They were well past bickering now.

Having lost sight of their familiar blue planet, they drifted in an ominous darkness only faintly illuminated by stars. Days had gone by since they were shot into the stormy azure sky in search of a new world, and now, they were weakening slowly, barely having the strength to keep conscious. They floated in and out of sleep as their energy was drained.

There was no point in speaking, as the only thing to speak of was their impending doom. They merely sat in their seats, seat belts unbuckled, shoulders slumped, waiting patiently for their end as time ticked slowly by. Their stomachs moaned in agony, but there was nothing to eat. They couldn't have anticipated such a long journey.

They could not place the blame on the Creator, the one who had sent them into this endless abyss. He couldn't have possibly known about this sad, black canvas on which they were trailing.

Time was nonexistent in this limbo between light and dark, between life and death. They had lost count of how many days they had sailed in the dimly lit darkness. The silence roared in their ears, and the only way to avert it was to sleep, and that they did.

They slept through the slow passage of time, their dreams gray and monotonous, like lying on dirt and and looking up at a cloudless sky.

Time took its toll, and soon, they knew for certain that they were doomed.

~

On a day long after they had left their world, the two of them fell into yet another deep slumber.

The first to wake from this slumber was a creature by the name of Navypaved Skyways. His navy blue eyes fluttered open as he came about, automatically sorting out his dreams from reality. He stood shakily, regaining his balance. He walked up to the front of the ship, careful not to wake his companion as he passed her. He took a quick glance at the control panel, and saw that a light was flickering rapidly. He'd long since forgotten what that meant. He didn't have time to wonder, however, because shortly after the light began flashing, an alarm sounded, putting an abrupt end to Navy's companion's slumber.

"What is that?!" she cried, pressing her palms to her ears and glaring furiously at Navy, who was just as surprised. "What did you do, Navypaved?" she inquired accusingly, her nostrils flared and her eyes wide.

"I did nothing!" he replied anxiously.

His companion, a girl by the name of Silvertinged Azurerays, let out a cry of exasperation. "No matter," she said gruffly. "We can deal with this later. Help me put an end to this blaring!" She then went on to press every button on the control panel, trying to silence the shrill alarm. She never got around to it, however, because one of the buttons she pressed caused a large screen to part, revealing a thick glass window. Of course, this wasn't the most shocking factor of the moment, because as the screen opened wider, something sprawled out before them, something so massive and so indescribable, they couldn't even bring themselves to speak for what felt like the longest time.

"What is that?" gasped Silver breathlessly, her eyes wide with awe.

"I've no idea," Navy replied. "You don't think--"

"Perhaps this is the salvation the Creator spoke of!" Silver exclaimed excitedly, a grin spread across her face.

"Yes," he whispered. "Yes, this is it! This is the salvation, the world that lies beyond our own stormy clouds, the world that will prove itself a savior to our entire race! Oh, Silver! We've made it!"

~

The ship slowly maneuvered its way through the thick, greenish clouds that hung in the atmosphere.

"How odd," Navy mused, peering out the window and observing the clouds. "This sky is so unlike our own."

"Well, what do you expect?" Silver replied. "This world must be different. Otherwise, what would be the point in flying across the great black canvas in order to get here? It would be equivalent to flying in circles. It would be just like turning around and heading home."

"I suppose you're right," he said thoughtfully, slowly pulling away from the hazy scene. "But, you know, something just doesn't seem right."

"You'll get over it."

~

The ship landed on soft, damp soil. Before they stepped out and saw the world for what it was, the duo peered out the windows and examined the new environment. There was so much rich soil, so many plants that sprung from the earth and wove their way around rocks and trees. This world was alien to them. They had never known of a world with its own solid ground. Back on their world, the entire city was built on a gravity-defying platform that kept everything from flying into the core. They had never known solid ground. This was fascinating.

"How peculiar!" Silver exclaimed. "Look at the air; see how rich it looks?"

"Yes," Navy said with a sigh. "This truly does look like salvation."

"Apart from the lack of actual life, of course," Silver replied matter-of-factly, ever the pessimist.

"Oh, hush," Navy scolded playfully. "Just be thankful we made it one piece. Perhaps there is a city or town somewhere around here."

"We should get our suits," his skittish companion announced, abruptly changing the subject. "We must explore this new world immediately."

Navy looked at Silver curiously, watching her wide eyes scan the unfamiliar terrain cautiously, her long, slender fingers caressing the smooth glass of the window. He could feel something tense about her, like a knot in her aura. He was concerned, but said nothing.

~

They were ready shortly. Their suits were adjusted accordingly, their life tanks well-supplied and running properly, their masks fitted to their faces and their breathing tubes free of knots. Navy could still sense some sort of uneasiness about her, but still kept his observations to himself.  

Without a word, they unlatched the door of the ship and stepped out into the thick, misty air. Their feet sunk slightly into the rich soil, but they found walking to be a simple task. They waddled around their ship for a short while, acclimating to the new environment.

"Perhaps we should broaden our boundaries?" Navy suggested warily, examining the bark on one of the trees.  

Silver hesitated for a moment. "Uh, sure!" she said finally, her voice lacking quavering with her breath. She tired in vain to sound confident, but there was no point in trying to hide hew true feelings about this new world.

"Let's go, then," Navy said, pretending to ignore her hesitation. "You may want to stay close. We have no idea what's out there."

"Right," she muttered, almost inaudible. She walked up to her companion's side and they began to venture away from the safety of their ship and into the true unknown.

~

The planet seemed smaller than it had from the eyes of the great black sky, and it felt as if they'd been walking in circles ever since they had landed. Every tall tree that towered over them seemed identical to the last. There was an unreal hush that smothered them, and the weight of the atmosphere rested on their shoulders, weighing them down. There didn't seem to be a speck of life on this overgrown planet, other than the foliage that stretched into the hazy green sky.

"Perhaps we should turn back?" Silver asked. "If there was some sort of civilization on this overgrown planet, I do believe that we would have come across is by now."

"Well, that goes without saying," Navy replied irritably, anxiety creeping through his veins and up his spine. "Now where did we park that blasted ship?" He stopped suddenly and pressed his palms to the sides of his helmet, as if to rub his temples in thought. "Ahh...didn't we come from over that hill, there?" He pointed to a hill just on the horizon.

"I think so," his timid companion replied, planting herself on a rock to think. "It feels as if we've walked that far. We should go."

"Now, now, let's think for a minute. We have to be certain; there's no time for second chances. We are beginning to run low on air. Who knows how volatile the atmosphere on this planet is?"

"It seems all right."

"Does it?"

"I think so."

"Well, if we don't find our way back soon, we're going to have no choice but to find out."

So they sat, contemplating, trying to recall where they had left their ship. All they could remember was a clearing of some sort. As for landmarks, they were drawing a blank. They remembered rocks and trees in the clearing, and just when they thought they had made a breakthrough, they would look up and see hundreds of trees and countless rocks and find themselves back to square one. Their vessel may as well have been right in front of them, or on another world; it was a wild goose chase, a needle in a haystack. They were beginning to see the hopelessness of their case, and shortly after, they soon realized that this event was ultimately lead to their deaths.

"We're as good as dead, aren't we?" Silver muttered quietly, resting her face in her palms.

"Now, let's not get pessimistic," Navy said with facade optimism pulsing through his own aura, standing and placing his hand comfortingly on his companion's shoulders. "We'll get out of this somehow."

"Without a ship?" Silver whispered, staring at the damp soil at her feet. "Without any means of escape?"

"We'll find it eventually," he replied, grinning.

This time, Silver didn't reply. She shrugged Navy's comforting hands off her shoulders and began tracing the contours of the rock absently, staring off into space as she picked bits of moss off the damp, jagged stone.  

There was a long moment of silence, and then Silver spoke, her voice quavering.

"I'm tired of looking into the face of Death only to slip out of its grip at the last moment," she said with a sigh, refusing to make direct eye contact with Navy, who stood, helpless and sympathetic, at the base of a nearby tree. "We've cheated death once before...do you truly think we can do it again?" She brought her face up from her palms and looking into her companion's eyes.

Navy was suddenly at a loss for words. His train of thought was instantly derailed, flying off into the deepest chasms of his mind. All he could focus on now was the face of his distraught companion--friend--and the shimmering sapphire tears that swam down her cheeks. He felt a pang of some awful emotion in his heart. For a split second, he felt Silver's pain, her sense of hopelessness. He understood her uneasiness and hesitation, her reluctance to go any further, and he understood how much easier it would be to just sit here and let the sand slip through the hourglass.

Silver was balled into a fetal position on the rock, her eyes wide, not bothering to keep her tears at bay. Her shoulders heaved with each strangled breath she took. She couldn't bring herself to speak anymore.

Navy rushed forward and took Silver into his arms. She closed her eyes momentarily, held her breath. She still trembled, but she looked calm. Her arms moved as if to hook themselves around Navy's torso, but they froze for a moment, as if they themselves had decided that this was neither the time nor the place for such an embrace. Navy noticed this subtle movement, however, and a flattered grin flickered across his face for just a moment before he looked at Silver again. Her eyes were wide once again, but it seemed that the tears had stopped falling. She slid awkwardly out of Navy's arms and stood, brushing herself off absently.

"Shall we?" Navy said, shattering the roaring silence. He gestured to the horizon.

Silver said nothing, but shuffled up to her companion's--her friend's--side. There was an uncomfortable tension between them, but it was a tension they both savored, like the awkward silence that swims in the air between grade school crushes.

And as a distant sun set behind thick green clouds, the duo set off, their boots sinking slightly into the damp soils with each step, their hearts beating in unison.

~

They came to the base of the hill, and for a short while, they were hidden in shadow. They continued up the steep slope without pausing, weaving through the trees and leaped over the rocks that lined their path. When they arrived at the highest point on the hill, they looked down and saw a deep basin, and there, a glint of silver among the dappled green, was their ship. A silent rejoice passed between them, hiding in their wide grins and swimming in their illuminated eyes.

Together, they rushed down the opposite slope, laughing in the fading sunlight. They charged through the trees and sprinted as fast and as far as their legs could take them. And the most peculiar thing of all...there was some strange emotion building inside them, something other than the sorrow they both knew so well. It was too complex to be simply happiness or joy. There was bliss mixed with apprehension and it was simply too complicated to be described with a single word. Of course, they were too caught up in the moment to care about what they were feeling; all that mattered was that they had felt it. Sheer bliss and joy was coursing through their veins, presentiment lurking in the deepest chasms of their minds and hearts.

They sprinted into the clearing, their vessel shimmering in the faded green sunset. Breathless and still chortling with triumph, they opened the door and stumbled in, removing their helmets and suits promptly. The ship's interior had never seemed so welcoming. Wide, beaming smiles still spread across their brightened faces, and their hearts now pounded with anticipation. Time was of the essence. They knew now that this world wasn't the salvation the Creator had spoke of, and it was their duty to find the true savior world and save their home.

So, without wasting even a second, Navy powered up the ship, and the whole room was faintly lit by the lights that flickered as the vessel came to life. Shakily, the thrusters lifted them off the ground, and the next thing they knew, they were off, blasting through the thick atmosphere, clouds parting before them as they rocketed into the sky. Finally, they sped through the final layer of thick green clouds and they were met by the familiar blackness. They hovered just beyond the the thick clouds for a while, catching their breath and recollecting their thoughts.

And then they were off, shooting through empty space. With the green planet falling away behind them and their future sprawled out on the infinite plane before them, only time could tell what lay in store for them as they made their way, bliss in their veins, anticipation in their hearts.