Transitory

Chapter 1

Nate Maddox sucked on an ice cube from his scotch. It floated around in his mouth, surrounded by a stubborn layer of liquid that hung to its quickly melting surface. Occasionally the taste of his favourite tipple numbed his tongue as he tried to pin the ice against the bridge of his mouth. Within seconds it was once again rattling around, hitting his teeth as it squirmed away from his tongue. One of many things that annoyed Nate about zero gravity, he could never keep things from flying out of his reach. Nothing a large dose of mass couldn’t correct.

A glistening light interrupted Nate’s battle with a lack of gravity. He lifted the blind and peered out of the small window he had neglected to use the entire journey. His hand lingered on the blind, along with his eyes over the view. It wasn’t the empty space he’d become accustomed to over the course of his journey, but something bright and emblazoned with colours.

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” Helen said, while leaning over to look through the same window.

Nate rolled the ice to the other side of his mouth. He was forced to slurp loudly as a drop of liquid threatened to fly out.

“It certainly is,” he replied, with a slur.

“So I trust you've changed your mind about this visit?”

“Let's not get ahead of ourselves,” Nate said through his teeth. The ice kept his tongue too busy to talk properly. “I think a bath and a scotch, that I don’t have to squeeze into my face, is in order before I answer that. I mean how are we supposed to enjoy a drink when it wants to fly away? What I’m drinking is nothing more than a chilled scotch bubble with one ice cube.”

Helen laughed and leaned back. “Quit moaning,” she said with a wry smile across her face. She reached into a pocket attached to the seat in front, produced a dark brown folder and began to sort through the papers. After a few seconds she found the one she wanted and offered it to Nate, being careful not to allow the others to escape. When she noticed he had become transfixed by the view once again, she let out a derisive tut.

His attention had now completely drifted away from her. The sight had become so surprisingly detailed and pleasing to behold, that his focus had no room spare for anything else. He'd spent so long looking at the brochure before the flight that his expectations had become diluted, like his scotch. In the pictures he had seen a soft, slightly out of focus ring around a creamy yellow coloured planet. What he saw in reality was a spectacle his eyes struggled to take in and his mind refused to ignore.

An enormous gas giant encircled by a light scattering disc of visible, icy material had gradually come into view. Instead of marvelling as they had approached, he had pondered over the drinks selection and on-board entertainment.

He quickly brushed aside his obvious error and allowed his eyes to wander over the planets interacting bands of yellows and oranges. He could now make out the distinct details that made the view so much more enjoyable than the pictures had suggested. Even down to the individual rocks, boulders and moon sized pieces that made up the planets icy rings.

Nate’s sightseeing was interrupted by something digging in his arm. When he turned he saw that Helen had grown frustrated with his lack of attention and had taken to prodding him. She wasn’t concerned with what hovered, serenely, outside like a swirling ball of cream and caramel. There was work to be done and she intended to finish it.

“We'll be landing soon so you need to look over this leaflet. It's about the festival tomorrow evening,” she said.

Nate gave it a quick look, paying all attention to titles and pictures. He wasn't feeling in the mood to read. Once he’d absorbed the ten percent he needed to feign interest, he placed it on his lap. He quickly slapped it back against his legs as it began to venture away. He couldn’t wait to feel gravity’s comforting influence once more.