Astrid the Astronaut's Arc

Chapter 9 of 10

The morning after the dome's opening, another agency car pulled up at Space Haven. A different representative stepped out, holding a slim case. He wasn't here for Astrid. He was here for Echo's orb. He wanted to buy it for their permanent collection, and Echo was already nodding before Astrid could cross the lawn. The man had set up a small glass pavilion near the entrance overnight. Inside, charts showed where the orb would travel and how many people would see it. Echo stood beside an old mossy stone pillar, listening. His orb rested on top, catching the sun. The man slid a gold-sealed document onto the pillar and offered Echo a pen. Astrid stopped walking. She watched Echo's fingers hover over the page. She wanted to shout, to pull the paper away. Instead, she thought of the thumb she once held up to cover Earth. The orb wasn't hers. It had never been hers. Echo had made it from a place she would never reach. She closed her mouth and waited. Echo signed. He handed the orb to the man with both hands, then turned to Astrid. His face was calm, but his eyes searched hers. The pillar stood empty. Astrid walked over and rested her palm on the cool stone. "It's okay," she said. "More people will see it now." The car drove away. Echo stayed beside her, smaller somehow, and the empty pillar held only sunlight.