IX. Cataclysm
On the bridge of the Fearless Explorer, little Misha sat on Mayhew’s lap, gaping at the viewscreen and oohing and aahing, as the sky outside gradually turned from blue via indigo to black and the stars came out.
“Great view, isn’t it?” Mayhew said to the little boy, “That’s something you never get tired of, no matter how many times you’ve seen it.”
The kid smiled at him, though Mayhew was pretty sure he hadn’t understood a word.
The Fearless Explorer reached orbit and swung around. The planet appeared on the viewscreen, giving Misha his first and last look at his homeworld as seem from space.
“Beautiful, isn’t it? That’s your home, kid. Remember it, just as it is right now.”
What struck Mayhew most was how peaceful and ordinary it all looked. The entire planet was wreck
