The tardigrade’s eyes widened as it turned to face Lenora. “Sorry, but once I’ve launched there’s no way back. You’re just going to have to come with me to Alpha Centauri. Don’t worry, you’re more than welcome, and it will be a very exciting trip!”

Under different circumstances, Lenora would have been thrilled to join the voyage. She had always considered herself a potential space traveler, and she would so like to see the planet Pluto and its beautiful heart-shaped plain close up. But she dearly loved her job at the library … There simply had to be some way home.

Then she remembered—the MOOSE! She grabbed its suitcase. “What about this? It says something about leaping from outer space.”

“My goodness,” said the tardigrade. “Is that a MOOSE?” She waved some claws excitedly. “That might help. MOOSEs were made for astronauts in the 1960s in case they had to jump out of their spaceships and parachute to Earth.”

“They could do that?”

“Of course!” said the tardigrade. “Probably. They only tested it off bridges, actually. But I’m sure it would have been fine.” She opened the suitcase and removed the MOOSE, which looked something like a beanbag and nothing like anything you would want to jump from space in.

“I don’t know,” said Lenora dubiously.

“Never fear,” said the tardigrade. “I can fix this up so it will work perfectly. Once activated, you’ll be surrounded by foam to cushion your landing, and this foldable heat shield will protect you during reentry. And in your shrunken state, you weigh so much less than a normal astronaut!” She grabbed a wrench and made several quick adjustments. “Now the rockets should direct you straight back to the library. Well?”

Lenora was torn. The box said clearly that the MOOSE was not to be used to jump from space. But the wise and experienced tardigrade had built a working spaceship in less than a day, after all. She looked out the window. They were now in space, and she could see the blue Earth below, and a glimpse of the stars she so longed to travel among …

“Best choose now,” said the tardigrade. “If we fly much farther, you won’t be able to get back by MOOSE.”

With an ache of regret, Lenora gestured for the MOOSE. The tardigrade worked quickly, fastening straps and buckles until Lenora was blanketed, sleeping bag–like, with something hard against her back and a visor she could see through. The tardigrade waved goodbye, opened a door, and tossed her out into space.