“RAFI SKY,” you call from across the scaffolds.
“How can I help you?” A beautiful reassuring voice drifts over to you.
You're lying on your back. The breeze is cool tonight. You know the weather will change soon and the nights will get longer and the air will get colder, but for now it is perfect.
“System status?” You ask.
“Fully operational,” RAFI answers.
It's taken years to build them. Time taken between maintaining the City, spent collecting the materials, pouring over designs, then building from the ground up. Of course, you had help. Ravenheart was happy to share the designs they used to build the evacuation rockets. And Nine taught you how to programme them. You've run over them and over them, modifying, improving, making them safe for long distance travel. Travel to light years away, somewhere back to the Sky, to the audience, to home.
“Ready to launch?” You ask.
“All systems ready,” the voice replies.
“Good,” you say. You turn your graze skywards. It's a clear night and the stars glint. The ground rumbles. You feel the vibration under your spine.
You hear the jets as they start and you turn your head to the side to watch as Ravenheart's rockets rise steadily into the Sky, with fire streaming below them. You watch as followers of the Sky ascend and finally, Ravenheart's own ship behind them, out into the endless night.
You turn back to the monitor meters below on the floor of the complex. “RAFI SKY?”
“How can I help you?”
“Shut down all systems,” you say.
“Shutting down all LB ROCKETS.”
“Thank you RAFI SKY.”
You watch as Ravenheart's rockets slowly fade.
You have letters to write to Selene and you need to send in your notes on Ray's writings but right now… right now you don't have to do anything. You keep your eyes on the Sky.
It's quiet out.
You wonder where they'll end up.
You close your eyes.
“Goodnight, RAFI SKY.”
“Goodnight Leaders Bridge.”