Chapter Thirty: Home Sweet Home

The ship cleared Callisto, coming around its orbit to see Io. Just beyond that Europa came into view with Jupiter Station encircling the icy moon.

Io had been there before, but construction never really stopped on the space station. It had taken generations to build, and would likely take generations more to complete.

The station surrounded the entire moon like the rings around Saturn, forming a complete circle around Europa. Not all sections of the ring were finished, but the skeleton was complete. It was the first thing that was, and they had been filling it in ever since.

For the first time in weeks Io felt a pleasant, warm happiness inside. She wrote several papers about the station in her early schooling, and later helped design some of its structures and operating systems. She was eager to see her work in action. Then she remembered why she made the return trip. The mission was to either greet the Odyssey or calm the situation if it never showed up. And that moment was not long out.

Although the Odyssey would take almost a year to dock at the station, communication would be possible the moment it re-entered the solar system. Which means the station and the ship should be direct contact in less than a week. Even if it was incapable of communication for any reason, they would be able to detect its arrival in the system.

That would really be the moment of truth, when they would know if she was going to return.

“We’re beginning final approach.” Omari’s voice suddenly came over the communicator in Io’s quarters as she watched Jupiter Station grow larger on the monitor in front of her.

“Thank you, Omari,” she said. Io kept her finger on the communication button. She wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words, so she slowly lifted her finger and ended it.

Io had spoken only a few words to Omari since she watched the video of her parents. She was so comfortable in his presence, she was afraid that she would lose her grip if she spent too much time with him. Not once did he try to question it or intrude. It was like he knew just how fragile she was those first couple of weeks.

He even sent her the security plans for their arrival on Jupiter Station in messages she could view at her communicator. It gave her the time she needed to strengthen her resolve, or to build up the wall, before they landed.

Io felt herself welling up with emotion as the station grew larger and larger on the monitor. She was excited to see it again, but in some ways disappointed that the journey was over. She was nervous, anticipating what the fate of the Odyssey could be. But none of that mattered.

As the representative of the Alexander family, many people were anticipating her arrival. Io had to be an example of calm authority and completely in charge. There was no room for an emotional breakdown in this role.

She had to put her game face on for the people who called Jupiter Station home.