emotional-farewell

In this chapter, Nirgal visits Jackie at the Socket departure lounge as she prepares to leave Mars aboard a starship asteroid bound for a potentially habitable planet near Aldebaran, seeking a new start beyond the solar system. Their farewell is marked by quiet reflection on their past relationship, the significance of humanity's expansion into the stars, and the emotional weight of leaving behind known worlds and people. The chapter explores the motivations of the starship pioneers, especially those from Dorsa Brevia, who see this journey as a fresh beginning away from Earth's old societal structures.