An End of Things
This too shall pass.
We floated in the serene darkness of the south-eastern hydroponics dome. The plants were in their night cycle, the air smelled of organic matter, and the swelling Earthrise touched everything with a hint of blue.
"I'm going to miss this old place."
I threw Sylvie a glance, reflexively countering the motion with a twist of one arm to prevent a spin from starting, but she was looking further out. Her privacy window opened to let me see her zoom focus, but I didn't need it. I already knew.
The Ark Mayflower. The largest spacefaring vessel ever constructed, made for the express purpose of taking men and women on a one-way departure from the cradle of mankind. A endeavour on which I would not be joining Sylvie, because my mother would shortly be going on a last great journey of her own and my place was with her.
"Yeah, probably. It won't be the same without you either."
"You can have my bunk. I know you always liked the view."
In the distance, Mayflower seemed to wink at me. Like it knew that it had won.
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Comments (4 so far!)
Average reader rating 5.00/5
ElshaHawk LoA
I like this. The garden, the reflexive movement, the end of their time together, is all very well thought out and bittersweet. There's space, there's science, there's friendship; it's a trifecta.
- #3132 Posted 7 years ago
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Robert Quick
I love that a song about the end of summer inspired this. It's so strange the connections, interpretations, and extrapolations out brains make. Cool piece. My only suggestion is something that comes out of my preference and I'm not sure why. I like the Mayflower Ark over the Ark Mayflower but as far as I can tell there's no justification for it.
- #3163 Posted 7 years ago
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1
Fantasist
This is adorable and the mental images it conjures are breathtaking and I thank you for it.
- #3210 Posted 7 years ago
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0
- 5 out of 5
- Published 7 years ago and featured 7 years ago.
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HSAR
I've had this one sitting in my drafts for months and months, inspired by a song about the end of summer.
Only one reference to really make note of here. The English colony ship Mayflower took the first Pilgrims (formally English Puritans) to America, and the Ark Mayflower is named for that vessel. I have purposely omitted any naval prefix: in this world, man's first interstellar colonisation effort is (somewhat optimistically) international.