Return to Earth

Chapter 7

He had spent weeks training with the first group until everything they did was in perfect unison with one another. There had been a few crashes under the most difficult of circumstances, but never went back to looking at the screen. The monitor told him all he needed to know to fly the ship and had become second nature to Kierst.

They were in the briefing room waiting for Petrovitch with a little space between them all. Kierst had grown used to being in tight quarters, but still preferred distance. Dune and Win were sniping at each other over something stupid, which was always the case with them, as Jada shook her head in disgust. She couldn't bring herself to say anything any more than he could, since it was better for them to focus on each other than either of them.

Petrovitch entered without bothering to look at the bickering duo sitting in the front, since he'd long since given up on them doing anything peaceful. As long as they didn't carry the sniping into the simulations, Petrovitch didn't really care. He didn't want to be on the moon anymore than anyone else, but they were all stuck with each other in the tight quarters the small base provided, and sniping was their way of handling the stress.

Petrovitch's hash voice called out loud enough to stop them in midfight. "Time for you to get your space legs. None of the simulations you've flown can prepare you for space, since it's only designed for Earth."

Jada called out without waiting for him to go any further, which surprised all of them. "About time. Who's flying first?"

Rather than snap at her for interrupting, his voice was calm. "I am." Dune and Win groaned out their displeasure as Petrovitch continued without the slightest change in his tone. "None of you have experience flying in space. It isn't like anything you've ever experienced. There's no quick response in space. You'll all get a chance to fly, just not today.

"You're gear's waiting in the bay. You're dismissed. I'll be there shortly. No one enter the Medjay until I get there. Any of you try to temp your fate, you'll be running simulations for the next month under the dullest conditions I can think of."

He turned and left the room without waiting to see if everyone heard him. Petrovitch had never just left a briefing the way he had, since there was always time for questions. Kierst thought it strange, but wasn't going to bring it up to anyone. Everyone in his group had noticed, which meant there was no need to say anything to take their minds off space.

Kierst rose from the comfortable seat to make his way to the hangar with dread inside that he managed to keep hidden. The idea of going into space terrified him, since it was worse than being on the train to the south. If the train broke down, they would still have air and a means to escape, which was quite different than being in space.

There had been enough mentioned in the briefings to ensure he just wanted to be put back to sleep until he was on Earth or back on Mars, but Lita and Petrovitch refused what he believed was a reasonable request. As deadly as Mars was, at least they had learned to live with the planet. There would be no living with space if anything went wrong.

It was a fear he hoped he would never have to face, since he kept hoping the scientists on Mars would come up with a plan that didn't involve the mass evacuation. The time for hope had been crushed, but at least he could walk to his doom with some degree of dignity. Kierst felt his feet plant firmly against the ground and felt his legs give out from under him.