The soft hum of the space station was Paruru's constant companion. It was a sound she’d grown accustomed to, a rhythmic lullaby against the endless void. Today, however, the familiar drone was interrupted by the sharp beep of her sleep cycle alarm. It was time to start the day.
Stretching her limbs, Paruru felt the gentle pull of the station's artificial gravity. It was a pale imitation of Earth's embrace, but it was enough to keep her muscles from atrophying. She slipped into her jogging suit, a simple, practical garment designed for low-gravity environments.
As she moved along the station's internal track, the panorama of space unfolded beyond the viewport. The Earth, a swirling marble of blue and white, was a comforting sight. Six months. It felt like a lifetime ago since she'd felt the solid ground beneath her feet, smelled the fresh air, or heard the laughter of friends and family.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the crackle of the intercom. A message was coming through from mission control. Curiosity piqued, Paruru adjusted her pace to listen. The voice on the other end belonged to the mission coordinator.
"Paruru, this is Mission Control. We have an urgent situation. The Europa mission is returning early. They've encountered unforeseen complications."
A jolt of adrenaline shot through Paruru. Europa, the icy moon of Jupiter, was the next frontier, a place of endless scientific possibilities. What could have gone wrong?
YOU ARE READING
Paruru Festival
Short Story"An anthology of short stories featuring Haruka Shimazaki in various roles, each with a different co-star. The collection includes both six-chapter stories and one-shot chapters, with each tale standing alone in its own unique setting and narrative...
