Getting through the checkpoint went smoothly. Kilian quickly read Lissia’s past-port, and after wordlessly exchanging a glance with Gabriella, waved them through. As they walked down the familiar corridors of the space station Lissia noted that it looked much the same as when she had left. The station had originally been a waystation for refueling and giving the crew of transporters some time off.

That meant it had been built to handle a lot of people coming and going, but nothing like what the station was used for now. Refugees from all over the sector had fled the Sgark’s as they rapidly spread, and the station had quickly become very full. The hallways were marked with the coming and going of some hundred people. The station was under constant maintenance to keep everything from degrading, but there was no doubt that Haven was gradually being worn down.

Crossing through the hallways they made their way to the central elevators and took one to the upper levels. After dropping off the power cells at a storage room, they headed to the farms. They had been built in a glass dome that had originally been a recreational area with climate control to allow a small park to grow in the dome.

As they stepped off the elevator, Lissia had to stop herself from running ahead. A month was too long to go without seeing things that grew. When she swung open the door to the gardens she was met with the smells of soil and plants. The station's orbit had the sun shining through the dome, and the gardens were bathed in the warm light.

Lissia could no longer help herself, and with a sudden laugh she looked back at Gabriella before talking off in a run deeper into the gardens. She wanted to drink in the air. She ran past rows of vegetables, a small field of wheat, and straight to the fruit trees. She quickly began checking the apple tree, but it would still be a while before the fruit was ready to eat. She pressed herself against the trunk of the tree and closed her eyes.

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The texture and smell of the bark filled Lissia’s mind with memories of the colony, before the Sgark’s had begun spreading. They had grown a huge orchard back then. Her and Gabriella and had played in it in the fall, climbing the trees and eating apples until their stomachs hurt.

Lost in the memories she stayed against the tree, forehead pressed to its trunk. For a moment all her worries melted away, but reality returned when Gabriella gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Lissia begrudgingly let go of the tree and turned to face her. Gabriella was looking up at the crown of the tree with a far off look in her eyes. Lissia suspected she was remembering as well. Lissia slid down the apple tree with her back to it, and Gabriella joined her.

She handed Lissia one of the two carrots she was holding. They looked like she had just pulled them out of the ground. Lissia quickly whipped the dirt off it and bit into it. The satisfying crunch and fresh taste was miles ahead of the rations she had been living off of.

Haven's gardens were quite unique in the sector. Some of the other stations had farms grown completely with lamps, but they were tiny compared to the dome. That meant that almost all food production outside of Haven was synthetically made paste, and while it kept you going it was undeniably bland. The only two textures it came in was wet goop or dried goop. While the carrot was uncooked and tasted a bit of dirt it was still much better than anything Lissia could afford anywhere outside of Haven.

They both sat against the tree munching on their carrots for a while. Gabriella spoke first, after swallowing the last of her carrot. “There is something I need to talk to you about.”

Lissia was still savoring her carrot and said through a mouthful. “Sure, what’s up?”

Gabriella got up. “Actually it would be easier to explain in my office.” She looked expectantly at Lissia who begrudgingly got up.

“Lead the way then.” She said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. If it had been up to her she would have stayed in the gardens until someone dragged her out.