I stare at the sunlight from my bed. Last night I dreamt about Marshall and Marki. It’s been five months since I saw his face last, longer since I’ve seen hers. I like to think they’d both be proud with how far I’ve come. I used to run and hid when danger came. After we repelled Draven’s forces, I really did become a leader. Not like Marshall, my own style of leadership. I wasn’t the only leader either, a lot of people helped. We needed to in order to rebuild. We’ve got electricity, running and clean water.

We had to group up and run some execution squads to clear the main city of grubs. We’ve got a new society, almost normal again. I moved into the old lab, and government building. It’s been my base of operations. I’m not the only person who lives here and there are still government offices on the lower floors. Niko and Thore each have an apartment on the fourth floor. They lived together but Thore has three women living with him and Niko wanted space for himself. The first floor is where we keep a repaired, now legendary rover, and some other vehicles. A few other members of the council live here, but so do regular members of the colony. At least, our colony. There’s five now. Ours, Trellis, kept the original name. There’s one at the University and three more that set up outside the city and grew to like living in the wilderness. We can’t judge them for wanting out of the city.

I rub Aaimina’s belly as she sleeps, whispering love to the bay growing inside her. We decided to name the baby Marshall if it’s a boy, Marki if it’s a girl. She didn’t fight me on the names. I kiss her on her forehead, she doesn’t budge, she’s a heavy sleeper. I get dressed and make my way downstairs.

The Revrell lab has become my own. I’ve got a staff that helps me as we make progress towards a self-sufficient city. If we spot one grub, we send out squads to kill any we find in mass. It’s worked out well, but I’m still working, trying to reverse whatever they did.

I’ve also been watching the stars. Someone is blocking our communication outwards. I don’t know if it’s the Galactic Federation or The Revrell Republic. I do know someone doesn’t want us leaving. We finished making repairs to Draven’s ship, but nobody wanted to leave. Well, we all wanted to leave but we were afraid we’d be shot out of the sky. We were also afraid we might unknowingly pass the infection to the greater world, so we’re here, making the best of it.

Some people believe that as long as we don’t try to leave, they won’t send anyone else after us. It makes sense, we got lucky last time, but we’re organized now. Five colonies, one mindset. We communicate daily over radio, make visits between each. We trade goods and are considering creating a currency. Occasionally we run drills on different defensive strategies.

“You writing in your diary again,” Niko leans over my shoulder sneaking a peak at my wrist comp.

“It’s a journal, you should keep one, and you’re in early.”

“Well, I’m your second, I just can’t get enough of that science stuff, and I live upstairs,” he jokes.

“What’s on the docket today?”

“We’re testing cure number 6 on one of the grubs. Then you’ve got to go check out an ultrasound.”

Aaimina comes through a video call on my wrist comp, “You weren’t here when I woke up, I got worried.”

“I didn’t want to wake you up.”

“You can always wake me up.”

“Hey Aaimina,” Niko shouts. “Glad to see you’re looking good. Got that pregnancy glow.”

“We’re not naming the baby after you Niko,” Aaimina sighs.

Thore joins the call, “

Niko and Aaimina argue back and forth with Thore trying to calm them down. This is my life now. It isn’t perfect, nor what I thought my life would ever be. It’s my life now, and I’m happy. There’s a lot I miss, but I’m happy and I’m not afraid of the future, or for the future. I’ve got my family, and with them, I can face whatever comes next.