The young astronauts looked at each other.

Anya, a sensitive girl who loved to collect colorful beads as a hobby, felt a thrill of impatience.

She couldn’t wait to explore space and have the freedom to fly!

She had an idea for a physics experiment that she wanted to try.

Professor Astro continued, reading from a worn file.

„Your route will follow a special curve.

You must be very careful to avoid any catastrophe, any big problem!“

You will be very busy.

You will have to juggle lots of jobs: flying the spaceship, communicating with Earth, and doing science experiments.

Each one of you must participate – it‘s a team effort! You need to be safe.„

„You will also need to learn about the alien culture,“ he added.

Their leader is a royal prince from a faraway kingdom.

He‘s a little… ridiculous.

He likes to pretend he‘s a beaver, and he spends a lottery-win amount of time in a hollow log inside the spaceship, which he uses as his room.

It‘s quite boring.

He only wears beige pajamas, which are very fashionable on his planet!

Anya giggled.

This sounded incredible!

Another student, Mark, a talented athlete and a good singer, raised his hand.

He looked a little embarrassed.

„Professor,“ he asked, „what if we get lost? What if we disturb or annoy the aliens? What if we offend them?“

„Don’t be afraid,“ Professor Astro replied with a gentle smile.

You have a radio to talk to us.

We can help you solve any problem, remove any barrier, and teach you anything you need to know.

We will educate you all around the galaxy.

It is between us to keep you safe. We have plenty of time.“

A girl with sparkly gloves asked, „What‘s the penalty if we make a mistake?“

„There‘s no real penalty,“ the Professor said.

„You will always learn something. But… you might have to do the dishes! And the restaurant only has spicy salad this week, and the label says it was best before yesterday, so it might be a bit sour!“

He was trying to make a joke, but it was a little hopeless.

The students made a sighing sound.

They didn’t like spicy salad!

Professor Astro picked up a boomerang, a present from an anonymous person.

„This is like your journey,“ he said.

„It goes out and comes back. Remember to be respectful. I will judge you on how you accept this perfect opportunity.“

„Now, some details. Your luggage must be small because of the budget. No plastic garbage bags – use bamboo boxes. No soap, we have a special cream. And please use good grammar when you talk to the aliens. Speak exactly and clearly, like a scientist.“ He tapped a pile of papers.

He pointed to a lawyer in the corner. „Everything is written down, for the record. We have a copy for everywhere. There is also a picture, a display for you to see. The prince on his planet loves music.“

Anya felt a flash of anger.

It felt like she was under arrest, held back by a chain.

But then she looked at the picture of the galaxy again.

She knew this was a chance for big change.

She wanted to invent something new and inspire others.

„One more thing,“ Professor Astro said.

„I know some of you are nervous. This is a big trip, a long journey, and you are not an author yet. But look at this.“

He held up a small envelope.

„Inside is a photo of the alien prince’s pet. It‘s… well, you‘ll see. It will inspire you. There is also a quiz.“

He chuckled.

„This is important. This whole thing is being recorded as a commercial. So be on your best behavior. Act like a real knight!“

He looked at Mark. “Are you ok? You look a little bit pale, like a skeleton. I have a cream that will help you breathe, in case your lung feels tight from being nervous.“

He smiled.

„It will be rainy this spring, and the air will be humid. Pack the right clothes. And remember: no bringing back alien pets. Especially no koalas or strange breeds of animals. Don’t even bring back a butterfly! I prefer them to stay here on the sidewalk. Actually, I prefer bees, even if they live in a hive.“

Professor Astro started gathering his things.

„I have to go soon. I have to get to the library; can someone show me the correct route? I also have to try the new pastry at the cafe. Anyone want to come? The dish is supposed to be delicious.“

Anya raised her hand.

“Can you do me a favour? Can I use the spare radio to call my family? I’m going to kiss my family goodbye, but I want to say something.”

Mark also raised his hand. “I don’t know grammar very well, and I don’t mean to be ridiculous, but I am also going to make an attempt to help Anya. I will also call my brother. He will make a big difference to me.“

Professor said, “Sure, here is also a spare modem.”

„I‘m going to give you all an apology in advance,“ Anya said, „just in case I make a mistake up there. I can be a bit impulsive sometimes, and that makes me feel sour afterward when I reflect on the past.“

„Don’t worry,“ Professor Astro reassured her.

„We all make mistakes. Let’s all be friendly and help each other. We will combine our strengths to make this work! We need to observe very carefully when we get to space. No reason to rush; we don’t have to get there immediately.“

He pointed towards the door. „Let’s remove this pole from the pathway; it’s a safety hazard. Then let’s go down to the local shop; they have a spicy curry dish, food from another culture, that I want to try.”

“I am going to need this magnet,” Anya stated, picking it off of the Professor’s desk. “It will be useful for my experiments.”

“Can I borrow your sparebone?” Asked Mark, „Immediately!“

„Now, everyone,“ Professor Astro clapped his hands. „Let’s go! And does anyone have any soap?“ He opens a small draw „Grab what you need.“

The students started to leave. Anya felt ready. She was going to space, and it was going to be an amazing adventure. She was determined and nothing would disturb her focus.