Challenges: SciFi Short Stories

Olympus

Inside the space station, tension fills up the atmosphere, eyes riveted outside, bated breath until a blissful musical score break through, guiding a figure trusting into the darkness of space. Shined back on all screens, her majestic glittering dress trails a silky path with motions galvanized of masterfully grace, dancing among the stars, propelled by tiny air thrusters concealed at her extremities. In awe of such a spectacle, the audience remains silent, capturing every moment, engraving every gesture in their memory. Firework without a bang, spell of the twilight waves, the music harmoniously completes the emotions until the end, until the figure stops. Grateful posture, bows to the stars as her heavily breath expels tears of joy. Visible at every corner of the galaxy, golden comets strips the darkness, until the station itself dazzle in gold.

Hulking figures climb stairs, under an ever growing artificial gravity, from a solemn pace on two to ascending on all fours, with only one desire, to stand tall at the top.

Swifting figures piloting mechas, slaloming between asteroid like thunderous silver bullet, aiming targets with pinpoint accuracy, display the epitome of teamwork.

Tears of joy, tears of sadness, pounding hearts, dreamy-eyed children hurry all days from one trial to the next, until curtain fall, a last buffet, for one last night where everyone from every side of the galaxy is rejoicing, creating a new anthem to score the moment.

Then the station is slowly evacuated, pollinating the space with an incommensurable fleet of ships that will entry planets, or dock to the nearest colonies, to tell the tales of a new apex. As the cold embraces the station, void of all life but the droids that keep it clean, only one thing breach the night: the eternal flame, still shining at its summit, the beacon of hopes for renewal. It will wait for another decade until athletes board again to prove their worth.

And thus, the Olympus space station continues to sail the sea of stars, pushing back the darkness, keeping the memory of its champions safe, en route to the next destination.