In the dense atmosphere of Venus, beneath a bronze sky, on a floating fortress left behind from the wars of a distant past, a lone man walked towards his destination. He crossed the hallways speaking quietly to himself, leaving behind a lingering echo.
“It’s not right. It’s not right. It’s not right.” He had been repeating the same words since the day had started, but it was only until he entered the hallway he had begun to say them aloud. Each step brought him closer to the office where the general was waiting for the day to end.
“What are you still doing here?” The general asked as he saw the man in the white coat approaching. “Your transport left an hour ago.”
The scientist stopped at the door and when he spoke the muscles in his throat did not obey him, instead he choked with a puddle of spit.
A moment of silence passed and the general spoke again, knowing why he had a visitor on the last day on Venus. “It’s not up to me, and it’s not up to you, either. You think I don’t care. You think so because I gave the order, but truly, it doesn’t depend on what I want or wish.”
The man standing at the door remained silent, listening to the reply of the question he meant to ask, but couldn’t.
“Is it possible it was a mistake? Yeah… it is. In fact, it’s probable that this whole operation was a mistake. We should have never come here. People died, you know? It’s easy for you to ignore this because you weren’t out there like the rest of them. People died. Why didn’t you come here to beg for their lives? Why are you here now, soul-hurt for the only living thing whose life is a mistake?”
“It’s not right…” The scientist shook his head.
“It’s not. Nothing’s right. Look… I understand okay? It didn’t ask to exist. It didn’t ask to be a part of this. It had no choice, but it’s dangerous. We cannot control it. We cannot guarantee anyone’s safety if we take it with us.”
“Then don’t take it with us! Just let it go, it can survi-”
“And,” the general interrupted, “it’s not up to us. You and I don’t get to decide. Get that into your head. The last transport to Earth leaves in two hours. I’m leaving on it. It’s your last chance to leave. No one’s coming back here, doctor. It doesn’t matter what we do, this place is uninhabitable.”
The scientist took a deep breath. “It’s not right…”
“I know.”
Having listened to the words of the general, the scientist walked away.
