By 11 a.m. London time, Selene's spaceship had been gone for nearly an hour. Those who had initially gathered outside the Devonshire estate to witness the spectacle found themselves stuck. In less than thirty minutes, over ten thousand people had completely clogged Kensington Garden Street, making it impossible to leave or enter the area.
The police, caught off guard by the crowd's size, had no chance to properly block off the street. Vehicles transporting barricades were unable to get through, and expecting London police to carry barriers manually was out of the question—especially without substantial overtime pay.
Thus, the scene on the street was chaotic. Makeshift barriers made of black-and-yellow tape stretched across intersections, while small groups of patrol officers nervously monitored the swelling crowd. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the spaceship to return.
Meanwhile, William remained unconcerned about the growing number of onlookers. Various explosives detectors and surveillance drones had been deployed along the street, providing heightened security. In a way, the presence of so many people made the estate and spaceship even safer from any malicious attack.
Aboard the spaceship over the Atlantic Ocean, Selene had just finished explaining the controls to Nyssa. Handing her the controls, Selene noticed how unusually quiet the cabin had become. When she turned around, she saw Lina with her eyes closed, her face pale from discomfort.
Selene immediately signaled to Nyssa, who glanced at Lina and quickly adjusted their course to return to London.
Although Selene and Nyssa were technically piloting the ship, they were more like navigators, providing flight directions while Sunday handled the actual controls. William would never entrust a spacecraft capable of traveling at 100,000 kilometers per hour to two beginners—especially with his mother aboard.
A few minutes later, the spaceship descended gracefully onto the estate's landing field. Lina, relieved to be home, quickly unfastened her seatbelt. With a look of displeasure, she muttered, "Good Lord. Unless it's an emergency, no one's getting me back on that thing again. The ride is awful."
Abby and Jessie, who were also nauseous, eagerly nodded in agreement. Any thoughts of learning to fly a spaceship had been thoroughly driven out of their minds.
Supported by Nyssa, Lina carefully exited the ship. She smiled as she saw Wilson standing nearby, surrounded by cameras and a crowd of thousands. Pulling her arm free from Nyssa's support, she waved Wilson over.
In front of dozens of camera crews, Wilson walked confidently to the ship's ramp, extending his arm to help Lina descend.
"Thank you, Wilson," Lina said warmly. Patting his hand, she smiled and asked, "Would you like to see the inside of the spaceship?"
Wilson hesitated, then chuckled nervously. "I'd love to, but I think I'll pass. I'd rather not risk getting a beating from William."
His honesty drew a laugh from Lina. "Besides," he continued, "if I go inside now, I'll be mobbed by people when I get home. It's probably best if I wait for William to take me on a tour later."
"Smart boy," Lina laughed, clearly pleased. "I like that you're both clever and honest. But you have nothing to worry about. William allowed British soldiers and astronauts to tour the first ship. As his best friend and the second in line to the throne, you have every right to come aboard. Heck, Selene could even teach you how to fly it."
Having already confirmed with Sunday that this spaceship was a modified version with no sensitive information accessible, Lina saw no harm in letting Wilson take a look. After all, much of the first spaceship's interior—aside from the control room and engine—had already been revealed during William's Mars expedition livestreams.
"I... I…" Wilson stammered, caught off guard. He had spent years carefully avoiding any behavior that might arouse suspicion or resentment from Lina. Now, he found himself paralyzed by indecision.
If he declined, he would appear disingenuous. But if he accepted, he worried that this might be a test. Even if everything seemed fine now, any future complications could put him under scrutiny as someone who had been inside the ship.
"Relax, Wilson," Lina chuckled, gently patting his shoulder. "If there were areas you couldn't access, Sunday wouldn't let you in, no matter what I say. Just try walking near the entrance. If Sunday doesn't issue a warning, you'll know it's fine."
She added with a knowing smile, "Also, letting you onboard today carries a symbolic meaning within England. So go ahead, child. Relax."
Wilson finally understood. He would be making a statement by boarding the ship as both William's friend and a prince of England. This was a message to the world that the Devonshire family still valued their ties to the British aristocracy and government.
Realizing this, Wilson made up his mind. His hesitation vanished, and he confidently stepped forward.
Meanwhile, William was observing the scene through Sunday's surveillance feed. He knew exactly how the public and media would interpret the situation. Letting Wilson onboard was a gesture that would resonate deeply with both British citizens and the noble class.
The thought sparked an idea. William recalled the existence of Edmund Burton, the 12th Earl of Folgan, a key figure tied to the Transformers. This could be an opportunity to strengthen alliances with other influential families.
He issued an order to Sunday. "How long would it take to create a simplified version of the Mark IV battle armor? One that retains only basic spaceflight functionality."
"If we modify an existing suit, five minutes. If we fabricate a new one from scratch, it will take about thirty minutes for modeling and production."
"Alright, notify me in five minutes. In the meantime, have Selene brief Wilson on safety procedures."
"Understood, sir."
Five minutes later, Selene—who had been meticulously explaining various protocols to Wilson—received a message from Sunday. After exchanging farewells with Lina and the others, she led a thrilled Wilson into the ship. There, he changed into the custom space armor William had sent over and was guided to the cockpit.
The sight of Wilson entering the spaceship sent waves of excitement through the crowd. Many British citizens watching the live broadcast speculated about the implications of Lina inviting him aboard.
When the spaceship's engines roared to life and it began to ascend, the scene triggered a global frenzy. In Downing Street and within aristocratic circles, there was palpable excitement and a renewed sense of pride. England's connection to William Devonshire was clearly as strong as ever.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +20 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Mutter"]
[Every 50 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]