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Laika’s tail thwapped soundlessly against the stairs, watching as Grace and Rocky descended towards the beach for the first time. She hoped there would be many more such treks. It was a beautiful beach, with cool waves and pebbly sand. Laika ran down the beach after giving Grace and Rocky a head start, passing them easily. Her lack of a need to breathe dampened her enthusiasm only a little. It was a beautiful beach, and she was so happy to see her people on it. They had traveled so far, and it had been such a hard trip.
Grace crouched down, touching the sand and then scooping up a handful of it, eyes alight with excitement. Grace was easily excited about so many things. Laika loved that about him. She ran past him a few steps into the water, turning when it got too deep and jogging back up, passing through Rocky’s legs and settling down on the sand behind him, watching the two friends discuss the biodome with rapt attention, tongue lolling. It was good.
She had met Grace in a field. He’d been running. People were chasing him. Laika ran with him, but despite all her pushing and pulling she could not help him enough to outrun them. They put Grace into a space ship, during which Laika had barked and barked and barked… but no one listened. They never listened to her cries. She rode with him into the stars, legs trembling. The stars were beautiful, but so, so very lonely. But she had her charge; Guide him home. So she went, and she stayed close. She nudged. She watched. Grace could not see her or hear her. But he could feel her, she thought. A wet nose, pressing against his back as he laid on the grates of the Hail Mary and cried, terrified he would never see Earth again. He stops shaking when she touches him. He gets up. A paw on his knee as he sits and calculates and re-calculates, and he takes a breather and gets some lunch, returning more focused. A playful tug on his pant leg, and he turns. He looks down the empty hallways of the Hail Mary and he listens. He can’t hear her, but Laika thinks he knows she’s there just the same. He thinks of something nice, and he smiles slightly, and continues on his way. Laika loves him. She is happy to get to guide him home.
Then Rocky comes. Laika is ecstatic! He has so many legs and moves so funny and she loves to chase him and nip at his arms. He can’t hear her. He doesn’t see anything. Laika doesn’t mind so much this time. Grace loves him, and he loves Grace, and it is good. Grace is happier, and Laika watches, wondering why she’s still here. He doesn’t need her now. She has never been with someone so long.
Then the very scary day happens. The ship spins. Laika flies around it, through it, in and out of it, looking for something to do. Some way she can help. She cannot see one. She cannot see how to help. She doesn’t want to guide him to the beyond, the light said Laika would guide him home! ‘He’s supposed to get to go home!’ Laika cries and cries and nobody hears. Then the ship changes shape. Rocky is out of his tunnels, carrying Grace. He burns. They’re burning. Laika follows close at their heels, jumping and barking and hoping. The Nannybot as Grace calls it takes him. Rocky sits on his chest. He burns. Laika barks and barks and nudges and pushes with all her might, and Rocky gets up. She walks with him. Is she helping? She’s not even sure anymore she’s so focused on his steps, walking under him and it feels like there’s a terrible weight on her back but finally they reach the tunnels. Rocky sleeps. Grace sleeps. Laika watches, waiting and pensive. It’s dark, and Laika is scared. She doesn’t want to be alone in space. She whines at Grace’s side, wondering why the light sent her here to see this.
Then Grace wakes up. He wakes up! And Rocky wakes up, and they’re okay! Laika’s unbeating heart soars in her chest and she bounds through the ship from end to end, sliding out into the void of space and turning on nothing but space dust before barreling back. They’re going home!
Grace waves goodbye, and Rocky rubs his legs together, and Laika cries. But it is okay. Rocky is going home. Grace is going home. Laika sits on Grace’s lap as he turns the ship towards Earth and engages the engines. ‘Home!’ She is going to take him home!
Laika raises her head. The ship is screaming. The lights are flashing. Something is wrong. Grace wakes up too, moving frantically through the ship. He dons his EV suit, Laika barking at his feet. ‘What’s wrong? What’s wrong!’ she begs. She doesn’t understand the answer, but she knows Grace does. He sits. He screams. He cries. Laika sits with him, howling and whimpering until they both sit in silence. She looks out, beyond the ship, at the stars. The millions of little lights. One of them beckons. And she finally understands. Earth is not his home. She gets up, moving to sit between his feet and she licks the tears on his face. They fall to the floor. He looks up, and Laika almost believes he sees her. Grace gets up. She follows him, jumping into his lap in the pilot’s seat as he turns the ship. She nuzzles into his chest, placing her head near his heart and listening to it beat. ‘Home. Home! We’re going home!’ she thinks, and he feels it too.
It is a long trip. Rocky watches with Laika as their Grace gets sick. He is growing thin, and he doesn’t move so much anymore. He laughs less, and sleeps more. Laika curls up, snuggled against his back, and he shivers a little less. She looks up at Rocky above them. She whines, low and long, and she feels Rocky make a similar sound. It was a long way home.
But now Laika sits on the beach. She watches her Grace and Rocky play in the sand and talk and laugh and it is good. She lays her head down on her paws and closes her eyes, waiting for the light.