24 — Etap

He worked for ten hours straight, measuring pH, adjusting nitrates, repairing the drip lines. By the end, the plants looked greener. Almost hopeful. He sat down against the bulkhead, exhausted, and pulled out a small, dog-eared book from his jumpsuit pocket. He didn’t know why he carried it. He didn’t remember buying it.

Tomorrow, he would check Bay 8. The day after, Bay 9. He would fix what was broken. He would keep the soil alive. And when the time came, he would lie down one last time, close his eyes, and let the Odyssey arrive without him. etap 24

The silence stretched. Dr. Aris looked at her shoes. He worked for ten hours straight, measuring pH,

He thought about the next eleven months. The hydroponic bays. The silent corridors. The hum of the core. The weekly psych evaluations where Dr. Aris would ask him how he felt . He sat down against the bulkhead, exhausted, and

He sat up slowly. His muscles ached, not with the soreness of use, but with the hollow stiffness of deep disuse. He looked at his wrist. A small, glowing tattoo read: