Space

Outside the small, round porthole was nothing. And everything. Jeremey stared out at the great black expanse of space studded with the bright white pinpricks of far away stars.

Space travel was so different from earth travel. He knew they were moving 500 kilometers a second, yet the view from his cabin window never changed. Humans really were so insignificant.

With a sigh, he pushed himself up from the desk. Although the action itself took much less effort in the ships diminished gravity, it the emotional weight of it somehow tripled.

It wasn’t that he hated his job. He loved being a long distance space freight captain. Or, rather, he loved the destinations. Each new port was a whole new world. He often imagined himself as an ancient explorer, like Columbus, stepping off a creaking wooden ship onto alien soil for the first time.

Each time he sought out every adventure he could cram into his short stop over. He gorged himself on local delicacies, wore through his boots hot footing it to all the regular tourist traps, and tried to soak up the atmosphere of each station, asteroid, or planet through every pore.  

It was a life of whirlwind excitement punctuating long periods of hibernation as he traveled the bleak expanses of space.

Had Columbus ever given up hope, as one day bled into another with nothing to see but more ocean? At least Jeremey knew where he was going and how long it would take to get there. Barring any breakdowns or unforeseen obstacles, of course.

He shrugged on his flight jacket and took one last look out the dark porthole. Still two more weeks before they reached Xerces Station, famous for their spicy cuisine.