"Stories" by Robert Collins (Short Story)

Genre:  Science Fiction

Short Story Type:  Short Story

Summary:  Daniel and Tamara were supposed to be part of humanity’s effort to settle distant planets. Instead they spend their lives going forward in time, passing along news and entertaining colonists. They wonder if they’re making a difference. Then they come to a colony that’s taking a dark turn. Will their skills help or hurt their effort at change?

Excerpt:

“More receptive this time,” Daniel said as he typed at the terminal. “More interested in me. Eager to hear what’s going on beyond their own little colony.” He glanced back. “Tam? You hear me?” He turned. She was sitting on the bed, still in her blouse and underwear. She seemed to be staring at the floor. “What’s bothering you?”

He got up and went to her side. “Hey, kid, what’s wrong?”

“I dunno.” She looked him in the eyes. “Anything strike you as strange about this colony?”

“Strange?”

“Yeah. The men behaved... weird around me.” She stood, and took a few steps away. “I mean, it’s not like they were rude to me, or didn’t want to talk to me. But I got the feeling they were a little put out when I asked them things. Like, they weren’t expecting me to ask.” She sighed. “I dunno. You think I’m imagining all that?”

“I think,” he said, standing to take her hands in his, “that you should relax, Tamara dear.” He kissed her quickly. “We’ll get back to Earth soon enough. We’ll make a report, and see if they think something should be done. That’s the most we can do right now. About Terra Three, I mean,” he added gleefully.

She pushed her feet up until she was standing on her toes, the returned his kiss. “I’d like to get some rest, Dan. Who knows how early it’ll be at our next stop.” She let go of his hands and drifted away. He sighed loudly. “I’m not listening,” she sang in a soft, higher than normal voice, “and I need my beauty sleep.”

“No, you don’t.”

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