The transport ship waited at the orbital docking bay, sleek and silver, humming with anti-gravity engines. Boarding passengers hurried to find their seats, but Ahce lingered, taking in the city one last time. Towering structures stretched toward the sky like crystalline trees, the streets below alive with hovering vehicles and citizens in flowing garments of iridescent material.
She noticed the artificial plants lining the avenues, their leaves glinting unnaturally under the sun's light. Even the wind smelled of synthetic freshness, a reminder that natural life was now a luxury beyond reach.
Alexander handed her a small, metallic pendant, engraved with their family crest.
"For luck. And so you'll always have a piece of home with you," he said, his voice unsteady.
Ahce accepted it, pressing it against her chest. "I'll keep it safe."
