What It Feels Like to Fly    He glided forward gracefully, as though he could fly. Could this be what flying would feel like? he wondered.    He carefully straightened out his pinky finger from the otherwise iron-tight grip of his right hand. The MOBI-pack strapped to his back began hissing as air was released from one of it's many valves. Slowly, his position began to change. When he'd completed a sixty degree rotation, he brought his pinky back to the grip and the hissing stopped. That was the advantage to using a MOBI-pack... it was small and lightweight (wasn't everything in space, though?), easy to use, and didn't interfere with your movements. It didn't have much range, though, so anyone who used it had to get their job done quickly or ration their mobility. He wished he'd been able to afford a better pack, but he just didn't have the money. Not that he could have afforded the attention a better model would have brought with it.    Next, he loosened his left hand's grip and multiple valves on the back of the pack suddenly opened, pushing him forward at a greater speed. Just as quickly, his grip tightened and the hissing silenced once more as he let his momentum carry him forward.    With a quick jab of his thumb, the two control panels locked themselves, allowing him to remove his hands. This was the part he hated.    He reached out to brace himself against his imminent collision with the space station, Contac. It came seconds later when he slammed into it, the impact sending a shockwave of pain through his arms and into his shoulders. He resisted the urge to rub them when he came to a stop-- not that it would do much good through his suit, of course-- and instead began pulling himself along the outside of the station. He didn't have the luxury of worrying about injuries.    He checked the display on his wrist, then nodded in satisfaction. They were close. If excitement could be turned into gold, he would have been the richest man alive.    He lost track of the minutes he spent on the underside of the station. It was inconsequential to him. His goal-- that was the only thing that mattered.    Then, they came into sight.    To the observers on Contac, they looked to be little more than stars. Tiny twinkling stars. He knew better. They weren't stars-- they were glittiflies: insects somehow able to survive in the harsh vaccuum of space. They were wonderous little creatures, he thought. Most didn't know they existed. Those that even knew of the name dismissed them as nothing more than a fairy tale. Most fairy tales had a basis in fact, though. Through research, he'd discovered their more... beneficial use. In theory. All he needed were test subjects, to see if they could actually do what he believed. Then, what he desired would finally be his. Finally.    His hand reached down to the patrac jar he'd strapped to his leg. He slowly brought it up, twisting the cap off. In front of him, the glittiflies fluttered around an access panel, oblivious. They never saw the jar sweeping through space. It's doubtful they even knew they'd been captured. The only thing that mattered to the man was that they were in his jar-- five of them!-- and he had the cap back on. Unable to keep a smile off of his face, he started back.    Once back inside Contac, he cautiously worked his way towards his room. The glittiflies were safely hidden in a rag bundle that he held tightly to his chest. He couldn't risk someone seeing them, not when he was so close. Not when he was this close! Their flickering could not be hidden by the thin rag, however. If he got too near to anyone, they were bound to notice.    Fortune chose to spit on him when Jay Koral, a stocky-built man and known (everybody knew, they just never did anything) mob enforcer, stepped around the corner. Koral had only been on Contac for a few months, but he'd quickly made his presence known to those too weak to do anything about it. He was a bully, stealing money, demanding that those he stole from pay tribute to his syndicate and overall worship him for his benevolence. Koral's eyes immediately locked upon the bundle, then slowly rose until he stared straight into the owner's eyes.    "What do you have there?"    No! Nononono No!    Koral stepped around him. "You're one of those scientists, aren't you?" he said, nodding to the white coat the other was wearing. "You shouldn't wear that. It broadcasts it to everyone. What do you have for me, Doc?"    "W...what are you talking about?" Koral enunciated each word, "What-do-you-have-for-me?" He reached for the bundle.    The other drew the bundle against his chest, away from the enforcer. "Nothing!" he protested. "Absolutely nothing!"    Koral scratched his chin. "'Nothing', eh? You shouldn't lie to me. Jay Koral hates it when people lie to him."    This idiot talked about himself in the third person?    He tried to move around Koral, but the path was blocked.    "I don't think you're listening, Doc." Koral extended his hand again, then doubled over as a knee collided with his groin.    "Just leave me alone!" the scientist shouted at him. He hopped over the collapsed form and broke into a sprint. Get back to his room, that's all he had to do! He was so close! Get away! Get back home!    BAM!    He slammed his fist onto the switch, closing the door. His chest heaved up and down as he gasped for breaths while leaning against the closed door. The shock of what he'd just done hit him.    He'd attacked Jay Koral! He'd made an enemy of a crime syndicate! Those types never forgot something like that... He had to get away, he had to...    He remembered the glittiflies. No. None of that mattered anymore. He was home!   His goal was within reach!    Without word, he placed the patrac jar on his worktable and removed the rag. The five glittiflies crawled over one another, up the sides of the jar, all still seemingly oblivious to their newfound captivity.    "Don't you worry," he assured them. "It's a worthy cause you give yourselves for."    He pulled his chair over to the table, then began digging through a box. After a few seconds of searching, he sat up and placed three odd contraptions next to the jar: The first was a tiny, rectangular box with a small display. It had a cord coming out of the side with a metal prong at the end; the second was a device with a circular bottom that fanned out near the top into two opposing antennae. The top of something, maybe; the third appeared to be the opposite of the second, the base of something, with a circular groove embedded into it. It also had numerous buttons and switches.    Absent-mindedly, he began to whistle as he picked up the first device. Grabbing the prong, he moved it over to the jar. "Time for the test, my pretties. Which one of you is the lucky one?"    He placed the prong against an area of the jar that one of the glittiflies was crawling on. A spark shot out from the glittifly to the prong and the bug began to glow more intensely than the others. It wasn't the glittifly that held his attention, though-- it was the small display on the box that had suddenly roared to life.    "Yes!! Yes!!" he shouted. The theories! They were right! Glittiflies could be manipulated as a source of energy! Exactly the sort of energy he needed for...    Soon... soon it would be his.    And she would be safe.    The hours began to creep by ever so slowly as he went about his work. Careful not to lose the precious insects, he unscrewed the patrac jar's lid, replacing it with the second device. When it was in place, the jar was fit into the groove of the third and final device. A click signaled that it had been secured into place.    His research into harnessing the glittiflies' energy had been exhausting, but exciting enough to keep the interest of even the most casual scientist. If he'd shared any of it, that is. No, they might try to get it before he did and he couldn't let that happen.    It all started when he'd found an old journal kept by an aged scientist, Dr. David Norton. Norton had claimed that the greatest achievement man could ever hope to gain lay within harnessing the power of a tiny insect, which he'd named the glittifly. His peers had proclaimed him mad, challenging him to produce one of these "glittiflies", but never could he present one. It was all in the journal-- he'd died without ever proving his theories.    He'd pushed the journal aside and forgotten about it. Unproven theories did not help an aspiring science major pass tests.    Then, she came into his life and with her the problem he faced. A problem that baffled him completely.    And then he'd found a dead bug in one of Contac's many halls. Or, more accurately, outside one of Contac's many halls. Strange, foreign, and outside the space station. He returned, numerous times, to observe it through the viewport and then he began to notice them-- imperceptable, at first, but soon they fleshed out into tiny bugs, blinking on and off like miniscule stars. Then, he remembered Norton's journal. He'd found the glittiflies, he'd realized. And, assuming Norton's theories were accurate, the solution to his problem.    He'd spent the next few days poring over the journal and constructing the necessary equipment to utilize the glittiflies. Norton had been thorough, he'd only lacked test subjects. That wasn't the case now, though. Glittiflies were around Contac, just waiting for someone to go out and collect them. It wouldn't be long now, he smiled to himself. Soon it would all be over.    Then, the door slid open-- why hadn't he locked it?!-- to reveal Jay Koral.    "There you are, you little freak!" Koral growled, advancing. "Do you know how hard it was to find you?"    He didn't know what to do, how to react, so he tried to mimic what he'd done earlier and kicked his leg out towards Koral. The stocky man was ready this time, though, and caught his leg, using it's momentum to continue it's arc upwards until it pushed too high, sending the smaller man tumbling to the floor.    "No you don't, Doc, not this time. You and me are going to have a little..."    Then, he stopped, noticing all the equipment. More importantly, noticing the glittiflies. Forgetting his quarry, he moved to the table and picked up the jar. "Hey, what is all...-"    He never got a chance to finish before a broom handle cracked down on his skull. With a grunt, he went down. The hand rubbing his head showed he wasn't unconscious, though.    Quickly, the scientist drug Koral over to a spare chair and bound him to it with some hastily retrieved cords before the gangster could regain his wits. "You... you stay there! I don't want any trouble! You stay away from me and my glittiflies!"    With a shake of his head, Koral glared up and began tugging at the cords. Once, twice, thrice... Suddenly, he stopped. He closed his eyes and appeared to be counting to ten. When he opened them, his expression had changed completely. "You got me, Doc. I'm your prisoner, fair and simple. Those bugs... glittiflies? That what they called?"    Ignoring him, the scientist turned back to the precious insects and the task at hand. Koral repeated his question every few seconds, however, until he finally got the answer, "Yes! They're glittiflies! Now, be quiet and let me work!"    "I never heard of glittiflies. Where're they from?"    "None of your business."    "What are you working on?"    "You wouldn't understand."    "Come on, Doc. I'm being nice. Try me."    "A Molec.... just something! Now be quiet!"    Many such exchanges dotted the time the two spent together-- one of them bound to a chair, the other toiling away over a jar of insects.    "What do you plan to do with it?"    "Help her."    "'Her', who?"    That question he never answered. Nothing this brute needed to know.    Inside the jar, the glittiflies continued to crawl over one another, flying up to the top only to fall down again-- obviously they weren't used to gravity.    "Must be someone important to go through all this trouble."    More silence.    "Hey, those glittiflies. What do they do?"    "What I want them to."    "They light up. Could they power stuff? Like this station?"    "Probably."    "Wow. What are you going to do with 'em? This is a 'save the universe' type deal, then, am I right? I must be. That's the only thing that would propel somebody like you to attack somebody like me. Has to be. And, I figure, if it's that important, I should let you finish it. Y'know? My heart's too big, sometimes. The boss says that'll get me killed one of these days, but I can't do much about it. Just not me. Gotta be true to me, don't I, Doc?"        He managed to tune Koral out (finally!) and focused on his work. As time progressed, only a few more connections were left and then it would finally be his. It would finally be his with her safety guaranteed.    A jungle of cords and wires connected the top to the base, crisscrossing in a veritable mess. All that was left...    Silently, he plugged the prong of the testing device into the base. Just a few more adjustments and... a green light lit up.    He jumped up out of his chair, arms raised triumphantly. "SUCCESS!!!"    Koral, who had fallen asleep when he'd found that he was holding a one-sided conversation, sat upright. "What? You saved the universe, Doc?" he asked.    "No," he replied. "But, I'm done with the connections. That means I can use the glittiflies, now. I can have it!"    "'It', huh? What happened to 'her'?"    "Don't you talk about her. Don't you even think about her!"    "Fine, Doc. Whatever you say. So, go ahead. Get 'it', save the stinking universe, and then we can talk."    The scientist's hand shot down into the box and came up with a glass. Dumping out the loose screws that had found their way inside, he set the glass on the table. His movements were shaky-- he was unable to fully control himself in his excitement. Then, he rose and scrambled over to the bed, pulling out a small chest from underneath it. Clicking the locks open-- it was here! Finally here!-- he lifted the lid.    Koral watched with interest, his curiosity having been cultivated like a gardener's crop over these last few hours until it had grown to incredible heights. He leaned as far forward as his bonds would allow, hoping for a mere glimpse of what was in the chest.    Rising with the contents carefully cradled in his hands, the scientist walked back to the table and set it next to the glass, eliciting an outraged cry from his guest:    "A CAN OF KWEH KOLA?!?!?!? Doc, you're pulling my chain, aren't ya? What could a can of Kweh Kola have to do with the universe?"    "Do you know how hard it is to get a can of Kweh Kola out here?" he demanded. "No, of course not, you couldn't even begin to know how much it cost me... and then there was... just be quiet!" Ignoring him, now, he returned to his seat in front of the device. Taking two cords, he attached them to the rim of the can. Here he paused, leaning back long enough to whisper a quick prayer-- Let this work!    Then, without prelude, he pressed a switch on the base. The air around the glittiflies seemed to grow darker as all five began to glow brilliantly, blinking on and off, buzzing about madly, finally noticing their captivity--I hope the patrac holds.    Koral backed away as far as he could. "That... that's an explosive, isn't it? It's not Kweh Kola at all! You're some nut who wants to wipe out Contac or something!"    He didn't answer-- a man like Jay Koral would never understand. Instead, he stared intently at the can of Kweh Kola. As soon as the light on the display turned yellow, he took a third cord and attached it to the glass beside the can. Slowly, over the course of minutes, the glass was filled with the liquid known to the world at large as "Kweh Kola".    Triumphantly--YES!!-- he turned the machine off. The glittiflies' buzzing came to a halt as they drifted back to the bottom of the jar.    "What... what is that?" Koral demanded. "A teleporter? Nitro? WHAT????"    "Nothing of the sort," the scientist scoffed. "You wouldn't understand." He picked up the glass, a smile on his face. Bringing it to his lips, letting the soda bubbles tickle his nose for a moment, he drank it all in one gulp. He didn't move after that, staying completely still to savor the moment and relish the taste. He'd done it! It was his! The Kweh Kola was his! After so long, he'd forgotten how wonderful it tasted, he'd forgotten...    He'd forgotten her!    He dropped the glass and immediately picked up the can. Carefully, he removed the connectors and turned it upside down, around, inspecting it from every angle possible: not a scratch! Phew.    Now came the ultimate test: He lightly tapped the side of the can.    The sound was hollow. The can was empty-- he'd transferred the kola out of the can and into the glass! He'd done it! No harm had befallen her! He'd had his favorite drink, after so long, without harming her!    "What was that?!?! Some potion? ANSWER ME, DOC!!!" his captive demanded.    He finally responded, "It was Kweh Kola, you moron. It's been years... how long I've waited to drink it again!"    "What?!"    He nodded. "Kweh Kola. I was going mad without it. I needed some. This device was the only thing that could get it out of the can."    Koral was floored. He didn't know what to make of all this."Why didn't you just open the can and pour it?"    The scientist nearly dropped the can. Had this man no idea? None? He knew gangsters were sometimes dimwitted, but to show such blatant ignorance?    "And hurt her? Cause her irreparable damage? Are you mad?"    Koral furrowed his brow. "What? Wait, what about that 'her'? Oh, I get it." He began nodding. "That can was wired to an explosive that would kill some girl or something-- your wife, maybe?-- but you were told you had to drink it to save her? That's the only thing that makes sense."    The scientist held the can in front of him, reverently, glaring at the other. "You impugn a lady's honor, sir, to suggest she is connected to a contemptable explosive in any way!"    The man stared at him, confusion evident, until finally something clicked. Rage filled his face. "You mean to tell me that your 'her' is a stupid SODA CAN?!?!?!"    He gasped. Again, he impugned her honor! "You would insult a lady? She whom I... whom I love!?" He glanced down at the can, searching for a sign. It was the first time he'd said it out loud. How would she take it?    When he looked up, Koral was out of his chair, bonds on the floor, and his fist was rushing towards his face.    Then, everything went black.    When he came to, he was laying on his stomach on the floor. Not his floor, he quickly realized. Looking up, he saw a window out into space.    An airlock!    A throat cleared and his head shot towards the sound. Koral stood there, the jar with the glittiflies sitting on the floor next to him. In his hand he held the Kweh can.    "All that work just so you could get some soda out without damaging a can? All because you're some psycho who fell in love with a soda can?"    "You... you...!"    "Save your breath," Koral laughed. "Trust me on this one." He looked down at the glittiflies. "You have no idea what you have here, Doc. Power, that's what it's good for. You said so yourself. Why, with something like this Fenris could become a force to be reckoned with. Nobody could touch us! And you would waste it on soda? Saving some can?" He shook his head. "You don't deserve these bugs. You're a nobody and you'll die a nobody."    The scientist struggled to rise to his feet, but it seemed Koral had taken a liking to kicking him while he was unconscious-- he could feel bruises all over his body. Finally, he managed, "Release her! Please!"    Koral looked down at the can. "Your fair lady, right? The one who must not be harmed?" He held the can out towards him. Only for a second. Then, he crushed it.    "NOOOOOO!!!!!!!"    Laughing, Koral threw the can across the room, right up against the airlock door. He watched with amusement as the scientist, ignoring his bruises, scrambled across the room towards the can.    Maybe it's not too late! Maybe...    "Hold your breath, Doc," Koral advised with a cruel smile. He picked up the glittifly jar and moved out of the room. He was still visible through a window, but...    Then, the scientist heard a click and the inner door swung down, a hiss indicating that the seal was airtight. Then, a second hiss sounded as the outer door rose. The air began being sucked out into the vaccuum of space.    And with that air went the can of Kweh Kola.    He tried to scream again, but no sound came. So, instead, he lunged after the can and was carried out into space.    He could see her in front of him, just floating there. If he reached he could just barely touch her... just barely... his eyes grew dim. The can had vanished from his sight among the tapestry of stars, before they, too, grew dark. Denied him forevermore.    He glided forward gracefully, as though he could fly. Could this be what flying would feel like? he wondered. Right before he died.