7. Gathering the light

Since long ago, Tim was brooding over this question, how can be that now, when every youngster has his own spaceship, there is something inevitable, from what you can't escape. “I am going to break away,” the boy made up his mind.

“You can choose to stay here as members of the crew or you can be given out as Sirians and be arrested and banished to the deepest dungeon of an asteroid, or you can perish an even worse fate,” Laurelius pointed out the possibilities.

Merry agreed, without waiting for Tim's approval. The boy paused to think. After all, for now it is best to keep collaboration, till he reveals the hideout, where his spaceship is kept, and prepares the best escape route. From today on, they are members of the crew and most importantly, they have a new place to live in.

“Welcome, feel at home,” the tone of Ceres left uneasiness.

Captain nodded to the creaturian, put on her helmet and left.

 

 “So, before getting on the surface you should know, we dislike the radiance of the stars, that's why you are here. You will help to collect particles of Sirius. Now let's go, you still have to see how well we adapted to live inside asteroid �" everything what is visible is synthetic light and many tunnels and caves. Of course you can visit the surface, but it's unworthy �" there is nothing, at least nothing that I have seen,” he laughed from his own wittiness.

 “But since when we belong to Ceres, since when we inhaled this dust you been talking about?” Tim was anxious trying to get more information about that withholding gravitation, so he could make a perfect escape plan.

“I remember, many years ago, when you were little and Ceres was still naïve and merciful, she kidnapped two children, saying that she found them. After bringing kids to the asteroid Ceres begged me to let her take care of them. She has never brought a cat or a dog, yet brought you two and I was not really against it. But life with a bandit crew could be harsh,” creaturian's face changed as if remembering something terrible. “Either way it's an old story. To tell the truth, we were the ones, who left you in Eris while drifting by. We didn't plan to abandon anyone like that, but you got sick. And seasickness is bad for those who live by wandering in space. Yet how well you have grown, so even space travels aren't as tiresome as it used to be. Of course inhaling some of stardust, which fills all surfaces, can be dangerous for some. As you were already sick, we decided not to drag you along. Everything was for your own well�"being.”

 “But life was so tough for us! We had to melt the ice, grow our vegetables in synthetic lights. We could have died out of hunger! Tell him, tell him, that we belong to Eris!” He was addressing the girl.

“I am staying here!” Merry got stubborn. 

They lived by themselves for so long, that even Tim knew Merry's need for a family. She needed adults, to whom she could glance while dreaming about her future. Only Tim couldn't trust any grown�"ups, he was fine by himself. Yet the boy got calm.

 “I know how you lived. After all it's me who showed you how to manage and survive,” Laurelius continued his explanations. “I taught you, so you could become a great adult. If you have stayed in our care you would remain children forever. We couldn't view you in any other way: for us you are still helpless creatures brought from another planet. I am glad that you turned out just fine and returned to us as equal members of the crew. Now it’s time for a job intended for you, you will help with collecting the light of stars.”

   Soon after, Laurelius gave them comfortable dark outfits, boots and a long white strand.

   “Get up on this ladder at this tunnel. Today is bright, so I wouldn't be able to accompany you,” Laurelius laughed by himself again, knowing that he hasn't been outside for a longer time.

Tim managed to look around: they were surrounded by rocks and only in some spots the hot springs of water emerged to a surface warming up the space. Inside the rocks many various lights were inserted, so the background reminded of a bright noon. There was enough space for buildings, if it wasn't for a roof you could forget being entrapped inside the asteroid. On the surface captain Ceres was already waiting for them. You could feel how asteroid was pulling away like a huge ship. Tim was trying to guess in which side he landed his little spaceship suspecting that it was relocated from the surface to the hidden depths.

Asteroid stopped. All the space got into stiffness and even small meteorites have frozen nearby. It meant that Ceres really could control at least the movement of objects.

“I can overcome even gravitation,” determined Tim, but he still needed a scheme and he still lacked an idea.

He didn't want to surrender and know that there is something controlling, something outside his own plan.

 

Ceres deplaned in the closest meteorite, showing to follow her. From the gaps on the surface slight threads of gold were glowing. Captain displayed how to collect light, you just have to take a wire and quiver it till the unpleasant buzzing sound appears and glowing particles are pulled from every edge towards the strand. The only trouble was to get through all the corners, so not to leave any grains of light.

The work wasn't tiresome, yet Ceres assured them, “Next time we are going to land on a bigger planet, so it won't be easy, we would need more wires.”

Merry played with quivering strands and laughed when those twinkled brighter, she imagined how Sirius was beautifully bright if all those strands were to cover its surface, the threads could stretch into space and the sails attach, making a huge ship out of an asteroid. The ship of rays swimming through a cosmos, isn't it the greatest guide for the lost! Isn't it the greatest place to live! The joy of the girl was so contagious that even Tim felt at ease, not everything you don't want is unpleasant. Maybe he could appreciate the life in the asteroid. Merry forgot all little misfortunes, so Tim decided, that her joy is even more rewarding, than an escape to space filled with dangers and yet unknown adventures.