"Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind. That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences any more. We will be united in our common interest. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July. And you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression or persecution. But from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice, "We will not go quietly into the night!" "We will not vanish without a fight!" "We're going to live on!" "We're going to survive!" Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!"
I shivered from where I was standing near the entrance of the base. I had just finished putting my flight suit on over top of my jeans and tank top, and I was waiting for David and Steve to finish as well, when I heard the President start talking.
Man, sometimes I wasn't a fan of that guy (mainly cuz he could be kinda rude to David), but he could give a damn good speech. I got chills, and teary-eyed just from listening to it.
And I got hope. I was still scared of what we were about to attempt, scared because I knew what it meant if we didn't succeed. But Whitmore's speech helped calm me down, and inspired me to feel braver than I was. And for that, I owed him, I suppose. He could be a jerk to David, but he was a good man, and a great president.
"Hey."
I turned around to see David standing behind me, all decked up in his spacesuit as well.
He nodded his head back towards the base. "We're getting ready to take off."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, lets do this."
We began walking back to the room with the spacecraft in it, and I saw David look at me again, looking concerned.
"You know, you still don't have to go..." he half-heartedly tried to convince me again.
I just laughed and shook my head. "I'm going," I insisted. "I'll be fine. We all will be fine," I tried to convince him.
He just nodded, and we finished the small walk in silence.

When we got to the room, it was crowded, and people were running all about, getting ready for take off.
We joined Steve where he was standing with his family, and where Julius was standing nearby.
Julius came up to David to say goodbye, and I moved sideways a little to give them their privacy.
A small body came running up to me and jumped into a hug, and I surprisingly caught her, as she caught me by surprise.
I smiled down to see the President's daughter in my arms. I kneeled down so that I was eye to eye with her, and gave her a proper hug.
"Hey there sweetie," I grinned. "Are you ready for us to take these aliens down?"
She shook her head, and her lower lip trembled. "I don't want you and daddy to leave. I'm scared," she whispered, almost in tears.
I frowned. "Hey, hey, hey, look at me, hun." I gently grabbed her chin and lifted it so that she was looking me in the eye. "I promise you that both your daddy and I will come back in one piece. Okay? Its those aliens that need to be scared, not you silly," I joked poking her nose, which caused her to giggle.
"Okay," she said softly, hugging me tightly again.
"Okay." I smiled. "You stay right by Jasmine, okay? And I promise I'll be back."
She nodded before running over to Jasmine.
I straightened up, smiling. She's so adorable, I love kids honestly.
Julius walked over to me, and pulled me into a tight hug.
"Don't forget to tell him," he whispered before pulling away from the hug, raising his eyebrows at me.
I rolled my eyes jokingly, and nodded. "I will."
He smiled at me. "And stay safe. All of you," he added, looking around at the three of us.
We all nodded. "We will," I assured him, smiling.
"Good."
One of the people running around getting ready came up to us. "Its time to go," he informed us.
We were all walking towards the spaceship, when Steve suddenly freaked out, looking around frantically. "Oh, damn! Wait a minute, we gotta find some cigars. I can't..."
"Here," Julius offered, handing us three cigars. "Take these, they're my last ones."
"You are a lifesaver," Steve thanked Julius, before jogging back to where David and I were standing. "Almost put a hex on the whole damn thing!"
I just shook my head. I had no idea what was so important about the cigars, I just assumed it was something the pilots did. I didn't question it, I just hoped I wasn't gonna be handed one. Cigars and cigarettes were definitely not my thing. I mean, I had never had one, but I was sure that breathing in and out smoke was probably not the most appealing thing in my book.
The three of us climbed into the spaceship, and everyone began to clear out of the room so that we could safely take off. We made our way to the console where the three awkward alien butt seats had been replaced with normal seats that we could fit in, along with a seatbelt/harness type thing. Cuz, ya know, safety first.
Steve sat down in the middle seat, and David and I took seats on either side of him.
He held a cigar out to each of us, and I just looked at it with distaste.
"This is our victory dance. Not until the fat lady sings," Steve instructed seriously, shoving it in my hand when he realised I wasn't gonna take it on my own accord. I rolled it around between my fingers, examining it.
"This is important," he insisted, looking at David.
"Yes, okay, got it."
Steve looked over at me, with his eyebrows raised.
I sighed, giving in. "Fine, yep. Fat lady, I got you," I said reluctantly.
"Open launch tunnel," a voice came over an intercom, causing my stomach to lurch with nerves.
A large door leading outside opened like a garage door, letting the sun light into the room.
Steve started up the spacecraft, and it hovered shakily, making me grip my seat tightly.
"Shaky, huh? Is it gonna do this the whole way?" David asked nervously, voicing the exact question that was on my mind also.
"Make sure your seat backs are in their upright position," Steve joked, trying to sound like a flight attendant.
"Funny. No, seriously, is it gonna?" I pressed, noticing how he was avoiding answering us.
"Lets rock 'n roll!" Steve announced, throwing the steering forward.
I didn't have time to yell at him for not answering our question, before we launched backwards, running into the wall behind us, and throwing me forward in my seat.
We stopped moving, and David and I both looked at Steve incredulously.
"What the hell was that??"
"Oops," Steve grinned as though that was an adequate answer to my question.
"Oops? What does that mean?" David asked him.
Steve reached forward and flipped a small sticky note that had flight instructions on it, upside down. "No, I got it. Some jerk didn't put the thing..."
"No, what did you mean, saying oops there?" David interrupted, insisting on getting an answer.
"I think it means that 'oops' he literally just ran us into a bloody wall, David," I answered sarcastically. To be fair, it was a pretty obvious question.
David just glared at me.
"What do you say we try that one again, huh?" Steve looked at both of us, grinning.
"Yes, yes...without the oops...uh, that way." David pointed forward, making me laugh.
Steve pulled on the steering again, this time the opposite way of before, and I was slammed back against my seat as we shot forward.
A scream escaped my lips, and I held onto the seat for dear life. I heard David yelling in fear just like I was, meanwhile Steve was laughing and whooping with joy.
"I have got to get me one of these!"
He flipped us around in a barrel roll, making my breakfast feel like it was about to make a second appearance.
"I SWEAR TO GOD STEVE, IF YOU DO ONE MORE BARREL ROLL, I WILL BARREL ROLL YOUR BLOODY HEAD OFF YOUR SHOULDERS," I screamed at Steve, digging my fingernails into my seat even more.
He just laughed in response, speeding up more.
"What was that, don't do that!" David insisted to Steve.
"Just trying to get a feel for the old girl." Steve was still grinning ear to ear, and I was feeling a strange urge to strangle him.
"No, don't, leave her alone," David muttered.
"Look no hands!!"
"Steve!!!!"
"YOU'LL HAVE NO HANDS IN TWO SECONDS!"

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A/N: Getting ready to leave tonight!! Hopefully I can update while I'm gone still, I'll try to find some time to, I promise ^~^
<3 you all!