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Space travel was a lonely journey.In the year of 39', volunteers set out in search of intelligent life and inhabitable planets. The four men chosen to face this long mission was an Astrophysicist, two Engineers, and a Pilot who was also a medical doctor. Each man on council was trained extensively for their daunting mission, and each man knew the difficulty they face on such occupation. The men, all being in their late twenties to early thirties, were all leaving behind their loved ones in the name of Earth and God himself. They were the great promise for the planet, for if they found other inhabitable planets the millions of lives on the globe would be safe to live long after their home had worn away due to abuse and mistreatment.Mothers and fathers raising their loved ones on the new great planet, people building homes and businesses, creating a new life to better themselves than before. Imagine the beauty they could create. The perfect earth, all to themselves however the emigrants of earth chose to create it. They would create their eutopia and one day, men such as the four chosen in this year of 39', more volunteers would set out in search for more inhabitable planets.A galaxy full of millions of humans on each planet, can you imagine?The Astrophysicist was leaving behind his spouse and children, one child merely just a moon old. It pained him to say goodbye, but he knew the fate of the planet he loved so much was in his hands and the other enlistee's hands. He said goodbye to her, telling her when he returned he would give her the loveliest kiss she'd ever received, one that would make the heavens jealous. She merely smiled, wiping away her tears as she waved goodbye, her final words spoken to him in one breath,"Goodbye, my love."The Astrophysicist traveled out to save the planet in his Volkswagon Bug.One of the two Engineers was leaving behind his fiance, a Barber. He stayed home the week before his husband left to different planets and far away galaxies, deciding as he would be gone a year, what is a week off work in the grand scheme? The husband's stayed in bed, went out to dinner's, and made love for the last times they would do so for three hundred and sixty-five days. The week was bittersweet, but when it came time for The Barber to let go of his husband and allow him to leave his side, he begged The Engineer not to go. "Please do not leave me, I will miss you ever so dearly, my love." He requested.The Engineer smiled, wiping the tears from his rugged face and simply replied,"I will miss you more, my angel. I will think of you every day until we meet again."The Barber was forced to let his partner leave him abandoned in their spacious home, the home though full of things now felt meaningless and empty without the love of his Engineer.The second Engineer also had a family, though the children he had were old enough to understand that their father had a job to do and was a savior amongst the world in a way. He and his family spent night and day together, watching old movies or talking. They never discussed the long year ahead once he had left, as it was too painful to think their father or husband would be leaving for such a long time. When the day did come, however, his children gave him many hugs and told The Engineer they would miss him in the home. His wife, a stay-at-home mom, attempted not to cry as they wished him goodbye."The storytellers will say brave souls inside. The brave soul's of the new world."She said hopefully, taking The Engineers hand."They will tell the most magnificent of tales. Soon, the day I take your hand once again will come, my love."The family put on a bright face as their father, an Engineer, bequeathed them.The final man, a Doctor, left behind the greatest burden. His wife, an Unemployed woman, was ill and had no health to take care of their eight-year-old child. The Doctor was unable to treat her, as the obscure illness ravaged her body in ways no one had seen before. The infirmary he worked at was the same she was in, days before he left he would stay and talk to her for hours before making his rounds. The child would be taken to his grandmother's home where he would be taken care of, as his Mother was unable to. The pain in The Doctor's heart was immense when he had to leave her, telling her,"When I return, there will be so many new spectacles to travel to. You and our son will accompany me, my love." His partner gave him a hopeful smirk, and let go of his hand as he exited the building. The droplets came down too fast on his cheeks to hide them.In the year of 39', the shipped sailed into the blue with the four men aboard. The commencement of the voyage was fascinating, they observed many planets and solar systems as they sailed the milky seas. Though hope dwindled as they visited each orb, each unoccupiable by some stretch of the meaning. The passengers wrote letters to their loved ones often, though they were aware of the way they wouldn't be able to send them off."My husband is cooking dinner right this moment."Told The Engineer, a grin on his bronzed profile."How do you know this, Engineer?" Queried The Astrophysicist."It is a Tuesday, is it not? He cooks himself a stew every Tuesday."It was not a Tuesday at all in fact, as space had no days or nights, but the crew elected to allow him to relish the thought of his husband standing over a cooking pot of stew."My wife is reading my son a tale in bed right this very moment. I can hear it, can't you?"The Doctor asked, leaning forward to hear the tale his wife was retelling to their child.The crew agreed, hearing the echo of a children's tale being recounted."I miss them terribly."Said the other Engineer solemnly. Everyone on deck agreed on this.It had been half of the time of their mission, and the voyagers were coming up empty-handed. No God was guiding them through their galaxy, no deity as they'd hoped. Space was a lonely mistress, however, they never feared. They never cried, and they certainly never looked back. The gentlemen knew what they were doing, even if coming up hollow, was significant work.The day a large blue and green planet arose, however, it was the day of achievement and celebration.The men applauded as they descended onto the planet, the earth beneath them crunching under their boots. The air was breathable, and it seemed to have wonderful creatures walking the surface. However, upon closer investigating, they were not malicious. They had found the new planet for their children, grandchildren, and anyone else to inhabit in peace. The beauty was astonishing, taking their breath away.In the year of '39 came a ship in from the blue, the Volunteers came home that day, and they bring good news.When the ship landed and each man exited the craft, their festivities were long over as the earth was old and grey.Homes were still erected, though broken and dusted. The world was barren, merely skeletons to show there ever was a population there. It was quite a vicious sight."I don't understand."How can this be?"Where is my husband?"I don't know."What have we done?"What have we done?Many years have passed this earth they called home just one year ago to the day. The Engineer's, The Doctor, and The Astrophysicist sat on this earth they called home, though now it was merely a memory to them. The ones they dared to love, now many years away.