Needless to say, I’m pretty dang partial to my life.
I pull the stylus from behind my ear, reach over to the communications console, and activate the large fore-center vid screen by tapping the button with the end of the stylus. I was trained to use a stylus when punching in data and graphing potentialities on the AI screens. Some navs like to use their fingers, but my speed and accuracy are better with a stylus.
Why screw with what works?
As of right now, we’re on the dayside of Pfahrn. I stare at the image that fills the vid screen. Pfahrn is a gorgeous little rock ball. Has a couple of oceans, and widely temperate regions. I stand there staring at it, fascinated.
Most of what I get to see in my travels are moons, massive asteroids, and space stations. Usually, I see the moons and asteroids through a vid screen or small view port. Because likehellam I spacewalking without a fricking good reason, such as the ship is disintegrating around me, and it’s a damn sight safer outside in the cold, vast infinity of space.
The space stations I normally visit are usuallymeh. Most of them are commerce hubs, or industrial, mining, or military ports, not fun vacation spots. Although I do get to visit planets a few times a year.
I was raised on a space station, so planets fascinate me. Not enough to permanently settle on one yet, but I’m keeping my options open. Every planet I visit, I keep certain criteria in mind. Some are fun for a visit, but not to live there permanently.
There are a couple I’d like to visit more than a few times, though. Because they’re on my short-list of potential retirement locales.
When I finally settle down, I want it to be someplace where I can enjoy my time outside. Walking around in nature would be nice. Meaning no polluted, toxic shitholes, or places where everything outside, including the flora, wants to eat my ass in the not-fun kind of way.
Preferably a place where I can settle downwithsomeone, where the plants won’t be toxic to them, either.
I mean, because that wouldsuck, to meet the love of my life and lose them because of an allergic reaction to the grass or something. But I’ve been on my own since I was thirteen, so it isn’t like I don’t know how to get along with nothing but my own company.
I slide into the captain’s chair again and stare at the vid screen while walking the stylus through my fingers. It’s an unconscious soothing action I’ve been doing since I was a kid.
At one time, I’d seriously considered working my way back toward Earth and maybe settling there, but I prefer to have the finer conveniences mixed in with my nature-wandering. Doesn’t help that the few native Earthers I’ve met are stuck-up snobs who think people are stupid for not wanting to live primitively, the way our ancestors lived.
Bitch,please. If I wanted to do that, I’d have joined the farking military and got my ass sent all over the damn universe while getting shot at. I want my eventual retirement to beeasyandfun.
I’d also like to maybe not be alone when I finally do it.
Chapter Two
Olarte
I do not watch through the viewport as the shuttle departs the planetside transport depot on Pfahrn to begin our flight to the orbiting space station. This is far from my first journey.
Working on the Maxim Colonies regional space station for the past ten years has made me realize two things—that I wish to live full-time on a planet once my financial situation eventually allows for it, and that there are perhaps better financial opportunities available to me elsewhere in the known universe.
Unfortunately, for now, my life is tied to the planet Pfahrn. I cannot afford to leave, because I contribute to my family’s household expenses. Also, I have not yet sufficiently managed to emotionally distance myself from my parents, or from my three younger siblings, to allow me to leave.
Thus, here I remain.
I was not fortunate enough to be born into a wealthy family, much less earn a birthright for my existence despite being the eldest offspring. I do feel blessed that I am loved and thought of fondly by my siblings, and by our parents. Both of our parents live with us. Phey formed pheir contractual union around an emotional bond, not simply out of necessity, or as a reproduction contract.
While familial love is important, and family is a blessing, I do not wish to spend the rest of my life living with all of phem. Even though I am gainfully employed, my current job is not exactly a career that will lead me to riches or improve my status if I remain on Pfahrn. If I leave, I could possibly seek other employment and earn more money elsewhere, due to my experience and training.
It also means that it would decrease my own chances of finding a permanent mate and having offspring. Which are things I would like to do.
But I do not wish to mate simply as a contract to produce a child. We were fortunate enough that our family is friends with another family with four offspring. When we all reached maturity, our family and pheirs arranged contracts for us each to temporarily bond with one of phem to see us both through that period. We are all on amicable terms, yet none of us extended or renegotiated our contracts past the initial periods.
Even though I greatly appreciate that contractual arrangement between our families, it is not how I wish to spend the rest of my life. Outside of that period of time, I have not yet met a suitable partner who appeals to my emotions.
I would not even be averse to a non-Pfahrn partner, should an intriguing one cross my path. Except I also realize that would mean an end to one of my own dreams, of bearing offspring.
Unfortunately, unless I improve my lot in life, bearing offspring will not be practical. It is not like I have a large estate to protect and preserve, with a birthright to hand down.
When working at the space station, I spend several weeks at a time living in my assigned quarters there. Which, while the apartment is small, it is not uncomfortable. But when I take my leaves, I travel to my family home on Pfahrn, because that is my true home. My job allows me practically unlimited shuttle tickets to and from the surface.
Working for Maxim Colonies is not unsatisfying. I could always volunteer to take advantage of more lucrative job postings elsewhere, but as I said, I have not yet worked up the initiative to explore those options. My family would not be opposed to me doing so, either. Except I realize once I leave Pfahrn, I am unlikely to return. At least, not within a short time period.
