“Yeah, I wouldn’t eat that, either.”
I buried my laughter in Shade’s back, trying not to disturb the animal.
The orange spearback licked its paws and whiskers, looking very pleased with itself. After a quick glance around, it scuttled down the tree headfirst and disappeared into the jungle. Shade continued across the bridge once we couldn’t see the spearback anymore.
My SRP boyfriend’s clear competence here helped me fear the jungle less and enjoy it more. He really was a Space Rogue Phenom. My insides almost fluttered at the idea of what he might prove he could do next. Slay cyclodiles? Swing on vines? Start fire from sticks?
My smile so big I was probably catching gnats in my teeth, I listened to myriad unseen things call, chitter, buzz, and rattle. The shady-hot air filled my lungs with extra oxygen. Trees everywhere—giving life and air and cover to all the exotic and spectacular things here. Who’d have guessed? Tess Bailey, Space Rat, right in the middle of an untamed rain forest. The vibrant heartbeat of the jungle pulsed through me, wild and electric. I was sure that every time I closed my eyes for the rest of my life, I would hear it echo again inside me.
Shade stopped, leaning his elbows on the thick rope railing. I did the same. It was impossible to hurry past the open views from the bridge. They were too remarkable and demanded attention.
“Earth had tropical forests like this.” Because our abandoned motherland was our common history, we all studied it. Galactic schoolchildren spent an entire universal year on Earth’s geography, climate, animals, noteworthy history, and famous figures. It was how I knew what beavers were but not flervers. It made no sense that we hadn’t moved on more definitively yet, but I was glad we hadn’t. That had been my favorite school year. “It must have been amazing.”
“Earth had everything. It was the universe’s chosen planet—the start of humanity and civilization.” Shade finished crossing the bridge and stepped onto the wide platform.
I followed him toward the rope ladder that would bring us down again. “Then why do you think it hasn’t attracted all that many returners?” Hitting the solid wood of the platform threw me off-balance, and I swayed a little. I must have gained my bridge legs during the crossing.
“Because it’s a cesspit.”
I burst out laughing, startling a bird that took off abruptly from the tree next to us. “Not really. Not anymore.” Time cured everything, even radiation and plastic. “That one little planet still affects our lives after all this time, and yet hardly anyone actually wants to go back there. I mean, I don’t give a crap what time it is on any of the rocks I’ve been to recently, or even on this one, really. I care what time the clock says it is on Earth, a barely populated planet across the galaxy.”
Instead of starting down to the forest floor, Shade hopped up on the platform railing, looking pensive. “I suppose it’s because we need constants, and we can all trace ourselves back there. Earth was home to all of humanity for a lot longer than anywhere else ever has been.”
“True… But don’t you think it’s strange? How hard we hold on to things that shouldn’t have any meaning for us? My favorite books are all mostly pre-exodus, talking about places and animals and ways of life that don’t even exist anymore.” Although right here didn’t feel all that different from some of the locations I’d read about.
“Pre-exodus books are hard to find these days.”
“The Overseer’s book purge.” I sighed in disgust. “Too many thoughts out there that weren’t his own.”
“Or that didn’t serve his purpose.”
Shade swung his legs, a slowtick-tockas he answered my earlier question. “I think we hold on to the past because we haven’t changed. Sure, we have more sophisticated tech and things our ancestors could only dream of, but otherwise, what’s really different about us?”
“We’re all lorded over by an asshole?”
Shade flashed a quick smile. “As if that’s never happened before.”
“There aremoreof us being lorded over by an asshole?”
He chuckled, gently rocking on the railing.
I itched to reach out and make him stop moving up there. “You’re right. Things external to people have changed, but inside, we’re still the same as always. Hopes, fears, dreams, love, family… You could stick Jax, Fiona, or me on an exodus ship, and we’d fit right in with all those terrified, fleeing Earthlings.” We spent most of our time terrified and fleeing, anyway. “And stop leaning backward. You’re freaking me out.”
“Because I might fall?” Shade held up his hands and wiggled.
“Shade!” I lunged forward and grabbed him. “Men are such jerks!”
He laughed and jumped down. “Happy?”
“No.” I scowled, the rampaging heartbeat in my throat nearly choking me.
He gave me a quick kiss to try to mollify me. It didn’t work, and I turned my nose up at his attempt to placate.
Looking almost contrite, Shade started down the ladder. “As for the slow repopulation, I don’t know. Earth’s perfectly habitable again.” He gave me a questioning look. “Would you ever go back?”
“Backisn’t the right word because I’ve never been there, but no, not to live. Why would I?”
“I don’t know. Roots? Nostalgia?”
