"Simulating maneuvers." - A small robot was sitting in a cardboard box, it had drawings resembling multiple buttons, levers, and screens.

"Full power to the thrusters!" - Behind the robot was an alien with six arms, it was sitting in a makeshift helmet with broken glass and a large, yellow star at the left side.

"Confirmed! Overcharging ion engines!" - The robot replied to its friend, then pretended to push a few of the buttons. - "Oh, no!"

The alien was quite puzzled. - "What's happening? Report?"

"Space pirates on the radar!" - The robot quickly declared.

"All power to the shields!" - The alien said while shifting to the left, then acted like he was holding a laser turret. - "Bzzzzzz!!! One down! How many left?"

"Twenty billions!"

The alien turned to a robot with a questioning look – "Are you sure? That sounds like too many."

"Rechecking calibration of probes. My bad, it was not space pirates. It's a field of asteroids."

"That sounds more plausible. Activate gravitational propellers!"

The robot pulled a fake lever. - "Done! Hull intact!"

"Send a probe to asteroids, confirm any traces of foreign lifeforms."

"Probe launched!" - The robot leaned over a screen to his right. - "Confirmed traces of foreign lifeforms."

The alien was excited and curious. - "What is it!? What is it!?"

"Space rabbits."

"Rabbits?"

"Rabbits."

"What is a rabbit?"

"Rabbit – small four-legged mammals, jump a lot and possess two long ears."

"I want to see them!!" - The alien shouted, overjoyed.

"Uhm. Processing data." - The robot took a marker and started drawing on one of the screens. The alien leaned, shoving his head next to the robot's, his eyes were wide open from admiration.

"I want one!" - The alien reached the screen with his tentacle.

The robot was uncomfortable and unsure of how to act. - "Space rabbits... are invisible! Preparing the claws to capture a single space rabbit!"

The alien was upset. - "No! I want a real one!" - He turned his back away from the robot, and sat with crossed tentacles, pouting.

The robot looked at the skies. - "We need a spaceship."

"We have a spaceship! I built it!" - The alien protested.

"Your spaceship is fake, it won't reach the rabbits' asteroids." - The robot explained.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

"My spaceship is NOT FAKE!" - The alien shouted, then clumsily made it out of the box.

"It doesn't fly."

"You just don't know how to steer it!" - The alien was red, mad, and upset. He straightened his tentacles to show off his temper, then ran away from the robot.

The robot was sad. It was not the first time that its friend became upset because his machines weren't working as intended.

The robot didn't know what to do. After all, the alien was very clever and even claimed to have repaired the robot. Maybe the robot really didn't know how the alien's spaceship worked.

"Beep, boop. I will try harder." - The robot uttered to itself and sat next to the fake wheel of a cardboard spaceship. - "Engines – ON." - The robot pressed a few buttons, but nothing was working. - "Engines! Turn - ON!"

The robot tried for hours, but nothing was happening. He was very sad and resigned, but didn't want to give up. - "All power to vertical thrusters!"

"Hello." - Then, there was a shadow of a silhouette hovering over a robot. It spoke in a friendly voice.

"Hello. For your own safety, please move aside. The spaceship is about to start, you're in the range of ion thrusters." - The robot responded, still focused on the controls.

The stranger giggled. - "Oh, thank you! I'll step..." - The stranger jumped farther to the side - "...here." - then looked at the spaceship with their big eyes. - "When is it starting?" - It asked curiously.

"I..." - The robot was lost. - "I don't know. The controls seem not to be working. System – run diagnostics!"

The stranger leaped, step by step, a bit closer. - "Oh..."

The robot turned to the stranger, with an asking look. - "What is it?"

"I think I know what might be wrong!" - The stranger answered with a big smile.

The robot was surprised. - "What is it!? Please tell me!"

"The spaceship... it listens to your whispers very fondly. You're taking good care of it... but..."

"...but?"

"It understands only a starship language!"

"Oh!" - The robot looked at the ship, then at the stranger. He was a bit sad. - "Beep. I don't know starship language."

"That's not a problem!"

The robot lifted its head, looking at the stranger with great anticipation.

"You see..." - The stranger leaned to the controls and pretended to push a few buttons then pull a lever. - "...we only have to tune up the translation module and it'll be able to understand and speak your native tongue."

"Oh..." - The robot was following the stranger's every move with great focus.

"This... and now this... and this... and now repeat after me... Alchiora, vulnera rebracie!" - The stranger spoke as it lifted its wand.

"Al-chio-ra vu-lne-ra re-bra-cie." - The robot uttered and the stranger waved its magical stick.

"Bzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzz. Welcome onboard, second commander. It's a pleasure to hear and understand your voice. Awaiting orders!" - The starship spoke in a raspy, yet valiant tone.

The stranger lifted a finger to its lips and patted them a few times with curiosity. - "Now, what would be your destination, little robot?"

"Asteroids with space rabbits." - The robot explained. - "I'm going to catch one, for a friend."

"Oh, silly! Space rabbits are invisible! How are you going to catch one?" - The stranger giggled.

The robot thought for a while, then explained confidently. - "Spaceship, do you have paint sprinklers?"

"Bzzzzzzzzzzz. No, but they can be installed. Do you wish to install paint sprinklers?" - The spaceship replied.

"Please, do." - The robot confirmed.

"How clever!" - The stranger clapped with both hands.

"Thanks for the help." - The robot turned to the stranger. - "For safety, please step away."

The stranger looked at the ground, a bit abashed, and shyly drilled a hole in dirt with their foot. - "May I... may I come with you?"

The robot looked at the back seat. - "The seat is reserved for the captain." - It then moved to the back seat and added. - "You can take mine, temporarily."

"Thank you!" - The stranger responded with a bright smile and moved to the front of the cardboard box, then unconfidently looked at the robot, unsure what to do.

"Beep. Boop. You'll take my role. Please, start the engines!" - The robot requested.

"Starship, please activate ion thrusters!" - The stranger shouted with joy.

"Bzzzzzzzzz. Activating ion thrusters." - A blue light started glowing under the cardboard box, then it slowly started lifting off.

"Beep. Boop. Course – to the asteroids of space rabbits!" - The robot pointed at the lights in the sky.

"Starship, please enter coordinates – 3.41 Keter, 5.07 Tiferet, 14.98 Hod." - The stranger kindly requested.

"Beep. What does it mean?" - The robot asked.

"Bzzzzzzzzzzz. Space-time coordinates in the methodology of Uur. Should I suggest a guide?" - The screens on the spaceship lit with electric blue light and white numbers and sentences.

"No, starship. Please continue the standard procedures." - The robot replied.

"Bzzzzzzzzzzz. Affirmative." - The starship took off, then disappeared in a flash of purple light.