Diamond Moon

by B K Gallagher

  She thought about this while George sat nearby, and she determined there was no harm in continuing something, provided there were no career-altering decisions made, and no confusion about what it would mean.

  “George, I’d love to see you again,” she said. “You can see me anytime in Pensacola. I just… you know I’m away doing fieldwork all the time. How would that work? I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings if I leave or go away on an expedition. My work is what matters to me right now.”

  She felt like she was cutting him in two for saying such words to him, but she needed him to hear them.

  George nodded in agreement. “I don’t want to hold you back,” he said.

  Mara smiled tepidly. She took a bite. She had never attempted to continue a relationship like this before. She liked George. He was sweet, kind, handsome, and as smart as they come. She could see why he was still on the market though; traveling to far off places doing research… just like her.

  Her smile grew as she fed herself more meatloaf, thinking about their arrangement, and the nervousness by which he had asked her about it.

  George seemed to notice, sensing an opportunity. “It’ll be fun,” he told her. “Just like the expedition, but with sandy beaches and sunshine.”

  Mara smiled again, and the tension on George’s face eased.

  “So, we’re back in two weeks,” George said. “You won’t mind if I stop by for a few days on my way to Kennedy?”

  “Of course, you can,” she said. “I’ll give you the tour. Show you where I grew up, all the boring stuff.”

  “Meet your Mother?” George asked.

  Mara paused. “If you want,” she said, an awkward smile formed on her lips, curious why he’d ask.

  “Good. So, I guess this is serious,” George said, fishing for another laugh.

  Mara gave him a pensive smile. She was looking forward to his visit — looking forward to showing him around the beach where she grew up. She knew her mother would make a very big deal about bringing a young man around their home. She was not looking forward to that part.

  She watched as George began picking at his food and eating small morsels one at a time. She sensed him anticipating the Summer months on the beach with her, but she could tell his insides were turning in circles.

  They finished their meals without many more words, then walked through the doors on their way to her room. Mara remembered telling him the very first time he visited there that she wasn’t looking for anything serious. It felt like a long time ago.

  They walked past the exterior railing that was overlooking the still Antarctic ocean, and the light from a million stars reflected off the glassy water. From the deck of the ship it presented the real sensation of being surrounded by the sky above and below.

  George stopped and stood near the railing. “It’s like we’re in space,” he told her. “Look… Look at the water,” he pointed. The glass-smooth water traveled past them below, barely disturbed by the large vessel. Below them were thousands of points of light, including the bulge of the Milky Way. It was higher in the sky here in the Southern Hemisphere, and it dominated the sky. It was a sight only to be appreciated in the pristine Antarctic. They stayed on the rail, neither of them wanting to continue their walk.

  “I wish I could visit them,” George said, looking at the stars in the water and sky. “How cool would it be to see them up close? All the different spectrums, the binary systems, red giants, white dwarfs… most of them have planets, you know?”

  Mara watched George looking across the sky. His mind seemed to travel through the stars with his imagination. He was lost in a universe of his creation, gazing toward an endless sky filled with possibilities.

  “What made you want to become an Astronomer?” she asked as she watched him.

  George took his eyes back to the water, then hung his arm over the rail as if he were reaching for the water below. “Haven’t you heard?” he said. “Astronomers get all the hot chicks.”

  Mara laughed. “Seriously. What was it?” she asked again. Her eyes were fixated on his.

  George thought briefly. “I think it’s the unknown. I want to discover things. I want to ask tough questions and help discover the tough answers. There are no easy shortcuts in astronomy,” he told her.

  He stood silently on the rail after he gave his answer, and she remained focused on him. “I guess it’s like marine-biology then,” she said. “I like the exploring, but I’m worried there isn’t anything else to find,” she told him. “We’re running out of places to look.”

  George turned to her quickly. “No, you’re not…” he said. “Look above you.” He nodded with his eyes to the sky above.

  Mara glanced at the stars over their heads. “Easy for you to say, your field of study is limitless.”

  George took his eyes off the sky again and peered deep into Mara’s eyes. “I doubt that we’ll ever know everything, Mara. Even if you do find everything there is to find here, you can move on and work out there,” he said, briefly looking above them. “Your field of study is limitless too.”

  Mara cracked a smile, not quite believing what he was saying. “There is nothing for me to study up there,” she told him. “Astronomy is your field.”

  “You don’t think you could study bacteria on Mars? He asked. “They’re needing people all the time,” he said, turning to face the rail again.

  “Who is needing people?”

  “NASA.”

  “Then why aren’t you signed up?” she asked. “And besides, I’m a marine-biologist; not exactly an ocean to study on Mars.”

  “That doesn’t mean there aren’t organisms there. And I would go in a second if I could,” he told her. “I already put an application in for a trip to Europa a few years from now.”

  “Europa?” Mara asked. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. The thing is I’m not exactly sure I can make the cut. There are a lot of astronomers that want to go. But, a marine-biologist…” he said, nudging her. “That mission would be perfect for you.”

  “You’re crazy,” Mara told him.

  She turned to look at the stars again. Her expedition to Antarctica was close to behind them. She had a beautiful sky before her, and good company to her side. Mara drew in a deep breath, letting the evening air infuse her soul with the moment.

  George had his hand near hers on the rail and grabbed at it lightly, squeezing it. He moved aside to block the slightest breeze from striking her, and he studied her every reaction.

  Mara looked past him and onto the horizon. There was a beautiful star hovering close over the water. “Tell me, what star is that?” she asked and pointed. “I’m still not used to the stars down here,” she reminded him.

  George watched as Mara lifted her finger toward the star. It glistened off the water and patches of ice. “Oh, that’s Mara-Majoris,” he told her with a half-hearted smile.

  “Mara-Majoris?”

  “Yes, it’s a new star.”

  She laughed. “It’s new?” she asked. Her hearty laughs formed thick clouds around her mouth. “Sounds corny, whoever named it,” she joked. “Who would name a star that?” she asked, playing with him.

  “I think it’s a perfect name,” he replied.

  Mara was amused with George. He had rarely made her laugh, but when he did, she admitted it was at the best times.

  He grinned at her, content with himself that he had made a joke. Mara knew that he had always been trying so hard to impress her. She saw that he couldn’t help smiling broadly when he knew that he had.

  “And what constellation is that, over there?” she asked again.

  George followed her finger toward a group of stars in the sky again. Once more he was up to the challenge.

  “Oh, that’s Mara-Parrish-olis,” he answered.

  Mara laughed out loud again. “That sounds
made up, George.”

  “No, no, that’s its name. Good name. Been that way for centuries, that one.”

  Mara was dedicated to playing along now, and a smile crossed her face as she pointed to another group of stars. She was suddenly in a genuinely giddy mood. She knew deep inside they were both relieved to have the conversation about their relationship behind them.

  “What is that next one, over there?” she asked.

  “Oh… That’s a special one,” George told her. “That’s Mara-peez-ium,” he said, stuttering slightly as he finished.

  “Oh, a tough one to say out loud, I guess,” Mara said, still

  laughing.

  George smiled at her, looking deeply in her happy eyes. “I bet I could name every star out here after you,” he joked. “When I get to travel to them I’ll give them each a name for you,” he said, and a proud smile beamed with his white teeth.

  Mara laughed at the ridiculousness. “I don’t think you can come up with that many names,” she joked. She was genuinely letting her guard down with George, and was engrossed in the moment. She could see that he was having fun too. Another scientist walked behind them as they stood on the rail, and they waited for them to pass before they began to talk again.

  “Maybe she liked George more than she realized?” she caught herself thinking. She was feeling comfortable with him in a way she hadn’t before, not with anyone. She began to wonder, “Was she no longer afraid of committing to a relationship?” She had made somewhat of a commitment with George, and right now she was as happy as ever. She suddenly knew she would remember this expedition, perhaps this revelation, this one moment, for the rest of her life.

  “And that constellation over there? I’ve seen that one from the Northern Hemisphere,” she told him.

  “Yes, that is Orion,” he said. “One of the most famous of the constellations.”

  “Famous, why is that?” Mara asked.

  “Well, it’s a very prominent constellation, recognizable around the world. There’s an interesting story about it. Have you heard it?” he asked.

  “No, I haven’t,” she told him. “But I think I’m about to.”

  George smiled. Mara knew that he wanted to impress her so badly he couldn’t stop himself.

  “Orion was a great hunter. He was such a good hunter that he provided food for the Gods to eat. Then one day the Moon Goddess Artemis asked to go on a hunt with him, and Orion accepted, happy to have her along, and off they went.

  “Ok,” Mara said.

  “Orion and Artemis head out on their hunt and they come across a deer. So, Orion took out an arrow and placed it on his bow. He steadied his shot, and he killed the deer instantly with just the one arrow. Afterward, Artemis was impressed with him — so much so, that she bragged about his skills to all the Gods at dinner that evening.”

  Mara listened, refusing her temptations to break into his story with a joke.

  “Orion was pleased with himself, of course, and especially pleased that he had impressed a beautiful Goddess such as Artemis. He set out the next day to impress her even further. The next morning Orion went hunting alone and shot and killed every animal he came across. Then he gathered them and dropped them in front of her house.”

  “Uh oh,” Mara said, laughing.

  “When Artemis saw the piles and piles of dead animals at her door she became greatly offended. Artemis, it turned out, was also the protector of the forest and the animals, and she was expected to punish any hunter who killed more than he could eat.”

  “So, Orion had accidentally pissed her off?” Mara asked.

  “Well yeah, he dumped all those dead animals at her door. You’d be pissed too,” George said.

  Mara laughed.

  “So, Artemis stomped her foot in anger on the forest floor, and out of the dust that shook from the ground rose a great scorpion. The scorpion attacked and stung Orion on the heel and killed him. It was a horrible, painful death for Orion. And afterward, his image was placed in the sky by Zeus, king of the Gods, as a tribute to his great skill and sacrifice.”

  Mara paused for the shortest of time to be sure that was the end of the story. “Orion sounds like maybe he had an ego problem, or maybe he was insecure in his abilities?” she said. She was expecting a comment from George, but he didn’t say anything. “It’s a nice story, George,” she told him. “So, the moral is to mind your limits while hunting.”

  “Definitely,” he said. “And be careful where you put the bodies,” he added. But then George became a little more thoughtful and tried to answer her question seriously.

  “You know… I think that story…” he paused for a moment. “Don’t you think it means something like we shouldn’t allow our greed, or vanity, to override our sense to protect nature? I mean, it isn’t there for us to exploit or use for personal gain,” he said. “You know… something to that effect?” he added.

  Mara listened and considered George’s opinion. “You know, I like the way you put that, George,” she said to him. “That was a nice story,” she added.

  She could see a sense of curiosity in George, a thirst for knowledge that she had also known as a child growing up on the beaches of Florida. She could see they shared the same drive for adventure, and answers to their questions.

  Mara felt his hand squeeze a little tighter upon hers. They continued to stand below the stars and above the still ocean below. It was a beautiful backdrop for their conversation.

  Mara felt herself reaching toward George, and her lips met his, and he cradled her in his arms. The warmth was inviting in the frigid cold air. His arms felt comfortable on her. He was bigger, taller, and stronger than he appeared, and she felt herself melting into his chest. She found that her worries about a serious relationship were being put aside as she warmed up next to him.

  “You should come to Europa with me,” he suddenly said.

  Mara backed away, stunned. “You aren’t being serious?” she asked him.

  “Maybe. I told you I’m signed up. The mission would leave years from now anyway. You’d have time to train and prepare. I’m a long shot, but you would be a shoo-in,” he told her.

  “Why is that?” she asked.

  “Because of your field of study,” George said. “There are a lot of astronomers that want to go; not a lot of marine-biologists. They have trouble recruiting people for missions to the outer solar system.”

  “It sounds like a long commitment,” she told him.

  “I know, but it would be a life-changing mission. I only signed up to see what would happen. I told you, I’m a long-shot.”

  “I hope you get to go,” Mara told him. She thought for a second about what it would be like to go up into space. “How long would the mission be again?” she asked.

  “Hard to say,” he said. “Depends on the conditions. There are a lot of factors involved, but it will probably be at least five years.”

  Mara backed away further. “Five years?”

  “Yeah, if things go well,” he said. “That doesn’t even include the training time.”

  “That sounds crazy,” she said. “You’d leave me for that long?” she asked.

  George blew a hot breath, scoffing at her. “I thought this wasn’t serious?” he said. He looked at her amusingly, having caught her thinking about a future together.

  Mara realized what she had said, and it caught her off-guard.

  George looked up into the sky again, thinking about the mission he hoped to go on. She watched him gaze into the heavens. She could tell he really wanted to do it. For the shortest moment, she indulged the thought of what it would mean to become involved seriously with a man who would potentially be away that long. A part of her was sad. She was sad thinking about not having George around her for that long.

  “A long-shot, huh?” she questioned him.

  “Yeah, and the train
ing is rigorous. I’m not sure I could make it. They are having a hard time finding volunteers because it is so tough. You know… thins out the applicants fast. I’m hoping to just get a chance.”

  Mara thought while she watched him looking at the stars. George was a dreamer. He wanted big things, and he was willing to do what it took to get them. She admired that quality in him. She saw him as a brave and adventurous spirit that didn’t want to be tethered down or limited by anything in life.

  “We should get inside,” Mara told him. She grabbed his arm and turned him toward her room.

  They walked the railing along the length of the ship. The wake from the research vessel began to disturb the water below as they walked toward the rear, and the sound of the engine room overtook the still night.

  When they reached Mara’s room George was distracted thinking about the future mission.

  “When we get back to the mainland, I’m checking on the status of my application,” he told her as they walked through the doorway. He placed his jacket on a coat hook nearby.

  “You should. You’re obviously excited about it. Don’t think of yourself as a long shot. You’d be perfect,” she told him, removing her jacket as well.

  “I’d love to go. But, you know, training would start by the end of the year.”

  Mara considered what he was saying as they settled into her room. Thermal clothes were torn off their bodies and strewn on a desk and chair. She laid back on her bunk, stripped to her sleepwear.

  “Do what you have to do to make it, George. I hope you aren’t worried about me,” she told him.

  “I’m not,” he said. “If I get the chance to go then I am going, no questions,” he said. “I hate to think of what a five-year expedition would be like without you, though.”

  Mara extended her arm to him as he followed her into the small bed. She was surprised by how the news was affecting her. She had never been one for serious relationships and long commitments. Suddenly she was concerned George would be leaving for an extended period. She found herself grappling with her thoughts.