The Forgotten Colony

by J.B. Ryder

At best, he looked like a drug addict.

at OSE was controlling it, piloting it remotely.

Damn it, Zach thought. I loved that sweater.

mind." She slowly peeled off one side of the blanket and revealed a scrap of burgundy fabric. The letters HARV were written across it in white. "I found it in the wreckage."

He gave a tired smile. "Hey, mom."

Zach was nothing like him, not in a single way. Carver was selfish, controlling, and, most recently, a liar.

If it wasn't for Carver, Zach might have still been alive. He was to blame.

"Having things to lose isn't an excuse to do nothing."

"How about we blame OSE for not doing its damn job?" Erik had a point there. They wouldn't have even been on Mars if OSE hadn't rejected Zach's proposal. Still, Zach had allowed Erik to put himself in danger. Even worse, Zach had insisted on taking the irogen with them as the tunnel exploded. That same decision had cost Erik his leg. But none of it would have been necessary if OSE had done its job.

I proved him wrong.

A bafflingly futuristic prosthetic leg was strapped to his stump.

"They probably think we're dead." Ryker frowned. "Wouldn't be the first time."

He was so close to the ship, so close to safety, but not close enough.

Jason had always wanted to see outer space.

Now he was dead, after working a job he despised all his life.

Sarina most likely died sitting in her home with the TV droning in the background. Maybe she passed in her sleep. Hopefully.

You're like a son to me. How many times had he said that? More times than Zach could count. He said it, knowing very well that he had tried to murder his so-called son.

Carver had to maintain the sanity and morale of the survivors, rationing food and water in the hopes that the Gateway would return before they all starved to death. Then, when Zach finally returned with the Gateway, Carver had again done the responsible thing and tried to put everything behind them. They had more important things to deal with than some petty disagreements from the past. But Zach's warped sense of morality couldn't just let bygones be bygones. Instead, he wanted Carver dead.

Narcissist

What an arrogant asshole.

Ryker wished he could hear her voice one last time.

Quinton squeezed Zach's hand

"Come on. Aren't you a dad?" "Not anymore. Show me his eyes."

One way or another, they were alive today because of him. Because he took decisive action. Because he was willing to do what needed to be done to keep people alive, no matter the personal cost.

"That was different," Zach said. "We're different."

as it cartwheeled into space.

he only wanted to feel the sun on his face. Or his father's hand interlocked with his own. But that wasn't going to happen.

"Can you at least tell me if my friend is alive?" Carver took a deep breath, then gave a sad, sympathetic smile. "I'm so sorry, son. It doesn't appear so."

he was the only remaining Prescott colonist. A survivor.

As the airlock shut between them this time, no tears were shed. They weren't slamming their fists against the divide, begging for it to open.

He wanted so badly to disappear. To fade away into the sunset, never to be seen again.