{"data":{"id":18679,"title":"Homesick","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/18679-Homesick","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/18679","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/18679","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"News Update","images":[{"id":26463,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/weozjmuuh3hwh\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":843046,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2019-09-19T15:49:32+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463\/similar"},{"id":27892,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/w3o9r4zgppm77\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":900916,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-09-06T14:48:40+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892\/similar"}],"images_count":8,"translations":{"en_EN":"This short story originally appeared in Jump Point 9.05.\nJune 2544, Terra system. Three years into the First Tevarin War.\n\n\u201cImpressive, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat the biggest one we got?\u201d I asked with eyes glued to a massive ship sporting the largest gun I\u2019d ever seen.\n\n\u201cNot even close. Our biggest ships don\u2019t fly in atmo, so we keep \u2018em docked at space stations all across Terra.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much bigger are they?\u201d\n\n\u201cLike floating cities. Every recruit that leaves with us today goes straight to one waiting just out of atmo. That means there\u2019s one watching over you right now, protecting you from the Tevs. You interested in flying?\u201d\n\nI glanced at the young Navy starman. A massive Invictus recruitment banner hung over her head. Terra\u2019s afternoon sun glinted off a button on her freshly pressed uniform. I looked away and shrugged, \u201cOnly ever done it once.\u201d\n\nI nervously shifted a bag of groceries from one hand to the other, thinking about being hurried aboard that first ship during the Tevarin orbital bombardments of Idris IV. I\u2019d always hoped to one day leave Idris but never expected it to be like that. Crammed into a suffocatingly crowded cargo hold next to mom as she cried hysterically over Florin\u2019s decision to stay and fight. Nothing had been the same since.\n\nAt the refugee camp, mom barely ate and spoke less. She spent most of her time staring vacantly at the horizon or sleeping. A doctor put her on meds that helped, but things got bad again after we moved into long term housing in New Austin. Mom started having unpredictable mood swings that vacillated between angry, sad, and completely zoned out on meds. Making matters worse, she became extra vigilant about my whereabouts, worried we would be separated if the Tevarins ever launched another surprise attack. I reassured her we were far from the front lines, but that didn\u2019t really help much as we constantly argued over the smallest things. I religiously watched the news for any positive update about the war on Idris, hoping that something, anything, would break her out of her mood.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said the starman, regaining my attention, \u201csounds like the perfect opportunity to step aboard your second ship. I\u2019m leading a tour of the beauty you\u2019ve been admiring in a few minutes if you\u2019re interested.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve got my groceries.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry about that,\u201d the starman said while glancing at the bag\u2019s meager contents. \u201cSure we can keep it safe for you while you\u2019re onboard. How about I save you a spot, just in case?\u201d\n\nI glanced at the ship again, wondering what it must look like inside, and then nodded.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d\n\n\u201cAtsuko Tillery.\u201d\n\n\u201cNice to meet you Atsuko. I\u2019m Starman Marinos,\u201d she beamed a smile. \u201cJust one spot? There a friend or a parent that might want to join you?\u201d\n\nI lowered my eyes and shook my head. Mom didn\u2019t even know where I was right now. Not after I stormed out after our latest fight. It began when I literally dragged her out of bed for the one piece of news that should have cheered her up. Florin was alive. He could be clearly seen in a news vid about freedom fighters on Idris IV. He was part of a group calling themselves the Greys, homegrown rebels who hid in the Corsti mountains outside of Tanys. In the vid, Rachel Locke, their leader, implored people to do anything and everything possible to save their own system from suffering Idris\u2019 fate. Florin stood among the soldiers stationed behind Locke. His face aged a decade and visibly scarred, but proudly letting us know that he was still alive.\n\nI pointed to the image of him frozen on the vidscreen, \u201cMom, look\u2026.\u201d\n\nMom looked at Florin and then walked back to her room, \u201cNot like we\u2019ll ever see him again. I told him staying there would only get him killed.\u201d\n\nHer response crushed me and I asked why she didn\u2019t see this as good news? That\u2019s when the screaming started. After several minutes of mom ranting about how it was selfish of Florin to abandon us to play hero, I couldn\u2019t take it anymore. What Florin was doing was brave, but nothing I said would change her mind, so why try anymore?\n\nI raced out of our apartment complex and wandered the streets. It felt freeing to do what I wanted for once without worrying if it might anger her. Walking without a destination cleared my head, but deep down I knew the only place I had to go was the one place I couldn\u2019t stand anymore, home. I wandered into a store to grab a few essentials then decided to take the long route back. Along the way, I saw a stream of people following massive Invictus banners announcing a shipyard full of the Navy\u2019s latest ships. Curious, I followed. I\u2019d seen news vids of Navy ships, but never one up close.\n\n\u201cAnd how old are you?\u201d Starman Marinos asked, bringing me back to the present.\n\n\u201cSorry, what?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow old are you, Atsuko? Technically no one under 17 can take the tour alone.\u201d\n\n\u201c19.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood, good,\u201d Starman Marinos tapped on her tablet. \u201cAnd you\u2019re from here, right?\u201d\n\n\u201cIdris, actually.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d the starman stiffened and lowered the tablet to look at me. \u201cWere you evacuated here with your family?\u201d\n\nI just glanced at my feet. Not sure how to explain that the mother I knew and loved never really left Idris. \u201cMy brother stayed behind to fight. He\u2019s with the Greys.\u201d\n\n\u201cReally? That\u2019s incredibly brave of him. You must be proud.\u201d\n\n\u201cWish I would\u2019ve stayed with him. Would\u2019ve done more good than what I\u2019m doing here.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe all have our part to play.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 I wish I could do more.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, that\u2019s what Invictus is all about. We\u2019re here today not only to show off the Navy\u2019s most incredible ships and tech but to help people figure out how they can best support the war effort.\u201d Starman Marinos hit more buttons on her tablet. \u201cHave you given any thought to how you\u2019d like to help?\u201d\n\n\u201cI mean, a little. Don\u2019t really know what I could do though.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I can help you figure that out. We have a handful of simulators set up to test your skillset.\u201d\n\n\u201cReally?\u201d I remembered Florin had used a mining simulator at a job fair once and spent days talking about how real it felt. \u201cAlways wanted to try one of those.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me just reserve one for you,\u201d Starman Marinos hit a few more buttons and then smiled. \u201cCome on. I\u2019ll let you jump to the front of the line so you get a good view of everything and can ask me any questions you want.\u201d\n\n\u201cOkay,\u201d I said while following her past a long line of people waiting for the tour to begin.\n\n\u201cI think you\u2019re gonna really like the tour. You\u2019ll get to see exactly what it\u2019s like to spend your day as a Navy starman.\u201d\n\nI nodded, imagining how proud my brother would feel knowing that I had joined the fight against the Tevs. He understood the importance of doing everything possible to help save Humanity, even if it meant leaving those you loved. Then I thought of mom sitting at home alone, probably furious that I wasn\u2019t back already. Hopefully she made some lunch, though I doubt she cooked anything for herself. At least there were a few meal bars in the cupboard.\n\n\u201cYou okay on time?\u201d Starman Marinos asked, noticing my slowing pace.\n\n\u201cYeah, fine.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood, because I think once you see what a Navy ship looks like inside, you\u2019ll never want to leave.\u201d\n\nAt the front of the line, Starman Marinos reached for the bag of groceries but something caused me to instinctively pull it back.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s ok, I\u2019ll have Starman Haas personally watch over them,\u201d she said while waving Starman Haas towards us.\n\n\u201cActually, I should go.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou sure? I thought you wanted to see the ship.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do\u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cThen let\u2019s go. The only thing stopping you is yourself.\u201d\n\n\u201cI wish that was true.\u201d With that, I turned and started to walk away. Faced with the reality of signing up for the military, I\u2019d realized something surprising.\n\n\u201cAtsuko,\u201d Starman Marinos called after me, \u201cI thought you wanted to help save Humanity?\u201d\n\nI did, but first I had to try and help save mom.\n\nThe End","de_DE":"Diese Kurzgeschichte erschien urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 9.05.\nJuni 2544, Terra-System. Drei Jahre nach dem Ersten Tevarin-Krieg.\n\n\"Beeindruckend, nicht wahr?\"\n\n\"Ist das das gr\u00f6\u00dfte, das wir haben?\" fragte ich und starrte auf ein riesiges Schiff mit der gr\u00f6\u00dften Kanone, die ich je gesehen hatte.\n\n\"Nicht einmal ann\u00e4hernd. Unsere gr\u00f6\u00dften Schiffe fliegen nicht in der Luft, also haben wir sie an Raumstationen auf ganz Terra angedockt.\"\n\n\"Wie viel gr\u00f6\u00dfer sind sie denn?\"\n\n\"Wie schwimmende St\u00e4dte. Jeder Rekrut, der uns heute verl\u00e4sst, geht direkt zu einer Station, die au\u00dferhalb der Atmosph\u00e4re wartet. Das bedeutet, dass eine von ihnen gerade jetzt \u00fcber Sie wacht und Sie vor den Tevs besch\u00fctzt. Haben Sie Interesse am Fliegen?\"\n\nIch warf einen Blick auf den jungen Navy-Starmann. \u00dcber ihrem Kopf hing ein riesiges Invictus-Rekrutierungsbanner. Die Nachmittagssonne von Terra glitzerte auf einem Knopf ihrer frisch geb\u00fcgelten Uniform. Ich wandte den Blick ab und zuckte mit den Schultern: \"Ich habe es nur einmal gemacht.\"\n\nIch schob nerv\u00f6s eine T\u00fcte mit Lebensmitteln von einer Hand in die andere und dachte daran, wie ich w\u00e4hrend der tevarinischen Orbitalbombardements von Idris IV an Bord dieses ersten Schiffes geeilt war. Ich hatte immer gehofft, Idris eines Tages verlassen zu k\u00f6nnen, aber ich h\u00e4tte nie erwartet, dass es so sein w\u00fcrde. Eingepfercht in einem v\u00f6llig \u00fcberf\u00fcllten Frachtraum neben meiner Mutter, die hysterisch \u00fcber Florins Entscheidung weinte, zu bleiben und zu k\u00e4mpfen. Seitdem war nichts mehr so, wie es einmal war.\n\nIm Fl\u00fcchtlingslager a\u00df Mutter kaum noch und sprach noch weniger. Sie verbrachte die meiste Zeit damit, ausdruckslos auf den Horizont zu starren oder zu schlafen. Ein Arzt verabreichte ihr Medikamente, die ihr halfen, aber nachdem wir in eine Langzeitunterkunft in New Austin gezogen waren, wurde es wieder schlimm. Meine Mutter begann, unberechenbare Stimmungsschwankungen zu haben, die zwischen w\u00fctend, traurig und v\u00f6llig weggetreten schwankten. Erschwerend kam hinzu, dass sie besonders wachsam wurde, was meinen Aufenthaltsort anging, da sie bef\u00fcrchtete, wir k\u00f6nnten getrennt werden, falls die Tevarins einen weiteren \u00dcberraschungsangriff starten w\u00fcrden. Ich versicherte ihr, dass wir weit von der Front entfernt waren, aber das half nicht viel, da wir uns st\u00e4ndig \u00fcber die kleinsten Dinge stritten. Ich hielt in den Nachrichten Ausschau nach positiven Nachrichten \u00fcber den Krieg auf Idris und hoffte, dass irgendetwas, irgendetwas, sie aus ihrer Stimmung rei\u00dfen w\u00fcrde.\n\n\"Nun\", sagte der Starman, als er meine Aufmerksamkeit wiedererlangte, \"das klingt nach der perfekten Gelegenheit, an Bord Ihres zweiten Schiffes zu gehen. Ich f\u00fchre in ein paar Minuten eine Tour durch die Sch\u00f6nheit, die Sie bewundert haben, falls Sie interessiert sind.\"\n\n\"Ich habe meine Eink\u00e4ufe dabei.\"\n\n\"Machen Sie sich dar\u00fcber keine Sorgen\", sagte der Starman und warf einen Blick auf den sp\u00e4rlichen Inhalt der Tasche. \"Wir k\u00f6nnen sie sicher f\u00fcr Sie aufbewahren, solange Sie an Bord sind. Wie w\u00e4re es, wenn ich Ihnen einen Platz freihalte, nur f\u00fcr den Fall?\"\n\nIch warf noch einmal einen Blick auf das Schiff und fragte mich, wie es wohl im Inneren aussehen w\u00fcrde, und nickte dann.\n\n\"Wie ist Ihr Name?\"\n\n\"Atsuko Tillery.\"\n\n\"Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen, Atsuko. Ich bin Starman Marinos\", sagte sie l\u00e4chelnd. \"Nur ein Platz? Gibt es einen Freund oder ein Elternteil, der sich Ihnen anschlie\u00dfen m\u00f6chte?\"\n\nIch senkte den Blick und sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf. Meine Mutter wusste nicht einmal, wo ich im Moment war. Nicht, nachdem ich nach unserem letzten Streit hinausgest\u00fcrmt war. Es begann damit, dass ich sie buchst\u00e4blich aus dem Bett zerrte, um ihr die Nachricht zu \u00fcberbringen, die sie eigentlich h\u00e4tte aufmuntern sollen. Florin war am Leben. Er war deutlich in einem Nachrichtenvideo \u00fcber Freiheitsk\u00e4mpfer auf Idris IV zu sehen. Er geh\u00f6rte zu einer Gruppe, die sich die Grauen nannte, einheimische Rebellen, die sich in den Corsti-Bergen au\u00dferhalb von Tanys versteckten. In dem Video beschwor Rachel Locke, ihre Anf\u00fchrerin, die Menschen, alles zu tun, um ihr eigenes System vor dem Schicksal von Idris zu bewahren. Florin stand inmitten der Soldaten, die hinter Locke stationiert waren. Sein Gesicht war um ein Jahrzehnt gealtert und sichtlich vernarbt, aber er verriet uns stolz, dass er noch am Leben war.\n\nIch zeigte auf das eingefrorene Bild von ihm auf dem Bildschirm: \"Mama, schau....\"\n\nMom sah Florin an und ging dann zur\u00fcck in ihr Zimmer: \"Wir werden ihn wohl nie wieder sehen. Ich habe ihm gesagt, dass es ihn nur umbringen w\u00fcrde, wenn er dort bleibt.\"\n\nIhre Antwort machte mich sprachlos und ich fragte sie, warum sie das nicht als gute Nachricht ansah? Daraufhin begann das Geschrei. Nachdem meine Mutter minutenlang dar\u00fcber geschimpft hatte, wie egoistisch Florin sei, uns im Stich zu lassen und den Helden zu spielen, konnte ich es nicht mehr ertragen. Was Florin tat, war mutig, aber nichts, was ich sagte, w\u00fcrde sie umstimmen, also warum es weiter versuchen?\n\nIch rannte aus unserem Wohnkomplex und lief durch die Stra\u00dfen. Es war ein befreiendes Gef\u00fchl, einmal zu tun, was ich wollte, ohne mir Gedanken dar\u00fcber zu machen, ob es sie ver\u00e4rgern k\u00f6nnte. Das Laufen ohne Ziel machte meinen Kopf frei, aber tief in mir wusste ich, dass der einzige Ort, an den ich musste, der war, an dem ich es nicht mehr aushielt: mein Zuhause. Ich ging in einen Laden, um ein paar Dinge zu besorgen, und beschloss dann, den langen R\u00fcckweg anzutreten. Auf dem Weg dorthin sah ich einen Strom von Menschen, die riesigen Invictus-Bannern folgten, auf denen eine Werft mit den neuesten Schiffen der Navy angek\u00fcndigt wurde. Neugierig folgte ich ihnen. Ich hatte in den Nachrichten Videos von Navy-Schiffen gesehen, aber noch nie eines aus der N\u00e4he.\n\n\"Und wie alt sind Sie?\" fragte Starman Marinos und holte mich in die Gegenwart zur\u00fcck.\n\n\"Entschuldigung, was?\"\n\n\"Wie alt sind Sie, Atsuko? Technisch gesehen darf niemand unter 17 Jahren die Tour alleine machen.\"\n\n\"19.\"\n\n\"Gut, gut\", tippt Starman Marinos auf ihr Tablet. \"Und Sie sind von hier, richtig?\"\n\n\"Idris, um genau zu sein.\"\n\n\"Es tut mir leid\", der Starman versteifte sich und senkte das Tablet, um mich anzusehen. \"Wurden Sie mit Ihrer Familie hierher evakuiert?\"\n\nIch blickte nur auf meine F\u00fc\u00dfe. Ich wusste nicht, wie ich erkl\u00e4ren sollte, dass die Mutter, die ich kannte und liebte, Idris nie wirklich verlassen hatte. \"Mein Bruder blieb zur\u00fcck, um zu k\u00e4mpfen. Er ist bei den Grauen.\"\n\n\"Wirklich? Das ist unglaublich mutig von ihm. Sie m\u00fcssen stolz sein.\"\n\n\"Ich w\u00fcnschte, ich w\u00e4re bei ihm geblieben. Das h\u00e4tte mehr gebracht als das, was ich hier tue.\"\n\n\"Wir alle haben unsere Rolle zu spielen.\"\n\n\"Es ist nur... ich w\u00fcnschte, ich k\u00f6nnte mehr tun.\"\n\n\"Nun, genau darum geht es bei Invictus. Wir sind heute nicht nur hier, um die unglaublichsten Schiffe und Technologien der Marine zu zeigen, sondern auch, um den Menschen zu helfen, herauszufinden, wie sie die Kriegsanstrengungen am besten unterst\u00fctzen k\u00f6nnen.\" Starman Marinos dr\u00fcckte weitere Tasten auf ihrem Tablet. \"Haben Sie schon dar\u00fcber nachgedacht, wie Sie helfen wollen?\"\n\n\"Ich meine, ein wenig. Ich wei\u00df aber nicht wirklich, was ich tun k\u00f6nnte.\"\n\n\"Keine Sorge, ich kann Ihnen helfen, das herauszufinden. Wir haben eine Handvoll Simulatoren aufgestellt, um Ihre F\u00e4higkeiten zu testen.\"\n\n\"Wirklich?\" Ich erinnerte mich daran, dass Florin einmal auf einer Jobmesse einen Bergbausimulator benutzt hatte und tagelang dar\u00fcber sprach, wie real er sich anf\u00fchlte. \"So etwas wollte ich schon immer einmal ausprobieren.\"\n\n\"Lassen Sie mich einen f\u00fcr Sie reservieren\", dr\u00fcckte Starman Marinos noch ein paar Kn\u00f6pfe und l\u00e4chelte dann. \"Kommen Sie. Ich lasse Sie an den Anfang der Schlange, damit Sie einen guten Blick auf alles haben und mir alle Fragen stellen k\u00f6nnen, die Sie wollen.\"\n\n\"Okay\", sagte ich, w\u00e4hrend ich ihr an einer langen Schlange von Menschen vorbei folgte, die auf den Beginn der F\u00fchrung warteten.\n\n\"Ich glaube, die Tour wird Ihnen sehr gefallen. Sie werden genau sehen, wie es ist, seinen Tag als Navy Starman zu verbringen.\"\n\nIch nickte und stellte mir vor, wie stolz mein Bruder sein w\u00fcrde, wenn er w\u00fcsste, dass ich mich dem Kampf gegen die Tevs angeschlossen hatte. Er wusste, wie wichtig es ist, alles zu tun, um die Menschheit zu retten, selbst wenn man daf\u00fcr seine Lieben verlassen muss. Dann dachte ich an meine Mutter, die allein zu Hause sa\u00df und wahrscheinlich w\u00fctend war, dass ich nicht schon zur\u00fcck war. Hoffentlich hat sie etwas zu essen gemacht, obwohl ich bezweifle, dass sie selbst etwas gekocht hat. Wenigstens gab es ein paar Essensriegel im Schrank.\n\n\"Sind Sie p\u00fcnktlich?\" fragte Starman Marinos, dem mein langsameres Tempo aufgefallen war.\n\n\"Ja, gut.\"\n\n\"Gut, denn ich glaube, wenn Sie erst einmal gesehen haben, wie ein Navy-Schiff von innen aussieht, werden Sie es nie wieder verlassen wollen.\"\n\nAm Anfang der Schlange griff Starman Marinos nach der T\u00fcte mit den Lebensmitteln, aber etwas veranlasste mich, sie instinktiv zur\u00fcckzuziehen.\n\n\"Schon gut, ich werde Starman Haas pers\u00f6nlich darauf aufpassen lassen\", sagte sie und winkte Starman Haas zu uns.\n\n\"Eigentlich sollte ich gehen.\"\n\n\"Sind Sie sicher? Ich dachte, Sie wollten das Schiff sehen.\"\n\n\"Will ich auch...\"\n\n\"Dann lassen Sie uns gehen. Das einzige, was Sie davon abh\u00e4lt, sind Sie selbst.\"\n\n\"Ich w\u00fcnschte, das w\u00e4re wahr.\" Damit drehte ich mich um und begann zu gehen. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass ich mich zum Milit\u00e4r gemeldet hatte, war mir etwas \u00dcberraschendes klar geworden.\n\n\"Atsuko\", rief mir Starman Marinos hinterher, \"ich dachte, Sie wollten helfen, die Menschheit zu retten?\"\n\nDas wollte ich, aber zuerst musste ich versuchen, Mama zu retten.\n\nDas Ende","zh_CN":"This short story originally appeared in Jump Point 9.05.\nJune 2544, Terra system. Three years into the First Tevarin War.\n\n\u201cImpressive, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat the biggest one we got?\u201d I asked with eyes glued to a massive ship sporting the largest gun I\u2019d ever seen.\n\n\u201cNot even close. Our biggest ships don\u2019t fly in atmo, so we keep \u2018em docked at space stations all across Terra.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow much bigger are they?\u201d\n\n\u201cLike floating cities. Every recruit that leaves with us today goes straight to one waiting just out of atmo. That means there\u2019s one watching over you right now, protecting you from the Tevs. You interested in flying?\u201d\n\nI glanced at the young Navy starman. A massive Invictus recruitment banner hung over her head. Terra\u2019s afternoon sun glinted off a button on her freshly pressed uniform. I looked away and shrugged, \u201cOnly ever done it once.\u201d\n\nI nervously shifted a bag of groceries from one hand to the other, thinking about being hurried aboard that first ship during the Tevarin orbital bombardments of Idris IV. I\u2019d always hoped to one day leave Idris but never expected it to be like that. Crammed into a suffocatingly crowded cargo hold next to mom as she cried hysterically over Florin\u2019s decision to stay and fight. Nothing had been the same since.\n\nAt the refugee camp, mom barely ate and spoke less. She spent most of her time staring vacantly at the horizon or sleeping. A doctor put her on meds that helped, but things got bad again after we moved into long term housing in New Austin. Mom started having unpredictable mood swings that vacillated between angry, sad, and completely zoned out on meds. Making matters worse, she became extra vigilant about my whereabouts, worried we would be separated if the Tevarins ever launched another surprise attack. I reassured her we were far from the front lines, but that didn\u2019t really help much as we constantly argued over the smallest things. I religiously watched the news for any positive update about the war on Idris, hoping that something, anything, would break her out of her mood.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d said the starman, regaining my attention, \u201csounds like the perfect opportunity to step aboard your second ship. I\u2019m leading a tour of the beauty you\u2019ve been admiring in a few minutes if you\u2019re interested.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve got my groceries.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry about that,\u201d the starman said while glancing at the bag\u2019s meager contents. \u201cSure we can keep it safe for you while you\u2019re onboard. How about I save you a spot, just in case?\u201d\n\nI glanced at the ship again, wondering what it must look like inside, and then nodded.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d\n\n\u201cAtsuko Tillery.\u201d\n\n\u201cNice to meet you Atsuko. I\u2019m Starman Marinos,\u201d she beamed a smile. \u201cJust one spot? There a friend or a parent that might want to join you?\u201d\n\nI lowered my eyes and shook my head. Mom didn\u2019t even know where I was right now. Not after I stormed out after our latest fight. It began when I literally dragged her out of bed for the one piece of news that should have cheered her up. Florin was alive. He could be clearly seen in a news vid about freedom fighters on Idris IV. He was part of a group calling themselves the Greys, homegrown rebels who hid in the Corsti mountains outside of Tanys. In the vid, Rachel Locke, their leader, implored people to do anything and everything possible to save their own system from suffering Idris\u2019 fate. Florin stood among the soldiers stationed behind Locke. His face aged a decade and visibly scarred, but proudly letting us know that he was still alive.\n\nI pointed to the image of him frozen on the vidscreen, \u201cMom, look\u2026.\u201d\n\nMom looked at Florin and then walked back to her room, \u201cNot like we\u2019ll ever see him again. I told him staying there would only get him killed.\u201d\n\nHer response crushed me and I asked why she didn\u2019t see this as good news? That\u2019s when the screaming started. After several minutes of mom ranting about how it was selfish of Florin to abandon us to play hero, I couldn\u2019t take it anymore. What Florin was doing was brave, but nothing I said would change her mind, so why try anymore?\n\nI raced out of our apartment complex and wandered the streets. It felt freeing to do what I wanted for once without worrying if it might anger her. Walking without a destination cleared my head, but deep down I knew the only place I had to go was the one place I couldn\u2019t stand anymore, home. I wandered into a store to grab a few essentials then decided to take the long route back. Along the way, I saw a stream of people following massive Invictus banners announcing a shipyard full of the Navy\u2019s latest ships. Curious, I followed. I\u2019d seen news vids of Navy ships, but never one up close.\n\n\u201cAnd how old are you?\u201d Starman Marinos asked, bringing me back to the present.\n\n\u201cSorry, what?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow old are you, Atsuko? Technically no one under 17 can take the tour alone.\u201d\n\n\u201c19.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood, good,\u201d Starman Marinos tapped on her tablet. \u201cAnd you\u2019re from here, right?\u201d\n\n\u201cIdris, actually.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d the starman stiffened and lowered the tablet to look at me. \u201cWere you evacuated here with your family?\u201d\n\nI just glanced at my feet. Not sure how to explain that the mother I knew and loved never really left Idris. \u201cMy brother stayed behind to fight. He\u2019s with the Greys.\u201d\n\n\u201cReally? That\u2019s incredibly brave of him. You must be proud.\u201d\n\n\u201cWish I would\u2019ve stayed with him. Would\u2019ve done more good than what I\u2019m doing here.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe all have our part to play.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 I wish I could do more.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, that\u2019s what Invictus is all about. We\u2019re here today not only to show off the Navy\u2019s most incredible ships and tech but to help people figure out how they can best support the war effort.\u201d Starman Marinos hit more buttons on her tablet. \u201cHave you given any thought to how you\u2019d like to help?\u201d\n\n\u201cI mean, a little. Don\u2019t really know what I could do though.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I can help you figure that out. We have a handful of simulators set up to test your skillset.\u201d\n\n\u201cReally?\u201d I remembered Florin had used a mining simulator at a job fair once and spent days talking about how real it felt. \u201cAlways wanted to try one of those.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me just reserve one for you,\u201d Starman Marinos hit a few more buttons and then smiled. \u201cCome on. I\u2019ll let you jump to the front of the line so you get a good view of everything and can ask me any questions you want.\u201d\n\n\u201cOkay,\u201d I said while following her past a long line of people waiting for the tour to begin.\n\n\u201cI think you\u2019re gonna really like the tour. You\u2019ll get to see exactly what it\u2019s like to spend your day as a Navy starman.\u201d\n\nI nodded, imagining how proud my brother would feel knowing that I had joined the fight against the Tevs. He understood the importance of doing everything possible to help save Humanity, even if it meant leaving those you loved. Then I thought of mom sitting at home alone, probably furious that I wasn\u2019t back already. Hopefully she made some lunch, though I doubt she cooked anything for herself. At least there were a few meal bars in the cupboard.\n\n\u201cYou okay on time?\u201d Starman Marinos asked, noticing my slowing pace.\n\n\u201cYeah, fine.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood, because I think once you see what a Navy ship looks like inside, you\u2019ll never want to leave.\u201d\n\nAt the front of the line, Starman Marinos reached for the bag of groceries but something caused me to instinctively pull it back.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s ok, I\u2019ll have Starman Haas personally watch over them,\u201d she said while waving Starman Haas towards us.\n\n\u201cActually, I should go.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou sure? I thought you wanted to see the ship.\u201d\n\n\u201cI do\u2026\u201d\n\n\u201cThen let\u2019s go. The only thing stopping you is yourself.\u201d\n\n\u201cI wish that was true.\u201d With that, I turned and started to walk away. Faced with the reality of signing up for the military, I\u2019d realized something surprising.\n\n\u201cAtsuko,\u201d Starman Marinos called after me, \u201cI thought you wanted to help save Humanity?\u201d\n\nI did, but first I had to try and help save mom.\n\nThe End"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":21,"created_at":"2022-05-11T02:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"3 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-04-30 10:27:25","valid_relations":["images","links","translations"],"prev_id":18678,"next_id":18680}}