Creak. They all turned toward a small door hidden in the side of the craft to see a small elderly woman enter. “Ah!” said the captain. “This is Maris, our head mechanic.”

She exchanged glances with her mother. This was the mechanic who was supposed to take them off this planet, into the stars? Her mother appeared to be losing confidence in this plan as well. Her father, however, had the same exuberance he always had …

Maris, however, was not what she appeared to be. Despite her pleasant, friendly voice as she introduced herself to the passengers, there was more than a hint of a malicious gleam in her eyes. Lucy could tell that this was someone to watch out for.

The captain cleared his throat. “All right then. Now that the pleasantries are cleared up, I think we’d all be happier if we didn’t die in a fire. Everybody strap in!” They did, and so began their journey to the stars.