In the cold pre-dawn desert air, Josie and I sat on the hood of her car and watched the lights in the sky pass overhead. They came from Sol Colony 1, the collective group of space stations that circled the earth. They passed overhead every night, but you could only see them for half the year before their orbit took them up to the northern hemisphere.
Josie sighed.
"What do you think it's like up there?"
I stared at the biggest light - Sol Icarus, the main station - as it faded into view.
"Everyone always says it's like paradise up there. They say that every person has their own ServiDroid and all anyone has to do is have fun because all the work is done by ORION."
Josie sat quietly, so I continued.
"They don't have it that great up there. I mean, my Mum goes back and forth all the time. She says it's a lot the same as down here, except it's a little cleaner. I think people are just always looking for the greener grass."
I took a sip from my McDairyKing cup.
"Tickets are fifteen grand, you know," I said, looking at her side on. "Cheaper than a car and way cheaper than a house. You do have to work when you're up there, but you don't have to pay for housing or food."
She smiled and shook her head. "Na, I'm good. I'd miss the drama. And my favourite secret agent," she said and kissed me on the cheek.
"Oh my god, I'm not a secret agent! Mum's just head of security. I couldn't do what she does anyway, she's tough as tungsten."
"That's what a secret agent would say," she grinned and I punched her in the arm. She laughed, rubbing it dramatically, and I pulled her back in toward me.
We sat in silence, holding each other, and watched the sunrise and the tiny dots that housed eight hundred million people circle each other, circling the earth.
And then we watched them crash.
I wasn't sure what was happening until Josie whispered "Oh no..."
Ironimus, one of the smaller stations, was the first to veer from its trajectory, colliding with Terpsichore, it's mother base and both fell out of orbit. Other stations followed, some colliding with others, some flying off into the depths of space, and some missing and simply falling. We watched as the stations fell to Earth beyond the horizon, and of the original thirty eight stations, twenty two remained.
We held each other, staring at the sky until Josie shook my arm.
"Your phone," she said, looking at my pocket.
It was ringing, but I was too shaken by what had just happened to notice. I took it out to look at the caller's number, but it was blank. I answered, "Hello?"
"Elena Wright?" the voice rumbled on the other end.
"Y-yes?"
"Elena, my name is Noah Williams, I was a colleague of your mother."
"I know, she mentioned you."
"Do you know why I'm calling?"
"I can guess..." I whispered. Debris was still falling, igniting in the atmosphere and my eyes were stuck on the sight.
"Elena, are you at home?" he asked
"No."
"Can you tell me where you are? I need to send someone to pick you up. I have sensitive information you need to know that I can't tell you over the phone."
