by Ahmet Zappa
Everyone immediately began talking over each other, as they always did.
“Hope you are having fun at Starling Academy!” her mom said tearfully.
“I’m redecorating our room!” shouted her little sister, Asia. Their dad gave her a look. “Well, I’m trying to convince Mom and Dad, anyway,” she said. “More stuffed animals, fewer holo-trophies.”
“She’s kidding, Astra,” her mom hurriedly interjected. “Your trophies and medals aren’t going anywhere!”
“We miss you!” they shouted, waving at her.
Ajax threw a napkin at the camera. And then they were gone.
Astra smiled. Her nice, normal, boring family. They didn’t quite understand Astra and her relentless quest for greatness both on the field and off. Maybe someday they would.
Directly after second period, Astra headed for the hover bus stop, right outside the main entrance to Starling Academy. She stood under the canopy of kaleidoscope trees, the blooms slowly shifting from bright orange to sunny yellow above her head. She pulled out her Star-Zap and accessed the bus schedule. It would be arriving in a starmin and a half. Where was Piper? Just then, she heard footfalls and looked up to see her rushing across the street. Or Piper’s version of rushing, which to anyone else looked like a leisurely stroll. Her seafoam hair fluttered around her shoulders, and she was wearing a long flowing dress, as usual, plus a floppy hat. It wasn’t a look Astra thought she could pull off—not that she particularly wanted to, mind you—but it seemed right on Piper.
As the bus appeared in the distance, Astra filled Piper in. “We’re going to the orphanage to locate Ophelia,” she said, “and confirm the story. If all goes as planned, we’ll be back in time for fifth period.”
“Good,” said Piper. “We wouldn’t want to miss Color Catching.”
The hover bus pulled up silently and the side lifted to let them in, revealing Starlings relaxing in comfortable chaises. The two girls stepped on board and settled into their seats. A Bot-Bot conductor zoomed up to register their destination and collect their payment. They flashed their Star-Zaps. “You will reach your destination in eleven starmins,” the Bot-Bot said. “Have a pleasant ride.”
The bus had two rows of seats on either side, separated by an aisle. All the seats faced the windows so the riders could enjoy the scenery. Piper took off her hat, placed it on the seat next to her, and turned to Astra. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing Ophelia,” she said. “She may have been a terrible Star Darling but she really is a sweet girl.”
“Yeah,” said Astra. “She is. It will be nice to see her, see how she’s doing.” She thought for a moment. “I really hope the news about her adoption is true.” For Ophelia’s sake as well as Lady Stella’s, she thought.
Piper didn’t answer. Astra looked at her. She had started meditating, sitting cross-legged with her hands, palms up, on her knees. Astra looked around at her fellow passengers: an elderly lady, cyber-knitting what looked like the world’s longest scarf; a woman napping in the sunlight; two parents with a baby; and a boy, about Astra’s age, engrossed in a holo-book. His hair was deep indigo and his skin a sparkly golden brown. He was wearing a school uniform, possibly from Star Preparatory, the all-boys school across Luminous Lake. Just then, to her dismay, he looked up, and their eyes met. He smiled at Astra, and she realized that her face was inexplicably getting warm. What is wrong with you, Astra? she thought. Her life, until that very moment, had been completely focused on sports, school, and, recently, the Star Darlings. Boys had never been a consideration; she simply didn’t have the time or the interest.
She looked away quickly and faced forward, staring out at the scenery. The rural surroundings of the Starling Academy campus gave way to suburban houses with big lawns and then to city blocks tightly packed with stores and apartment buildings. The number of people—and vehicles—increased dramatically.
What was she supposed to be focusing on? Oh, yes—Ophelia. Astra had bigger things to think about than boys from across the lake. Even very cute boys from across the lake. She snuck another look at him and immediately looked away. He was looking right back at her, a broad smile on his face.
“He’s cute,” said Piper, her eyes still closed.
“Piper!” said Astra. “What are you talking about? You didn’t even look.”
“I can just tell,” she said with a secret smile.
Piper could be spooky that way sometimes. “Whatever,” said Astra irritably. “Our stop is coming up.”
The Bot-Bot conductor zoomed over. “Your destination is approaching,” it confirmed.
The bus rolled to a stop on a busy street corner and the door slid up. The two girls disembarked and consulted their Star-Zaps for directions.
“Excuse me,” someone said. Astra and Piper turned around. Moons and stars! It was the boy from the hover bus.
“You left this behind,” he said, holding out Piper’s hat.
“Star salutations!” said Piper. “How kind of you. I hope you didn’t have to get off the bus early.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” he said gallantly. “I only had a few more stops to go. I’m going to the Abramowicz Center to check out their interactive holo-exhibit on wish energy kineticism.” He suddenly looked bashful. “Besides…I wanted to introduce myself.”
Oh, he wanted to meet Piper. Astra felt a rush of disappointment.
He turned to her. “You’re Astra, right?” he asked.
She started. “Yes! How did you know?”
He gave her a big grin. “I’m a huge star ball fan and you’re one of the best players on Starland, that’s how. I follow your stats. They’re totally startacular,” he said. “My name is Leebeau,” he added.
“Nice to meet you, Leebeau,” said Astra. “This is Piper, by the way.”
Piper and Leebeau exchanged pleasantries. Then Leebeau turned back to Astra.
“Well, see you around,” he said. He waved to them both and was on his way.
“Well, he was pretty cute,” said Piper. “And he certainly has a crush on you, that’s for sure.”
“Shut your stars,” said Astra quickly. But she was secretly pleased.
The two girls walked a couple of blocks to the orphanage and were soon standing in front of a building from a bygone era, made entirely of glimmering starmarble and complete with intricate holo-glass windows in brilliant colors. “They don’t make them like they used to,” Piper remarked. It was such an old lady thing to say that Astra laughed. Piper gave her a look. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
At the top of the steep stairs was another old-fashioned touch—a wish energy bell pull. Astra concentrated on ringing it, and after a while, when she got the hang of it, the door slid open. They stepped inside a dark yet cheerful room. It was comfortable and cozy, with a large rug of old Starlandian design in the middle of the floor, overstuffed armchairs, and colorful pillows. On the walls were holo-photos of smiling kids and shelves full of holo-books.
The receptionist, whom Astra had spoken to the day before, sat in front of a holo-screen, typing away on a holo-keyboard.
“Star apologies,” she said. “I’m under a deadline and need to file this report immediately. I’ll be with you in a starmin.”
Piper grew more anxious and Astra more agitated as a quarter starhour ticked by. Worriedly, Piper checked her Star-Zap. Third period was over and fourth was about to begin. Piper shifted nervously in her seat.
“Um, are you almost done?” Astra asked the woman.
“Almost,” she replied distractedly as she frowned at the screen and began rearranging her text with a few carefully placed swipes.
“There,” said the woman as she typed the final line and pressed SEND. She turned to the girls. “Star greetings,” she said. “Star apologies for the delay. How can I help you?”
“We’re here from Starling Academy,” Astra said. “We need to talk to a student named Ophelia.”
“Oh, Starling Academy!” said the woman, appearing impressed. She
took a closer look at Astra. “You look familiar. Did you holo-call yesterday?”
“I did,” said Astra. “You told me to come in person, so here we are.”
The woman’s turquoise bun bobbed as she accessed the student schedules. “Ophelia is in Moonematics class right now. Let me see if she can be interrupted.” She stood up and walked to a tall doorway. She paused before opening it. “Who should I say is here to see her?” she asked.
“Astra and Piper,” Astra said.
“Astra and Piper from Starling Academy,” said the receptionist. “I’ll be right back.”
Several starmins later the door slid open and the woman stepped back into the room. The door shut behind her. She was frowning. “I found Ophelia, but she says she doesn’t know you, or anyone from Starling Academy.”
“No,” said Astra stubbornly. “She definitely knows us. If we could just see her for one starmin…”
The door began to slide open again behind the receptionist. Astra caught a quick glimpse of overalls and sneakers.
“Ophelia!” Astra said.
The door fully opened. There stood a girl of medium height with bright pink hair.
“You’re not Ophelia,” said Astra.
“I most certainly am,” said the girl with a laugh. “I’m just not your Ophelia.”
“Star apologies,” said Piper quickly.
“Not necessary,” said the girl. “Can I get back to class?” she asked the receptionist. “We’re in the middle of discussing infinite integers.”
“Of course,” said the woman. She turned to Astra and Piper. “I’m afraid that she’s the only Ophelia in the whole place.”
Piper pulled out her Star-Zap. “Can you just take a quick look at her holo-photo?” she said. She projected a picture of Ophelia, taken during a game of Poses they had played one evening after dinner. Ophelia was balancing on one leg, looking sweetly serious. Astra could be seen in the background in the middle of one of her famous up-and-over starflips.
The woman peered at the holo-photo and shook her head. “No, she doesn’t look familiar at all,” she said. “Star apologies, Starlings. I wish I could have been of help.”
Astra and Piper headed down the front steps dejectedly. “Maybe she’s lying,” Astra muttered.
Piper gave her a quizzical look. “What reason would she have to lie?” she asked. “Somebody is lying, that’s for sure. And her name is Ophelia.”
As they trudged back to the bus stop, Astra tried to look on the bright side of things. “Well, at least we’ll be back in time for Color Catching cla—” She broke off as their Star-Zaps began to chime and flicker.
SD WISH ORB IDENTIFIED. PROCEED TO LADY STELLA’S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.
“Moons and stars!” Astra and Piper exclaimed at the same time. But they didn’t laugh; they were too panicked. They were going to be late for the Wish Orb reveal! That had never happened before, and this was the one event Astra did not want to come first in.
“Let’s go!” said Astra. The two girls raced down the street, Astra accessing the holo–bus schedule as she ran. “We might just make it if we hurry!” she shouted. She rounded the corner to see the bus sitting at the stop. “It’s still here!” she shouted, and put on a burst of speed, reasoning that she could hold the bus for her slower friend. But even with her stellar track skills, by the time she arrived at the stop, the bus was gone.
“Oh, starf!” she yelled, stamping her foot. “There isn’t another hover bus for fifteen starmins,” she told Piper, once the girl had caught up. “We’re never going to make it.”
Piper peered down the street. “Hey!” she shouted. “It looks like the hover bus is stopping up ahead!”
“Startacular!” said Astra.
The two girls hurried. The door lifted up and they clambered on, Piper completely out of breath.
“Thank you,” Astra said to the Bot-Bot conductor.
“Don’t thank me. Thank him,” said the Bot-Bot. “He’s the one who saw you.”
What in the stars? Astra turned around and there he was—Leebeau, a sunny grin on his sparkly face.
“Fancy seeing you two again,” he said.
Neither girl was able to respond: Piper because she was panting so hard, unaccustomed as she was to quarter-floozel dashes or running up and down a star ball field; Astra because she was overwhelmed by the overpowering and unfamiliar feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was like she was going down the biggest drop on a giant star coaster. Wearing a blindfold.
What was going on?
“How was your trip?” Leebeau asked as they all took their seats.
“Okay,” Astra managed to squeak out at the same time Piper caught her breath and answered, “Not so good.”
“You’ve got to get your stories straight,” he said with a laugh. “In any event, I bet it was better than mine. Turns out the Abramowicz Center is closed today. That’s what I get for not checking first.”
Astra nodded, glancing down at her Star-Zap anxiously.
“Are you late for class or something?” he asked her.
Astra nodded. “Or something,” she said.
Leebeau got a mischevious twinkle in his eye. “Listen, I know just the thing. Since we’re the only ones on this bus, I’m going to let you in on a little trick. We can access the hyper-speed function on this bus with a few swipes on my communicator.”
“Are you sure it’s safe?” asked Piper.
“I’m positive,” he said.
“Do it!” said Astra.
Leebeau flipped open his communicator, swiped a few times, and—whoosh!—they were in front of the black curlicued gates of Starling Academy. The Bot-Bot conductor raced down the aisle, its eyes flashing in alarm. “This is highly unusual!” it said.
The door lifted and Astra stood and turned to Leebeau, a happy smile on her face. “Star salutations!” she cried. “We owe you one!”
“Just wave to me at your next game,” he said. He made a fist and pumped it in the air. “Go, Glowin’ Glions!”
The two girls waved good-bye and hurried through the campus gates.
Piper spoke first. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that maybe you were starting to have a crush on Leboy,” she said.
“Leebeau!” Astra said, correcting her.
“I knew it!” said Piper with satisfaction.
“You don’t know anything,” said Astra dismissively. But the truth was that she was the one who didn’t know what was going on. Luckily, she had the Wish Orb reveal to concentrate on instead.
“Thank the stars you’re here!” said Lady Stella as Astra and Piper burst into her office moments later. “We were starting to worry!” Everyone was seated around the silver table in the middle of the headmistress’s cavernous office. Astra and Piper silently slipped into the two empty seats.
Leona leaned over and whispered in Astra’s ear. “Where were you guys?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Astra whispered back. Now that she was seated, she started to feel the buzz of excitement. With all the strange things going on, she hadn’t focused on the fact that the next mission could actually finally be hers. She counted in her head. Sage, Libby, Leona, Vega, Ophelia—make that Scarlet—Cassie, and Piper had all gone on their missions already. That left her, Tessa, Gemma, Clover, and Adora. The odds were in her favor. And she was ready to go.
On her right side sat Libby. It looked like her eyelids were getting heavy. Astra poked her in the side, perhaps a bit too roughly.
“Mom, I told you, I’m awake!” Libby shouted. Then she looked around at everyone at the table, embarrassed. “My stars, was I drifting off again?” she asked. Astra nodded.
Gemma looked around the room. “No Wish Cavern this time?” she asked.
“No, the Wish Orb has something else in mind today,” said Lady Stella. She was suddenly holding a tray with five golden cups on it. Astra blinked. That tray had not been anywhere in sight a starsec ago; she was sure of it.
“The five remai
ning Starlings who have not yet gone on their missions—and I’m certain you all know who you are—need to keep their eye on the cups as they move about the table,” Lady Stella said, smiling at the group. “One by one you will have a chance to select a cup and lift it. The Star Darling who is intended to go on this mission will be the one to find the orb.”
Well, that was different. As Lady Stella placed the golden cups on the table, Astra’s fingers moved involuntarily, eager to choose.
Before their amazed eyes, the golden cups began to slide around the table, moved by an unseen force. They flew by, faster and faster, until they were just a blur. Finally, they came to a stop in the middle of the table. Five identical golden cups. Which one could be hiding the orb?
Tessa went first. She stood up, took a deep breath, reached across the table for one cup, changed her mind, and placed her hands on another. She lifted it, letting her breath out all in a rush. Nothing.
“Moonberries!” she said in disgust. That this was her new expletive would have made Astra laugh out loud, but she was too keyed up at the moment to crack a smile.
“Now it’s your turn, Adora,” said Lady Stella.
“Star salutations,” said Adora.
“Excuse me?” said Lady Stella.
Adora shook her head as if to say that it didn’t matter. She then placed her hands on the cup directly in front of her and closed her eyes. She picked up the cup and opened them. Astra couldn’t hear her, but she could clearly read her lips. “Starf!” Adora said. Actually, thought Astra, it was a good thing it wasn’t Adora’s turn to go to Wishworld. Her Wisher would not have been able to hear a thing she said! Adora flipped the cup to peer inside, as if to see if the orb was hiding from her, playing tricks.
