Saying goodbye was extremely hard. Josephine hadn't wanted to do it publicly. She wanted to say it the night before she left, in the privacy of her parents’ home. Her dad had insisted on seeing the spaceship and crew. Somehow, it would reassure them that their daughter would be safe. She hugged her mom and dad tightly as they started to cry. They clung to her as if they would never let go. The ship's commander had to intervene and ask them to move back behind the barriers, so the ship could lift off without harming them. They reluctantly obeyed while shouting words of love to Josephine as she entered the ship's huge doors. Tears ran unchecked down her sad face when they grew smaller as the ship rose higher. They were still waving as she disappeared into the clouds.

She took a seat by the large window and watched Earth disappear. It brought fear and regret into her heart. What had she done? Everything and everyone she loved was being left behind. This might be a bigger mistake than taking the job with Reginald had been. On Earth, there had been friends and family to guide her through the error. Out here, there was no one. If she screwed up, she would die, literally. It was too late to turn back.

The commander sat beside her and said, "The first time you leave your family for space is the hardest. After a few trips, it gets easier. You and they learn that you will return. It becomes routine. Go ahead and cry. We've all been in your place." He patted her hand and went back to work.

Josephine felt sure that none of them had ever been in her place. Serving on a spaceship, they had each other to count on. They would have formed a surrogate family of sorts. They also had full communication with Earth. They could even speak to their families. If something went wrong with the ship, help would come. She, however, would be all alone. No other humans would be on the planet. She would have no communication with anyone but the Pura. No help would come in a crisis. She had to be strong and depend on herself. She wiped away the tears and watched the planets, moons, and asteroids whiz by.

Josephine soon became accustomed to the schedule aboard ship. She ate with the crew and helped with the various jobs. It kept her from fretting over her family and the unknown world ahead. The crew was friendly and made time to teach her about the ship. It was so computerized, it could fly itself unless an unexpected meteor shower got in their path. She was allowed to hold down stations while crew members took breaks. It gave her more confidence in herself. She was sure the commander meant it to happen that way. He wanted to encourage her independence.

The first view of the uninhabited planet showed swirls of clouds, blue water, and mountainous terrain. The ship landed on a flat portion adjacent to one of the waterways. It was fed by a waterfall coming over the largest mountain. Josephine disembarked, and the crew helped her set up camp. The rubber suit was uncomfortable, and the oxygen hose burned her nose. The crew wore masks for their short stint on the planet. A large tent-like structure, made of metal, was to be her home for the duration of her stay. It held a fold-down metal bed with a thin mattress, a small stove for boiling water, and a locked metal box containing her food and medical supplies. She carried a bag of clothing and hygiene supplies.

With everything unloaded and set up, the commander ordered the crew to board. The Pura ship was hovering over the mountains, waiting for the Earth ship to vacate the best landing spot. Josephine reluctantly waved goodbye to her new friends. They promised to see her in a few months for the return trip. She stood alone, by the raging water, as her last link with home flew away. She went inside her tent to prepare herself for the arrival of the alien ship. She opened the medical supplies to be sure none had broken during transport and discovered a handgun stowed inside. Someone back home was worried about her safety. Sadly, the gun did reassure her.

The Pura's ship landed softly and quietly. They began to unload a few odds and ends. It soon became apparent that the ship would serve as their home. They ignored her presence until their preparations were complete.

Josephine stared at them, giving faces to the information she had studied. Their pale skin was a bluish-white. They were all bald, making it difficult for her to distinguish male from female. Their eyes were huge in childish faces. She had read about the delicate bodies. Of course, she had seen and worked with the replicas on Earth, but the real thing appeared more fragile. They went about their business so quietly. At least, it felt that way to her. They might be chattering up a storm for all she knew. They were telepathic. Unless they chose to speak directly to her brain, she wouldn't hear them. If they said she was ugly or plotted her death, she would never know.

She almost jumped out of her skin when a soft, blue hand touched her shoulder. She turned and looked into the big eyes of a Pura. In her head, she heard, "I am Ixia. These are my people. We must ready the planet for many more. You are the medical person. We have sick ones on board. Come with me."

It was short and to the point, but Josephine got the message. She replied, "Let me get the medical kit from my tent." She hoped her training was correct and that they could understand her spoken words and would not try to read her thoughts. Ixia bowed and backed away. Good, they could communicate with each other.

She grabbed her medical bag and followed Ixia into the ship. She was in awe of the beauty she saw inside. It was like walking through water that never touched you. Blue light shimmered and danced over the smooth walls. Everything, seats and monitors included, seemed to grow out of the structure with no beginning. Lights flashed in the complicated equipment imbedded in the walls. She must have stopped and stared for too long, because she felt Ixia once again touch her shoulder and wave her on.

The sick Pura were resting in beds formed from the blue walls. There was a dip in the center of each bed that cupped their fragile bodies. She gently asked them, "May I touch you to check your heart and lungs?" They nodded. She approached the first one and put a stethoscope against its right side, slightly below its armpit. There she located the heart, where it was protected by the Pura's arm. It beat at twice the speed of a human's, as it should. The lungs were located under the left arm and they sounded congested. She checked its temperature and found it slightly elevated at seventy-nine degrees. The second Pura had the same symptoms. It was their version of pneumonia. They would need some antibiotics. Their bodies would tolerate penicillin.

Josephine didn't want them to fear the needle, so she asked them to tell her about the planet they were leaving. It would hopefully distract them from the pain of a shot. Two voices invaded her head at once, causing the Pura to giggle. The giggles tickled her brain, like champagne bubbles. One pointed at the other, and it began, "Our planet was very beautiful for a long time. We had oceans and rivers. Grasses and fields of our plants covered the ground. Nutrients were plentiful. Our favorite red vegetables grew in abundance. Children played in the meadows. Our terraforming machines removed all obstacles that could cause harm. Many generations of our species lived there."

The second voice took over as Josephine gave the next injection. "It is now becoming a wasteland. After centuries of sustaining us, it is running out of energy. It needs time to replenish itself. The grasses are gone, and our fields yield little food. Even the water is slowly evaporating. This world will last many centuries once we have terraformed it. The water is pure and plentiful. The mountains will make terraced gardens for planting, though they are now bare. The yellow soil is rich in the nutrients we need."

"How long will it take to ready the planet for the rest of your people?" Josephine asked.

The answer came instantly. "Four or five of your months. We must hurry before the others run out of energy."

Josephine understood that they were worried about the families they had left behind. She worried about her own as well. She gave them each a drink and told them to rest. She would check on them and bring more medication in a few hours.

Ixia was waiting at the door to escort her through the winding hallways of the ship. Curiosity was getting the best of her. Careful not to cause friction between herself and the Pura, Josephine asked, "How can I tell which of your crew is male and which are female?" Again, giggles tickled her brain. The Pura wasn't offended. It found her question to be funny.

Ixia replied, "All of this crew is male. We left the females to care for the children and elders. If there is ever a need to tell the difference, you will find a white diamond shape on our female’s foreheads."

Josephine was relieved to realize the difference would be in plain sight. She had feared it would be more difficult to discover. Now, she could stop referring to them as it and use he instead. If her job went well, she need never meet a Pura female anyway. Then she gasped as she came to the realization that she was the only female on this planet. That was awkward. She would have to find a secluded spot to bathe.

She settled down in her metal house and dug out some freeze-dried food. Tonight's meal was spaghetti, a green mush that represented a vegetable, and the ever popular, astronaut ice cream. She listened to the gentle rustling outside as the Pura made their meals. She wondered what they were thinking about or even discussing among themselves. Were they talking about their families, the plans for this planet, or the strange woman from Earth? It was annoying and lonely to be left out. She would have to get used to it.

Before bedtime, Ixia came for her once more. The sick needed to have a final dose of antibiotics and then she could try to get some sleep. It was her first night on a strange planet with an alien species. She had to sleep in a rubber suit with an oxygen tube in her nose and a gun under her pillow. She sincerely doubted there would be any sleep forthcoming.

There was a small door that could be opened in the roof of her tent. She suspected it was to let out smoke from any cooking fire. Josephine slid it open and stared at the stars in the sky. She could imagine her family and friends doing the same. It gave her troubled mind a little peace. She felt closer to Earth as she watched a shooting star pass over. She made a wish on it for a happy, unburdened future. Somewhere out there was a place for her and a person to love. She would do this final penance and then look for him and a home.

The stars lulled Josephine to sleep. She dreamed of a future without the guilt she now carried. She was on the road to redemption. The Pura weren't so hard to get along with, and the planet was nice. She smiled in her sleep, something she hadn't done in many years.