Tomatoes

DATE: Year 308-B, Sol 550

LOCATION: Sky City 7 (Venus)

The Stardust made the descent to Venus feel like riding an elevator.

The silver HAK ship, still tethered to the battered Mighty Sparrow, cut through the cloud layers and touched down in the main hangar of Sky City 7.

The Welder was waiting. She stood with her arms crossed, her heavy apron smeared with grease, flanked by a dozen refugees who had stopped working to gawk at the alien vessel.

The airlocks cycled.

Phoenix walked down the ramp of the Sparrow. He stretched, his back popping.

Clara ran past him. She scanned the hangar deck, her eyes wide.

Himalaya climbed out of the Stardust. He stood next to the landing strut, looking nervous. He patted his pocket, checking for the vial.

-Where is he? Clara demanded to anyone who would listen.

-Who? The Welder asked.

-Small! Clara yelled. My brother, he’s like this tall, and---

-Clarence? Toward the hydroponics bay, the Welder said, pointing a thick, calloused finger toward the back of the hangar. Where he always is. Talking to dirt.

Clara took off running.

Phoenix sighed. He looked at Himalaya.

-Come on, kid. Let’s get this over with.

They walked through the hangar. The refugees parted for them, whispering. They pointed at the silver ship, then at Himalaya.

Cara reached the hydroponics bay first. The blast door was propped open with a rusted wrench.

In the center of the room, kneeling in front of a tangled mess of PVC pipes and grow-lights, was a boy. He was wearing a shirt that was three sizes too big, covered in dirt.

He was tying a vine to a plastic strut.

-Small? Clara whispered.

Clarence froze, it had been so long since he’d heard that name. He turned around. He blinked, adjusting his glasses.

-Clara?

He stood up. He dropped his trowel.

Clara practically tackled him. She wrapped her arms around him, lifting him off his feet. She buried her face in his dirty shoulder. She was shaking.

-I found you, she sobbed. I found you, I found you.

Clarence hugged her back, patting her hair awkwardly. He looked over her shoulder. He saw Phoenix.

-You came back, Clarence said. He sounded surprised.

Phoenix leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms.

-I forgot my paycheck, Phoenix said.

Clara let go of her brother. She held him at arm's length, inspecting him.

-They gave you a name? Clarence?

-I picked it. To remember you.

-Are you okay? Did they hurt you? Are you hungry?

-I’m fine, Clara, the boy said. He smiled. He pointed to the vine behind him. Look.

Clara looked. Phoenix stepped forward. Himalaya crept into the room.

Hanging from the green vine, heavy and round, was a bright red fruit.

-A tomato, Phoenix whispered. Well I’ll be.

-It’s the first one from my newest batch, Bit said proudly. I used the water recycler from the engine room. It worked.

Himalaya stepped forward. He stared at the tomato with the intensity of a scientist.

-In zero-G variance, he said. Good science.

-Himalaya! Clarence yelled, hugging him for a long time before letting go.

Himalaya looked at Bit. He saw the dirt under his fingernails.

He reached into his pocket. He pulled out the sealed vial from Jupiter. The three dark, pulsating seeds suspended in gel.

-My mother sent these, Himalaya said. She’s a gardener, too. She said they grow in the dark.

Bit took the vial. He held it up to the grow-light. His eyes went wide.

-Radiation shells, Clarence whispered. We could plant these on the hull. We could turn the whole station green.

Himalaya smiled.

-Yeah, Himalaya said. We could feed everyone.

Clara stood between them. She looked at Clarence, safe and happy. She looked at Himalaya. She looked at Phoenix.

Phoenix started to back away.

-Alright, he said. Family reunion achieved. Cargo delivered. Vegetable confirmed.

He turned toward the door.

-Where are you going? Clara asked.

Phoenix stopped.

-The Sparrow needs a new strut, he said. And I need a drink.

-You’re staying? Bit asked.

Phoenix looked back at them.

He looked at the tomato.

He thought about the Triton Trading Outpost. The long haul there.

He thought about the Stardust sitting in the hangar, a ship that could outrun anything in the system, parked next to his heap of junk.

-Well, Phoenix said, scratching his chin. Somebody has to teach you kids how to fly that silver bullet before you crash it into a sun.

Clara smiled.

-We pay in tomatoes, she said.

Phoenix grinned.

-Best offer I’ve had in years.