Journal Entry 1

Posted on Mon Apr 17th, 2023 @ 5:38pm by Crewman Tetayn Wren

736 words; about a 4 minute read

When I boarded the shuttle with my mother, I was so excited to be heading out on an adventure with her. It rarely happened. Her diplomatic work kept her busy more often than not and that put family time on the side.

Of course, that made me a bit sullen, and I probably pouted more than necessary. But, a girl needs to be able to talk to her mom sometimes. Going out hiking in the quiet woods – that’s what I really wanted to do.

And that is something I will always regret.

I feel selfish and it’s a decision that I wish we could take back. I wouldn’t even be sullen anymore. Nevermore.

Our shuttle landed in a desolate clearing. Trees swayed in the gentle breeze and the sky was clear of clouds. The sun was warm on my skin and my hair was loose around my shoulders so I could feel it lift up and blow into my face.

That is something you don’t get to feel on a starship. Warmth from the stars and movement of air.

I could smell the loamy earth with my first steps on this strange and beautiful planet.

My mom had a map. We used maps when we had a chance to go hiking. It was interesting to figure out the navigation without relying on modern technologies to get you back to the shuttle at the end of the day. There was only one time where we needed to concede, pulling out the tricorder to get us back to the shuttle.

Learning how to navigate with paper and a compass – everyone should learn how to do that...

But I digress.

We set out on our hike and exploration early in the morning. We had eaten breakfast on our way to the planet’s surface, and our lunch was loaded in backpacks.

Birds chittered in the tall trees, welcoming the morning, and wet their feathers in the dew-covered plants on the ground in the clearing. It was exceptionally peaceful.

As we walked, I got to talk with my mom. I can’t remember what we talked about – everything and nothing at all.

I wish I had paid more attention to our conversation so that I could recall it today. But I didn’t know those would be the last hours I would have with her.

After lunch, we consulted our map. There was a cave we wanted to see, then we would head back to the shuttle. We weren’t worried about the time because it’s easier going down the mountain than climbing up. We would be back before dusk, easy.

Except – there was a monster with a phaser.

I don’t like thinking about what happened next. My mom did fight though. And she gave him the shiniest black eye I’d ever seen.

She broke his nose and the orbital socket. She scraped his face – breaking a nail and leaving it embedded in the flesh of his forehead.

He said he didn’t want to hurt us – but then he shouldn’t have had a phaser pointed at us.

As my mom fought, she yelled at me to run and I wanted to help her, but she used so much authority in her voice that I was compelled to listen to her. I ran, sliding in the forest detritus when the grading became steep.

I heard her falling. There was a cliff near the cave we explored. It was a safe trek to the cave, but a wrong turn out of the cave would have been a disaster.

I don’t know if she jumped or if she was pushed. I think it was an accident because he didn’t actually want to take me. I think.

I think she was the target. She was the diplomat. I was no one. A kid. Worthless. But he was stuck with me after that. I knew he killed her.

I heard her body hit the rocks below. That sound froze me. It still freezes me. I will never forget it. It haunts my dreams.

And that was how he caught me. He didn’t physically hurt me that day. I was too stunned to fight. My mother was gone and there was no way to bring her back short of learning the secrets of time travel and foregoing that hiking expedition.

I want my mom.

 

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