Reposed in her open coffin, lifelike, black coiffured hair, fingernails polished pearl white, hands holding a red bouquet, dressed in black and white,...the impression was, she would rise up, smile and participate with us. Instead, she was dead, never to move again, a corpse, no longer among us, her body discomposing indecipherably as we watched. The lid, soon to be closed, she so neatly tucked into her coffin, it to be lowered into the damp earth, all to rot.Oh God, poor Rickie, Mom, Dad what do. The life support was ready for extended testing. The first test was for twenty-four hours and then for ten days.The propulsion system was assembled and ready to be charged with fuel. The fuel of choice was helium3 for short flights less than one light year. The thoughts were that the propulsion module would be taken to an unpopulated area to test the system. The module was to be secured to withstand a thrust of five hundred fifty thousand foot-pounds, and the only way they felt that could be. You know that you will always come first in my place. Now what can I get for you today?’ Ivy said as she ushered the dirty man to the pastry case. Artie walked back and forth several times holding his hands in front of himself taking in the sweets and judging each before making his decision. ‘It’s a hard choice today Ivy, everything looks great as usual.’ Artie stops pacing and points to a lemon chiffon tort with a mint infused crust. ‘I think I’ll take that one.’ ‘Excellent choice good sir.’. “I was thinking the 16th. That’s a Monday. Can you pick me up at the airport?”“Of course. Can you move into the dorms that soon?”“Yeah, that’s the first day you can move in. I figured I’d drop a few things there, but I’ll bring most of my stuff to your place, if that’s OK.”“I don’t see why not. You’ll probably be sleeping there most nights, I guess.”“Every night you let me. I hope it’s only when Kara’s there that I can’t.”“Most likely. One of my friends from Sweden might come visit in the.