The docking bay doors of Skylab 1 opened with a smooth, mechanical hum, revealing the vast expanse of the luxury space station. Jack’s heart thudded in his chest as the shuttle glided forward, drawn into the station’s grip. This was it. This was their new home. And yet, Jack couldn’t help but feel uneasy as the enormity of it all began to settle in. The weight of leaving Earth, of escaping to this metallic sanctuary in the sky, left a knot in his stomach.
As the shuttle came to a halt, the passengers remained still for a few moments, their faces pale and somber. The reality of their situation hung heavy in the air—survivors, escaping the planet’s destruction, now venturing into the unknown.
“Everyone, please remain seated while we begin the disembarkation process,” came the crisp, robotic voice over the intercom. “Welcome to Skylab 1.”
The words echoed in Jack’s mind, but they felt hollow. His parents were already unbuckling their harnesses, the tension in their bodies easing ever so slightly. Jack, too, fumbled with the release on his seat belt, though his hands were trembling. He stole a glance at his father, who gave him a reassuring nod, but Jack could still see the unease in his eyes. This wasn’t the victory they had hoped for—it was a fragile survival.
Once they were freed from their seats, his father grabbed his luffed bag and gestured for them to follow. Jack and his mother fell into step behind him, weaving through the narrow aisles of the shuttle. Around them, families gathered their belongings, whispered conversations filling the space as people murmured about what awaited them in Skylab 1.
The shuttle doors hissed open, revealing a long, brightly lit hallway. Jack squinted against the sudden brightness, blinking away the disorientation as they stepped out onto the cold, metallic floor. The contrast from the shuttle to Skylab 1 was stark—the station was clean, organized, and sterile, a far cry from the chaos they had just escaped on Earth.
“We’ll head to our quarters first,” Jack’s father said, checking the tablet in his hand that displayed a map of the station. “They’ve assigned us a place in the residential wing.”
“Are we going to meet the other scientists?” Jack asked, his voice small as they walked through the corridor. His feet felt heavy, each step bringing them deeper into this strange new world.
His father nodded. “Yes, but later. For now, we just need to get settled.”
Jack’s mother squeezed his shoulder. “You’re going to love it here, Jack. I know it seems overwhelming, but Skylab 1 was built for this. You’ll see—everything’s been carefully planned.”
Jack nodded, but he wasn’t convinced. The station felt too perfect, too controlled. It was almost as if the designers had gone out of their way to make it as different from Earth as possible, erasing every trace of the world they had left behind. The sterile environment made him feel like he was in a hospital, not a home.
As they moved deeper into the station, the corridors grew wider, and they began to pass other people—station crew members, scientists, and fellow evacuees, all dressed in similar jumpsuits and carrying bags of personal belongings. Jack watched them carefully, noticing the same mix of relief and fear in their eyes. It was clear that while they had escaped the devastation on Earth, no one felt entirely safe here, either.
Finally, they reached the residential wing, a large section of the station with rows of doors lining the hallways. Each door led to a small but comfortable living space designed to house families and individuals alike. Jack’s father stopped in front of their assigned quarters, swiping his tablet against the door’s control panel. The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing their new home.
The living quarters were simple but modern—white walls, sleek furniture, and large windows that offered a breathtaking view of the stars outside. The room was larger than Jack had expected, with two separate bedrooms, a small kitchen area, and a living room furnished with minimalist decor. It felt cold, though—too clean, too polished.
“Well,” his father said with a weak smile, setting his bag down on one of the couches, “here we are. Home sweet home.”
Jack’s mother walked to one of the windows, gazing out into the abyss of space. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her breath fogging up the glass as she leaned closer.
Jack followed her, staring out at the vast, endless blackness dotted with distant stars. It was beautiful, in a way, but it also made him feel small. Insignificant. The station might be safe, but it was also isolated—far removed from everything he had ever known. Earth might have been dangerous, but at least it had been familiar.
“Can I go explore the station?” Jack asked, needing something to take his mind off the unease creeping up on him. His legs itched with the need to move, to escape the sterile confines of their new living space.
His father glanced at him, then at his mother, who gave a nod. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to let you get familiar with the place. But stay close to the residential area for now, alright? There are some sections of the station that are restricted to personnel only.”
Jack nodded, already halfway out the door. He needed space—both figuratively and literally. The tight quarters of the shuttle and the overwhelming tension in the air had been suffocating, and even though Skylab 1 was massive, it still felt confining in a way he couldn’t quite describe.
He wandered down the corridor, his footsteps echoing against the cold metal floors. The further he walked, the more people he saw—some chatting quietly, others sitting in the common areas, staring at screens or simply gazing out into space. He passed by a large window that overlooked one of the biodomes—massive, glass-enclosed areas that were home to artificial environments designed to replicate life on Earth. Trees, grass, and even small lakes were contained within these domes, giving the illusion of nature in the middle of space.
Jack stopped for a moment, watching as people strolled through the bio dome below, their figures tiny against the lush green landscape. It was strange to see something so familiar in such an unnatural setting, and it only deepened the sense of displacement he felt.
“Hey, you’re new, right?”
The voice startled Jack, and he turned to see a boy around his age standing a few feet away. The boy had messy brown hair and a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Yeah,” Jack replied cautiously. “I just got here with my parents.”
“Figured,” the boy said, leaning against the wall. “I’m Noah. My family’s been here for about a year now. You get used to it after a while.”
“A year?” Jack repeated, surprised. “You’ve been living here that long?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah, my dad’s one of the engineers. He helped build most of the station. It’s not so bad once you settle in. Better than being down there, right?”
Jack hesitated, not sure how to respond. Was it really better? Sure, they weren’t in immediate danger, but living in a floating metal city in the middle of space didn’t exactly feel like a dream come true.
“I guess,” Jack muttered.
Noah pushed off the wall, motioning for Jack to follow. “Come on, I’ll show you around. Might as well get the grand tour
before they start assigning you chores.”
Jack’s curiosity got the better of him, and he followed Noah through the labyrinth of corridors and common areas. Skylab 1 was even more massive than he had imagined, with entire sections dedicated to research, agriculture, recreation, and more. It was a city in space, complete with its own ecosystem and infrastructure. But despite its size and technological advancements, there was a certain emptiness to it—a sterile, manufactured quality that made it feel less like a home and more like a prison.
As they passed through one of the larger recreational areas, Noah glanced at Jack. “So, what’s your family doing here? Your parents work for the station, right?”
“Yeah,” Jack replied. “They’re scientists. They’ve been working on a way to fix things on Earth.”
Noah raised an eyebrow. “Fix things? Like what, the whole nuclear mess?”
Jack nodded. “That’s the idea. But I don’t know how much they can do from up here.”
Noah gave a half-hearted shrug. “Maybe they can figure it out. My dad says they’ve been making progress on some kind of restoration project, but it’s all hush-hush. You’ll hear more once you start going to the briefings.”
“Briefings?” Jack asked, confused.
“Yeah,” Noah said, lowering his voice. “They don’t tell you everything right away, but there’s a lot going on here that’s not in the official tours. You’ll see.”
Jack frowned, feeling a chill crawl up his spine. He wasn’t sure if Noah was just trying to spook him or if there was something more to what he was saying. Either way, it didn’t make Jack feel any better about Skylab 1.
They wandered through a few more sections of the station before Noah finally led Jack back to the residential wing.
“Anyway,” Noah said with a casual wave, “you’ll get used to it. Just keep your head down, follow the rules, and don’t ask too many questions. That’s the best advice I can give you.”
Jack nodded slowly, watching as Noah disappeared down one of the corridors. He stood
there for a moment, letting the silence of the station wash over him. There was so much to take in, so much to process, and yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
As he made his way back to his family’s quarters, Jack’s mind raced with thoughts of Earth, of Skylab 1, and of the future that now seemed more uncertain than ever
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