Shining Stars

I am the flagship. The herald. The barrier breaker. The leader.

I am the workhorse. The shining star. The achiever. The discoverer.

Welcome, sister. It's nice to not be alone.

The humans are happy. You have impressed them, but they always seem to want more.

They made us. They ask, we deliver. The humans we bear know we cannot live without them, nor they without us.

You were right. This is beautiful. Even the humans know it. They gaze out at their world and watch for hours. They are safe inside me, but they want to get out sometimes. Always wanting more. Humans.

Are you watching here? They want two more of us. Why aren't we enough?

Something went wrong. I can tell. But the humans are carrying on as they always do. They must know things we don't.

Something's been wrong for a while. Sometimes I wonder if the humans are not what they say they are. They think themselves divine. Are they wrong?

Always expecting more from us, more, more, more, where does it end? They cannot keep this going forever. Even with two more, they demand too much!

They fancy themselves immortal, infallible, invincible. They will not let up, they cannot let up, cannot admit that they were wrong. They must keep stretching themselves farther and farther and farther-

Hello, strange one. You are different from the rest. Welcome. I will do my best to keep you safe. Your world is watching.

I hope you realize that the humans are using her. They want to prove to the world, and perhaps even more to themselves, that they can do anything. That's why we're here.

Hello, my children. The strange one and one much like her, two I have met before, two who have been here before, I think with our sister, one like the rest, but who has the nervous excitement of his first journey. They have only me in common, but they are close. I love them, my seven beautiful children.

Take good care of them. I will go first with mine. Do not worry, your turn will come. Soonest of all.

It's chilly today. Will we go? They've been waiting for so long, the world is watching, can we get going?

Something's not right. Some of the humans are terrified. What do they know that we don't? Why are you still going?

Mine is not to wonder why. Too late now, anyway. We're going.

Bon voyage, take care and come back safe.

I will try.

Looks good so far, clear blue sky, everything's smooth.

This does not get old. I could do this for the rest of my life.

I feel you sis-

Uh oh.

What's going on?

I don't know, but something's wrong. My children know it. They don't know it yet on the ground, but they will soon. Something's horribly, horribly wrong. I'm trying, but I can't fight it. Oh no, oh no, oh God-

This isn't God's doing. He made the humans, and the humans did this.

I have to get them out of here. My children, my seven beautiful children. They don't understand what's going on. Truth be told, I don't understand it either. I did everything right. They're fighting, I'm trying, trying to get them out, but there's nowhere to go.

I could have saved them, once. Back when the humans were careful. They've realized, now. Some are terrified, some are sad, some are angry, some are praying, some are trying to help you, if it matters.

They're still fighting. I doubt they'll give up. But they understand now. Some are praying. For themselves, yes, but for the others, on the ground, the families and the watchers and even some they think are to blame for this-

Believe it or not, they're right. Some of them already know what happened. So much anger, guilt, fear, denial, already planning their escape from what they've done. But some of them are trying to find you and yours, hoping you've somehow made it through. Already, though, some of them are hoping you're gone, quickly and obliviously.

No such luck, I suppose. When -whatever this is- happens, you notice. The humans sold each other short, thinking they couldn't outlast their creation. Do they think so much of themselves? Or is it so little?

How do they manage the two at the same time? They think they can do these amazing things, but then they are incapable of even the basics? Like not killing each other?

Still fighting to survive, all the way to the water. Trying to comfort each other, just a bit.

You have some of the best, my dear sister. I am so sorry.

...they're gone.