Minimum Paige

There could be another Caribbean War! Or another war with the Asian League! What would you do mother? How would you escape? How would you survive?"

90 minutes later: "Henry, be serious! Both the Asian League and the Caribbean League have pledged peace with the United States! Furthermore, I accept the risks with living here. I love being here with Uncle Danny, and Grandma Paige, and Cousin Claire. Henry, I really wish you would live on Earth."

90 minutes later: "MO-THER! Do you have any idea how difficult you are being? I-I can’t protect you from all the way out here! What if something happened? What would I do? You, Grandma, Uncle Danny could all be dead! What would I be left with? Why must you insist on living on a death trap! It was the same trap that killed dad!!"

Henry broke down after that. Tears streamed down his face, his head fell flat on the desk. No longer could he bear it. He shut off the transmitter. The message he had just sent, would be heard by his mom in 45 minutes. 45 minutes to the death trap.

Now, Henry was on a train, a train from Houston to Atlanta, the last leg of his sojourn. As the train crossed into Atlanta, Henry thought he heard his mother crying. The same crying she made when she found her husband died. The train slowed as it entered the station. On the platform he could see his mother Paige, and her brother Daniel. The train stopped. Henry got out.

Outside it was hot, hotter than Henry could ever remember. The humidity was repressive, even worse than the Martain greenhouses he tended on Phobos. His mother approached him. She gave him a hug a commented on how good he looked. Uncle Danny hugged him too. He seemed very depressed, almost listless.

Henry felt ill. The heat and humidity were having ill effects on his body. His stomach turned around and around. Paige helped him walk off the platform. He could hardly stand he felt so nauseous. Henry took three more steps with the aid of his mother. Paige told Danny to bring the car over, that Henry was not feeling well and he needed to sit down. Henry could hardly see. His head was splitting open and his vision was blurred beyond recognition. Somewhere in the distance, he thought he heard the sound of a cannon, then the mellow drone of taps. "An old memory of dad’s funeral." Henry thought in his head. Then he lost conciseness, and fainted in his mother’s arms.