I had come forward to see the next Earthrise.
I was off-shift. Truth was there was very little left for me to do anyway. I’d long since purged the rootkit and the viruses it was downloading, which had made our acceleration sluggish on the return. The autosystem was clean as we executed our slow spiral plunge toward the planet ahead. But still we were 17 months behind projection and running out…of everything.
The glorious, blue-whirled globe would reappear in the starboard viewplate. Earthturn would bring the coast of Home into view this time. The ache in my chest – longing for warm, white sand under bare feet? The rush in my ears – sharp salt air off the jetty?
Breathing shallow and quick. I’d already heard the airlock whoosh as they closed it behind me. The CLUNK of the O2 feed to this compartment being shut off.
Nothing for me now but to wait for Earthshine to bless a silent, waiting smile.