Liquid nitrogen
steam swirled around the 120 metre high booster stage of the titan class
rocket. The cockpit speakers crackled into life.
“Launch minus ten
minutes. Oxygen feed and cables disconnected. Routing to internal power. Mother
One. You have control.”
“Thank you Houston
Rose looked up at the soaring structure as she and the
other guests waited for the happy couple to emerge from the cathedral door.
Cold stone spires stabbing into the blue sky as if to wound heaven.
‘A fitting tomb for my heart,’ she thought, looking at the
sky-scraping sarcophagus in front of her.
The service had been beautiful and breathtaking. He had stood
next to his bride in his white starched commander’s uniform, looking alarmingly
like the larger than life-size commemorative statue of the happy couple that
was perched on a plinth behind the priest.
The cold stone statue had been commissioned by the Federation
Space Corps as a combined wedding and farewell present; a fitting tribute to
the brave couple who were going on the most daring space rescue mission ever
attempted.
‘Nothing says goodbye like a block of concrete,’ Rose thought
acidly, ‘and in case he doesn’t make it back, they can just chisel R.I.P. on
the base above his name. Commander Altheus Darck.’
She had never felt
so low in all her life. A shiver ran down her spine as a fleeting premonition
darkened her already depressed thoughts. Something bad was going to happen. She
just couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was attending a funeral and not a
wedding. Her already jarred nerves were set a-jangling anew as the church bells
clanged out in a chaotic cacophony that shattered the peaceful country air and
expelled a black flurry of crows who darkly circled the ancient towers, cawing
out their omen of death. Then the doors opened and the happy couple tripped
lightly down the stairs, floating in a cloud of confetti, love and laughter.
The heaviness of her dampened spirit in response to this happy scene made her
feel like the wicked witch at a fairy tale wedding. Each thud of her heart fell
like a tombstone to the earth. Her son was leaving her for another woman. She
turned to them and tried to smile, but her face failed her. Her son had been
her whole life. More so after her husband had died so many years ago. He was
buried beneath the floor of that very same cathedral, under a slab of black
marble. The bride had in fact walked over his dead body to get to the altar.
Her gaze turned towards the gravestones among the grass. How
she longed for that peaceful repose. Her son was gone. Her life was over. It
was just a pity that she continued to breathe.
It was a picture-perfect day for the reception party: feathery
cumulous nimbus painting the blue sky here and there in soft watery colours, the
yellow sunshine bathing the summery landscape in a golden glory of green grass
lawns with bright yellow dandelions. Sparkling fountains played soft fluted
melodies, sprinkled with happy laughter and the noises of children playing. There
were blossoms and bowers and showers of white chiffon, and laces over smiling
pretty faces amongst the young green leaves and laurels of a gorgeous spring
day. The bride was blushing and beautiful, the bridesmaids bustlingly tripped
over each other in their efforts to make everything perfect for the picture.
April Darck, nee Sweeting, bursting with budding
enthusiasm and breathlessness, stood pertly to attention as if her healthy
tanned satiny smooth skin could barely contain her excitement. Beneath her long
bridal veil, her red and white Space
Academy
But she only had eyes for her husband. She loved him in no
conscious way. She couldn’t even give you a reason why she liked him. She just
knew he was her better-half as if it had been written in the stars. Like a
command from God she obeyed her love blindly and willingly, as if this union
was as natural as her next breath. She was complete. Her smile was devastating,
and many, many hearts melted that day, unnoticed and unknown by her in her
everythingness. She never even suspected that temperatures rose around her because
she ignited admiration and desire everywhere she walked. Not only was she
exhilarated to near hysteria by the thought that this was her wedding day, but
she was also overawed with honour and pride at the two of them being specially
chosen to serve mankind. She sighed to herself in happiness and looked around
at the crowd gathered under the magnificent silky white marquee.
Her husband, in contrast, was a quiet, self-contained man,
standing there in his white Commodore’s suit, he looked every inch the silent chiselled
hero of popular fiction. Square jaw and firm, clear, but kindly eyes: the
epitome of patience and calm confidence. Who else was more qualified to lead
this expedition? Rose wished it was someone else, but would never say so. She
would never do anything to spoil her son’s happiness, although it seemed to
increase as hers decreased. Is this what life was all about? She couldn’t understand
it. It didn’t seem right that she should be discarded like an empty bottle once
her job was over. She had given everything, and now she had nothing. Well, at least
she could postpone the final dreadful moment of parting. She was to travel with
them as far as the launch way-station overlooking the wormhole. And although
her constitution was getting too fragile for such a rigorous journey she would
endure anything for a few precious extra months with her beloved son.
N
TUNE IN TO NEXT WEEKS EXCITING EPISODE
