"Mama, I want to see the ships," the young girl stood, grasping desperately at the hem of her mother's dress as she reached out anxiously towards the sprawling docks before her. Her bright, emerald eyes were wide with wonder while her curiosity knew no bounds. Just out of her reach and not far from her sky-bound settlement, sat the magnificent spaceport floating at the very brink of a vast universe. 

Her mother held her daughter back, afraid that she would lose the small child in the bustling crowds. Her voice was stern as she spoke, "Elliot Eleanore, now don't you go running off. Stay close, would you?"

The two had gone out on a trip to the marketplace as they had every Sunday. Each time they passed the docks, the little girl would stop to steal a glance. With each visit, she dared venture a step closer. 

The massive ships amazed her. Built like the ancient, wooden, sea-fairing vessels in her story books, the incredible starships hovered above the port; their glimmering sails took in starlight to keep their hulls suspended in the sky. Some were propelled forwards by sprawling wings made from steel and sail, while others utilized propellors and engines: larger than anything the girl thought possible. The whole spectacle entranced her as she tried to take in every last bit of her surroundings. The moment was short-lived, however, as her mother began to pull her away.

"Just a few more minutes!" Elliot pleaded as she gazed upwards into her mother's tired eyes.

"No, I'm sorry, dear. We have to be going," she responded as she lead the way back towards the marketplace. "Besides, Elliot, the docks are no place for a young lady like yourself. I've told you this before. I don't want to hear about it again."

Elliot's gaze dropped and she reluctantly followed as she had done so many times before. She muttered some unenthusiastic response and made her way towards the marketplace, her hand entrapped within her mother's tight grasp. 

The two traveled from market stand to market stand, Elliot mindlessly following alongside her mother and watching as she picked up a few odds and ends along the way. Every so often, her mother would make an attempt at conversation, though stiff and unnatural; the empty exchanges lasted for no more than a minute or two. Elliot was silent and her mother was irritated. The young girl's mind was somewhere far off... away from the crowded streets of her settlement and free from her mother's grasp. 

It was near the end of the trip when her mother was stopped by someone the girl didn't recognize. Suddenly enveloped in conversation, she let go of Elliot's hand. Elliot stayed there a moment, her gaze shifting between the conversation before her and a small path leading through the marketplace to another section of docks just ahead. Despite the warning she had been given which were still fresh in her mind, she silently weaved her way through the mass of people and towards the grand ships.

Her little heart beat wildly with excitement as the crowds slowly diminished and the ships made their way into clear view. All around her, varying races of passerby's went about their day: some carrying heavy crates and other boarding ships or calling to one another from across the docks. Above, some of the largest vessel that Elliot had ever seen flew; the ship's massive sails caught the brilliant light of the nearest sun. 

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Elliot stepped aimlessly across the steel floor of the harbor, blissfully unaware of which direction she was headed. Her eyes were glued to the sky above. 

A sudden impact ripped her from her blissful ignorance as she stumbled backwards, losing her balance and toppling onto the cold, metal floor. Elliot gazed upwards, a looming figure standing over her, silhouetted by the dim light from a distant galaxy. It was an older man; his eyes widened with srprise beneath the shadow of an oversized captain's hat. The man didn't hesitate to outstretch a hand to the small girl. 

"Oh, my apologies," he began, lifting Elliot to her feet with ease. "I didn't see you there."

The corners of his lips turned downwards, a concerened frown washing across his aging face as his eyes searched for any sign of the child's parents. "Are you lost?"

Elliot smiled and shook her head confidently, craning her neck to meet the eyes of the captain, "No, I'm not lost."

She tilted her head as she eyed the man before her. She had seen people dressed like him before. Elliot was immediately fascinated. She eyes the captain's sparkling badge pinned to his sky-blue uniform. "I... I wanted to see the ships."

The captain smiled lightly at the girl's curiosity. He stood there for a moment, glancing behind him towards what Elliot believed to be his own vessel. "Ah, the ships," he stated. "Fascinating, aren't they?" 

Elliot nodded quickly, peering around the man to steal another glance at the ship. 

The captain knelt down, making himself eye-level with the wide-eyed girl. He plycked a small badge from within his coat pocket, hovering it over her small hand. Elliot's gaze was glued to the glimmering object. As it fell into her palm, she turned it carefully and slowly as though it would snap at the slightest bit of pressure. She admired it and couldn't help but smile. It was a genuine Stellian sailor's badge.

The captain could see the wonder in her eyes: a spark of determination that perhaps reminded him of himself long ago. 

"You know," he began, "my crew and I were just about to journey out on a year-long voyage. I'll be needing more sailors like yourself once we return and... well, I hear the Academy has a few training positions open for younger folk. Within a year's time, as long as whoever's in charge of you gives permission and signs off with the Council, my crew and I'd be happy to show you the ropes."

Elliot was practically beaming. She nodded quickly, her long, white-blond braids and the blue ribbons tying them together whipping about every which way. 

Suddenly, the all-too-familiar frantic voice of her mother cut through the noise of the harbor. Elliot turned abruptly towards the sound before whipping around once again to look at the captain, silently wishing he would allow her to leave on his ship right then. But his resposne was inevitable. 

"Sounds like someone's searching for you." He paused and motioned with the tilt of his head towards the voice of Elliot's mother. "You'd better hurry off and find them."

With a small salute and a grin, the captain stood and encouraged the young girl towards her mother's voice before turning on his heels and striding off towards his ship. She watched him leave, forgetting for only a moment about her mother's calls. But a firm hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality and with one swift motion, she shoved the badge in her pocket before her mother could spot it.

The rest of that day was simply a blur. Though she was berated by her mother for sneaking off, Elliot's concerns were on nothing else but the year ahead.

Once she arrived home that night, she placed the sailors badge on the dresser beside her bed and found herself staring at it each night as she fell asleep. It didn't matter what her mother would say: she would find a way to leave. The captain's words stayed with her for the many months to come, and another voice--a smaller voice--kept calling to her. She didn't quite know yet where she belonged, but she was certain it wasn't here. It was anywhere but here.