She sat by the window and looked out wistfully.
Her face was bathed in the red reflected light of the planet below. When would she come back here? Perhaps never. It may be only a small moon but it was the whole of her experience. She had never left it and now, here she was abandoning her home. A red tear travelled softly down her cheek. Home.
Suddenly her cabin was flooded with harsh white light.
"What are you doing? What's this, tears? He sauntered over breaking in on her dreams. His hard eyes reflected the glare. "You're not going to pine over that lump of rock are you? It's unstable, not safe."
She turned to him reluctantly and sighed. "It's where I grew up. I love that 'lump of rock'. Besides", she turned back to the window, "any planet is a lump of rock really isn't it. Your planet is just a rock too."
"I don't have a planet. The ship's my home. I can't afford to get sentimental and neither can you now"
He sat down opposite her, willing her to turn around. "We have to work out what you and your family can do to contribute to this operation."
She turned and stared at him, her eyes pleading, "Can't it wait. It's all happened so fast. I just... I just need a bit of time to get used to the idea of leaving. Can't you leave me alone."
A flash of light from the window attracted her attention. "What...what's that?". She turned back, jumping to her feet. White beams of energy were shooting out from the ship at her home. The moon began to glow and then exploded in a crescendo of violent finality. Orange light flashed in the room. "...no...NO!...oh no". She rested her hands on window "You bastard" she whispered.
"It had to be done. You must know that as well as I do". The ship began to accelerate away. The moon's debris disappeared against the red planet and she watched it vanish into the distance.
She sank to her knees and began to sob quietly. "Jesus, it's not as if you didn't know...is it?" He shrugged and walked to the door. "Alright, but we'll talk later".
He turned the light off as he left, leaving her crying softly in the faintest of red glows.
Updated by Neroli Wesley 2nd May 1999
