The sky was a clear, vibrant blue color, as it should be.
Above an orbital launch site, a few clouds lazily drifted across the upper atmosphere.
But, at ground level, there was a sleek chrome transport shuttle that was not only beautiful but also looked like a silver arrow that was ready to be fired into the stars.
Meanwhile, standing near the open boarding ramp was a handsome young man.
He was handsome, with blonde hair and hazel-colored eyes.
His name was Drake Sullivan.
He looked to be around 25 years old, and although he was just an engineer, his body didn't look out of shape at all.
He was tall, had broad shoulders, and was muscular, so women were often attracted to him.
However, Drake didn't particularly care about those things right now, because he was more focused on his job.
He wasn't interested in romance, and looking for a woman to build a family with was the last thing on his mind.
Pushing such thoughts aside, Drake folded his arms as he stared up at the shuttle, almost as though he was sizing up an opponent, but then a soft pair of hands covered his eyes from behind before whispering playfully into his ear.
"What's got you so lost in thoughts now, huh, Drake?" A beautiful voice asked, and Drake didn't need to turn around to figure out who had spoken.
It was Tessa Monroe, and she was a friend to him.
Tessa removed her hands and stepped back, allowing Drake to glance back.
She had a smile on her face that was probably the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.
Tessa was wearing the standard deep-blue jumpsuit that was issued to all crew members, and she had a white utility belt slung low around her hips, and a stylus tucked neatly behind one ear as well.
Her beautiful obsidian hair was long enough to reach the middle of her back, making her look extremely beautiful, along with her milky white skin.
Seeing all these, Drake couldn't help but smile at his friend before saying. "I wasn't lost in thought. I was just preparing my mind, that's all."
Tessa arched a brow in a disbelieving, but teasing manner and folded her arms underneath her chest. "Oh really? So you were preparing your mind, huh?"
"Yep."
"So, you're telling me, you were readying your mind to board a shuttle that you've been training for ten months to fly?" Tessa asked sarcastically, clearly not convinced by Drake's words.
"Yep."
"And you truly expect me to buy that?"
"Yep."
"You're such a dork," Tessa said while rolling her eyes, but she had a smile on her face.
They both giggled a bit before silence settled between them, but Tessa noticed the troubled look on his face again as Drake stared at the large shuttle.
"You nervous?" She asked.
Drake didn't reply immediately; instead, he glanced down at a small object in his hand.
He was holding a small blue crystal, which wasn't larger than a coin.
Tessa followed his gaze and tilted her head to see what he was holding. "You're still carrying that thing around?"
"Yeah, it's a family keepsake."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yeah."
"Why? Because your parents left it to you before they vanished on one of their galaxy-hopping expeditions?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"But don't you think it could be some kind of alien tech or something?"
"Nah, I doubt that. It's never done anything weird since I've had it with me, so I doubt it's alien tech."
Deep down, a part of Drake actually wondered if the crystal was really from an alien world because he could still recall how his parents had been obsessed with it when he was young.
Back then, he recalled seeing the crystal glow whenever his parents held it, but ever since they went on their last expedition a decade ago, the crystal had never glowed again.
And to be honest, even Drake was beginning to feel like maybe the crystal glowing was just a fabricated part of his memory he had made up to make his parents seem cool.
After all, who wouldn't find it cool to say that your parents had an amazing alien item from a planet no one had ever heard of?
This was the lie he used to impress his friends when he had been younger, but when those friends began to seek proof of what the blue crystal could really do, they all became disappointed because it didn't glow, and it didn't seem like it ever had either, so Drake decided not to make such unnecessary claims anymore.
Now, he just told everyone that it was something his parents really cared about.
Pushing those memories aside as well, Drake suddenly shoved the crystal into his pocket when he heard heavy footsteps heading in his direction, causing him and Tessa to turn around in surprise.
"Why are you two loitering around here like it's prom night? We're scheduled to launch in forty minutes, so get your gear in place, or we're leaving you two lovebirds behind, understood?" Commander Mason Hale said sternly.
The Commander was a tall and muscular.
His silver, buzz-cut hair made him appear older than he was. He also had a stiff expression on his face, which finished off his intimidating look as well.
"Understood, Commander! It won't happen again!" Drake instantly saluted, and Tessa did the same as she watched the commander walk past them and up the boarding ramp.
She playfully stuck her tongue out cutely at the commander, knowing full well that he couldn't see what she was doing, and then she turned towards Drake and winked.
"So… we are lovebirds, huh? I wonder what could have given him that idea," Tessa purred as she stepped closer to Drake, but he simply rolled his eyes at her antics and smacked her soft behind.
"Focus, Tessa; everyone is waiting for us inside." He said before walking towards the shuttle as well, but Tessa stood frozen.
Her eyes remained wide as she tried to comprehend what had just occurred.
Even her hands were still hovering over where Drake's hands had touched, and a pink blush appeared on her cheeks.