Chapter 2
“I can show you the world! Shining, shimmering, splendid…”
Tony Verdeschi sang with devotion into the microphone of the karaoke machine that was set up in the recreation center’s party hall. The atmosphere in the crowded room was exuberant and cheerful, everybody wearing colourful party clothes instead of uniforms. Tony’s sparkling brown eyes were fixed on Maya who, wearing her Psychon dress, was sitting right in front of him as he sang:
“Tell me, Princess, now when did you last let your heart decide? I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder…”
“There he goes again!” Maya murmured a bit embarrassed, her cheeks slightly flushed, while at the same time her eyes gleamed with excitement and affection. Helena who was sitting next to her, wearing her dark blue velvet dress, smiled at her friend. “Just enjoy it!” she whispered with a twinkle in her eyes.
At just that moment, Tony reached out to Maya with a widely beaming smile. “Come on, cara mia, you’ve got to sing the girl’s part!”
“Oh, Tony!” Half moaning, half laughing, Maya got up from her seat and let herself be dragged in front of the microphone.
“A whole new world! A dazzling place I never knew…” Her voice sounded beautifully and clearly. People who had been chatting and ignoring the singing, now became silent and turned their attention to the couple in front of the karaoke set. Their excitement about colonising a new world, increased by their genuine love for each other, left nobody’s heart untouched and mirrored everyone’s anticipation. The applause that filled the room when the song ended was heartfelt and sincere.
“Oh, thanks!” With a grateful sigh Maya took a glass of mixed fruit juice that Helena offered her. The two women sat down in a less noisy corner of the room. “Please don’t tell Tony, but I really need something different to drink now.” She cast a meaningful glance at the huge pitcher of Verdeschi-beer on the buffet.
“I understand,” Helena said in a low voice, following her look. The two friends exchanged a mischievous chuckle and both took a drink of juice.
“So it has finally happened,” Maya said thoughtfully. “Only three more days on Alpha… then we’ll leave this place forever.”
Helena nodded. “It’s still hard to believe… It feels like a dream. I guess I won’t really believe it’s true until we actually start living there. On an Earth with two moons…” She grinned lightly, then met her friend’s look. “You haven’t really told me yet how you feel about this.”
The Psychon woman stared down at her glass, hesitating to reply. “For you all… it’s almost like going home,” she said quietly. “Although I understand it’s not the Earth you left behind.” She looked at Helena. “You know… Tony is so excited,” she said as a little smile lit up her face. “And while I’m with him, he really infects me! I can’t help feeling excited too. You just saw it yourself.” With a soft chuckle she turned her head quickly towards the karaoke set where now several people were enthusiastically cheering at Patrick Osgood who was performing his popular Mick-Jagger-parody. “But still,” she continued, “I feel a difference between his anticipation and mine. You all… you will live with people from Earth. I know you haven’t shared the same planet in the past, but still, you all have so much in common with those other Terrestrians.”
“Maya…”
“Helena.” The Psychon laid her hand on her friend’s for a moment, smiling lightly at her with a touch of wistfulness. “I know what you’re going to say. And you know… how much it means to me. I don’t want to sound ungrateful. You… all of you give me the feeling I belong with you.” Her smile deepened, and a warm shine lit up her eyes. “Especially Tony.”
Helena returned her smile, and for a moment the two women looked at each other in silent understanding.
“And still,” Maya picked up the thread, “there are things I can never share with the rest of you. You know, when we went down to the planet last week, Tony had a long conversation with that other Italian, you remember, that good looking guy with the strong accent…”
“Oh, Dan Mateo?” Helena’s eyes twinkled lightly as she spoke.
“Yes! They were talking about their home towns and places they loved… Rome, Florence, Venice… they are just names to me, objects of interest and study, but there are no feelings attached to them…” She shook her head, looking determined and almost a bit irritated. “I have to stop this! Lamenting about what I can’t share with you won’t get me anywhere. I should concentrate on the things I have in common with you… on the things I’m able to enjoy together with you all.”
“That’s the right way to look at it, Maya,” Helena said reassuringly. “You’ll see, it will be an exciting experience to build up a new community together.” She paused. “It will be… very tough and challenging too, no doubt,” she added in a low voice.
Maya nodded thoughtfully. “I still can’t believe they accepted me so willingly,” she murmured. “Apart from those few people at the beginning, nobody seemed to have a real problem with me.”
“You managed to convince them,” Helena said. “Just like you convinced us.”
Maya smiled and took another sip of her juice.
Around them the music played on, the sound of singing and cheering voices filled the room until late after midnight.
Only four days had passed since Operation Exodus had been carried out, and the new Earth Alphans were still in the middle of settling down and getting familiar with their neighbours.
John Koenig walked through the settlement, trying to remember the quickest path to the administration building. He wished he had already saved Paul Morrow’s code onto his own commlock so he could reach him any time. A bit impatiently, he stopped in front of a group of houses, once more realizing just how different this new life was – and was going to be.
“Ouch!” A sudden pain in the little finger of his right hand jerked him out of his thoughts. Something had bitten him! For a split-second he wondered if the wild animals living in the forests were ever coming that far to the humans’ settlements, when he heard a child’s voice: “Hah! See? He is no ghost!”
Puzzled, John looked down at a brown-haired little boy of about five years who triumphantly grinned up at him. Before he could say anything, a girl came dashing up to them, stopping next to the little boy, a bit breathless. She was a little older, maybe seven. “Mike!” she said in a chiding tone. “Are you crazy to bite his finger?! Come on, quick, say sorry, or he’ll get mad!”
John couldn’t help laughing. He crouched down so he could face the two children. “So, young man!” he turned to the little boy, “You bit my finger to see if I was a ghost?”
The boy nodded. “The others say you are.”
“The others?”
“Some of the other kids,” the girl explained. “But they’re just stupid!” A trace of scorn and pride flashed up in her almond-shaped brown eyes. She was a very pretty girl, with long black curls flowing down her back.
“I see!” Still grinning, John straightened up again. Then he became aware of another boy approaching them. He was about ten years old. His brown hair was tousled as if he had just run through the wind, and his dark eyes had the same almond shape as the other two children’s. He planted himself in front of John and looked at him openly, without any shyness in his expression. “I know who you are!” he proclaimed. “You are Commander Koenig from Moonbase Alpha!”
“That’s right!” John smiled at the boy. “And who are you?”
“Percy Morrow. Nice to meet you, Commander!” Percy stretched out his hand, and John was impressed by the boy’s firm handshake and the calm self-confidence he was radiating already at such a young age. With a slight turn of his head, Percy continued, “My sister Milena, my brother Michael.”
“Nice to meet you all.” John gave all three children a friendly look, then glanced at his watch. “Listen, Percy, I need to talk to your Dad. Can you tell me where to find him?”
“Sure! Just wait here, Commander, I’ll go and get him.” Like a greased lightning he dashed off, followed by his little brother, before John could even open his mouth to ask to take him with them.
“John! There you are!” Suddenly a voice sounded behind him. Turning around, he saw Helena approaching. “You look a little lost too,” she remarked with a light smile, brushing her hair from her eyes. “I still have trouble finding my way around here.”
He returned her smile, softly touching her arm. “Yeah, it’ll take some time, I guess.”
“Ohhhhhhh…!” A soft, almost inaudible sigh of surprise and admiration made them both turn their heads. Milena was still standing there, her eyes now fixed upon the tall blonde woman in front of her. “You look… just like Aunt Helena!” the girl whispered in awe. “But you’re younger… and different somehow…”
Helena crouched and smiled at the girl. “I think we two haven’t met yet,” she said gently.
“May I introduce you to Miss Milena Morrow!” John said with a twinkle in his eye. “We’ve just become acquainted with each other.”
“Hello, Milena,” Helena said. “I’m Helena Russell.”
Milena stared pensively at the woman, then her look wandered to the man beside her. “I’ve seen a picture of you two,” she said a bit shyly. “In my Aunt Helena’s bedroom.” She looked at the woman again. “You were wearing a white dress and looked soooo beautiful…”
A bit puzzled, Helena was about to say something, but was interrupted by a cheerful, melodious laugh coming from another girl who was just joining the little group. The girl was about Percy’s age, and her skin had the colour of coffee with milk. “Hey, you’re confusing everything, Milena!” she grinned. “That was Aunt Helena on the picture, not this lady here. This is Dr. Russell from Moonbase Alpha!”
“But they look exactly the same!” Milena insisted, looking even more confused. “They look exactly like the man and the woman on the picture!”
“Milena, look,” John tried to explain matter-of-factly while Helena slowly got up from her crouching position, looking a bit helpless. “The two people you saw on the picture were your Aunt Helena and her husband, John Koenig…”
“You are married to Aunt Helena?” Milena asked unbelievingly.
“Oh shit,” John mumbled to himself while passing his hand over his face, racking his brains as to how to explain the complicated situation.
“Shit is a bad word!” a chiding voice said below him. A boy of Milena’s age had joined the group, his skin had the same milky coffee colour as the older girl’s.
Helena burst into a hearty laugh which relieved her from her awkwardness. “He’s right, you know!” she said to John, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Uhm… yes, indeed,” he admitted with a light grin. “And you two are…?” he turned to the boy and girl standing next to Milena.
The girl spoke. “Angelina Kano. My friends call me Angie.” She pointed to the boy. “My brother Robert.”
“Hi.” Robert nodded briefly at John and Helena, obviously trying to appear cool.
“Angie, Robert…” Helena looked at the two children. “I take it you understand the situation? The difference between… me and your Aunt Helena?”
“Sure, Dr. Russell, we understand!” Angie Kano said earnestly, looking a bit proud. “Don’t worry, we’ll explain it all to Milena – again!” She rolled her eyes, looking as if she was a bit tired of having to explain the same thing over and over again.
Just at that moment, Percy and Mike Morrow came back, dragging their father along. “Okay, okay, you can let me go now!” Paul Morrow called, trying to be strict while at the same time he couldn’t help laughing with amusement. “You wanted to talk to me, Commander Koenig? Oh, good morning, Dr. Russell.”
“Good morning, Mr. Morrow.”
“Come on,” Angie said to the other kids, taking control of the situation. “Let’s go and leave the grown-ups to their talking stuff.”
John and Helena exchanged a grin while watching the group of children shuffling off.
“I hope the kids didn’t bother you too much,” Paul said, a slightly worried look on his bearded face.
“No, not at all!” both John and Helena reassured him.
Paul told them the administration committee was holding a conference this morning, and invited them both to attend the meeting.
“Thank you. We’d appreciate that very much,” John said, briefly looking at Helena who nodded. Together they walked to the administration building where two men and a woman were standing outside the door awaiting them, chatting casually. John recognized Professor Victor Bergman, David Kano and Tanya Alexander. They interrupted their talk to welcome the two newcomers.
“Then we’re almost complete! Sandra, my wife, should be here any minute… ah, there she is!”
A petite dark-haired woman emerged from the small house standing next to the administration building. Sahn’s other self, John thought, once again feeling amazement at their very unusual situation.
“Good morning! Sorry I made you all wait,” Sandra Morrow greeted the group with a friendly smile, walking over to join them. Helena returned the greeting, but John didn’t hear it. His eyes were fixed upon the doorway Sandra had just emerged from.
A woman was standing in the doorway, motionless for a second, then slowly walking up to the group. John’s heart skipped a beat. Helena’s other self… he hadn’t met her yet, there always seemed to be some reason why she wasn’t present at any of his meetings with the Earth Alphans.
Her blonde hair was beginning to turn into a shade of silver. Long and full, it was tied into a bun at the back of her head. Her face seemed ageless. Her blue-green eyes were locked with John’s as she slowly kept walking up to him. John forgot to breathe. The look in her eyes… He was unable to move, unable to say anything.
She had reached him. Looking up at him, her lips formed one word, whispering, “John.”
The intensity of her feelings – longing, grief, passion – expressed in this one word and in the look of her ocean-coloured eyes struck John to the depths of his soul. When she closed her eyes and brought her face close to his, he slightly bent his head down to let his lips touch hers, accepting her kiss… returning it.
The next moment she sank against his chest. John, who impulsively reached out to catch her, felt her going limp in his arms. Confused, he found himself waking up slowly from a kind of trance as he heard a blur of voices around him and vaguely perceived Paul and Sandra Morrow removing the woman from his embrace.
“Let me take care of her.” Helena’s voice sounded clearly to him, helping him recover quickly. He saw Paul and Sandra laying the other Helena gently down in the grass while Helena – his Helena – quickly checked her over. “It looks like she’s in shock, but let’s get her to Medical to be safe,” she determined, picking up her commlock.
His mind still being in a bit of a haze, John followed the group of people who took the unconscious Helena to the Earth Alphans’ Medical Center. Dr. Bob Mathias was already waiting, having a bed ready. He asked everybody to leave because the patient needed rest. “I… I need to know if she’s going to be all right,” John said with trouble.
Helena gently touched his arm. “I’m sure she’ll be all right, John, but we must let Dr. Mathias do his work now.” She turned to the Earth Alphans’ doctor. “Do you mind if I assist you, doctor?”
“No, of course not, Dr. Russell. I’d appreciate your help.”
John felt himself guided back to the administration building where Paul Morrow told him with a very earnest and somewhat distant expression that the meeting was postponed to the afternoon. Returning to his quarters, John felt relieved about the break which allowed him to collect himself.
“You were right, Dr. Russell. It was really a simple shock reaction. She should wake up any minute.”
Helena nodded with a light smile, then spread a blanket over the sleeping woman on the bed. The tests were finished.
“Doctor?” A nurse popped her head through the door leading to the next room. “Could you take a look at Mr. Haines here, please?”
“I’ll be right there, Hilary,” Bob Mathias told her, then glanced at the monitor at the head of Helena Koenig’s bed.
“Go ahead and look after your other patients, Dr. Mathias. I’ll stay with her,” Helena said.
Bob looked a little relieved, but hesitant. “Are you sure? I’ll understand if you want to go back to your own work…”
“I’m off duty today,” Helena explained. “Dr. Vincent will call me if he needs me.”
Bob thanked her, then rushed off to the next room.
Helena pulled up a chair and sat down next to the patient’s bed. Her other self began to stir, her eyelids fluttering open.
“Helena?” the younger woman said softly, bending over the bed.
She was pale, and her expression was troubled and confused. “What… happened?” she asked faintly, trying to sit up.
With a gentle but firm grasp, Helena urged her back into a lying position. “You fainted,” she said softly. “You need a little rest, then you’ll be okay and fit for duty again.” She couldn’t suppress a smile, already knowing her other self was just as devoted to her work as she was.
“I fainted…” Helena Koenig frowned, obviously trying hard to remember what had happened. Helena Russell waited for a moment, giving the other woman time to readjust herself. Once again she felt the incredibility of their situation – she was talking to herself, and not to herself. Sometimes she was amazed at how calmly she was able to handle all this. Sahn didn’t seem to have great problems facing her other self either…
Before she had any more time to lose herself in her thoughts, she heard a sharp intake of breath. Helena Koenig was staring at her, looking even more troubled. Strands of hair had escaped the bun and hung loosely around her pale face. Obviously her memory had returned. “Oh my God,” she whispered, “oh my God, what did I do…!” She averted her eyes as if she couldn’t bear looking at the other woman.
“Helena,” her other self said calmly, “it’s alright. Look at me.” Her hands were still resting on the woman’s shoulders.
“I kissed him… how could I… what’s happening to me?” she whispered, getting more and more distraught.
“Helena, please calm down. It’s okay.” Her heart ached for the other woman, and she desperately wished there was anything she could do to comfort her. “Don’t feel ashamed, please.”
Helena Koenig didn’t seem to hear her. “How could I do that… and then… even pass out in front of everybody …”
“Come on now!” Helena said with a trace of strictness in her soft voice. “Your reaction was understandable, Helena. It’s all right. Don’t worry about it anymore.”
Slowly, the other woman shook her head, staring in front of herself. Then she winced as if she was struck by a sudden flash of pain. “John…” she whispered, “What will he think of me now?”
“He’s worried about you!” Helena, who had briefly left her seat, returned to the bed with a cup of fresh cool spring water.
“He’s… he’s not here, is he?” the other Helena said with an air of panic in her dark-shaded eyes. “I don’t want him to see me like this!”
“I knew you wouldn’t, so I sent him away,” Helena Russell said with a soothing smile, sitting down again. “Here, drink some water.”
“Thank you.” She drank, then put the cup on the bedside table and looked at the woman beside her. “Thank you,” she repeated softly, appearing a bit calmer. “For… everything.”
“No need to thank me,” Helena replied, suddenly feeling a bit sad. “I wish there was anything I could do for you.” She felt the impulsive wish to hug the other woman, but sensed an air of distance around her. So she just laid her hand on Helena’s for a moment.
A trace of warmth flared up in Helena Koenig’s eyes for a split-second as she gave the younger woman’s hand a quick squeeze. “Helena,” she said softly. “I know you’re meaning well, but I’d prefer to be alone now.”
“Of course,” Helena said gently. “But promise me you’ll rest for a while, and to call Dr. Mathias if you feel worse.”
“I promise.” A touch of a smile flew over the other woman’s face.
After saying goodbye, Helena Russell left the Earth Alphans’ Medical Center. Slowly she walked through the settlement when Sandra Morrow came hurrying up to her. “Dr. Russell! How is she?” Concern was written all over her face.
Helena gave her a reassuring smile. “She’ll be just fine, Mrs. Morrow. She needs a little rest, that’s all.”
“Oh, thank God!” Sandra returned her smile with an expression of great relief, then headed for Medical Center.
Bob Mathias greeted her with a smile, then, having finished his quick check-up, went back to his other patients.
Just one look at her friend told Sandra how upset she was. She didn’t need to ask any questions. She just hurried up to her friend and embraced her. Having no more power to keep her countenance, Helena sobbed in Sandra’s arms.
“How is she doing?” John asked Helena with a worried frown. Halfway back to her quarters, Helena had run into John who was on his way to see Tony for a few words concerning their meeting with the Earth Alphans in the afternoon.
Helena sighed, meeting his look with an equally worried expression. “Physically she’s fine, but… I’m afraid she’s quite distraught. She’ll need some time to… cope with this.” She slowly shook her head, staring down at the ground. “Poor Helena,” she murmured.
John sighed too, obviously feeling awkward and unsure as to what to say. “Well… I gotta go,” he said finally, drawing himself up. “Tony is waiting.”
Helena nodded. “See you later at the meeting.” She laid her hand on his arm for a second, then they separated.
Late in the evening, Helena was sitting on the sofa in John’s quarters, waiting for John to finish his conversation via commlock with Sandra Morrow. “I’m very relieved to hear that, Mrs. Morrow. I’ll tell Helena… uh, Dr. Russell I mean. – Yes. Thank you. Good night.”
He smiled lightly, then sat down next to Helena. “She’s doing fine. The Morrows are taking care of her. They seem to be quite close.”
Helena nodded, and John went on. “She returned back to her quarters after a few hours of resting. Tomorrow she’ll go back on duty.”
“That’s good to know,” Helena smiled with relief. Their eyes met for a second, then John cleared his throat and got up again, beginning to pace.
“John,” Helena said wearily. “Sit down again.”
John grumbled something and continued to pace.
“John,” Helena repeated patiently, “it’s hard to talk when you’re pacing like that. Please.”
Looking a bit troubled, John sat down beside her again. “Helena, I…” His expression was helpless, lost. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just had to…” He stopped and looked at her. “I had to return her kiss. I just couldn’t help it.”
“I know,” Helena said in a low voice, meeting his look. “I’m not blaming you, John, I… I think I understand.” She sighed and passed her hand over her forehead. “As far as there is anything understandable at all about this whole crazy situation,” she murmured.
John nodded, still looking a bit helpless.
“I’m not blaming Helena either. To imagine what she must have felt…” Her eyes clouded over with sadness. “I’m worried about her.”
“So am I,” John murmured. “But we’ll all just have to try to adapt to the situation. Live with it, somehow. It won’t be easy, but… at least Helena has good friends she can turn to anytime. And we…” He looked at her with an almost shy smile. “We’ll get through this too, won’t we?”
With a soft chuckle, she squeezed his hand. “We will,” she said warmly.
A touch of relief lit up John’s expression as he pulled her in his embrace. Helena put her arms around him, and they held each other silently for a while.
All next day, John had a hard time concentrating on his work, talking to his crewmembers, listening to what people said to him. His thoughts kept wandering back to what happened the day before.
He was haunted by those ocean-coloured eyes which had looked at him in a way nobody had ever looked at him. Nobody. Not even Helena – his Helena.
“What the hell is wrong with you, John Koenig?” he growled at the image in his quarters’ bathroom-mirror when he looked up from washing his hands. You’ve got a gorgeous, exciting, fantastic woman by your side. A woman who returns your love and shares a lot with you. Any complaints?? He silently asked the face in the mirror, scowling at himself.
He shook his head. No, certainly no complaints. Okay, Helena had her little moods. There were those days when she preferred to be alone and seemed a little sad and secluded. Women. John sighed resignedly, rolling his eyes. Women have that kind of… mood every now and then. John had learnt it was best to leave Helena alone during those times.
But in general, she was obviously as happy with him as he was with her. They were a good working team, and they had a well functioning relationship.
And still…
Pensively, John stood in front of the mirror without perceiving anything.
Once again, the other Helena’s expression when she approached him emerged in his mind.
And once again, he felt his heart skip a beat when he remembered the yearning, desperate passion and love in the woman’s eyes just before she touched his lips with hers.
Helena… his Helena… always looked at him with affection, tenderness – and passion. There was no doubt she was always happy to have him back safely whenever he returned from a recon flight or an encounter with one of the many dangerous phenomena deep space kept confronting them with. She always feared for his life and wellbeing as he feared for hers; given their situation on the wandering moon, unable to control the course they were travelling, there was no other way than to seize the moment, live intensely and make the best of every little bit of one’s precious time.
Now, things were finally going to settle down. They had found a place to live… they had found new friends.
The sudden memory of the other Helena’s lips on his made him almost wince.
John felt a touch of confusion and anxiety growing in the pit of his stomach. There was no point in denying it to himself: He had felt something when he kissed her.
It had been different from kissing Helena – his Helena. He liked the way Helena kissed him, he couldn’t complain. But she had never kissed him the way the other Helena had kissed him. With so much… he didn’t even have a word for it.
Come on, stop comparing the two women, it’s not fair! he rebuked himself. And it wasn’t even YOU she was kissing, don’t forget that. It was that lucky bastard she was married to, who she was thinking of. – Well, not so lucky after all. He managed to let himself get killed in an Eagle crash...
He forced himself to focus back on the present. There were many things to do, decisions to make, meetings to attend…
He left his quarters, stepped out into the chilly evening and headed for the Earth Alphans’ settlement. After walking a while, he took out his commlock to contact Paul Morrow when he heard a soft female voice behind him. “Commander Koenig?”
He knew the voice very well, but it had been a long time since that voice had called him Commander Koenig… That’s because it’s a different woman speaking, you idiot. Get your wits together.
“Oh, Helena… I mean, Doctor… uh…” It seemed impossible for him to call her Dr. Koenig.
“That’s all right, please call me Helena.” Her face and slender figure were softly lit by the moonlight. She seemed very calm and collected, very different from the day before.
“Okay… Helena. I really don’t mind you calling me John, but I… uhm… I’ll understand if you prefer not to.”
Her eyes darkened for a second. “I… want to apologize for my behaviour yesterday,” she said quietly. “It was… most inappropriate what I did. I embarrassed you in front of everybody – and myself too.” An air of uneasiness surrounded her.
“No, please… don’t apologize!” John had never felt so awkward, so helpless around a woman. He ached for her, he wanted to relieve her from her distress, but felt like he was trapped in a cage. “I assure you, I didn’t feel embarrassed. And you shouldn’t feel embarrassed either.”
She was silent for a second, staring at a point in the distance. “You’re very kind to say that,” she said in a low voice. “But still…” She turned back to him, her eyes darkening again. “I can’t believe I did what I did, and then fainted on top of it, like some… weak, hysteric old woman.” Her voice revealed irritation, almost anger at herself. “I usually don’t act like that!” she said with emphasis, looking at him.
“I know. I mean – I can figure that. And… you certainly didn’t appear like a weak, hysteric old woman to me. Please believe me… Helena.” He looked into her eyes.
She closed her eyes for a second, standing motionlessly, then opened them again and met his look. “Thank you for listening to me. I… I’ll see you one of these days, I guess.”
“Well, yes. Take care. See you.”
She nodded at him, tried to smile, and was gone.
Bravo, Koenig! he thought sarcastically. You messed it up perfectly. You couldn’t say a single thing to make her feel better. He kicked up a small pebble and suddenly felt like a clumsy teenager.
For the first time since their arrival here, he almost nostalgically remembered the time back on their wandering moon, when every day had been a fight for survival. The responsibility for three hundred lives on the moonbase had weighed heavily on him. Every signal they picked up, every little vision on their screens held the danger of an upcoming crisis or an alien attack.
Those days weren’t so bad after all, he thought…
 |
 |
 |