Chapter 27Sunrise bathed the Kauri Coast in gold, washing away darkness and the nightmares that sometimes haunted those experiencing a life of liberty for the first time. It seemed to Pia, sitting on the beach in front of the perimeter fence, as though every grain of sand, every wave lapping the shore gleamed, promising light and life. Space had been a challenge, enthralling at first, but without her beautiful Skyman the return journey had become tedious in the extreme. Apart from the explosion, the view from the window had been unchanged for months: ebony sky sprinkled with silver stars. When at last a grey moon could be seen orbiting a blue planet, her relief had been immense and she’d cried out in delight, prompting the other passengers to stare at her in astonishment.
A year away from
