The clouds parted as we drifted down towards Jerusalem. I began to recognize rivers, creeks, and trees as my eyes came closer to the ground. I had never seen such a landscape in my lifetime, except in old photographs or the drawings I found when clearing out Miriam’s belongings. The feeling of guilt from killing a human being still weighed heavy on my heart. I felt as though I didn’t deserve to behold this grandiose sight. My eyes were now able to make out footpaths between the trees below. Natural pathways which were formed by humans’ common instinct to choose the same way to get to their destination. And I saw a few of the people traveling along the pathways. The residents of Zion were envied, and spoken of with the contempt that jealousy generates, by the people I knew. And I envied them too, for being able to live away from the horrors of war. But now I also admired them for creating something so beautiful, and for never killing anyone the way I did. I felt as though the weight of all humanity’s sins was on my shoulders, pushing me closer and closer to the ground.

"Please prepare for landing. We hope you enjoyed your flight through Zion Biodome, humanity’s largest remaining terraforming project. We will touch down at Jerusalem's spaceport in approximately three minutes. Note that you will increasingly feel effects of gravity while we land."

Looking up I saw Saturn’s rings stretched across the sky behind the clouds. They slowly sank towards the curved horizon, followed by the artificial sun that traveled across the enormous dome’s transparent ceiling to simulate earth’s diurnal cycle. Behind the horizon two trawlers dragged an asteroid from Saturn’s rings to gradually increase the mineral mass of Enceladus and synchronize its rotation.

After clearing security I took the subway to the address I had received. Shulamite Ring, Outer Cortex 237a. I stood outside the door for a while, wondering if I understood my directive correctly. Even though I knew I was there for a vitally important mission, I couldn’t claim to fully know why or what exactly I was supposed to be doing here. I rang the doorbell. Through the closed door I heard something that sounded like a hollow metal box crashing into something. Then muffled cursing:

“FUCK!”

A few seconds later an attractive young woman opened the door. She was wearing a silken dress which was covered in a mix of yellow stains and red chunks which at the first impression looked like puke.

"I.. erm… just spilled part of the menu on myself." She bit her lower lip nervously and shifted her bare foot while shrugging in embarrassment. "Sorry."

I smiled at her to show sympathy and understanding. I extended my hand.

“Hi. I’m Chris.”

She shook my hand awkwardly, as if she had expected a kiss on the cheek instead.

“And I’m Kara. Come in. Please.”

She pointed her finger at the floor as I followed her past the kitchenette towards the living room. “Don’t slip on the Bruschettas. ” The clean side of her dress looked pretty good.

“Have a seat while I get us some grub’n drink.” She gestured at a couch and went back to the kitchen, smiling and winking at me as she walked past. Instead of sitting on the couch behind the low table laden with expensive-looking cutlery, glasses, and plant segments which I wasn’t sure were edible or for decoration, I went to look out the panoramic window. It showed a nightly view of the half barren, half vegetated edge of the biodome, with faraway ice-geysers still illuminated by Saturn from behind the horizon. From my position a few stories above ground, I saw a small group of people gathered around a fire in the darkness some hundred yards away. Something got placed on the table behind me with clinking noises.

“They’re burning dead trees to raise the CO2 concentration, so the living plants can grow faster.” Kara’s face was radiant and her eyes shining with glee. “The natural cycle of life is on again here.” We silently stood there looking at each other for a while. I felt strangely touched by her words. She rubbed my shoulder with one hand and went to squat onto the couch. “Let’s eat. If you want I’ll take you down for a walk by the fire later.”

I sat beside her. A lovely smell emanated from her dress. She noticed me squinting over at it while I pretended to look in front of me, so she leaned back and arched her body for me to see everything in detail.

“This yellow stain is olive oil. It’s pressed out of little green buds from trees that grow not far from Jerusalem. Here. Have an olive.” She reached for something on the table and stuck it in my mouth. “The red one is tomato. They grow in more temperate green-houses on the shores of Jordan. That’s a river. It even has fish in it. You probably flew over it on your way here.” Kara explained while pulling on her dress to expose individual stains. “And the green dots sprinkled all over are basil. It grows in that pot over there.” She pointed at something near the window. “Check it out. It smells nice.” As I bent over her body for a sniff at the dress, she tenderly ran her hand through my hair. “There’s also Oregano and Myrrh.” Startled, I sat straight again with hands on knees, looking forward at the table.

“My last meal had a five digit expiration year on the label.” Kara laughed. I didn’t know if it was because of what I said or because of how I reacted to her touch.

I looked around the room. It was filled with hanging plants and strange items like books and small statues or figurines. Everything looked like it was from ancient times. I ran my hand across the surface of the table. “Is this… wood?”

“Lebanon Cedar. It’s from early attempts of growing trees here. Gravity was still very low then, so the wood isn’t as hard as it should be.” She started stroking the table too, giving me a strange look as she did. “But I like it.”

“So! Let’s eat!” she exclaimed abruptly sitting up, striking the table top with both hands.

“Since the remainder of the entrée lies splattered across the floor, I suggest we rather move to the main course. What do you say? You're the king."

"Sounds like an excellent idea."

She ceremoniously lifted the two silver plate covers.

"Fried-eggplant-and-vegie pie with pomegranate salad à la Kara!" she placed the covers on the floor beside the couch and brought up something else.

"Aaannd…” She popped the cork of a glass bottle. "Red wine from our very own vineyards!”, she said while holding the bottle in one hand and wiggling two empty wine glasses in the other. While pouring, she proudly declared: “I harvested the grapes myself.”

“You’re also a farmer?”

“More like a seasonal worker. Picking fruit in the sun is great between semesters. And since my brothers took off to chase glory, who else is gonna keep everyone fed?” Kara made a poutty-face. “No one but me! That’s who!”

She swung her long black hair to one side like the mane of a horse to uncover her back and shoulders in the low-cut dress. “If you don’t believe me, I have the tan lines to prove it.”

I ran my hand across her back as if to get a better view of the tan. It felt smooth and soft despite her toned gazelle-like musculature. A golden necklace with small jewel pendants cascaded down her delicate neck. Her fine cheek and earring, her temple, all looked beautiful and noble.

She withdrew her shoulder by moving her spine like a caterpillar. “I guess one doesn’t get to see a lot of tans on our side anymore.”

She handed me a wine glass and held hers up for a toast.

“To better days.”

“And may they last forever.”

She hesitated a bit, then took a sip of the wine with me. Then she carefully put the glass down and picked up a silver fork with her elegant hands.

She placed a bite in her mouth and chewed for a while, looking ahead of her. After swallowing she looked down at the plate, then shyly back at me. I didn’t eat but just observed her in silence. She slowly brought her face closer to mine, climbing halfway onto my lap. She placed both arms on my shoulders while I put mine around her slender waist and held her body against mine.

I lost my feeling for the flow of time as we stayed interlocked in a close embrace. “There may not be much time left. I have to tell you something.”

“And I have to tell you something.” She began kissing my face and neck as she spoke. “Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth… for your love is more delightful than wine… pleasing is your fragrance… your name is like perfume poured out…”

“You must understand what you are…”

“I am a rose of Sharon… a lily of the valleys…”

“We have to perpetuate our existence…”

“Now that’s what I like to hear…” she started to unbutton my shirt.

“Listen to me carefully. Memorize and never forget AZ8NF 1522. You’ll know why when the time comes.”

Kara sat back with her hands on my shoulders and gave me a puzzled look.

“You’re weird. You know that?”

“I have to leave you now. But when time comes back I’ll take you with me, where we can exist as one in eternity. Remember AZ8NF 1522.”

“What? Don’t go yet. I still have tiramisu in the…”

I felt Kara’s body stiffen as the horror of realization washed over her.