Where Eons Tread

The small flecks of distant stars shined softly in the deep blackness of the endless void, like jewels scattered by a lavish hand into cold volcanic ash. A red giant, blazing boldly, gazing out into infinity like a ruddy cyclops's eye, juxtaposed the darkness and challenged its dominion over the acrid planet below. Its ferocious heat scorching the planet's surface, making it unfit to birth or nourish life; its mountains arid peaks, and dry valleys were the withered wombs of a mother who would never bear children.

A small silver vessel drifted like a autumnal leaf through the vastness of the void, mirrored by the glowing star which hung close to the dead planet, blackening its surface and eroding its life long ago. The vessel was like a bullet, rounded in shape and coming to a deadly point and having only one visible window at its stern. An indistinct blue glow ornamented the rear of the vessel, the only indication that it was propelled by thrusters; to any outside observer the vessel would have appeared to be haphazardly drifting to no set destination, simply content to venture ceaseless into unknown reaches of phantom darkness.

Black scorch marks adorned the starboard side, marring the polished silver facade like a spot of decay on the marble statues of antiquity, and a small abrasion could be seen venting the air from the body of the vessel like an open wound. Artificial atmosphere leaked into the ocean of space, eroding the sleek metal until the wound grew in size and severity.

The destitute crew and passengers aboard the corroding vessel did not panic as the hull was ripped apart and flames flashed for brief seconds before the life sustaining oxygen was expunged. No cries for help issued forth from their lips, as there was no-one to cry to, no soul could help them as their fates were sealed. But as the children began to whimper, as they were ignorant, yet no blissfully unaware of the situation at hand, the elders gave one final thought: perishing to the void was a mercy after having left the decayed corpse planet below. Closing their eyes and embracing the cold mercy of space, the bullet like vessel sheared away its starboard side, welcoming in the vacuum of space.