Orpheus

36

Owen stood by the small window of the Destiny, looking out at the distance. He could see the three planets; tiny specks in a black tapestry, speeding towards them. 

'There it is: destiny. The biggest lucky draw in bloody human history.'

He turned his attention towards Riley: hunched beside Elise, waking her up. Despite the stakes at hand, he couldn't help but think she looked beautiful. He cracked a ghost of a smile; gosh, he really did like her.

'If only we...'

Owen's smile dropped fast. He shook his head slightly and looked away.

'What are you even- you know staring is creepy-don't- I just...'

He sighed slightly in frustration.

'No, she doesn't want this; I have to respect what she wants.'

'Screw what she wants!' A small part of him retorted. 'What do YOU want?'

Owen paused a bit at that: what did he want? When he first began training for the mission, he'd wanted to save humanity but-

'Stop lying to yourself! You didn't want to "save humanity" and shit; you just wanted to get away!'

Okay maybe, but Owen realized that slowly, but surely, his want had shifted from getting away, to getting Riley...

'What do I want? To be with her, every last second we have. Not necessarily physically, but intellectually. Emotionally. To get to know her better, be her fall back pillow, to comfort her when reality gets too harsh.' He gazed at the black outside. 'Most importantly, I want her to be happy.'

'And that's why we can never be a thing; she doesn't want this.'

Owen scoffed at himself.

'What am I, a character in a Shakespearean tragedy, to have such thoughts in such a pretentious manner? Nah... This is life, this is reality. There is no Romeo, no Juliet, no witches or hags to lead Macbeth; there is only us, and time, infinitely old and cruel. I can cry all I want on the inside, but that changes nothing...'

He turned and looked back at Riley.

'But, oh how I wish it changed something...'

"Owen," Connor's voice slapped him back to reality, "tell me about the planets." Connor was now standing next to him.

"Well..." he began, trying to push his emotions aside; he hated it when he had to do that, but he couldn't just tell them to leave now, could he? "Data shows three planets: closest one shows signs of water and basic hydrocarbons..."

'Why is it that whenever I try to find a peace of mind, the universe decided to royally screw me over?' 

"... but it has one catch: gravity."

"Gravity?" Connor asked.

"Its gravity appears to be extremely large." Owen explained. "What that means is, time will be running much slower there than here.

"Time dilation..." Connor muttered to himself.

"Yes." Owen paused for a bit. "This isn't a problem with the other planets. The second one is further off; probes haven't been able to send much info from it, other than the fact that it's terrestrial, and that its gravity and atmospheric densities are similar to Earth's. The last one, that's the furthest away. Most of the data indicates that it's Mars like, with a thinner than Earth atmosphere and a slightly weaker gravity, but it still might be habitable." Each word he uttered served as a sharp reminder of what's at stake.

"Hmm..." Connor nodded his head, accessing the information. "Okay, so I'll take planet one; me and Riley."

Owen felt like somebody had dropped a sledgehammer on his heart; a small part of him and subconsciously wished that he'd go with Riley.

'Nah, of course this was supposed to happen; fate: why art thou such a cruel bitch?'

He tried his best to keep an expressionless face.

'Maybe this is for the best...'

"Okay..." Owen nodded slightly, looking away towards the black. "Then?"

"Pratham and Elise can take the second planet. You and Olivia, the last."

Owen's lips played with the back of his lips as he thought.

'Did he place me on the furthest planet by design, or by spite?'

'Probably both...'

"Hey," He heard Riley's voice, forcing him to turn towards her "she's awake."

While Connor was looking at Elise, Owen was looking at Riley: her auburn hair, her deep, doe eyes; a part of him wanted to hold onto her, yet now, they would have to part ways, probably forever.

"Okay..." he nodded weakly; he felt his eyes moister than usual, his heart-crushing under its own gravity. "The earlier we leave, the better for everyone, right?"