Wake up, August.
August, it's a new year.
Wake up.
The station's AI automatically wakes me up, each year, on what would be New Year's Day back on Earth.
This year, I will hang up the 2203 calendar.
This year, I will stop waking up only once a year. Of course, New Year's is really a completely arbitrary concept now- I orbit a planet whose years are just slightly less than twice an Earth-year.
August, please exit the stasis chamber.
I sit up on the cold, metal gourney and slide off, onto my feet. They haven't stood in a year. My entire body feels unsure, and my legs threaten to bail on me, but I still manage to get to the chamber's glass door and slide it open. My baby deer legs cooperate and I step over the threshold.
Ah, it's been so long since I've seen this station. It is blindingly white, sterile, but beautiful. Bright lights and chrome equipment greet me. In the main landing of my station, there are three windows, the largest of which is double my height. It showcases the swirling storms in the stratosphere of the planet we orbit. This little bit never gets old. I smile. The expression splits my chapped lips.
August, please notify Arbol that you've come to.
Sometimes I forget that I'm not on this ship alone. But sure enough, as if he hadnt moved since last New Year, Arbol is just around the corner, seated at a shining table and tentatively jabbing a bluish holo screen. There are two shrink-wrapped boxes in front of him. I wander over, and he barely looks up for a second before he cracks a crooked grin. He shoves a box my way. I take it up in my hands and pick at the plastic as I talk.
"So, happy New Year's, Arbol."
He looks up from the screen once more, to toss his long hair over his shoulder.
"As to you. Seen the view?"
I have. I have and it's amazing.
"Yes sir, it's kind of hard to miss."
"Did you know this may be the year we actually go down there?"
It's been a dream to give Messíer's surface a visit since I became a deep-space cosmonaut. I grin, stupidly, and let a giddy giggle slip by.
"I know, of course I know. Ive been waiting for this, Arbol, amd I know you have too."
"True. Who wouldn't? Oooh, aliens!" He makes a little motion with his hands. It doesnt really demonstrate aliens, but it shows his enthusiasm. He shakes his dark hair back behind him again, and crosses his arms in front of him on the table. Arbol nods towards a rack just to his left- it has two top-notch exosuits, sleek and black, saved just for us to explore the surface in about a month.
"Of course, we'll need those." He chuckles.
Arbol is a calm man, with sweet humor and a grounded nature. He's an experienced interstellar astronaut, having been to a handful of nearby solar sytems, yet he is only seven years older than I. He was assigned to this station along with me, probably because his knowledge of space and alien worlds far surpasses mine, having not set foot on a foreign planet yet. He has confidence in what he does, and perhaps that is what I like most about him.
Perhaps it is time to open your packages. Happy New Year.
Arbol fishes in a drawer tucked beneath the table. I take a seat across from him. He takes out a knife, and with nimble fingers, uses it to split the package open. He slides the blade across the table to me, nonchalant, not even looking. He has good aim.
I pry the box open after tearing through the plastic. Inside, three different types of pre-paclaged freeze-dried food, a spork, and a New Years gift- a tiny, hotel-sized mini bottle of Amaretto. I smirk at AI's thoughtfulness.
Thought those would be a nice present. I ordered them from Earth, they just arrived a week ago.
Arbol chuckles and lifts the little bottle out of the box, setting the contents of his package on the table. He looks at the cieling, grins, and thanks the AI, his lips drawn into a tight smile.
We drink.
