Free Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams by Sean Williams Page A

remembered my prophecy that morning:
     
    Someone, or something, will die today ...
     
    I wondered if that thing might have been hope.
     
    “We might as well get some sleep,” Letting me go, he stared out to sea one last time. The aurora briefly flickered in his eyes, then died.
     
    “I’ll stay up for a while,” I said, watching with despair as the impenetrable blackness of the stairwell swallowed him.
     
    Is it really worth it? I wondered. Is life so precious that we should scrabble for it every day, breaking our fingernails in the dirt and our hearts with sheer futility? Is it worth fighting death with an inhuman, soul-destroying effort just to survive one more day, and another, and another ...
     
    Now, given the opportunity, I would say to my younger self: Yes. Yes, it was worth it—for those who survived long enough.
     
    But, that night, I lay back onto the cooling, age-scarred concrete and contemplated the sky with an aching emptiness where my heart had once been.
     
    The Strange Stars drifted slowly southward, and I noted distantly that the three had become four: a new star had joined the others and, as I watched, it moved across the sky on a path of its own.
     
    Back and forth, it moved.
     
    Back and forth, as though searching.
     
    <>
     
    ~ * ~
     
     
     
     
    THE SOAP BUBBLE
     
     
     
     
    It was a moment of pure, A-grade drama, better than anything I could have scripted. So good, in fact, I had no choice but to include it in that month’s episode.
     
    ~ * ~
     
    SCENE:
     
    Control Bridge of the Navy Class Manned Deep Survey Ship Rosenberg (unofficially rechristened the Wandering Jew)
     
    CAST:
     
    GABLE ‘GABE’ MCKENZIE, Captain
    SARA MRAVINSKY, Second in Command
    MYRION HEMMELLING, Life Support
    JAKE FOO-WONG, Astrogation
    ANDRE PASSANT, Security
    STEVE JEFFERSSEN, Engineering and Maintenance
    FREEDOM MAXWELL, Science
    ALEK MAAS, Communications, Morale and Honorary Soap Operator (me)
     
    EXTRAS:                                                                                                                       
     
    Engineers, technicians, research personnel, the medical team, three cooks, sundry crew-members; one hundred and thirty-five in all.
     
    NOTES:                                                                                                                         
     
    Filmed live and on location near Mu Boötis, 108 light years from Earth.
     
    ~ * ~
     
    The Wandering Jew had finished its initial survey of the system when the Event took place. Captain Gabe, looking darkly handsome in his official flight-uniform, had successfully slotted us into a close polar orbit about the primary star, a greenish FO of unremarkable appearance. Freedom Maxwell, as beautiful as ever with her blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail, was preparing for the first flyby of the inner planet. Jake Foo-Wong cheerfully checked coordinates every couple of minutes, conferring with the computers in unhurried, precise syllables. Steve Jefferssen watched the tell-tales monitoring the mighty engines with an avuncular eye; he seemed pleased, in his bear-like way, which was a good sign.
     
    ‘OK, folks.’ Captain Gabe surrendered control of the Jew to Jake and the AIs with a flourish of his wrist. ‘This baby is rolling. Any questions, comments or suggestions?’
     
    ‘Nice work, Gabe,’ said Freedom, playing her part as Love Interest with aplomb, as always. Maybe a little too well. Was nature imitating art? ‘We’re ahead of schedule, again.’
     
    ‘Well, it all adds up, doesn’t it?’ Gabe smiled back, obviously flattered by the compliment. ‘Sixteen systems down the list, with thirty-four still to go. If we can save a day or two each time, that means we’ll get home ahead of schedule.’
     
    Sara Mravinsky and Andre Passant watched from the sidelines,