a cat that stows away on a spaceship

Transcript

00:00Captain Alara checked the readouts one last time before the Starlight Voyager was due

00:05to launch.

00:07Every gauge showed green.

00:08She was moments away from amending the first manned space mission to Mars, yet her mind

00:14was caught on the faint rustling sound she'd heard in the cargo bay earlier.

00:19Assuming I.

00:20T was just her nerves, she dismissed it.

00:23The countdown boomed through the intercom, three, two, one.

00:28With a fierce thrust, they were spacebound.

00:31D.

00:32Once in orbit, Alara decided to inspect the cargo bay, ensuring nothing was amiss before

00:37the long sleep to Mars.

00:40As she floated through, methodically checking each crate, a small, unexpected movement caught

00:46her eye.

00:48Behind a stack of food supplies, two gleaming eyes stared back at her.

00:53A stowaway.

00:56But not just any stowaway, a small, gray cat, trembling in the low gravity.

01:01How in the stars did you get aboard?

01:04Alara whispered.

01:05The cat, unphased.

01:08D.

01:09By her uniform or the odd environment of the spaceship, meowed loudly, as if in response.

01:14Lacking a better name, Alara dubbed him, Cosmo.

01:18Over the days, Cosmo proved not just to be good company but a blessing.

01:24The ship's psychologist had often discussed the benefits of animal companionship during

01:31the isolating journey through space, and it seemed Cosocial was intuitively filling that

01:36role.

01:37When a critical system alert later diverted Alara's attention, it was Cosmo's unexpected

01:44tampering with the control panel that inadvertently led to discovering a malfunctioning oxygen

01:49regulator before it posed a serious threat.

01:54Under the watchful stars, Captain Alara shared her rations with the adventurous feline, grateful

01:59for his unexpected companions.

02:02Hip, Mars grew ever closer, and the crew of the starlet Voyager, though unexpectedly increased

02:08by one, had never felt more prepared or less alone.