space rocks

Two days have passed and Professor Jane tells you and Professor Scot to strap in again.   They have barely said anything in the past two days.  They must be thinking of the three Russians who passed away when their Soyuz failed, you think to yourself.  

At last Professor Jane and a Japanese man onboard the ISS starts the radio call to prepare for docking.  You fly by the massive solar panels and barely miss them.  You approach a long tunnel of nodules and Professor Jane launches small rockets to steer the ship into position. 

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“Docking in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”  The two ships make a loud clinking sound. Professor Jane sighs in relief. 

 

“Shuttle connected, the hatch can be opened,” says the Japanese man with his heavy accent. 

You unstrap yourself and leave the shuttle.   The Japanese man and another man is waiting at the other side of the hatch to help you unload.

 

“Welcome abroad the ISS, kid.  I’m Quinn, the head engineer.  This is Hikaru, he is a flight engineer too, all the way from Japan.”  A tall strong looking man punches you on the shoulder.  His accent sounds Russian, you think to yourself.  He has a funny looking face with small eyes and a big nose, but you decide that he looks friendly enough.

 

“Yeah, welcome abroad the ISS, Charlie.  Don’t try to figure out which wall is the floor, here up is where your head is at, we just float around wherever.  C’man kid, I’ll show you the three most important parts of the ship.”  Professor Scot smiles and talks at an incredible speed as he points to the next nodule.