Prologue

The Moon. Circa 2500 AD.

Just imagine. Our Moon. Terraformed. Against all odds. One of the few things I still admire about humanity though I left the company of Earthlings because I have seen violence. In fact, I have experienced violence. Against my own self. I barely escaped with my life. If there’s anything worse than dirty politics, it’s violence from radicalized gangs.

I left the Earth because of unbearable constant sectarian and communal violence in the name of religion. While religion can unify a tribe, it can also divide a nation along language lines even if language can be a crucial factor in establishing a Nation State under the United Nations (UN) Charter.

I now call the Moon my second home. I try avoiding visiting the Earth unless it can’t be helped. Most of my family and friends are too sentimental and chose not to take a shuttle and settle on the Moon like I did. They don’t mind living a polluted life among Earth’s 8 billion Sapiens. They want to die and be buried on their Motherland. I can understand that traditional and cultural sentiment. 

Wait. Did I just say Motherland? Is Fatherland a more appropriate word because Earthlings are more successful now to hide their patriarchy – as demonstrated by the blockbuster critical hit “Barbie”? I don’t care. This war between feminism and masculinity will never die as long as people find trouble accepting all sort of genders, I guess. 

I am getting ready for my next visit to Earth. In a few days. I am not looking forward for the three Earth day trip crossing the 384,400 kilometers of desolate space. If there is anything I like about the vacuum of space, it’s the dead quietness which automatically puts me into a mode of transcendental meditation.