“Not violent — generous. The sun rose from the ocean to the east and the light came through the iris-window like a hand reaching into the room, warm and insistent, the specific light of a young star that had energy to: spare. On Allura, mornings were: gradual. The red dwarf's light crept across the volcanic landscape like an apology — sorry to wake you, sorry to be: insufficient. This sun woke you with: enthusiasm. This sun said: get up, there is a world out here and it is: magnificent.”
© 2026 Atharva Inamdar. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.