The Warp

Taking advantage of the calm and stability of the plane, Dr. Kamal and his wife, who is also a doctor, checked the condition of every passenger in the main cabin.

Captain Dharma's steps led him to an automatic door that separated the passageway where he stood from the main cabin. The door hissed and swung open. As soon as he entered the room he immediately looked for his wife and daughter.

"Sweetheart!"

Dharma gave an emotional smile with fast steps, he approached his daughter who was getting the attention of Doctor Kamal.

"Daddy…!" Xian got down from his seat, then rushed into the arms of her father who was squatting in front of her.

"Are you all right, Sweetheart?" Dharma hugs her daughter tightly.

"Daddy, I'm scared," Xian's voice trembled slightly. "You are not with us."

Yuan Xi approached the two.

"Honey!" Dharma couldn't contain his emotion when he looked at his wife. "I'm sorry I've put you both in danger."

"It's okay, my dear," said Yuan Xi. "We know you have done everything for the good of us."

Repeatedly Captain Dharma kissed his daughter and wife while hugging. "Oh, God. Thank you…"

Doctor Kamal understood the captain's feelings very well, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He approached the others to check on their condition. Ryan and his friends chuckled while nodding to watch the captain's little family hugging each other.

Ely held Aldi's hand tightly to watch the captain hug his daughter and wife with love. Aldi understands that Ely must remember her parents, she is not as lucky as Xian. Aldi stroked Ely's back. He took a deep breath in between his smiles.

"Yan," Captain Dharma turned his gaze to Ryan and friends. He stood up and approached the young man. "You can increase the warp speed of this plane?"

Ryan looked at Cinnong beside him, of course, he understood the anxiety that was still on the captain's face. That means safety for everyone on this spacecraft.

"What about Aios?" Ryan asked back to the captain.

"She can wait," Captain Dharma glanced at Guntur and Fraya, then gestured with a head movement. "Come on!" and patted Ryan on the shoulder.

Before leaving the main cabin, Captain Dharma took the time to hug his daughter and wife, asking them to stay there with the others.

Yuan Xi was quite familiar with all of that, she nodded. Kissed her husband tenderly, and brought Xian back to sit.

"It's okay, honey," Yuan Xi whispered to her daughter. "Your daddy is going to do something to ensure the safety of all of us."

Xian nodded, then hugged her mother.

"Give it your best, guys!" Ryan looked at Cinnong, Boris, Naomi, and Yuma. Then, they followed the captain's footsteps, who had already left with Guntur and Fraya.

"Hey!" Aldi stood up, one hand still in Ely's arms. "Is there anything I can help with?"

Ryan and his friends looked at each other. "Do you understand about warp?"

Ryan chuckled in response as Aldi shook his head.

"Then," said Ryan. "Please keep an eye on the people here. Hey!" Ryan stopped his steps again, looked at Aldi. "Thanks for earlier."

Aldi nodded. "That's our ticket," he said with a smile and sat back down next to Ely. Aldi even laughed when he found Naomi giving him a thumbs up.

In the main engine room which is in the hull of the plane, Captain Dharma keeps an eye on the activities of Ryan and his friends.

Meanwhile, Cinnong and Boris were busy dismantling the outer layer of a large device. Naomi and Yuma are also disconnecting some large cables on the device itself, while Ryan is struggling with the gadget in his hand.

The C-pad in Ryan's hand belonged to Captain Dharma, which the captain himself gave to the man to support the efforts of Ryan and his friends to improve the warp engine capability of the spacecraft.

The efforts of Ryan and his friends were also assisted by some other technicians. Fraya, Guntur, and their comrades.

"Hyker!" said Captain Dharma. His call was conveyed through the intercom in the room itself. "How are conditions there?"

"Still quiet, Cap."

Hyker was still watching the number of spaceships floating around their craft.

"But if you guys don't fix the problem down there right away, whatever you're doing," Hyker cracked a smile, his eyes catching the drones the size of cars out there. His hunch said this wasn't a good thing. "We'll surely fuck-up! In the end, we will be found out by the Federation people."

"God damn it, Hyker!" cursed the captain by stomping his feet on the floor. "Do something! And you, Ryan!" he said with a tense face. "How much more time do you guys need, huh?"

"Hey!" Ryan replied as he touched the middle of the hilt of his glasses. "Calm down for a second, will you! We haven't had fifteen minutes of doing this yet."

"So you need all day?!"

The worry in the captain was great and obvious, especially when he thought about the safety of his daughter and wife. And actually, the same thing happened to Ryan, Cinnong, and everyone on the plane. The tension that passed in the minutes that seemed so slow tormented everyone's mind.

"Hey Cap!" said Fraya who was busy helping Cinnong and Boris. "Angry won't help us here!"

"I'm not angry—argh, never mind!" Captain Dharma took a deep breath and then let it out very long. "I'll just go upstairs!"

"Yeah, that's better!" said Guntur while laughing sarcastically to the captain. "Maybe there's something you can do there, Cap?"

Captain Dharma snorted weakly, then stepped out of the room. "Bastard crew!" he said. "All of you!"

Everyone in the room knew the captain didn't mean it. So, they just responded with laughter and big smiles on each other's faces.

"Hey," Fraya called to Ryan. "How much longer?"

Ryan nodded, his ten fingers still moving wildly across the surface of the C-pad he had placed on one bent thigh. He did not answer Fraya's question, except with the index finger of his right hand raised.

Fraya understands that the man is seriously working on the main engine system. Furthermore, Fraya helped his colleagues' efforts to disassemble some large and small components, remove and reconnect some of the supporting cables.

Again, the minutes passed with silence and tension on the faces of everyone in the main engine room.

Captain Dharma stepped with great trepidation along the main corridor. The corridor that connects the vestibule with the rear of the aircraft itself. For a moment, he stopped his steps when he was in front of the door of the room on the right. He opened the door and stepped into the room.

That one big room is a food and beverage storage room that will support the lives of everyone on the plane.

In one part of the storage room, Captain Dharma met Indra and Jennie, as well as three other female crew members.

At that time, Indra and his four colleagues were sitting around a round table. There is a large C-Pad in front of each of them.

"Cap!" said Indra, then he got up with the other four.

"Captain!" said Jennie too, the other three nodded their heads to greet the captain.

"How are the conditions here?" asked the captain. "Stock report?"

TO BE CONTINUED ...