Lunar Works

I'm not quite done with the next scene of Small Buisness Bites (you can guess why given how the last scene ended).

I'll likely finish it today.But I figured I can build a bit of a buffer.

But instead of leaving you with nothing this Sunday, here's an teaser I've been wroking on.

            I killed my first Moon-Man on a crisp fall evening.  It was not the kind of thing one anticipates when they wake up, and trudge off to work.

            A violent encounter with the man a few apartments down from mine was not even on my mind as I blearily, got home late from work.   The moon was high in the sky in a brilliant waxing crescent.

            The twinkling lights were scattered on the two-thirds of the moon shadowed in darkness looking somewhat like stars where no stars should be. The lights were some of the larger settlements of the politely calling itself the Lunar Republic. 

            There were bigger colonies on the far side, among other things, but they were tight lipped about that stuff.

            I was looking up at the moon when Hans strode up.  He was a tall, almost stork-like man who walked with a bit of a careful shuffle.  I didn't know him that well.  We talked sometimes in the laundry room.

            He told me had some job at the embassy down town some assistant to a secretary of agriculture. The athletic blonde man said it like it was a big deal.  And I suppose it was, farming couldn't be easy up there.

            The Moon Man grinned at me and lit a cigarette.  "It is beautiful," he said wistfully, without any of the bile and aggression that would come later.

            "Heck of a thing you guys did up there," I stated, noncommittally.  Relations between the "Lunar Republic" and the US were... strained.  After the revolt half of NASA had been fired and thrown in prison.  It was worse for the Soviets, they didn't even both with the prisons. 

            But that was almost three decades ago

            "Yes we are doing great things,  all of us," Hans added glancing at me.

            I should have noted the covetous tone in his voice,  but I was tired.  And I didn't think my job was anything great. 

            "You miss it?" I asked.

            "Very, but I'll be back home soon enough."  He spread his hands and looked out at the trees across from the small parking lot.  "I will miss the... space."