[ WP ] As you gaze at Earths beauty from the ISS , it suddenly disappears .

I've never felt so far from home. We're in low orbit, so it's not as far as many people think. The Earth fills half of the window. A giant sea with a round horizon line. A blue hill with the gentlest of slopes. 
 
 My poetic thought is interrupted by a crackling on the radio. I glance at it, expecting a transmission, but none comes. 
 
 I turn back to the Earth. I have only a moment to drink in her beauty, and then she's gone. It takes long moments for my mind to catch up with my eyes. 
 
 There's no explosion. No sound. No debris. It has n't moved. It's just... gone. Winked out of existence. There one moment, and now... 
 
 I dive for the radio. Attempts to page the planet are unsuccessful. No response from NASA, JAXA, the CSA. I keep trying, with no response. 
 
 `` Commander Ivanov,'' I call out. `` Commander!'' 
 
 It is hard to keep the edge of panic from my voice. Within minutes we are all gathered, staring out at the empty sky. 
 
 Redundancy is important. We've just been restocked and know exactly what we have as far as supplies. Still, an inventory must be done. We have enough food to last the six of us several months. A year, if we ration. 
 
 Air and water are recycled, down to the last drops of sweat and urine. But we do need *some* fresh water. And food. 
 
 `` We're going to die out here,'' I whisper. 
 
 Ivanov glares me down. We do n't panic. I understand without a word. 
 
 Solar charged batteries last over six years. They were replaced a year ago. Five years of electrical power. Plenty of time to rig another way to store the power from the solar panels. 
 
 We have labs. Many of the modules are unnecessary for survival. We can grow food. We're taking inventory and making plans when the radio crackles again. 
 
 We look out and see the most beautiful sight anyone has ever seen. The Earth is back. 
 
 ``... ISS...'' someone is calling on the radio. 
 
 Commander Ivanov responds. Once the initial responses are covered, Ivanov opens his mouth to ask what happened. 
 
 From the other end, the voice breaks protocol. `` Jesus,'' he says. `` We thought something happened to you guys. Where the hell did you go?'' 
 
 We all laugh. Maybe we are a little hysterical. Maybe we are just relieved. 
 
 The radio crackles, and our laughter fades as once again, the Earth vanishes. 

