The ship began to rise out of the ground so that Jess and Hannah could board it.
“I have a bad feeling about this.” Jess said, eyeing the ship suspiciously.
“Shut up and get on board.” The governor crouched to unlock the ball and chains around their ankles.
Hannah and Jess began to climb the ladder up to the entry hatch.
“This is GREAT!” Hannah said excitedly. “I'm FREE!” She hopped inside the hatch and leapt around the control room.
“Oh, yes, and it'll be so much fun being free in SPACE on a SPACE STATION where we can't GET OUT!” Jess erupted.
“Could the recruits please take their seats? The ship is about to take off.”
Hannah and Jess sat in the two huge seats and put on the special belt/harness things.
“God speed Jess and Hannah.” Said a voice over the tannoy.
“Oh, good Lord.” Said Jess, covering her eyes.
“5...4...3...2...1...LIFT OFF!” There was a loud rumbling and the whole room and the whole room began to shake.
“Are we gonna die?!!” Hannah shouted over the top of the rumbling.
“I-” Jess didn't have a chance to reply as she was pinned back in her seat so forcefully she thought she was going to be pressed into the thickness of a piece of paper. This was slightly comforting although it hurt like hell.
The space ship took off and Hannah and Jess gripped onto their seats for dear life (rather unnecessary as they certainly weren't going anywhere).
There were small port holes round the side of the ship and through them they could see the light blue sky turn into clouds, then get gradually deeper blue until everything was black. With a crash, bang and wallop, the space ship shut off its engines and floated quietly through space.
Jess and Hannah moulded their faces back to their original shapes and looked around.
“I really thought our time was up then.” Jess said quietly.
“I know.” Hannah took a few deep breaths. “How long until we get there now?”
“The governor mentioned something about a quick something about a quick trip.” Jess explained. “Look...” She undid her seat-harness and floated over to the window. “That looks like it!”
Hannah stood behind Jess and peered over her shoulder at the space resort outside. It was quite magnificent if I say so myself. It had glass rooves and Jess and Hannah could see a steel docking system that looked like it was all fully operational, it just had no visitors at the moment.
“Look at the palms inside...!” Jess pointed at the grand arrival area which had palm trees and lush forestry inside the glass container. “Bet its got a good view of Earth.” She added.
“Yeah. You know, this could turn out to be quite exciting!” Hannah clapped her hands.
The ship floated into what appeared to be some sort of docking bay (yes, we ARE aware that this happening impossibly fast, but it's a BOOK, for frick's sake).
“Airlock opening.” Said a mechanical-sounding voice over the tannoy.
“Here goes nothing.” Said Hannah, floating over to the hatch, which opened to reveal a long tube leading to the actual station.
Jess and Hannah floated along the wide, clear tube. Jess looked out into space.
“Wow. It's BIG.” She said, impressed.
“You're not kidding.” Hannah floated on towards the ever approaching hatch of the space station.
Jess looked out again and was SURE she saw a pig fly past the tube...but no, no. It MUST have been her imagination.
Hannah and Jess floated to the end of the tube and into a large, square, plain white room in the space station. The hatch closed behind them.
“Decompression process beginning.” Said the mechanical voice. Hannah and Jess slowly sank to the floor as gravity returned and they removed their helmets. Another hatch opened.
“Welcome,” Said the voice. “To the Orion 4000 Space Station.”
“Wonder why it's 4000?” Hannah said to Jess.
“Because the designers predict that it will last for the next 4000 years.” The voice replied. “Now please clear the hatch.”
Hannah and Jess scuffled out into the grand arrival room. They both gasped at the amazing architecture, the cleanliness and the beautiful view of Earth. Asia was currently turning slowly by as they watched.
“Holy God.” Hannah said in awe.
“This is fantastic!” Jess said. “I just wish I was wearing better clothes for the occasion.” She looked down at her shabby prison uniform glumly.
“You can buy some new ones when you sign in and get some international currency.” A new voice sounded behind them. They both turned to see a man standing there.
“Erm...hi?” Said Hannah, taking a step forward.
“Hi there! I'm Matthew. I will be your personal officer on the Orion.”
“Personal officer? We're not going to be shut up like prison again, are we?!” Jess asked, looking dismayed.
“No, of course not. We know you can't escape the station, and, anyway, we all hate Daniel Radcliffe up here.”
Hannah thought briefly about defending her son but decided against it.
“I'm going to show you around, if you'll follow me.” He said, indicating to the corridor behind him.
“KICK ARSE!” Hannah exclaimed, running after him.
“You will be in charge of a shop or service here on the Orion. We're short-staffed, so you'll be pretty much left to your own devices, I'm afraid.”
Hannah grinned.
“Oh, NO problem.
“So, what sort of places will we be able to run?” Jess asked Matthew.
“Oh, you know, newsagents, clothes shops, travel agents, restaurants...”
“RESTAURANTS?!” Hannah suddenly exclaimed.
“Oh, God...” Jess covered her eyes.
“I WANNA RUN A RESTAURANT!” Hannah squeaked.
Jess decided to speak out for once. “Well, I want a BOOKSHOP!”
Matthew looked at her in surprise.
“You know, a big one...with music and other such stuff...like Borders, but something else.” Jess said.
Hannah decided to push this as far as it could go. “Well I WANNA MUSIC SHOP!”
Jess opened her mouth, thought for a minute, then erupted. “I WANT A SCOTTISH SHOP!”
“Sorry, no can do.” Matthew said, holding a small computer palmtop and typing in some decisions of the girl's. “Ok, so you'll both run the restaurant but in your spare time you'll run a music shop and you'll run a large book store.”
Jess and Hannah nodded respectively.
“Great! Go along there to the entrance facilities to get money, passport, sign forms and to sign up for your jobs, homes, transport and lives.”
“Do you think he ever forgets anything?” Hannah mused as Matthew walked off and the two of them strolled along to the check-in.