So you are really leaving us, Roy

Departure
"So you are really leaving us, Roy?" asked Ma Swenson leaning over the counter, chewing something.

Roy sighed." Yes tomorrow. I sure don't want to go but I guess I have to."

"You be missed, that's for sure. I went off world once I didn't like it and went straight back home."

"Where did you go?"

"Harper's Junction! Was there two days. Was nothing there I wanted so I came back home."

Harper's Junction was the third planet in the Maxell System and just a Shuttle flight away from Green Hell.

Ma Swenson was a big woman and quite strong, known to beat many men in her favorite sport of arm wrestling. Her husband was a small guy and even though he was always around no one really knew him, it was always Ma Swenson everyone dealt with or talked to.

He stood on a step ladder in the back of the store dusting a shelf and he turned and said, "You can always come back. I am sure Ma wouldn't mind hiring help."

To Roy's surprise Ma Swenson nodded. "Sure would not. We're getting old, and someone might have to run this store one day."

Roy felt better already, somehow the idea he could come back and run Ma Swenson's boat house appealed to him and made the whole idea of leaving much less disturbing.

She placed a sealed plastic box on the counter, the reason Roy had come in. "This was hard to get I tell you. My supplier had to contact SII – Armory Division and it just came in on time!"

Roy looked at his Cred strip and hoped he had enough to pay for it. "How much is it?"

Ma Swenson grinned. "This one is on the house, besides Uncle Sam ordered some too. God knows you two are probably the only ones carrying SII TKUS and needing E-mags for those."

"Thank you Ma Swenson! Thanks so much!"

"Just forget about it. I am keeping your H&K too in case you change your mind and don't want to carry that antique artillery piece."

"I was saving for it, but it will take me a long time to get that much money!"

"It is here when you come back, and don't forget to write. I love those old fashioned post cards. You know the ones you actually have to write yourself and show some nice Two-Dee pictures from other places." She pointed at her collection of seven cards she had glued to the roof support column.

"I won't forget to write."

An hour later he was back at the house.

It was the place he grew up and while everything was the same it felt different already. It was empty and quiet. His parent's furniture was already gone, packed in a container waiting to be delivered to whatever new assignment planet his parents ended up. Charles was no longer here and already back with Sam.

The house even smelled different.

On his bed in his room was his back pack, most of the things he owned were in the container with his parent's things. The back pack contained only some clothing and hygiene articles.

Norm and Bob had left for College on Harper's Junction the day before.

Maria had surprised everyone as she left two weeks ago, joining the United Stars Academy to become a Star Ship Engineer. Roy knew she would make it and be the best engineer the Navy ever had.

Melissa was the only one of his friends still here and it surprised him to see her coming to the house with her father's floater. He greeted her at the main door, Silver as usual perched on her shoulders.

Somehow she had become even prettier over the last weeks, or maybe Roy was seeing her with the eyes of a young man instead those of a boy.

Her two tone bio suit had two green stripes from her shoulders following her silhouette down her side into the boots she wore, contrasting with the white of the middle and underlining quite effectively the feminine curves she had developed.

She looked around and sighed. "It already looks deserted and empty."

He nodded. "Sure does!"

She petted Partner who was sitting right behind Roy and then looked at Roy with her big green eyes. "I am going to miss you."

"Me too! I already miss Norm, Bob and Maria and I am going to miss you!"

She lowered her eyes and said. "I think I am going to miss you more than the others!"

Roy missed the hidden meaning of her reply and asked. "I think I never asked where are you going to be?"

"My parents sending me to Coleone, that's a girl's college on New Paradise."

Roy tried to visualize Union Space in his mind and place New Paradise, but he failed. "Will you come back to Green Hell?

She answered with a question of her own. "Will you?"

"Of course! My parents made me go! I'm a Greenie and this is where I belong!"

"Yes I will be back," she then said.

She was the same age as Roy, and they had known each other since kindergarten. Like most girls she had matured a little faster than the boys and hoped Roy would remember their conversation and understand what she tried to say between the lines. She sighed inside and wondered if boys would ever change.

Green Hell didn't have a Space port, just a Shuttle pad on top of Merchant Tower, the highest building of Ant Hill. The shuttle served it daily back and forth to Harper's Junction.

Roy felt a little forlorn as he stood there on that platform and could see the surrounding jungle as far as the eye could see and he knew he would miss that more than anything.

Partner nudged him in the side and a feeling of warmth spread in his mind. At least he was not alone, he had Partner who would be with him.

The shuttle was on time and would arrive in about an hour. At least that's what the Service-Bot told him.

From the elevator shaft came a tall black man who approached with big steps, Uncle Sam!

The big man embraced Roy with a rib crushing bear hug. He lifted him off the ground and said. "I could not let you go without seeing you one more time!"

"I am glad you came, Uncle Roy. I really don't want to go!" He lowered his voice and looked to the ground, "I am a little scared too."

"It is perfectly normal to be afraid of the Unknown, but it is good for you. It will broaden your horizon and you might even find something or someone out there, that changes your mind and you never come back."

Roy hugged him again, "Alright I'll go, but I'll be back!"

"I know you will be!"

The shuttle arrived and slid through the force-field membrane of the landing pad. Four S-10 robots appeared and hosed the shuttle down with high pressure steaming water. A Vampire Fly that had attached itself to the shuttle's outside was caught by the superheated steam, and was instantly killed. Other robots pushed the water, and whatever had been washed down, into gutters on the floor.

The hatch opened and four passengers debarked. Roy knew one of them by sight, he was a technician for the Xeno Institute but he could not recall his name.

Sam hugged me again, patted Partner and said, "Take care Roy! I am going to buy myself a GalNet terminal so you can call!"

I really had to leave! I wanted to stay so bad. For a moment I questioned the whole thing again. I could survive in the Jungles and no one would find me. All I had to do is turn around and run.

But I didn't. Partner nudged me with its huge nose and I felt his presence. Partner didn't know why I was depressed but wanted to make me know that it was there.

I waved once more and went aboard.

There was a human attendant and he checked my ticket, my permits and scanned my CITI Implant. "Alright Mr. Masters. Booking confirmed for you and Partner. We will depart shortly and arrive at Harper's Junction in eight hours."

He ushered us to the front of the Shuttle and lowered two seats into the floor, so Partner could find room.

"Mr. Brown has upgraded your tickets to First Class, Sir. We will serve refreshments shortly after departure."

I thanked him and looked out the viewport and saw Uncle Sam and tried to wave, but he would not see me as the viewports were simulated.

The air pressure changed and the air became cooler. With a slight vibration the shuttle took off. Sam waved. We passed through the force field membrane and instantly a swarm of Arrow wasps peppered the side of the shuttle.

I could see the entire town now and the big lake. Down there, that little spot, was Ma Swenson's Boathouse and only a little to the south of it would be the rocks.

The shuttle passed through the clouds and the viewport showed only milky white fog.

With a humming sound the vibration became more intense as the shuttle added its Engines to the Arti grav. Now the clouds fell fast behind us and the bright blue sky turned black in a few seconds.

The voice of the attendant said, "Sir, we are serving refreshments now. What can I bring you?"

I turned and said, "Nothing at the moment, thank you."

As I turned back to the viewport I already saw the entire planet below. I had seen Green Hell many times from space but only in Virtu. This was real and as the planet sank away into the darkness of space I really wondered if I was ever to return home.