104 years later
I like how it feels when ships land. The feeling of metal on soil, or cement—that feeling of freedom and excitement, like you’re going to enter a whole new world. The frenzied commotion as people bustle around, getting everything in order, readying everything for whatever adventure awaits. Landing has always been my favorite part of living on a spaceship.
And Hourglass takes the cake. She’s a pretty smooth lander compared to some ships, and believe me, I’ve been on quite a few.
“Jane Harrison,” I say aloud to the small computerized screen on my closet door—the one that will let me in to get my suit and the other various equipment I might need for this newest adventure. It recognizes my voice and the door slides open. My name is repeated back to me in a smooth, computerized, female voice and, not for the first time, I wince at the sound. I swore to myself a long time ago that once I was a legal adult, I’d change it to something more exciting. I mean Jane is pretty much the most plain and unoriginal name in the book. My parents claim it’s the combination of my great grandparents’ names—Judith and Andrew, the owners of the original Hourglass spaceship. But I mean, come on. Couldn’t have taken much effort to come up with a name as boring as mine.
I’m mentally going over fun and exciting names in my head as I climb into my suit – purely for precautionary reasons. My mom won’t let me come otherwise. As of this year, my favorite names are Evangeline and Astrid. I can imagine Mom’s reaction to either of them, and I smile. It makes the name change idea all the more pleasurable.
I meet my parents and the crew at the hull of the ship, right by the airlock and ramp. I fidget around while everyone takes a ridiculously long time checking and rechecking everything like they’ve got a compulsion or something. Apparently this planet-landing was a bit last minute and everyone’s been hyped up about it for some reason. But I don’t really care—I just want to get out there, run around, and take some pictures.
What feels like hours later, my Mom finally gives the go ahead and I’m nearly jumping with anticipation as we all file out into the open. I’m shocked at how Earth-like the planet appears and I’m itching to remove this helmet and suit, but I know Mom would flay me alive for it, so I refrain.
I see her and a few of her botanist crew go off in the direction of what I can only assume is some interesting flower or plant. Like anyone cares. Dad’s busy with the rest of the crew and I wait around a little while before shrugging and beginning to wander around.
I can hear Mom and a few others off a ways away as I venture a little further into the trees around me. I flick at a small flower growing on one of the trees, watching as it falls to the ground. I wish I could feel it with my fingers and not have to guess through this thick beast of a spacesuit. I walk a little ways more, surveying the trees and shrubbery around me. I frown, continuing to glance around. Everything’s pretty much the same as on Earth. And the same is boring. Earth is boring. I want something new and this isn’t it.
I kick at a rock beneath my foot, biting my lip and hoping that everyone will finish up with this planet within a day or so, so we can get out of here and into the next planet or star. Hopefully with something more exciting than pine trees and moss.
I hear a rustling in the trees and I turn in the direction of the sound. “Mom?” I call and don’t wait for her response before continuing. “This planet’s a little boring,” I say in the nicest way possible, knowing she’ll probably just tell me to find something to entertain myself. I don’t hear her respond so I take a step toward her. “Mom,” I say, a little irritated this time.
I take another step, but then nearly jump out of my spacesuit when I see the figure in the trees isn’t Mom at all. My mind skims through all the faces of the crewmembers, quickly coming to the conclusion that this boy, this teenager, isn’t one of them. I open my mouth, shocked, the planet suddenly becoming a whole lot more interesting. Is the planet inhabited?
I stand still and watch him a little cautiously, tilting my head to the side. He just stares at me.
“Hello.” His voice is softer than I’d have guessed it was and I’m so enamored with this fact that I don’t even reply. His eyes dart to the side where we can both see the ship almost twenty feet away through the trees. “Hourglass,” he reads from the side of the ship. The corner of his mouth twitches. “It’s nice to meet you, Jane.”
I blink.