"We're doing this." I say, Zing nodding in response.

"You couldn-"

Zing cuts Zippin off, "We are."

Zippin looks at both of us, surprised.

"Wouldn't you want to think over it?" he queries.

I look at Zing, whose eyes convey his comfort with our decision. He seems to have no need to question it. Neither do I.

So I say, "No, we're sure."

Zippin seems confused and shocked at our quick decision.

Nevertheless, he says, "If you were to agree to this detail, which you already have, we'd call it the Arduch mission."

Lina almost immediately scoffs. Everyone ignores her though.

Zippin continues, "So, are you really sure?"

"Yes." Zing and I say at the same time, our voices firm.

"No more questions then. We have to announce this to the entire population of Zorg." Zippin tells us.

"Even us?" Lina says.

"We might, but it's important we do that for them." Zippin gestures to us.

Lina immediately glares at me, her brows knitted into a frown.

"Do we have to?" I ask Zippin.

"Yes, we must. They might like to know who're risking their lives for Zorg and us Zorgians."

As per Zippin's instructions, we're all (every single Zorgian) asked to gather at the biggest cabin, which lies in the vicinity of the emergency cabin.

This cabin was made in the event of any catastrophes, for everyone to converge, a safe house, so to say...

Pretty soon, we reach the cabin, and sit at our assigned spots nearby a wall of the cabin. The cabin starts filling up soon.

Zing starts hyperventilating and I calm him down by reassuring him. He's worried. Worried about how our space exploration mission is going to go, worried about leaving Zorg behind, worried about me. Mostly scared of losing me though. He's also a tad claustrophobic...

Noticing him, people start sitting a bit away, giving him space.

Someone sits down to my other side. It's Petry, Ulso on her other side.

"Hey, do you know what this is about?" Ulso asks me.

I nod in response.

"What is this about?" Petry asks me.

In response, I gesture to Zing and I.

"Oh, so you got selected. Nice." Ulso says.

"What about that mean pair- Porret and Grofer, I guess- what did they get, Fila?" Petry enquires.

"They got a detail, too." Zing says for me.

"Oh." Petry says.

Just about now, the cabin's nearly full. As expected, Zippin walks to the front of the cabin and asks for all eyes on him.

The cabin is now so silent that one could hear a nut [1] drop.

Zippin says, "Today we have an important announcement to make. We're embarking on new space exploration details now. One detail will be carried out by Lina Porret and Anti Grofer."

Everyone turns to look at Lina and Anti who've now walked up to stand by Zippin.

"They are going to be scoping out two planets orbiting the star we are, and will, hopefully find more materials there for us."

Zorg just has the right temperature and traversable terrain. There's no hydrogen oxide, or any of the other stuff we need here. We get those only from scoping out other planets.

"Thank you Porret and Grofer; you may go sit down."

They nod and follow Zippin's instructions. After they have settled in their seats, Zippin picks up from where he stopped.

"Our other detail is the Arduch mission. Fila and Zing Arduch," he beckons to us, we walk to his side, and he continues, "are going on this mission to another solar system which is at the other end of our galaxy."

Everyone gasps at this information.

"Yes, this is very likely highly risky, could even be fatal."

He's right: we have no way of knowing what could happen in another system so far away from ours; we could encounter black holes; anything, any thing, could happen.

"But Fila and Zing have volunteered and agreed, knowing fully well how dangerous it could be."

"And you agreed??" someone pointedly asks Zippin.

"We had to. They insisted." Zippin replies, sadly looking at us.

Someone else asks, "What?! Why? Why?"

This is for Zing and I, not Zippin.

So I answer, "This is what we've dreamt of since we were children and-"

He doesn't let me finish, saying, "You've dreamt of dying?? In another place so far away?? Without your near and dear ones??"

"No, we've dreamt of exploring space. Of, of doing something for all us. For all us Zorgians. This is our chance. Probably only once in a lifetime." Zing replies to him.

"Plus, I won't be without the one closest to my heart. My family will be with me throughout." I say.

Zing is my entire family.

True, I've come to like Petry, Ulso and so many others here, but none as much as Zing. He's been there for me through thick and thin, he has. He's the one person whom I would miss so much as if missing a part of my own self if I went alone.

I've been too caught up in my thoughts to notice everyone looking at me. Now I do, though. Every single pair of eyes in the cabin other than mine is looking at me. Intensely.

"How are you related?" some random person asks in a clear attempt to break up the intense mood in the cabin.

"We're twins." I say.

I look at Zing, who stands frozen, his eyes now locked onto mine. I smile a small smile, noticing the corners of Zing's mouth are now up as well.

I turn back to the people in front of me, who look astonished.

"Are you really sure?" someone asks, with a soft and slow voice akin to Petry's.

I look at Petry to see it is her.

"I'm certain we're twins." I say, making many laugh.

"About the mission?" Petry asks.

"I am." I say.

"Yes." Zing says, his voice strong.

"So, goodbye??" Ulso asks.

I nod in response.

The mood in the cabin seems to have dropped low. A lot of people seem to be upset.

Someone even asks, "Why them? They're so young !! They could lead a long and fulfilling life ahead, but you're endangering them!!"

Zippin looks helplessly at us. He's sad too.

He says, "They're among the most intelligent here."

The same person asks, "So you're as good as destroying two of our most intelligent?"

I pick up now, "Look, we want to do this. I do. Besides, my life would never be fulfilling if I were to stay here and continue the same mundane routine. So help me, but I would rather die than not go."

My voice cracks at the end, but it's only because I'm getting a bit emotional. What I said is the truth.

Everyone stares into my face, as if trying to get to my brain. They only look away for a second, when Zing says, "Same here."

Again, everyone stares at me, as if transfixed upon my face.

Then everyone raises their hands upwards, and do a gesture.

Their index fingers and thumbs meet, then their thumbs disperse to meet an index finger each. Then they clench their fists together, their right away from them.

It's the Zorgian salute. A salute to one who's brave, who's risking or laying down their own life for the sake of others. To one whom you love and are thankful for.

It's a goodbye to us.

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That is the Zorgian salute!!

It's quite simple actually...

[1] nut- a nut of the nut and bolt type; Zorgian equivalent of 'pin drop silence'...

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