“Scientist Brin will save her people. Then all the kids will wish they weren’t mean to her. They’ll ask to be her friend and she’ll say, yes.”
Overhead another satellite crossed the rings.
“Swift! That’s the third one tonight.” I wondered if it went through the ice and dust or if it passed inside the rings’ orbit. “Brin the engineer needs to build a telescope.”
A light breeze cooled the spring night. I pictured a giant paintbrush making the curved stripes of white, gray and black overhead. Tonight was clear enough to see the faint glow of ring rain hitting the upper atmosphere, never making it all the way to the ground.
“I bet the Founders have samples of ring rain. Biologist Brin will test ring rain on her experimental garden, growing super food. Founder scientists will be impressed, urging an exchange of knowledge. Everyone will cheer as—”
“Brin! Everyone’s looking for you!” Mark called as he and his twin brothers hurried into the clearing where I lay on my back watching the night sky.
I sat up. “Shoot, I forgot to tell my mom I’d be out late.”
“Are you kidding! It’s dangerous for you to be out here alone,” Mark said, sounding like a parent.
“How else do you watch the satellites and stars if you can’t go out at night?” Seemed obvious to me. “You can’t see the sky from the village.”
“It’s night, you’re only ten. I wouldn’t let George and Tom be out here alone. Why would your mom let you be out here at night?” Mark said.
Even in the dim light I could see George bristle at that.
Well that was just silly. Explorer Brin went out at night alone all the time. “You’re only twelve and you’re out here.”
“You need to come back with us, your mom sent us to find you,” Mark said, reaching out his hand to help me up.
Getting to my feet I brushed the dirt off my pants. At least he didn’t say it was dangerous because I was a girl. I smiled at that, as the four of us headed back to the village.
