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Pretty, Please!

Chapter Ten ~ Graduation (Final Chapter)

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Rose and Josh be happy after graduation as they go home to different states?

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"Linda and Julia!  Time to get up!"

"Alright Granny!" They responded.  The girls went to the bathroom and washed their faces and changed their clothes.  I put their soiled clothes thru the laundry.  I packed their bags and gave them to Doris to care for till they needed them.

Now that the girls were ready to leave with their mother, I led them to the sitting room and the girls sat down opposite me.

"Are you girls ready to hear the rest of the story?"

"Yes Granny, I want to find out if Josh and Rose can find a way to live in the same city. Pretty, please!" asked Linda.

"Granny, I want to hear the rest of the story.  Pretty, please!"

"As you wish, girls.  Here is the rest of the story!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Amazingly enough all four of us girls woke about the same time.  Gigi still had to use the shower in Gloria's quarters even though she was now totally female.  It was thought that for one day, it would take too much time to brief everyone on Gigi's status.  We got ready for the day and packed our bags.  A tram was waiting outside our quarters for our bags which had routing tags which would tell the bag sorters where they needed to go to match up with our transportation home.

Gloria greeted us and checked to make sure our bunks were left in good shape and that we were not leaving anything behind.  Gloria sent us on ahead to breakfast with the rest of the Space Campers while she followed her checklist along with the others to secure the Girls' Dorm.

As Amanda, Gigi, Jinx and I made our way to the Cafeteria, we were joined by Josh and Mark.  Both Amanda and I went over to our men and greeted them with a delicious kiss.  I guess Gigi and Jinx, felt a little left out.  We both left hand in hand with our guys as the six of us turned toward the Cafeteria.

However from the direction of the classrooms and labs, a robot rolled up toward us.  When it got closer we saw that it was the spitting image of the robot from the movie, Space Camp.  He came toward us and upon seeing 'Jinx' shouted out.  "Yo Cara!"

"Yo Jinx!" said our 'Jinx'.  We all gathered around both of our Jinxes.  I picked up on what the robot had called her and asked the question which was on everyone's mind.

"Cara, Is this how you received your other nickname?"

"Yes, Rose and thanks for picking up on calling me Cara.  I'd like for all of you to do that now.  It will be a little less confusing with Jinx around.'

Around the group came responses agreeing with our Carolyn "Jinx" McAdams' request to be called Cara,

"Thanks everyone.  I got my original nickname because shortly after I discovered the movie "Space Camp" I decided to do a replica of Jinx to demonstrate robotics.  Originally the robot Jinx was a remote controlled device which was interfaced to a laptop.  When I won for Jinx at a science fair, I received the nickname 'Jinx' and it stuck.  I brought Jinx to Space Camp for my robotics project.  With the new power of computer chips, I had designed a brain for Jinx and I was trying my hand at some software so that Jinx could have a measure of independent operation.  However when we were in the twenty second century and saw what could really be done with artificial intelligence, I could not resist."

"Cara, what did you do?"

"Well I took a generic AI program without a personality yet with me. And you know you have to have the right hardware to run software.  I sort of borrowed a positronic brain to run the AI program. I designed an interface between the brain and the rest of Jinx which wrapped around the brain.  Once I installed it, I input the movie Space Camp to Jinx to see if that would set the personality and left Jinx alone to think about it with a command to come meet me for breakfast."

"Wow, Cara, Jinx is so awesome!"  I could not resist so I called out, "Yo Jinx! Shake a leg!"

 "To expect a robot to shake a leg is not logical."  I heard Jinx respond in a voice like Spock's as Jinx did the equivalent of raising an eyebrow.  The boys laughed and most of the girls giggled.

"Did I forget to add that there were a few more DVD's that I fed Jinx, including the entire Trek movie series?" Yo Jinx!  Limit responses to emulate Jinx from the movie "Space Camp" Override to only feign literal responses and reject them.  Under no circumstances are you to interface to the NASA computer or any other computer without my direct command."       .

 "Yo Cara.  Jinx will comply."

"Does this Jinx also have an enhanced capabilities mode like the Jinx in the movie?"

"Yo Jinx, establish communications interface."

Just like in the movie the collar portion of Jinx' sphere elevated revealing the light drive inside which lifted Jinx's head to be another 2 feet taller. I was in awe even more than the effects in the movie since this was real.  I had a feeling of unspeakable joy welling up inside me.  And most amazing of all I heard Jinx's voice as if it were a thought in my head.  "Yo Rose!"  I had a big grin on my face as I stood there entranced.  I must have missed Cara's command to Jinx to end the interface but I saw the process reverse and soon Jinx was normal.

"Did everyone hear Jinx talk to them in their mind?" I asked amazed.

There was general agreement that I was the only one who heard Jinx in my thoughts.

"Sorry, Rose.  I was just demonstrating the light show.  I had no idea that the communications interface really worked.  Are you alright?"

"I'm better than okay, Cara.  Please don't worry.  I have only felt more joy from only one source.  It was wonderful."

"I'm glad, Rose.  It might be better if I sent Jinx back to the lab for now. Yo Jinx! Please return to the lab and once there maintain demonstration parameters."

"Yo Cara! I will comply."  As I saw Jinx return in the direction of the labs, I reflected on the thought that I received.  Somehow there was another aspect to Jinx that reminded me of someone else.  I felt eventually my subconscious would work it out and let me in on it. 

We had paused long enough meeting Jinx that Gloria and Greg caught up with us.  We welcomed them and together went toward the Cafeteria.   We informed them of Cara's new handle and they both wanted to visit the Lab after breakfast to see Jinx.   It seemed that Gigi and I were not the only ones to receive gifts from the twenty second century.  I now knew that Cara had a gift as well. .  It was obvious that what ever we received from the future were gifts that we were permitted to keep by NASA on direction from the President.  I only hoped that we would show the wisdom to use those gifts well.

Each of the groups had their own table for breakfast.  Instead of having to go thru the line Gloria and Greg brought our trays to the table and served us.  We missed Pam but we all hoped that she would be able to see us off at Graduation.  There was light conversation over breakfast.  We knew more than to discuss our mission to the Pathfinder in public.  With that off the table to talk about, Amanda and I talked about our relationships and we asked both Gigi and Cara.  "What kind of boy would interest you?" and "Has any of the guys at space camp caught your eye?"  There was a bit of good natured teasing directed at each of us which was accepted in the manner that it was given. 

As the meal came to a close, we knew that our moments together were limited.  I got up and raised my glass of orange juice and began a toast, "For Red 18, to the journey!" Every one lifted their orange juice and repeated, "To the journey!"  We returned our trays to the kitchen and as a group went over to view the projects on display in the lab.

Amanda led us to her project.  It had a great deal of technical data behind it but it essentially was a helmet with biomedical sensors inside that was connected to a computer which on its screen displayed whether the wearer was 'male' or 'female'.  There was also a wig stand that the helmet rested on when it was not on anyone's head.  While it was not on anyone's head it displayed 'neither'

There was a large group around Cara's project which was Jinx, of course.  Having already seen Jinx being put thru his paces, the group moved on. 

Gigi's project involved the mathematics and geometry of space folding.  Her demonstration project was like the way that Gigi explained to us how the Tesseract worked.  She did not add the enhancements which actually made things practical.  The main value of her project was to show that space folding was something that could be accomplished for space travel across great distances which would not involve either finding natural wormholes which may not go where one wishes to go or faster than light drives which would require the discovery of a whole new branch of physics which applied in an area which was called impossible by our existing knowledge of physics. 

Gigi's project as it was seemed very impressive to us even without our personal knowledge that it worked.  The main scientific accomplishment was that she derived an equation which described the process.  She also used the definition of a Tesseract to show thru geometry how such a thing was possible.  It was amazing to learn that a generalization of the cube to dimensions greater than three is called a “hypercube”, “n-cube” or “measure polytope”. The Tesseract is the four-dimensional hypercube or 4-cube.

After we had our mind boggled by Gigi's project, Josh led us to his concept of a Mars Mission.  Using the capabilities of the Aries V launcher, He demonstrated how five launches could bring up all the components of the Mars spacecraft which would be docked together.  He demonstrated trajectories using an Ion drive which would extend the capabilities of the craft to not have to rely on an optimum configuration of Earth Moon and Mars to work.  The six modules would consist of a mars habitat landing module, a manned mars descent and ascent module, an ion drive module, an ecosphere module, and a logistics module.  Together with the crew exploration vehicle all of the modules would be required for the long journey to Mars and a safe return.

My project was my concept of a Moon Base and how it could be assembled given the capabilities of the Altair Lander.  My addition to what had already been announced by NASA was the addition of unmanned Cargo Landers which would provide the bulk of the material needed for construction since they could be totally cargo since no space would be required for crew or for a lunar liftoff.

Finally we came to Mark's project.  Mark had amassed a lot of documentation concerning a force field emitter and how it was possible to emit one which was not simply a magnetic bottle.  Looking at the numbers for the power required, I knew that the emitter was drawing way more power than the single household AC outlet could provide.  I discovered that camouflaged as a part of the board that the experiment was mounted on was a power supply that had been borrowed from the Pathfinder.  Looking at the other projects in Electrical, his most certainly stood out.

We all agreed after looking over the exhibits that there were a lot of wonderful project.  Still we held out hope that our projects might prove worth of recognition at Graduation.   We had a little time before we were due to meet up so that we could get in place for graduation.  We paired up and went our separate ways, Greg with Gloria, Mark with Amanda, Gigi with Cara. 

It was obvious what the rest of us were about, young love but the pair we were introduced to as Jinx and Max started out as seeming like another couple but it was clear that they had started what promised to be a life long friendship. It was obvious that they needed to make plans to stay in touch.  Unlike Greg with Gloria and Mark with Amanda, they too like Josh and I was going home to different cities. .Charlotte is a little closer to Atlanta than it is to Warm Springs but not by a whole lot.  Of course they had it a little better than Josh and I in that, Gigi would not need a plane to go visit Cara since Atlanta was within her new range now that she knew better how to tesser.

Josh and I got settled in a quiet spot.  We were fortunate in that there were many couples looking for quiet spots all over Space Camp.  We decided that we ought to check in with our parents.  While Josh was on the phone with his parents, I called mine.

"Hi Daddy."

"Hi Sweetie.  I hear that you did a lot of good with your birth father with that visit you made to him.''

"I'm glad Daddy.  What he meant for bad became good for me.  The only thing that hurts right now is that I'm about to be separated from my boyfriend when we go home.  I am glad to be going home and get on with my life."

"Honey, your birth father is being treated for his challenge and that's under control, Your forgiveness has helped your birth father heal and he no longer will be married to your sister / mother so the threat that we were worried about no longer exists and together you and Josh made that happen.   The other thing that we were worried about was your ability to fit in with the other girls but you've been a girl for years now so that is no longer a concern."

"Daddy, are you saying what I think you are saying?" I could scarce contain my excitement.

"I'm going to see if Miriam and Violet can take custody of you.  Miriam is already a guardian and I can arrange to grant guardianship to Violet.  All the names will have changed but perhaps we can get things back to something that you can be comfortable.  I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, Daddy.  If you can pull this off, I'll promise to come visit you and Momma as often as I can."

"Sweetheart, meet us after the Graduation and I'll have your return flight ticket.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Bye Rose."

"Bye Daddy"

I was on cloud nine.  Josh had finished his call and was waiting for me.  I jumped into his arms and Josh held me close."

"I love you, I love you, I love you, Josh!"

"Rose I love you too! What's all this?"

"I'm just happy!  Daddy told me that we did so much good with my birth father with our visit that he no longer is a threat to me.  Having grown up as a girl now, I don't have to worry about fitting in now.  There is no reason for me to live away from Charlotte now.  With two of my mothers having a home there, if they will take me in, then I can live in Charlotte.  Daddy is going to try to set it up and he will let me know after Graduation."

"That's wonderful news, Rose.  Even though all the names and relationships have been scrambled, your life will get to be close to what it was before everything happened.  You'll be close enough to visit your birth father and encourage his recovery even more.  I've got my fingers crossed."

"Mine too.  Could we go ahead over to the Graduation?  Maybe if we are available before hand we might get the good news sooner."

"I'm with you sweetheart!" Josh held me tight low around my waist and I held onto him too as we walked to the amphitheatre where the Graduation was to occur.  

The amphitheatre was deserted except for a couple who was embracing and locked in a very passionate kiss.  As we got closer we could see that they were 2 girls but it wasn't till they came up for air and broke their embrace that we found out it was Gigi and Cara.  I was so glad for them both to have found love.

"Hi Gigi and Cara. How are you two doing?"

"Hi Rose and Josh.  We are doing fine.  Listen, Cara and I are not ready to come out to our parents yet.  Can we rely on your keeping this quiet?"

"Of course you two.  We can add this to the pile of secrets we share easily. We are happy that you both are happy.  It looks like things were a complete success for all of us finding love. So spill you two." I requested.

Cara started, "Well in the beginning, it was really confusing for me.  I already knew I am a lesbian, so I really wondered why I was attracted to Max.  I went with it since we seemed to get along well together and one can't have enough friends."

"For me, Cara was really attractive to me way deep inside.  Even before I realized that Cara was a lesbian, I felt that I could not have a real relationship, until I could be my true self on the outside.  I felt that it we were meant to be friends, after all at Space Camp in the movie, Jinx and Max are friends forever!" Gigi explained

"When we both opened up to each other things made sense.  Max admitted to me that she really was Gigi inside.  I admitted to her that I was really a lesbian.  Somehow I picked you out Rose as someone who would understand.  I am forever grateful for what you and your father have done for Gigi.'

"Even after my unveiling at Space Camp after my makeover, Cara and I remained just friends even though we both felt something more.  Cara felt that beginning transition was enough of a challenge for me to add on a relationship.  With everything that went on, she was right."

"However, after the miracle happened to make Gigi whole, we both decided that transition was over and her inexperience with living outwardly as a young woman was something a normal girl could go thru if she was to go from being a tomboy all her life to embracing her femininity when she went thru puberty."

"So Cara and I have begun our relationship in earnest.  With the AI in Jinx functioning as a target, I can hit the bull's-eye when I fold space to visit with her.  I feel for you two in that respect, going home to different states without the benefit of folding space like I can do.'

"My daddy may arrange for me to live away from home in Charlotte if my birth mother and sister agree to both be my guardians and let me stay with them.  My brother in law that I was afraid of no longer seems to be a problem and he's out of my sister's life for good."

"We'll keep our fingers crossed for you two, Josh and Rose.  I hope you have the happiness you both deserve."

"Thanks you two!"

The amphitheatre started filling up and we could see Mark and Amanda coming in so we waved them over.  I could not help but smile when I thought of how Amanda actually had successfully played cupid not only for herself and Mark but for Josh and I and Cara and Gigi as well.  Gloria and Greg found us and led us over to the reserved seating for the Space Campers and had us sit in the designated area for Red 18.  Parents filed in to the amphitheatre and started filling up the seats.  As we saw our families come in, we would stand up and wave at them before being asked to take our seats again. 

The VIP's including all of the Astronaut-Mentors took the stage and sat down.  Among them were the Camp Director, the NASA Administrator and our very own Pam Melroy, the Mission Commander of STS-120.  I knew that we had already gotten our top secret award for our outer space field trip, but I hoped that we would be awarded for our other accomplishments as well.  At the very least we would get a certificate of completion of Space Camp and I was going to be very proud of that. 

The Camp Director got up first and introduced the NASA Administrator, who gave a very inspirational speech about the challenges that NASA planned on meeting in the Constellation program and the very real possibility that from us might come the astronauts who would pioneer a base on the moon and be the first humans to walk on Mars.  He challenged us that within our lifetimes we may even travel to the stars using means that seemed only science fiction to us now.

Of course he had the advantage of knowing that a future existed that NASA would indeed go to the stars.  I knew without the vision being put forward to the young people of the planet, that future might not come true and for us it was vital that it did.

After the stirring speech we were called up by groups and the Camp Director called each of our names while the NASA Administrator handed out the certificates.  All the certificates were handed out and we all returned to our seats. Things continued by handing out individual achievement awards.  We saw some very excited space campers come up and receive their awards after the category of achievement was introduced.

We became excited when the lab project recognitions were called.   The Camp Director  announced, "In the Robotics category, we recognize Carolyn 'Cara' McAdams.  Cara was thrilled and she almost ran to the stage to receive her award.  We all congratulated her upon her return.

The same sequence was repeated with each of us for our lab projects.

"In the Medical category, we recognize, Amanda Carter"

"In the Mars Exploration category, we recognize, Josh Garner."

"In the Physics category, we recognize, Gigi Chase."

"In the Electronics category, we recognize, Mark Goddard."

"In the Lunar Exploration category, we recognize Rose Abbott."

We were each proud to have all of us to win in our category.  There were a number of other categories and well deserving space campers were recognized.  We all waited to find out who would win the overall category.  As I caught sight of some one familiar waiting in the wings, I had a good idea who was going to be chosen.

The Camp Director resumed, "And now we have the overall category winner.  Ever since the movie "Space Camp" came out I get the question from campers, parents and investors if they can see Jinx, the robot from the movie as though he were real.  I have had to disappoint them when I tell them that the robot from the movie, was only a special effect operated by a team of special effects people, a mere puppet.  But now Space Camp temporarily has the real article which is the property of one of our graduates who made ' bringing Jinx to life' her project.  This Jinx robot is voice controlled just like in the movie and does not require someone to operate it remotely."

A sphere was taken from off stage and placed on stage. 

"Yo Jinx!"  The sphere sprouted three legs which lifted the sphere up off the ground and a head deployed above the spherical body.  It was clear that it was none other than Jinx from the Space Camp movie.  Jinx rolled up and stopped beside the Camp Director.

"Yo Space Camp Director!"  That brought a laugh thru the audience.

"Jinx, how can you help NASA?" asked the NASA administrator

"NASA Administrator, I can tell you that my maker was Cara McAdams"

"Thank you Jinx.  Cara Mc Adams, please come up and take your award." 

Cara was still blushing as she walked to the stage.  She had a chance to compose herself because as soon as she saw Jinx she knew that she had won.  Cara received her award from the NASA administrator.  She came across to Jinx who greeted her, "Yo Cara!" 

Jinx deployed the light drive with the same sound effects as in the movie to shouts of "Oooh" "Ahhh" "Pretty!" and then Jinx returned back to normal

"Yo Jinx!  Return off stage and wait for me."

"I will comply, Cara.  Cara and Jinx, Friends forever!"   Cara watched as Jinx did as she asked and then she herself left the stage to a standing ovation from the entire auditorium.

Finally the time had come for the team awards.   We watched as one by one the team awards were given out after being described by one of the Astronaut -Mentors including the one for the best overall team.

It appeared that the awards were over and that they were about to dismiss us.  However someone from off stage came and whispered something in the Space Camp Director's ear.

"I'm told that we missed one of the team awards which is new beginning this session. STS 120 Mission Commander, Pam Melroy will come forward to describe this team award."

Pam took the mike and began.  "Thank you Mr. Director.  All of you have experienced the training in the Shuttle Simulators.  By exposing our crews to simulated emergencies, they learn to work together as a team to solve the challenge for the mission to proceed.  We have one challenge that is a test of character.  Space flight is experimental and sometimes bad things happen yet we have the courage to continue on even if some of our fellow astronauts fall.  The No-Win challenge has been known as the Kobayashi Maru after the cadet test in Star Trek II.  One team was able to do the same thing Cadet Kirk did in the movie and beat the No-Win challenge.  We won't tell you how they solved it, except to say that their solution was 'unique.' having never been tried before.  And now we call to the stage Team Red 18 to receive the Kobayashi Maru Challenge Team Award"

All of us filed up orderly and took the stage.  Josh received the team award from the NASA administrator as there was a shout of "Woo Hoo" from our team.   Pam, the Director and the Administrator shook each of our hands and we filed back off the stage with pride.

"This concludes this Graduation Assembly.  Thank you each space camper and each parent for your participation during this Space Camp session.  We are proud of each and every one of you and we hope you will consider coming back for another program sometime in the near future.  I wish each of you good journey as you follow your dreams which will lead us to the stars.  You are dismissed!"

There came hoots and hollering from the Space Campers as the Graduation concluded.  Josh grabbed my hand and led me thru the crowd as we both searched for my parents.  Finally we both saw Momma waving to us and Josh made a way for us over to them. Daddy had a twinkle in his eye so I knew that it was good news.

"I have your ticket and boarding pass for you, Rose.  You will be traveling to your new home in Charlotte along with Miriam, Violet and Daisy.  The seating computer was acting a bit strange and somehow it seated you and Josh together with Gigi.  I hope you all can cope."

I gave Daddy a great big hug and kiss. "Thank you Daddy for everything.  Somehow we will manage.  Woo Hoo!"

Josh shook Daddy's hand and told him. "Thank you Mr. Abbott.  You've made both of us very happy."

"Josh and Rose, you met the challenges together yourselves.  Without what you both did, my little contribution would not be possible.  If you both show the same determination to overcome the challenges that you will find in your life, you can do things thought impossible if you do it together."

"We will Daddy! Josh, I am glad we said our goodbyes before this ended.  Everyone is already going their separate ways."

"I'm planning on holding an Abbott family gathering soon.  You'll have a chance to visit with everyone in calmer circumstances.  Josh I'm looking forward to extending our hospitality to you and your parents as well."

"I will be glad to extend your invitation to my parents and look forward to hearing the details later."

"Sweetie, I am going to miss you.  I had my heart set on having you with me for the summer.  I am so proud of you and the young woman you have become.  You do us proud!  When you come back to visit, I want to be sure and tell you about the rest of the legend about the person who was destined to receive the gift you received."

"Momma, are you sure this is something that will keep?"

"Yes, Sweetie.  Please be sure to ask me about it the next time I see you." 

"I will be sure to do that, Momma.  I love you both!  See you soon!"  I gave Momma a big hug and kiss.  I wondered what the rest of the story might be but for now I would have to wait.

"Good bye, Mr. and Mrs. Abbot.  Safe journey home!  Rose, it's time to go!"

We turned from them towards the area where the shuttle bus designated for Space Campers was parked designated for the plane to Charlotte.  Waiting for us was Miriam, Violet, and Daisy in front of the bus.  We gathered into a group hug.  I was so happy that I was going to be part of their family!

"Momma Miriam and Momma Violet, thank you so much for letting me live with you and acting as my parents.  It's so good to be coming home to Charlotte."

Momma Miriam gave me a hug, "I am glad for you to be my daughter again, Candy girl. I will be around as much as I can.  I don't want to miss any more time with you.  When I am gone I know that you will be in good hands with Violet."

Momma Violet gave me a hug, "I too am glad for you to be my daughter, Rosy.  I'm going to be around most of the time and all of the time when Miriam has to be out of town. We'll have such fun."

Daisy gave me a hug, "I'm glad you are going to be my sister / auntie, Rose.  I've missed you and I am so glad you will be living with us again."

"Momma Miriam and Momma Violet this is my boyfriend, Josh Garner.  I hope to be seeing him a lot when we are home."    

"Josh, these are my guardians, Miriam Caldwell and Violet Abbott"

"I'm very glad to meet you both as Rose's guardians.'

"Josh, we are very glad that you are Rose's boyfriend and you are always welcome in our home"

"Thank you Ma'am.  Daisy I'm glad to see you again and I look forward to seeing more of you."

"I'm glad to see you too, Josh.  I'm glad that things are getting kindly back to normal again."

"You two had better board the bus.   We'll see you on the plane"

"Bye for now!"   "Bye bye!"  "Good bye!" "See you soon!"

Josh and I got on the bus and waved to Miriam, Violet, and Daisy as they turned away to go to their own ride to the airport..  We spotted Gigi once my family was out of sight and we moved over to be with her. 

"Congratulations, Rose!  I am so glad that both you and Josh are going to get to be together.

"I'm glad too, Gigi. Today has turned out to be perfect."

"Gigi, I'm sorry that things could not work out for you and Cara to be together too."

"It will be good practice if our college choices turn out to stay the same.  However I'm hoping that both of us become comfortable enough to tell our parents.  It would be nice for both of us to be going to MIT together.  It will work out.  I can visit her in person anytime I want to go, instantly.  Even if we were living in the same city we would not be with each other all of the time."

"That does make a difference.  I'm glad that you'll be around.  You are so amazing that I look forward to seeing how things go for you, Gigi."

"That goes for me too. Rose.  Somehow things get interesting around you.  You seem to hold everyone together and your attitude seems to bring out the best in people.  Somehow, I would be very surprised if being a Mission Commander was not in your future.  Josh you will be one too for sure since you have what it takes too."

"Do you think we will be able to do what we are destined to do, Gigi?  For us to make it possible for the Starship Pathfinder to exist?"

"We will do it, Rose.  Not because of our perceived prophesy but because we both are explorers who push the limits for ourselves as well as for what is perceived as possible.  We proved that by us agreeing to launch forth into the unknown testing the limits of what is possible in the Kobayashi Maru.  And it won't be us alone.  Together with our other friends, Cara, Josh, Amanda and Mark, we will continue to stretch the boundary into things thought impossible."

"I agree that we all have caught the vision of making the Starship Pathfinder a reality.  We each will have a part in what it takes to make it go.  And the best part about it, is that it will be a labor of love."

 "I guess that will make the Starship Pathfinder, 'The Love Boat.'" said Josh and ducking as a couple of travel pillows narrowly missed his head, amid the giggles coming from Gigi and I.

We all made it to our destinations and homes.  And Rose and Josh lived happily ever after.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That is the end of the story of "Pretty, Please!" girls.  I hope you enjoyed it!"

The girls cheered so loudly that I almost did not hear Doris when she spoke. "Approved Entry, Admiral"

"Thank you, Doris.  That should be your Gramps, girls.  Why don't you go greet him with a hug?"

The twins got up and met my hubby in the entryway.  They both gave him their hugs then he scooped them both up one in each arm and carried them back to the seating area.

"Josh, Darling, I am so glad you are home!  If only I could tesser like Gigi, Mars would not seem so far away." Josh scooped me up in his arms and gave me a long passionate kiss.  Josh's kisses still thrilled me from head to toe, just like the very first one.

Linda asked with a puzzled look, "Gramps is Josh?"

Josh smiled and said, "Yes, dear granddaughter, My name is Josh Garner.  Sweetheart, have you been telling the girls the story of how we met and fell in love?"

"Well I had to dearest.  They asked for it by name."

"Yes, Gramps, we asked for a story, "Pretty, Please!"" explained Julia.

"Well that is the story, girls.  What did you think of it?"

"Gramps, its a wonderful story.  It wasn't until Granny called you 'Josh' that we realized that you were in the story too."

"Yes, Gramps and we hope that we turn out to be the Linda and Julia in the story too when we grow up."

"Linda and Julia, If you really believe in yourself and have love then nothing is impossible.  Your Granny and I have proved that over and over again as the years roll by.  I have faith in you girls."

"Thank you, Gramps!  Granny tells such a good story and we were able to do fun things in between."

"What have you been doing, Girls?"

"We went out in Granny's moon buggy and saw the place where she was the first woman on the moon."

"Yeah and she taught us how to cook for real and we exercised in moon gravity, even naptime was fun with Granny."

"You girls are right. Naptime is fun with your Granny!" Josh smiled a wry smile and I knew what was on his mind.  Truth be told it was on my mind too but it would keep till the girls were picked up by their Mother. 
 

"Excuse me, Admiral.  Your daughter is approaching the door."

"Thank you, Doris.  Please admit her."

"Compliance!"

"Girls, Your mommy is here.  Why don't you greet her?"

"Mommy's here!" The girls each said excitedly and went to the entryway to greet her.

Their Momma scooped up each one and gave her a hug and kiss and then each took one of her hands and the three of them walked to the seating area. 

Rose's daughter greeted both her mother and father with a hug and a kiss.

"How was your trip, sweetie?"

"Mother, it was okay.  Sometimes I wish that I could snap my fingers and go instantly from place to place.  Daddy how was your trip back from Mars?"

"The Impulse drives are getting better and better.  It's not such a chore these days compared to the six months it took on my first trip to Mars."

"Gramps, were you really the first man to set foot on Mars?"

"Yes, Linda.  I was the mission commander and that honor has traditionally gone to the commander.  There were a total of four people who went with me on that first trip and all of them were heroes and heroines."

"That is so nice that both you and Granny were the first at something, Gramps" complimented Julia

"What have you girls been doing with your Granny?"

"Momma, Granny told us a wonderful story called "Pretty, Please!" It was all about Granny and Gramps and how they met and fell in love."

"Oh Mother!  Why did you have to tell the girls that fairy tale?  Filling their heads with that nonsense! Magic and people from the future who could do things so amazing that it seems like magic?'

"Encouraging a girl to go after her dreams is not nonsense, Sweetie.  Neither is teaching a girl the value of having love in her life."

"Mother, everyone can't rely on everything working together for good and eventually living happily ever after."

"You and your husband have lived happily ever after, haven't you?"

"Yes, Momma.  You have me there.  I guess aspiring to live happily ever after is a good thing.  If you don't try then how in the world would you ever be able to get there?"

"That's my girl!  Linda and Julia, come give your Granny and Gramps a hug.  Your Mommy will have to hurry if you all are going to make your connecting flight."

"Doris, are the girl's bags ready?"

"Admiral, they are in the entryway."

"Thank you, Doris"

Linda gave me a hug while Julia gave Josh a hug then we switched.  Both Josh and I hugged our daughter.  We said our goodbyes and the girls had each grabbed one of their mother's hands while the robot luggage cart followed them with all of their bags. 

Just before they could get thru the door, Julia turned loose of her mother's hand and came back and gave me one last hug.

"Granny, the next time that we come to visit will you tell us another story about Rose, Pretty, Please!"  And Linda echoed, "Granny, Pretty, please?"

"As you wish, my grand daughters, as you wish."