu rushed up the apartment stairs to his and Byakuya’s apartment and opened the door. He was in such a hurry he didn’t change his shoes. He just threw his backpack and grabbed a quickly packed bag and Byauky’s card Senkuu had from the last time he went to visit.
On the plane ride, Senkuu cursed the plane’s horrible Wifi. He was watching the American and the Japanese news covering the incident. Both were saying the same thing but every once in a while the Japanese or American news would have an update the other didn’t yet. When the plane landed the jet lag hadn’t hit Senkuu yet. So far from what he knew:
- The crew was still stuck
- Communications were down
- And the power was off
Some outlets were trying to figure out how much time life support had. NASA released a statement saying they were doing their best to get the astronauts back to their family’s. Senkuu landed in the Bush international airport and paid for a cab to take him to NASA. He was still talking to Xeno trying to figure out what was going on but Xeno was erratic with work.
What am I doing? They’re not going to listen to some high school kid.
Senkuu knew that but something was still compelling him to do something irrational. When the cab pulled up it seemed like Senkuu wasn’t the only one being irrational. A small group of Lillian fans was crowded around. Security was holding them back.
Me: There’s a lot of people
Dr. Xeno: Give me a second.
Senkuu didn’t know what Xeno meant by that text until another security guard showed up and asked if he was Senkuu Ishigami.
“Follow me please,” The man said
Senkuu did as he was told and followed the man to the main building. There was a viewing room for tours. You could see the people below working. It was supposed to be a way to see the work the Nasa scientists were doing but right now it looked in chaos. It seemed Senkuu was not the only one in the room. Two blonde girls who resembled Lillian were there too. The one with her hair down seemed panicked and the one with her hair up was comforting the other. The girl with her hair up looked up when she heard the door open. She looked hopeful before she saw it was just some stranger.
“Who are you?” She asked. “You don’t look like a scientist,”
“I could say the same to you,” Senkuu replied.
“Our mother was up on there and if you’re here I’m guessing you’re here because of that too,”
“Ya, Byaukya Ishigami,” Senkuu didn’t even correct the adopted part.
“I see…,” The girl muttered to herself.
“Did they tell you anything?” The other girl questioned. “Do they do anything?”
“Not yet. One of the scientists is one of my mentors and told me what was going on,”
“Oh, I’m sorry for questioning you like that,” The girl with her hair down apologized. “I’m Ruri and this is my Sister Kohaku. We’re Lillian’s kids,” Ruri explained.
“I didn’t know Lilian had kids,” Senkuu stated.
“We mostly live with our father but when he heard we also rushed over this morning,” Kohaku explained
“It was always mom’s dream to go to space too,” Ruri held herself tighter.
Senkuu wanted to say something but the chaos in the control room calmed. Everyone in the control room seemed fixed on the big screen in front of them. Senku and the two sisters looked at the monitor.
“The capsules!” Senkuu heard one man shout.
“What are they thinking!”
“No, wait!” Senkuu heard Xeno say. “They’re aiming for one of the small islands off the coast of Japan,” Xeno pointed out.
Senkuu’s brain was in hyperdrive. He put his two fingers up to his face and let his brain do the work.
So if the ISS is 220 miles above the earth and it’s over Japan right now and they’re aiming…
A bunch of numbers ran through Senkuu’s head.
“They aren’t going to make it,” Senkuu thought out loud.
“What?” Kohaku asked, now even more panicked.
“They didn’t do the math right. They’re going to miss where they’re trying to land. If they’re going to land in the pacific ocean.
“Can’t Nasa send someone to find them?” Ruri added.
“It’ll take too long and the capsules have a limited amount of air,” Senkuu didn’t want to believe the words coming out of his mouth.
“Senkuu! Ahh I knew you missed me!” Byakuya smiled.
“Kuku don’t get it twisted old man. I’m just here because I maxed out our credit card again,” Senkuu replied.
Byakuya sighed but gave Senkuu what he was after. “Are you going back to Japan?” Byakuya asked.
“Ya, in 2 hours,” Senkuu replied. Cleaning out his ears. “So you can drag me around for half an hour,”
Senkuu had said goodbye to Bykuya so coldly too. Senkuu was sure he’d come back but now… He didn’t know what to feel. It was just pure dread.
“The other capsule!”
Senkuu looked back up at the monitor and saw the other capsule had shot out and a slightly different angle this time…. The correct angle.
“Senkuu…,” Kohaku turned to him.
“That’s the right angle,” Senkuu said.
“But who’s in which capsule…?” Ruri added.
.
.
.
Nasa and Jaxa sent out a search team to find the crew and luckily they found them. All of them. The team that had hit the target was Byukuya, Yakov, and Darya, and from there the three of them found a small farming settlement and tanks to the locals were able to row to where the other three were. Jaxa found them and they were now on a private plane back to NASA. Senkuu, Kohaku, and Ruri were waiting for them on the landing pad. The plane touched down and out stepped the Russian crew first then A woman with brown hair, and Lillian and Byakuya.
Kohaku and Ruri wasted no time to go hug their mother. Senkuu’s mouth was slightly ajar seeing Byakuya safe.
“Hey, Senkuu!” Byakuya waved at Senkuu.
Senkuu felt a wave of relief wash over him hearing Byakuya as cheerful as ever. Senkuu’s brain didn’t even think. The next thing he knew he had his arms around Byakuya and pulled him into a hug.
“Woah that Senkuu, being more affectionate than normal,” The old man commented.
“Shut up,” Senkuu replied. “I’m just glad to see you old man. That’s all,”
“I promise I’m fine Senkuu,”
“Hey old man,” Senkuu squeezed harder and hid his face in Byakuya’s chest. “Thank you,”
“What for?” Byakuya placed a hand on Senkuu’s back to try to soothe him.
“For everything. Ya know, being a good dad and all,”
“I’m glad you gave me a chance to be a father Senkuu,”
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