Yep, I'm so excited to start the second story of this series! I have already prepnned a lot of stuff, so writing should be a jiffy. Aiming to get more hits on this story greater than You're my Sunshine, so let's see how it pans out!
Enjoy!
Helios Pherae only focused on the red side of his life. Saving Krista Lenz and himself from the Sunfoot cult. The silver haired bder, the bearer of Sol Bze V145 AS, an ancient relic mined deep from the lost city of Atntis was now snugged as decoration on top of a wooden cedar saucer, surrounded by decorative pebbles and redwood pine.
Helios smiled at the red colored beybde, as if it read his mind. The red anodized fusion wheel, Sol glowed ruby red, its individual leaf shaped palettes akin to dragon scales. Its clear wheel, fring orange like the sun’s sor prominences, roaring in fury through space. The face of Sol Bze: A simple sun emblem with 6 sun rays protruding outwards like a snowfke. In each ray, spelled the letters S U N.
It was a celebratory moment between himself and the girl of his life. A spark of a new beginning, pns for marriage and possibly having three little ones running around his townhouse on Sailfish Avenue, yelling in joy.
The blue side of Helios’ life was already grunting in jail, captured and incarcerated by the Cocoa Beach Police Department, spearheaded by chief Mike Randall and Lieutenant Brian O’Harra. His grandfather, Bakim Pherae, who unwfully ended Helios’ mother, Rhea Pherae’s life by his own twisted cult. A crime that was accounted for the day his records were filed by Brevard County Court.
Helios could only wait 19 more years to see his deranged grandfather again, wishing that he wouldn't st too long in the lifespan of 77.
Now he was rexing on a comfortable futon couch in his spacious and modern living room dimly lit by two studious ivy leaf mps. Photo frames of him and Krista hung across the white paper walls. A jet bck and scarlet red rug yered over the light acacia wood floor, a 50” Samsung ftscreen topped over a basic bck center console which held a PS2, several space documentaries and surf movies on DVD, a MFB (Beybde) movie with himself in it, and small generic figurines of an astronaut and a space shuttle.
A typical modern kitchen with pepper gray countertops and steel appliances was set to the left of the staircase. Followed by the guest bathroom, a stack of surfboards file across one wall next to the pantry. To the right of the pantry is a shrine dedicated to Helios' mother, Rhea Pherae, an Orthodox prayer chain dangling across her picture frame. A Greek New Testament bible (Η Καιν? Διαθ?κη) was set beside the frame, a gold Latin cross printed on the jet bck leather cover.
Everyday, Krista would watch Helios bow down on one knee, mutter out a prayer, and venerate (gesture the sign of the cross) to Rhea’s photo frame. A customary practice in the Greek Orthodox religion.
Krista counted on her fingers with a thoughtful hum, “Let me guess. 15 more days until you're on another shuttle mission?”
Helios gave out an excusable burp, “That’s correct. Oscar signed me and the rest of the crew for STS - 137. The best part is, Team Lovushka is joining us as well.”
The silver haired bder set down his Celsius can, the pristine blueberry fizz wrap creating a gre from the ceiling light. His silver ptop beeped on the coffee table, greeting him with a message from his crewmates.
RYAN HENDERSON
Who’s ready to go to space, baby!? I totally am! Let’s ace this mission!
SKYE ROBINSON
Sadly gonna miss out on Kayden’s school trip to Sea World. I wonder what we’re working on this time?
YURENEVA BREZENSKA
Hopefully not a complicated module like MRM1. Syncing the data on truss 5 abroad the iROSA panels was a tedious task!
ALEKSEI RYCHENKOV
Greetings, STS - 136 (and Helios). It’s an honor to join NASA’s chat server after that rickety ISS conference.
HELIOS PHERAE
Impossible. I thought Lovushka and Roscosmos resigned from the ISS contract?
YURENEVA BREZENSKA
That’s what she said.
ALEKSEI RYCHENKOV
There’s been an indecent mistake throughout the ISS ordeal. During the aftermath of the meeting, I was turmoiled in anger at the thought of the ISS de-orbiting from space. I faked myself signing the contract regarding our disbandment since that could cause political issues between NASA and Roscosmos. So, for our good faith in the space race, we are still obliged to colborate for the ISS until it is de-orbited.
HELIOS PHERAE
So, that means that you’ve never disbanded us?
LERA
Aleksei never quits and abandons his friends! We’re always at your back, Helios.
A warm tingle sparked through Helios as he smiled warmly at Team Lovushka’s resolution with the space race. Krista came over after loading undry into the clicking dryer. She sat down next to Helios, sipping on her warm Almond Tea.
HELIOS PHERAE
What are we delivering this time?
ALEKSEI RYCHENKOV
SOAR AMS. A module built by the European Space Agency in colboration with Roscosmos. SOAR (Satellite for Orbital Aerodynamics Research) and AMS (Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer) are distinct experiments on the ISS, with SOAR testing materials for low-orbit drag reduction and AMS being a rge particle detector searching for antimatter, dark matter, and cosmic rays, collecting vast amounts of data on fundamental physics.
RYAN HENDERSON
Les do it. Lantie II is already perched vertically on a ptform mover, on her way to Launchpad 39A.
Henderson sent an image of space shuttle Atntis II, facing vertically towards the sky with two pearl white Solid Rocket Boosters and an russet orange External Fuel Tank strapped on. A cluster of workers in Toyota Tacoma trucks led the enormous grey crawler transporter on 4 treads, lurching across the path. Each tread crushed white sandstones, the pattern embedding square shaped craters. Weather cleared for unch maintenance, a blue heron egret fpped gracefully past the nose cone of the shuttle.
Helios chuckled, exiting the chat. Krista leaned her head against her boyfriend’s shoulder, feeling the warmth against her cheek.
“Excited to be back in space?” Krista commented, her hand rubbing Helios’ chest.
“Mmm-hmm.” Helios hummed in agreement, scrolling through images of preparations at the Shuttle Processing Facility. A quick timepse video showed workers garbed in white hazmat suits carefully directing the crane workers when lowering the SOAR AMS module into Atntis II’s payload bay. They then strapped and secured the module with 4 yellow safety tether belts, firmly registering the payload data on the Shuttle Power Distribution Unit. After closing the payload bay, a special forklift truck attached the RS - 25 engines. A separate crane topped the OMS hatches and both of the speed / air brake fins on the shuttle.
Helios switched tabs on his Google Chrome browser, greeted by Space Coast Daily’s headline: NASA announces their next shuttle mission with Atntis II!
I wonder if they mentioned me. Helios wondered in curiosity as he scrolled through the article. Indeed there were the names of his crewmates along with Lovushka.
“What’s the treat this time?” Krista asked, finishing her Almond Tea. She propped her feet on the edge of the coffee table, crossing her arms. The sleeves to her vender Adidas hoodie fpped across her body.
“SOAR AMS. Another important module to the ISS.” Helios slipped outside to check mail. He came back with a thoughtful Grandson Hallmark card sent from his grandfather.
“Oh great, my idiotic grandfather keeps sending me useless cards.” Helios ripped open the envelope and read the card. “Grandson, you’re a filthy bastard for not remembering your own grandfather. Yep, that’s going in the garbage.”
With a careless and sarcastic tone, Helios ripped the card, showering the remnants in the wastebasket. The silver haired bder counters with a smudge grin: Happy Birthday, you old fart. Try not to shit when blowing out your candles. Helios slips the card into an envelope and securely sends it through the Brevard County Jail’s mail department.
“Helios, is that the second time you ripped up your grandpa’s card?” Krista pyfully scolded in awkwardness and awe.
“There is absolutely no reason to read his idiotic comments about me.” Helios sighed defted.
“If you hate your grandpa so much then you’ll adore our cards.” Krista handed a valentine card to her boyfriend.
You’re loved with a LOVE that’s HIGHER than the sky,
D E E P E R than the ocean, M O R E than you can imagine,
more than you’ve ever dared to dream.
Helios carefully read. A warm tingle sparked in the core of his heart. He flipped it open, greeted with a bright red background. On the lower left corner he found a bible verse.
"Romans 8:39. Absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love."
"And for the record, God’s not the only one who thinks you’re pretty special! ? Happy Valentine's Day.
Helios immediately blushed and hugged her. Lenz responded with a light hearted giggle.
“And here’s yours.” Helios presented his card to Lenz. The girl carefully read the list accompanied by a drawing of a cute dalmatian puppy with a heart eye as its patch.
My top 10 reasons for sending this valentine:
I Love you.You’re a blessing.I treasure you.I wuff you.I thank God for you.I care for you.I love you.I’m thinking of you.You’re special to me.And here’s the #1 reason…
Krista flipped the card open, greeted by a red background. She indeed found another bible verse.
"1st Corinthians 13:13. The greatest of these is love.”
I LOVE YOU. (Note: Important reasons may be repeated.) Have a LOVE FILLED Valentines Day!"
Krista immediately plopped a kiss on her boyfriend’s cheek. “Aww, Helios. That’s so sweet of you!”
The silver haired bder exhaled in mild comfort, grasped and entangled by Krista’s overjoyed affection. A grey kingbird chorused over the skies as a steady breeze caused the palm trees to sway in the humid wind.
“Krista, how long am I locked to your love?” Helios absentmindedly asked, talking through Krista’s neck. She wiggled a bit, shifting positions to face her handsome but goofy boyfriend. Blinking in thought, her smile curved into a deep hopeful grin.
“Until our eternal sleep.” Lenz responded callously. Hugging themselves on the couch, they remained, listening to each other’s heartbeat. Silence poured through every corner of the living room. The monotone wall clock clicked in a steady pattern.
For a brief moment, Helios thought he was off duty from patrolling around Cocoa Beach as a police officer. That was until his phone bred out Koza Mostra’s Trava Mia Tzoura.
Krista yelped as Helios grabbed his phone, “Hello?”
A siren pierced the air once as a Ford Explorer police cruiser screeched to halt beside his townhouse. Its lightbar flickered red and blue, throwing the two obsolete shades around the walls of their living room.
“Gear up in your police garb, Helios. We have an active shooter in the neighbourhood.” Yuval stared at the front door.
“10 - 4.” Helios croaked, tightening his grip on the phone against his shoulder while he struggled to slip on his bulletproof vest.
For an awkward moment, Skandera burst into ughter. Helios gave out a bnk stare towards his pal. “What’s funny?”
Helios then blushed in embarrassment. Everyone on scene would ugh at his appearance.
He arrived without any pants, leaving himself stuck with his orange boxers on. “Oh great, this was not on my agenda.”
The title of this story is inspired by a space movie I saw a year go, titled The Space Between Us. Its a bit different of a love story than Helios and Krista. The main character, a young 14 year old boy is born on Mars and finds his first love, a teenager high school girl on Earth. They begin to date on Earth, with the girl finding him a bit awkward but grasps on his confusion. He has never seen Earth things before and adjusts to his past where he lost his mother in space and finds his father on Earth. Recommend to watch if anyone is interested.
The chapter title is inspired by Sound Garden's song, Bck Hole Sun. Its surspiringly Helios' theme since it matches up to the events of the movie really well. You can even hear his theme song video that I made here: https:///watch?v=VR6nHG5JYrM
Decided to add in a comical cliffhanger. It suited a bit of humor in this story.
Until then,
Falco276 :)
