Opening Ceremonies

“Are you excited, Leila?” The man with the precise mustaches crouched down in front of her, his uniform as neatly lined as his facial hair and covered with gold braid. “Today’s an exciting day for your father.”

She nodded, clutching her blue squishy Floofbear. Mama had insisted on giving him a bath, which was just as bad as the slippery shoes that pinched her feet and the scratchy dress that was supposed to be fancy. But she did have to admit Floofbear was bluer than usual.

Just not out loud, where Mama could hear. Instead she put on her serious face that she’d practiced in the mirror and said her line. “I am very excited to be part of the first colony ship.”

Eyebrows creased nearly as much as the symmetrical divide between the mustache halves. “Are you now? Well, it is an honor for your family. It will be very different from what you knew on Earth.”

She studied the dock beneath her feet and tried to think of something that wasn’t insulting, like why are you talking to me like I’m three instead of five?

“I don’t know you,” she blurted, studying his mustaches and wondering if he’d let her pet them before returning her gaze to the dock. Her so-shiny shoes were already scuffed from trying to keep up with the adult crowd that never looked down for obstacles. “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”

The man laughed, and dropped his fancy bus driver hat onto her head. “You’re right. I’m Michael. I’ll be on the colony ship, too. I work for your father.”

“I’m Leila,” she said, and offered a solemn hand. “This is Floofbear. He’s cuddly but trouble, Mama says.”

“I’m glad to meet you, Leila.” He took her hand in his much larger one and shook it, then extended his hand to her blue, fuzzy friend. “And you, too, Mr. Floofbear. Delighted to have you aboard.”

“Michael’s my new XO,” her father said suddenly, with a hand on her shoulder. She grinned, because nothing could go wrong when he was there, not with the amount of gold braid on his shoulders. “Remember Javier? He decided to retire on Earth, so Michael replaced him. He’ll be teaching you quantum physics this year, too.”

This time her grin was wider, showing off the missing tooth Mama had told her to hide in the photographs. “Cool.”

“Quantum…” Michael’s mouth was a round O beneath the mustaches. “Ahem. Well, Zeke, have you told her the good news?”

“I have not,” her father announced proudly. “Leila, it’s a tradition to christen a new ship by giving it a name and breaking a bottle of champagne.”

“Is that why so many people are here?” She studied the ornate dress and loud noises. “I think these people are important. They have nice shoes that aren’t scuffed.”

“See that man?” Michael pointed, still in an easy crouch. “He’ll offer a blessing. Then the officers head on board. The crew is already there.”

“We just need the name, Leila. And that’s your job, in just a few minutes.”

She tipped her face up in awe. “Mine? Really?”

“Really really.” Her father’s neatly trimmed beard seemed wild in comparison. “Anything you want.”

She danced until she slid, Michael and her father each catching an arm. “I know the perfect name!”

“Excellent,” Admiral Farmanzeh said, and squeezed her hand. “Just a few more minutes.”

An hour later, Michael waited for the final order to uncouple Earth’s most expensive spacecraft and first colony ship to a viable planet. Leila’s father still red-faced in the command seat behind him.

“Cuddly But Trouble, you are go for launch,” crackled port control.

“Awaiting your order, Sir.” Michael hovered his hand over the giant red button, a photobot hovering over his shoulder.

“This is Cuddly Actual,” the Admiral growled. “Launch.”

***

It’s take two of this week’s odd prompts, where this week I apparently make up for last week’s pass (okay, find, gotta catch up on that one sometime, too). Find version one here.