(Author's Note: My entry for Round 4 Part 2 of the #UltimateSFSD . Prompts were the photo above, the word "Crepuscular", a song by Enigma called "Return to Innocence", and a quote from Nietzsche "You needchaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star."
Word count 1664 according to Wattpad - not counting this note. Unusually for me, I wrote this one in two days, and I think it turned out better than I feared, lol)

Ninth moon of a ringed planet, Innocence was the jewel of the solar system, or indeed as many of its inhabitants boasted, the entire galaxy. Tourists came from light years away to stand and stare at the sky with the wonder of Alara hanging overhead like something out of a holovid. Then they'd take a swim in the salt lakes and sip their fancy drinks on the hotels' terraces before taking off to the next marvel on their tour list.

The more knowledgeable tourists would time their visit to take in the annual rise of the Naiads. Indigenous to the moon, Naiads were huge water dwelling plants, surging to the surface to flower during the two weeks Alara was closest to their sun.

Marvellous as his world might be to outsiders, Griif could hardly wait until he was old enough to join the Space Academy and escape to the stars.

"Why would you want to live anywhere else?" asked his friend Maz, who was already looking forward to working fulltime alongside his family in his mother's hotel. "I don't understand."

"Innocence is okay I suppose, but don't you want to travel, to see other worlds, meet other races, before you settle down?"

"I see enough other races in my work," retorted Maz. "We had some Epidavrians stay last week. Took Mum and me hours to clean the green slime off the tiles."

Griif laughed dutifully. "But it's not the same. I want... I want more!"

"You always want something more, Griif. You've always been restless, ever since I've known you."

"My mother says I have chaos in my soul," announced Griif proudly. He hadn't been exactly sure what she meant but it sounded really cool.

"Well, I hope you find what you're looking for."

★★★

Griif drew his new uniform out of the refresher unit and pulled it on, taking a minute longer than usual to check his appearance before leaving his cabin. He strode down the corridor to the transport tube and shot up to the top deck where the bridge was.

The crewman on duty outside saluted.

"Captain on the bridge," he announced, as Griif entered.

Griif surveyed his crew for a moment, proud of the smart way they looked. Bright and alert, every one of them. As eager as himself for this mission.

"At ease." He seated himself at the console unit beside his communications officer.

"Let's hear your report, please, Laraz."

Laraz proceeded to bring him up to date with a report on everything which had happened since he clocked off eight hours ago, most of which appeared to be summed up by "not much," but Griif drank in every word. He had finally found his rightful place, here amongst the stars.

★★★

"Thank you for your service, Captain. Although as you know, forty is the age for retirement in the Galactic Fleet, it's still young for the civilian world. Do you have any plans? A trip home perhaps?" The Commander giving his dismissal speech, was far older that Griif, but he hadn't been on active duty for twenty years. He had a desk job, Griif's worst nightmare.

Griif kept the fixed smile on his face. He had known this was coming for months, of course, but somehow, he had never really believed it would happen to him. He felt a twinge of wistfulness when his commander mentioned home, but it wasn't enough to fill the vast hollowness inside.

He had feelers out now for a berth on a civilian ship. Naturally it wouldn't be the same, but he was sure it would be better than nothing.

★★★

Griif rolled out of the tiny bunk bed and stretched.

"I'm getting old," he said with some surprise. "I mean, I really am. My hip is killing me and that tremor in my right hand is not just because I overdid the booze last night. And what's worse, I've started talking to myself," he added in disgust. "And how long have I been making that 'oof' sound every time I get up?"

Still muttering, Griif limped down the corridor to the bridge. He still called it that, even though the tiny space was only big enough for two.

"Hey, Griif, that hip still bothering ya?" Jimin, his co-pilot and employer turned in his chair to greet him.

"Just a bit," lied Griif, easing into his seat.

"Have ya heard about that new liquid metal stuff they're talking about? Supposed to be all the thing, now. May be ya could try that?"

"No thanks! Apparently, they can't just do one hip. Once they start, they have to go all the way and replace every bone in your body." Griif gave an exaggerated shudder. "Anyway, enough about me. Anything happen while I was off duty?"

"Nah. All smooth flying. We'll be docking at Harmony in about ten hours, ship's time."

Griif nodded, but Jimin hadn't finished.

"Have ya thought any more about what ya're going to do when we get there? I mean, ya know I'd love to keep ya on, but... well, ya said it yaself, ya aren't getting any younger. And, to be fair, salvage is a young man's game."

"I know. You're right, Jimin, I should move into a less strenuous line of work. You know, I left home forty-two years ago, maybe it's time to go back. Just for a visit mind, but I've been thinking now might be a good time."

"Sure," said Jimin, adding as tactfully as he could, "No time like the present!"

★★★

Griif manoeuvred his hoverchair awkwardly out of the spaceport. He still hadn't got used to the damn thing, but eventually he made it outside in one piece. He stopped and took a deep breath. He'd forgotten how fresh the air smelled on Innocence. Like any tourist, he stared up at Amara, looking full and heavy, hanging low in the sky. He wondered if there would be anyone here to meet him. Ship's time was different from planet time and his own family had died many years ago, as had Maz, but there might be a descendant or two who would know who he was. Maybe.

"Captain Baloch?" A young woman approached him with a tentative smile. "I'm Loma, your great grand-niece. Welcome back to Innocence."

"It's good to be here," said Griif. He was faintly surprised to discover he meant it.

"I'm sorry to hear about your health," continued Loma, politely.

"Ah well... I've had a good life. Can't complain." He cleared his throat.

"Does this mean you'll be staying, on Innocence?" she asked, giving him an oddly intent look. "I mean, permanently?"

"I guess so. I don't have very long, to be honest. Innocence will be my final resting place." Griif gave an awkward laugh.

Loma studied him gravely.

"Well in that case, I have something to show you."

What?

Loma continued quickly, before Griif could embarrass either of them with a crude comment.

"I'll show you to your room now, but later, after you've rested, my brother Korbin and I will take you to the lake. There's something we need to show you, something important."

Griif hesitated. He didn't know if he could be bothered. He felt tired and old, scarcely interested in seeing anything they might have to show him. After all, what could it be? The Naiads rising? Beautiful as they were, he had seen them before.

"I don't know... I feel a bit tired."

"Believe me, this is something you won't want to miss."

Loma seemed very intense.

"Oh, all right then. Give me about five hours."

"And one more thing, wear a swim suit or something that you don't mind getting wet."

Damn! It was the Naiads, wasn't it? Griif grumbled to himself, but when he rose after a surprisingly refreshing nap, he found he was quite looking forward to the experience. After all, the Naiads rising had been one of the highlights of his childhood on Innocence. And it had been nearly fifty years since he had last seen them.

Loma and her brother were waiting outside his hotel room to guide him down to the lake, both dressed in body length swim suits.

On the verge of a night which would last for two weeks, the golden twilight cast a glow over the lake, picking out the tips of the Naiads, beginning to surface.

His two companions helped ease Griif out of the hoverchair and into the warm salty water.

"Just a little further," encouraged Loma. "We need to be deep enough so that you can lie back and float."

Eventually Loma considered they were deep enough. She allowed his head to rest in her hands as he lay back. Griif remembered his mother doing the same thing years ago when he was learning to swim, but despite the support, it took him a while to relax, to let his body float without feeling the urge to see if his feet could still touch the bottom.

As his ears submerged, Griif became aware of little underwater sounds, the clicks and pops of tiny creatures, and he relaxed and floated. He had to admit, this was the best he had felt for ages. Years.

Verging on a mediative state, Griif didn't realise when his face broke into a wide smile. Joy flooded his being. It is time! Rising, rising! New life! Rising, rising! What the-?

Griif swallowed a mouthful of water and stood up, coughing and spluttering.

"What the black stars was that?"

Loma was smiling, excited. "You heard them? I wasn't sure. You are the oldest person to come to the Awakening, the rest of us experience this as young adults. If you had stayed on Innocence, you would have too."

"That was the Naiads?" Griif was still grappling with his experience. "They're sentient?"

"Yes." Noma nodded.

"Why have I never heard about this before? All the tourists who come and swim in the lake... how come this place is not swarming with government outposts?"

"The tourists can't hear them. We don't know whether it's something in the air, the ground, or the water, but only people born and raised on Innocence can ever hear them. And once you've heard them, you can't leave."

"But why would you want to?" added Korbin, honestly mystified.