Born on Earth in Sol in what was Southern California. As a child, he was obsessed with the sky and the freedom of adult commanders. Through his youth and teenage years he saved and eventually found work on a liner that was in the top 1% of all liners.

On one of the liner's cruises, he met an older Commander name fElios. He was heading back from a detention center to his ship. Commander Elios befriended Erudine on the cruise and hired him as a crew member aboard the Asp Explorer, Isolation Dreaming. Erudine quit the liner on the spot. Over the next 15 years, Elios took Erudine under his wing. He trained and taught him how to pilot Isolation Dreaming. Together Elios developed Erudine's skills, he learned how to explore the galaxy and find his way, how to outfit Isolation Dreaming for bounty hunting and how to kill pirates. Eventually, Elios elevated Erudine to the second in command on Isolation Dreaming giving him more and more responsibility. Allowing Erudine to make more and more decisions during their excursions.

Over the years, Elios began to see Erudine as the son and family he never had. He was thrust into this life at an early age and rose from poverty to become a commander of moderate reputation. In space, he was always alone, and in his youthful isolation, he dreamt of a loving wife and children and eventual grandchildren. All of these desires were just his isolation dreaming of a better life, a life he was never able to attain.

Elios felt his body becoming weary against the pressures of surviving in the black as he was reaching advanced age. He gave Erudine command of Isolation Dreaming and retired to his quarters to travel with Erudine and participate in the unraveling of his adventures from the passenger seat. This continued until Elios felt his body begin to crumble under the weight of his age. The black is a young man's game. He retired, alone, in his quarters. Eventually, he was without the strength to get out of bed nor the strength to brush his teeth. All throughout these last 5 years, he had been rapidly deteriorating yet Erudine never left his side. He never complained, always helped him retain his dignity. His choice those 20 years ago was well placed. He loved his adopted son and was proud of the person he had become.

***

After a 24 hour stretch of straight jumps back from the deep black heading toward Sol, Erudine felt his eyes heavy with the sudden desire to sleep. A strange thought occurred to him. Elios had not called out for assistance, not for food, nor anything else. Suddenly feeling the weight of silence, a fear struck him. Throttling down the ship to stillness he abruptly lept out from the captain chair and called out to Elios. His calls were met with silence. As he opened the door to Elios' quarters, he did not hear the expected snore that would indicate Elios was merely sleeping. A deep sadness washed over him. Elios stirred no more. Elios spent his life in the black yet Erudine could not bring himself to allow him to forever rest there too. He closed his eyes with his fingers and pulled the simple blanket from below his chin to above his head.

Erudine brought his body to Sol and scattered his ashes on Earth. He was the pastor and the only attendee of the service he gave to his mentor. He owed so much to Elios, for all he had given him over the years. At least Elios would finally have a home.

The gravity of the moment and of the Earth weighed heavily on Erudine, so he anxiously made arrangements to head back up and out into the black.

Again, isolation began dreaming of a better life as Erudine left the bonds of Earth and headed back into the black...