From the description that she read in the fairy tale books of her youth, which were computer books typed from the originals; no real books existed anymore, she thought the blue liquid below her on that eighth planet from a red super giant star might be water, but she wasn’t at all sure. It was blue and that was how water was described. Of course, there were other blue liquids on other planets, but none like the liquid below her.

The reflections of the puffy, white clouds above it danced in the red of the sun. Waves splashed against the landmasses of brown and green, and red; every thing was tinted red. It was beautiful and all that she dreamed for.

At one glance, she decided to do it, bypass all standard planet safety check and head down to see the water, if it was that. With a grimace at all the trouble she would get into because of it, she piloted her shuttle down.

Sparks flew as she glided through the atmosphere. She cursed; she hadn’t thought the atmosphere would be this thick. A chunk of the first protective layer flew off, then another, then another. She tried to maneuver her shuttle straighter with the winds, but pieces still came burning off.

Red lights blinked; the second lair had been breached. The clouds approached. She finally could stop her downward plunge. She reached down to hit the thrusters that would slow down her ship. Her hand missed. The ground approached. This time her hand didn’t miss. Two shoots of fire burned the air downward as they tried to slow her down.

She still went to fast as she saw a leaf on a reddish green plant. She took the steering weal and thrust it upwards. Her plane leveled just before she skidded on the ground. Her wobbly legs carried her out of the cockpit and to the dirt ground.

She looked around. There it was. The liquid lapped at the shore and twirled around when caught by twigs and eroded, sand channels. She walked to the liquid, forgetting her ship and wobbly legs.

Once at the shore, she cupped her hands and caught some of the playing water. It was cold and unstable. Some leaked from her hands. She brought it to her hands and drank. It felt right, like it belong there.

She lied down and let the waves wash over her toes. That also felt right.

She fell asleep and dreamt. And do you wonder what the first NewHuman and last human in seven thousand years to drink and see unpolluted water dreamt of? She dreamt of water lapping against he feet of all people. And an end, an end to the endless search for a home.