Heaven's Garden

Grant was dressed in a full science suit while strapped into the lift in a standing position as it ascended.  Above the door, there was a computer map of the whole station.  It was showing the lift travelling up from B-Deck to the central spire with a gravity reading beside the map, which was decreasing.

The lift came to a halt at the central spire and the relative g meter read 0.  At which point, Grant pull the hood over his face and pulled his harness up, before casually floating through the open lift door.

Grant manoeuvred himself along the wall in the zero gravity environment until he located the circular door he was searching for.   He positioned himself in front of the door and opened it by a wall panel, before travelling through it.

He entered a lab full of scientists busy with various experiments, each one considered the most important by the respective scientist working on it, Grant thought to himself.  Most of them had a foot hooked under one of the long bars attached to the floor, which were designed to keep them in place.

Linda was examining a transparent box full of large cockroaches when Grant took a place next to her.

“Hello Linda,” he said.

“Oh Grant,” she noticed his presence.  “Good timing, you can help me with this.”  Linda began to disconnect the box from the wall before they carried it as they floated over to the other side of the lab.  “Can you bring all the other stuff?”

Grant went back to gather up all her supplementary equipment and brought it over to her as she said, “I needed a larger work space for my roaches.”

“Why do you bother with these bugs?” Grant asked as he began to set up the equipment for her.  “They’re gross.”

“I think they’re amazing,” she said.  “Space-conceived cockroaches grow up to be faster and tougher than normal while we just waste away under these conditions.  They truly are the superior species.”

“Perhaps if a human was conceived in zero-gravity, they would adapt in such a manner also?” Grant suggested.

“Hmm, perhaps,” Linda said.  “Makes you consider the possibilities for our species.  So what are you working on?”

Grant gestured to a network of large plants contained within a vast transparent case that took up more space than any other experiment in the lab.

“Earth vegetation grown in a weightless environment using aeroponic techniques,” Grant explained as he continued to set up her experiment while Linda just paused to stare at him.  “What?” he said once he noticed.

“You do some pointless things.”

***

Within the Gym, Ridley and Rob were busy cleaning while crewmembers exercised all around them.

“Why don’t you just let Mariella go have fun?” Ridley said.  “That’s what we all did as kids.”

“But we didn’t grow up on a space station,” Rob said.

“I’m just saying it must be hard being the only child and letting her explore now and then should keep her happy.”

“I’m the father, I’ll make the decisions thank you.”

“If you’re such a good father, how come you haven’t realised she’s not here yet?”

“What?” Rob said, looking around to confirm this was true.  “Where’d she go?”

“I saw her wander off a while ago and I wanted to persuade you that it was a good idea to let her leave before I told you.”

“Oh crap,” Rob said.  “Linda’s gonna kill me.”

“You wanna go look for her?” Ridley asked.

“There’s no point, we’ll never find her.  Let’s just get on with our work and she’ll turn up eventually…probably in time to tell my wife what she’s been up to.”

***

In one of the many greenhouses of Heaven, underneath lines of ultra-violet lights, there were rows of plants lining the walls, being tended to by gardeners, who were carrying out a variety of tasks, from watering to harvesting.  It looked like a man-made jungle created and contained inside this little enclave of Earth out here within the Void.

William the gardener was changing one of the nutrient tanks when he spotted Mariella watching him from her hiding place within a fruit bush.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“A member of the crew,” she said.  “My name’s Mariella.”

“That’s a pretty name.”

“What’s yours?”

“I am William.”

“It’s nice to meet you William.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.  It’s good humans can still be polite to each other in these modern times.  So what may I do for you?”

“I’m bored.”

“Come here then,” William said.

Mariella did so and he handed her a the nozzle of his hose, which was connected to a water tank on his back.

“Can you help me water these plants?” he said.

“Sure,” she nodded and went enthusiastically, if not a little clumsily, to work.  “What is this place?” she asked as she let the water fall over everything green within reach (and also parts of the floor).

“It’s one of the Gardens of Heaven,” he explained.  “It grows your food and oxygen.”

“Oh.”

***

Ridley, Rob and Mariella were all sitting in the crowded Mess Hall while eating what looked like beige yoghurt from rectangular bowls.

“I would really be grateful if you wouldn’t wander off like that Mariella,” Rob said.

“You just don’t want to be scolded by Linda,” Ridley pointed out.

“Hey, there are few things worth fearing more,” Rob joked.

“What about if Mariella just promises not to tell her mother?” Ridley said.  “Could you do that for your dad, Mariella?”

“OK,” she said.  “I won’t tell mum where I go all day.”

“Problem solved,” Ridley said.

After not much time, Linda and Grant arrived and joined the table with their meals.

“Hi sweetie,” Linda said.

“Hello Linda,” Rob said.

“Oh please,” Linda said coldly.  “Like there was even a remote chance I was talking to you.”

“Hi mum,” Mariella said.