Commander Rosa and the Meteor Parade

Commander Rosa was in charge of the little rocket ship called Starling.

Starling was not the biggest rocket at Space Academy. It was not the fastest. But Commander Rosa loved it very much, because Starling had the best porthole windows of any ship in the fleet, and those windows were perfect for watching the stars.

One night, when all her crew were asleep in their bunks, Commander Rosa was sitting at the helm when something magical happened.

A star moved.

Then another one moved. And another.

"Stars don't move," said Commander Rosa, rubbing her eyes.

But these did. Long ribbons of light, streaking across the dark—silver and gold and the palest blue—crossing the sky in a slow, beautiful parade.

Commander Rosa pressed her hand against the window. The lights were so beautiful she wanted to cry a little, which was very embarrassing for a commander.

She went and shook her crew gently. "Wake up," she whispered. "You have to see this."

They came, one by one, still in their pyjamas, and pressed their faces against the portholes.

"Meteors," said young Cadet Pip, who knew all about stars. "When little pieces of space rock fly through and glow in the light."

"It's a parade," said Commander Rosa.

"A meteor parade," agreed Cadet Pip.

They watched until the last streak faded into the dark. Then they all went back to their bunks, very quietly and slowly, because they didn't want to break the feeling.

Commander Rosa was the last to go. She stayed at the porthole just a moment longer.

"Thank you," she said to the stars.

The stars didn't answer. But they glowed a little brighter, just for a second.

And that, thought Commander Rosa, was quite enough.