This was his first time at his sister's new place. It wasn't so new. She'd moved there two years ago. But he hadn't had time to visit. well that was a little unfair. He literally couldn't have come. He had been up in 

Spacecity

the past four years. Now he was back. Had finished his enlistment a year early. Out on good performance. Almost sounded like out on good behavior. Like he had been a prisoner or something.

When he returned to earth he felt rich. Had so much money in his account. Then he bought a car, paid for his meals, signed a lease for a place, and suddenly he didn't feel so loaded anymore. Up there, they took care of everything. You never had to pay for your food. Never had to cook even. Rent wasn't a thing. They paid you to be far from home.

Down here. You were close to everyone. But nothing was free.

Sis had moved to a big city. By all 

American

standards... it was a big city. Nothing compared to New York or LA, or even Chicago. But it wasn't middle of nowhere in Butt Fuck Kansas that was for sure. There were bars and cafes. A few skyscrapers. Loud cars. Artists. City stuff like that.

Sis lived in the middle of two busy roads. There was a pub next door. And cars revved their engines loudly outside of her window as they went from a red light to a green. The sounds of roaring machine never ceased. He hadn't noticed it until on the second day of the trip his girlfriend Marianna pointed it out. Then it bugged him too. He was bugged not only by the sounds, but also that Marianna had pointed it out to him.

Sis was a big shot now. Doing some consulting. At a office. Cool spot from the pictures. It was in the same building as a luxury hotel. The next day Marianna would be going back to 

Gas City

, and Sis would take him on a tour of her workplace. Introduce him to all the other consultants. Big shots.

He was excited. Scared too. In earth people competed against each other. Up in space your role was pretty much set in stone. Not much room for advancement. Might be boring for some, but it meant less political drama. He liked it that way. Kind of missed it. Now he was wondering how Sis' coworkers would view him. They'd ask him why he'd gone up to space. What he would do next with his life. Stuff like that.