☆   ☆   ☆

Even though Marzia Wolf had only been there for one week, she already felt that the change of scenery was doing her good.

This feeling had been sorely missed in recent years: as a child, she traveled from planet to planet, accompanying her father in all his moves. But when he was transferred to a senior position in his interplanetary travel business, his entire family had to permanently move to the Capital planet.

The young woman placed the palm of her hand against the window, which opened instantly. The smooth, white ground was warm beneath her feet as she stepped onto the terrace. The calm that reigned in the valley had a strange effect on her – having been surrounded for so long by a constant, omnipresent noise, this change was brutal. She suspected that if she stayed too long, she would never want to return to the Capital.

One year: she had managed to negotiate a year of freedom, without education and without obligations. And then she would follow in her father's footsteps. She would move up the company ladder, reach one of the management positions, and never leave the Capital again – except for occasional holidays taken during a not too busy period of the year.

Taking a break in the middle of her studies seemed like a good idea. But now that she was here on Zetenia, she wasn't so sure. What if, instead of motivating her for her future career, her stay only supported her indecision?

No. Marzia knew what she wanted, and she wouldn't let herself be strayed away from it. Her aunt told that this trip was only a waste of time: the young woman did not want to agree with her. For once, she could do something on her own – and she would make the most of it.

Marzia crossed the terrace, passed across the road, ignoring the rocky ground under her bare feet, and leaned against the wide stone balustrade. She could see the city center below. The soft purple color of the sea, to the west of the city, contrasted with the warm and original hues of the sky. As in the Capital, technology was present, but Zetenia also possessed a part of nature that made its charm. The balance between tall buildings and green expanses was almost perfect.

But if Marzia liked the mix, most other people disagreed. Preferred holiday destinations ranged from Asturn, Caral and all planets very similar to the capital, to those discovered more recently.

Novelty was attractive.

Who wouldn't want to travel somewhere that was still untouched by technology? Some of the planets remained like that. Living as simply as possible had been fashionable in recent years, following the economic crisis of Smoaria. Many had lost their jobs, and living on one of these natural planets was more attractive than looking for a new job in one of the capital's big companies.

Marzia placed her tablet on the railing and checked that one of her relatives had not tried to contact her since the day before. No messages. The young woman raised her green eyes to the orange sky. She could contemplate it for hours – it was so much better than the white sky of the capital, polluted by the holographic advertisements of the big companies. Here, the sky was clear. 

Marzia recoiled when a hologram appeared from the screen in front of her. She returned to her senses and accepted the call. She fixed her gaze on the transparent silhouette, smiling.

"Good morning, Rhysa," she said in a gentle voice.

"Hi. I didn't wake you, did I?"

Marzia shook her head. Her interlocutor was not waiting for an answer anyway – the polite formulas were just that for Rhysa: formulas. This was not surprising. She too came from the Capital, where politeness was omnipresent and yet without any depth. It was just a bunch of fancy phrases.

Within the past week, Marzia had met a few people her age, like Rhysa. Most of them were the children of senior officials from the capital who came to spend some time away from their families. Like her, in a way. But they had been on Zetenia for several months already.

"Are you free tonight?" replied Rhysa. "There is something you must see. We all meet at nine on the main square."

"And what exactly are we going to see?"

"Surprise! Believe me, it's worth it. Will you be there?"

"Sure. I'll be there."

"Great. See you tonight."

Without further ado, the hologram disappeared. Marzia leaned against the railing, letting the breeze play with her blonde hair.

Since she arrived on the planet, she had spent almost every evening with Rhysa and her friends. They knew the valley much better than she did, and showed her all the interesting corners of the city. 

She loved them – but Marzia suspected that the reason they had taken her under their wing so easily was her last name. Her father's position in the interplanetary travel business.