The hum of the DragonJet’s engines carried like a soft heartbeat through the cabin, steady and constant, a reminder of how long they’d been adrift above Earth. Four months. Four months since their journey began. Four months of breakfasts in weightless mornings, arguments that melted into laughter, and nights filled with stories and dreams of the world far below.Jackson was still staring at his whiteboard, fingers gripping the markers like they were lifelines. His voice had trailed off into that last question, left hanging: “How do I make them move?”Jack had been quiet, watching him with a father’s patience, but now he finally spoke.“Jackson,” Jack said, his tone calm but firm, “you asked me how to make them move. The truth is—you don’t start with the movement. You start with the meaning. Before they run, swing, or fly, you have to know why they’re moving. Every step, every leap, every swing… it has to come from who they are inside.”Jackson blinked up at him, processing the words.

Jackson leaned forward with the remote in his hand, eyes dancing with mischief. The glow of the plasma screen painted his grin in faint silver. He whispered, almost to himself but loud enough for Jack and Ryan to catch:“You know what? My favorite sport isn’t even football…”Jack arched an eyebrow. “Oh? Then what is it?”Jackson puffed his chest proudly. “Basketball. Way better. Faster, more exciting, and—” he jabbed the remote at the glowing menu, “—the Lakers are playing the Celtics right now. Perfect timing.”Ryan groaned. “Oh, great. From football to basketball. Next you’ll be forcing us to watch sumo wrestling.”But Jackson had already clicked through the channels. The plasma flickered, shifting from jubilant Barcelona highlights to the electric lights of an NBA arena. Purple and gold jerseys swarmed across the court, clashing with the green and white of Boston.The commentator’s voice thundered across the cabin:“Welcome back to Los Angeles where the Lakers are locked in a battl

Jackson finally set the remote down with a dramatic sigh. The Celtics’ win still stung, and though he tried to hide it, his shoulders carried the heaviness of defeat. The plasma screen hummed in standby mode, its glow dimming against the cabin walls.Jack leaned forward from his chair, eyes soft with curiosity. “Want to give the remote a rest, son?”Jackson groaned. “I guess… There’s nothing good on anyway. It’s all either basketball reruns or dramas that the girls are hogging.”Ryan smirked from the corner, still lounging with his mug. “You mean the dramas that actually have more plot than your so-called ‘Showtime Lakers’?”Jackson shot him a glare. “Don’t start.”Jack chuckled and stood, reaching for the storage compartment beside the lounge wall. With a soft click, the panel opened, revealing a neatly packed wooden box. He pulled it out and set it on the table with a firm thud.Jackson leaned forward, curious. “What’s that?”Jack’s lips curved faintly. “Chess.”“Chess?” Jackson rep

The board was quiet but alive, every piece carrying tension like a coiled spring. Ryan leaned forward, eyes narrowed, studying the black and white battlefield before him. Jack sat calm as always, his hand hovering over his bishop before gently sliding it into place.“Your move,” Jack said softly.Ryan rubbed his temples. “You’re killing me with this silence. At least hum or something—give me a chance to think.”Jackson grinned from the sidelines, bouncing in his chair. “That’s the trick, Uncle Ryan. Dad just stares at the board and lets your brain melt.”Ryan pointed at him, smirking. “Don’t think I won’t take you on after this. I’ll crush you too.”Jackson folded his arms, mock smug. “Good luck. I already beat Dad once.”Jack’s mouth tugged in the faintest of smiles. “Yes, you did.”Ryan groaned. “Great. The prodigy rises. Meanwhile, I’m stuck here trying not to embarrass myself.”The pieces clattered as the game stretched on. Ryan fought tooth and nail, making daring sacrifices, pus

The landing thrusters fired, shaking the DragonJet with a deep rumble that resonated through every bulkhead. Outside, dust rose in swirling clouds, painting the horizon in rusty waves. The Martian soil, untouched by their feet until this moment, seemed to tremble under the arrival of the ship that carried so many dreams.The ramp lowered slowly, hydraulics hissing. A rush of filtered, oxygen-rich air from the colony dome swept into the cabin, warmer than expected, tinged faintly with the iron of Mars and the crispness of artificial gardens.Jack was the first to step forward. His dragon dagger gleamed at his side, catching the reflection of the massive crowd gathered beyond the landing platform. Their roar thundered like a living storm.“The Dragon has returned!”“The Dragon walks among us!”Flags rippled everywhere, the emerald-silver dragon sigil glowing against the red sky filtered through the colony’s glass dome. But the cheers weren’t just for Jack.Voices rose in new chants:“Th