SciFi Short Stories

Colliding Moons (SciFi-Rom)

I was just so tired of saying no all the time. He never gave up. He was always pushing on me from every direction. He never gave me a break. He never let me relax. I was always on edge around him and finally, with everything else going on, something had to give.

I had always been determined to hold out forever. I knew it was a game for him. I knew he wasn't serious. I knew he just wanted to win. Well, it looked like he had because I was just a breath away from finally saying 'yes'.

Life here on RR641X was coming to a close. The moons were set to collide and knock the planet off its axis, which would plunge half of the hospitable planet into darkness and a perpetual deep freeze. Our lives here on "The Rock", as it was affectionately called by everyone who lived here, were over. The settlements were not designed to withstand a continuous deep-freeze.

Everyone was told to evacuate. We were given the order months ago. And Mine Tech, who had built the colony here and had settled us all here, was going to re-settle us on other developed planets if we wanted to go. The question was, did I want to go with Mine Tech or was I going to throw my lot in with him, Cast?

Cast had been hounding me to join him and his demolition crew since the moment I first arrived on this planet 7 years ago. Actually, he'd been hounding me for a lot more than just a place on his ship since the first day I came to "The Rock".

That first day, as I disembarked from the Mine Tech ship, I lost my footing on a greasy foot railing and literally fell into his waiting arms. He caught me and swung me around like I was some prize he'd won. Me falling into his arms was purely accidental but he grinned devilishly at me that day and called it kismet. That was just before he embarrassed me in front of a docking station full of strangers by kissing me hard and fast on the lips in front of his crew and everyone disembarking from the ship I'd just arrived on.

His crew let out some 'whoops' and the newcomers all laughed good-naturedly. I was the only one who was so mortified by the whole encounter that I avoided Cast and his crew at all cost for the entirety of my first year on the planet.

Seven years later and Cast was still chasing after me. Even now, on the day of departure, he was standing at the door to my cell - just a 12x12 foot space I called home - waiting for me to give him an answer. I wish I knew if he was serious? I wish I knew if this wasn't all just a long-running joke to him and his crew. I couldn't stand to find out it was. I'd be crushed and humiliated too.

Cast was a large man and took up the entire doorway of my little cell. In fact, he had to bend down and turn a little to the right or to left if he wanted in. But, today, he just stood in the open doorway, leaning on the door frame and looking in at my few packed belongings.

I could either head to the Mine Tech loading dock or I could drag my gear and belongings over to Cast's ZzTX-23 Demolition Bus, which was a space-worthy vessel of enormous proportions given the line of work that monster of a ship was in.

Honestly, part of me couldn't believe that Cast was still waiting for me - waiting for me to make up my mind. Waiting for me to say yes. I couldn't believe it had come down to this - him or a new life on some strange planet that might end up in the same boat as this one in 7 years.