When I Left the Empire Behind

I had been awake for three days. For seventy-two hours, I had worked through a cascading system failure that threatened Arthur's entire satellite network. The last error cleared just before dawn. My hands still shook from too much coffee, and every joint ached when I put the laptop away. When I pushed open the oak front door, I expected a dark house. The living room lamps were on, and a fire snapped in the hearth. Arthur and Julian sat on the sofa with Chloe between them. A cashmere blanket covered her shoulders. She held a steaming mug in both hands, her eyes wet. "It was one thunderclap, Chloe." Julian spoke to her in the same low register he used at the piano. "You're safe here." Arthur frowned at his phone. He saved that look for contracts worth billions. "The entire tech department is useless. The storm knocked out half our communications, and they couldn't fix a damn thing." The tech department had gone home hours earlier. I had repaired the network alone through a remote terminal while Arthur complained from his sofa. Neither brother had noticed me in the doorway. My chipped ceramic mug sat on the side table. A tiny piece was missing from its handle. On nights when I worked late, Julian used to leave hot, unsweetened milk in it for me. Sometimes I found it hours after the milk had cooled. Even then, it had meant he remembered where I was and how long I had been working. He reached for the mug. Old habit, I thought. For one second, I waited for him to turn around. His attention stayed on Chloe. He pressed the mug into her hands. "Here. Warm your fingers." The small hope I had carried home with me went quiet. Arthur looked over. His gaze passed over my wrinkled clothes and tangled hair. "There you are, Evelyn. Chloe's had a rough night." The command sat plainly in his voice. He expected me to comfort her and make the room pleasant again. "I'm taking her to the Alps next week," he went on. "The mountain air will help. You'll stay here and keep an eye on things." He had already made the decision. My part was to keep his life running while he was away. My phone buzzed once in my pocket. From the hallway shadows, I checked the screen. An email from the National Space Agency waited at the top of my inbox. **Subject: Project Deep Space - Final Confirmation Required.** The message was short. The mission would last fifteen years under top-secret clearance. During that time, all outside communication was f*******n. Once I accepted, I could not withdraw. Above the fireplace sat a wooden rocket covered in dust. Arthur had carved it for my tenth birthday. He had left one fin crooked and promised we would reach the stars together someday. Next week, he would take Chloe to the Alps. The agency was offering me the work I had wanted since childhood. I pressed **[CONFIRM PARTICIPATION]**. The reply appeared at once. *Agreement finalized. Your transport arrives in seven days. Welcome aboard, Lead Engineer Aster.* Seven days. Behind me, Julian tucked the blanket higher around Chloe's shoulders. No one asked why I had come home at dawn.