We strode wearily up a rise, our enviro suits glinting orange and green in the slanting sunset light, the colours a stark contrast to the sere tans of the moon Varga’s surface. Jalaya’s boots raised small clouds of regolith that puffed up to calf-height before settling, only to be flung up again by me, and once more by young Filip, who followed me. Inside my helmet, I heard my own exerted breathing, magnified, and the softer crunch of our footsteps.
The radio crackled as Filip said, “Next time I’m walking lead. Can’t see shit through your dust.”
Jalaya didn’t slow as we crested the rise, and her reply held unshakeable calm. “You’ll walk where you’re told to, Filip, or you’ll stay inside Base.”
As if conjured by her words, below us spread the Great Valley, and within it, the reflective black panels of Base’s interconnected domes in the far distance. As we watched, the sun sank further, casting Base into shadowed darkness. Lights winked on within and low around its perimeter, until Base twinkled like a fairytale castle, with the telescope at its core.
My heart sank. When our rover died, we’d started walking back to Base, but we couldn’t risk walking that far in the darkness. Meaning we wouldn’t make it back tonight.
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I stifled my curse. I wanted out of this stinking suit. I wanted to use a proper toilet. And I wanted to eat real food that I could chew instead of the purees the suit provided. Gods but I hated this place, this whole dead moon that we’d settled.
Frowning, I glanced over at Filip. At 19, the kid was among the first to be born here, and he annoyed the crap outta me. He thought he knew so damn much. But I was his age when I boarded a ship leaving Earth, thinking that the transit here would be the worst part. How wrong I’d been.
The worst part was that this job was never done. Not ever.
“Yes ma’am,” Filip muttered, though he still smiled that ridiculous smile of his.
Jalaya noticed my silence. It’s why she commanded expeditions — she saw everything. “Bethany? You OK?”
I turned back and nodded, realized she couldn’t see through my anti-glare shielding, and sighed. “Yeah. Fine. Just disappointed.”
I felt her attention on my faceplate, and flicked off my glare-shield. Her dark eyes searched mine, seeing down to my soul. Gently, she touched her gloved hand to my shoulder, letting the weight sink through so I felt a ghost of the pressure. “I hear you. We’ll be back tomorrow.” She straightened, all business once more. “I want you to take watch at 03:00 till dawn, Bethany. Filip, you’ll be 22:00 till 03:00. I’m taking the first shift.”
I tilted my head. “A watch? What’s going to get us?” I indicated the emptiness all around.
Inside her lighted helmet, Jalaya’s eyes flashed with irritation. “I will, if you don’t follow orders.”
“Yes ma’am,” I said, sounding far too much like Filip for my liking. I slurped down my puree, found a place to rest with my back against a rock, and closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep.
My shoulder rocked. “Bethany!”
I woke instantly to find Filip’s faceplate pressed against mine. I switched on my helmet light.
“Your watch,” he said, grinning.
I grunted and sat up, stretching. At least the low-g made the aches of ageing easier. “See anything?” I asked, trying not to sound as surly as I felt.
“Nah. Just stars.”
I stood, walked to the ridge, and looked down upon Base, glimmering home to 1,000 souls. Then I flipped off my helmet light, and gazed upwards.
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