“Dead as doornails,” Japes said, blowing a mouthful of smoke at the sleep pod (now sarcophagus). “Ain’t that a damn shame.”

Sister Isabella crossed herself and peered into the pod windows. Each crew member had died sometime during the flight. Their faces were shriveled, icy eyes staring at nothing.

Japes made coffee and opened up a box of protein bars. Isabella busied herself with giving last rites.

“Waste of time,” Japes muttered.

***

The mission was to explore an exoplanet that had been found to support life. Even with the use of a wormhole and gravity bounces off of other planets, the trip took 2 years.

“Do what you can,” Mission Control instructed. They promised to work on a fix for the last two sleep pods so they wouldn’t shut down like the others.

***

“It figures,” Japes grumbled. “Crew dead and who’s left? A nun and a sinner who hasn’t had any fun in 2 years.”

Isabella didn’t like it any more than Japes did. He was loud, vulgar, and quick to anger. He was hired for his strength and fearlessness. Not so much for intelligence.

***

A few days of recovery. Japes spent his time smoking cigars and watching porn on his phone. Isabella spent her time in prayer, writing, and trying not to let Japes annoy her.

***

“We need to bury the bodies,” Isabella announced.

Japes looked at her in that greasy, oily expression she loathed.

“I s’pose we should,” he grumbled. “I’ll get the jackhammer and shovels.”

By the end of the day, seven mounds had grown in the new cemetery.

Isabella extracted a bottle from her Eucharist kit. She drizzled the holy water onto each grave. It took a while for the droplets to settle, but they did, softly and gently on the surface dust.

***

The exoplanet was habitable, but not exactly comfortable. The temperature was below freezing and the air was too thin to breathe. If the suit life support was damaged, one would die within minutes.

They settled into a routine. Isabella kept the prayer hours and Japes spent his time smoking, eating, and complaining.

It wasn’t long before he found the stash of whiskey that was meant for celebrating.

“Well they sure aren’t drinking it,” he said. “Isabella, want a snort?”

“I don’t drink hard liquor.”

“Suit yourself. More for me.”

***

The days passed, until one morning when the miracle happened.

The grave mounds were awash in colors.

Isabella stepped closer. It looked just like moss on stone, but the colors were magnificent-pinks, yellows, magentas, teals, purples.

“Japes, you have to see this!”

***

“Well, shoot,” Japes said. “Just a little holy water did that?”

“I think it’s just the water,” Isabella said. “And that gives me an idea.”

Japes went back to his drinking and porn.

***

Isabella attached the hose to the barrel of distilled water and began to spray a square of land, about 6 feet by 6 feet.

The moss started to grow almost immediately. Within days of watering, there were plants. In weeks, flowers.

***

Japes continued to descend into drunkenness and misery.

“This discovery will make us famous,” he slurred. “Now why can’t you lighten up a bit? Let’s have a kiss!” He lunged toward her, breath stinking of liquor.

Isabella didn’t realize what she did afterward until it was too late.

The shovel just happened to be there. She had grabbed it and downed him in one blow. Killed instantly.

“Oh —“. The shovel dropped with a sick thud.

***

As she dug the grave, she saw the first insect, buzzing by her face.

The planet was an Eden, she realized, in hibernation. Plants, fungi, insect eggs — the water had awakened them. If they grew this fast, the planet would be habitable within 10 years.

She couldn’t let Earth have it.

Look what happened to the first Eden, she thought. Humans ruined it.

She couldn’t let that happen again.

She had committed a mortal sin. What else did she have to lose?

Sent a report to Mission Control. Nothing here. A wasteland. Toxic. Keep away.

Saying one last prayer, she unhooked the oxygen cable, and laid down on the soft moss.