Author: Derin

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Shortly after Hylara passes the sun, Captain Klees calls a meeting. “Let’s go over what we know about… everything. Everything started with the Antarcticans developing the Kleiner array. This allowed us to view and study exoplanets in much greater detail than previously, and actually … Continue reading 116: REVIEW

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> It’s about 2am on our personal ship schedule, but both the captain and I are awake. I can feel his breathing through his back, measured but not the slow, soft breath of sleep. I reach my arms around him and lay a hand on … Continue reading 115: SAFE

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> The next morning, we assemble around the picnic table, and Lina explains what she and the Friend have spent the past day investigating. “So. We have a hypothesis that may actually answer quite a lot of questions.” “Great,” Tinera says. “I love things that … Continue reading 114: REACTION

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> By popular agreement and lighting coordination, the whole crew is on the same basic 24 hour schedule, so we tend to have breakfast together unless somebody’s busy or feels like sleeping in. We also tend to have our crew meetings over breakfast, so nobody’s … Continue reading 113: SENTENCE

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> “What does that mean, a coherent radio message?” Captain Klees asks. “Somebody talking to us? From Earth?” “Unlikely, with our dish,” Sam says, “although we’re close enough to Hylara that if they were trying to contact us on Hylara, we’d pick it up if … Continue reading 112: COHERENCE

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> I’m chopping vegetables and handing them to Captain Klees for a morning omelette when Lina strolls in. “Captain, do you mind retaking some scans? I’ve just about wrapped up your health assessment but we’re getting some strange results. A scanner error, I think.” Captain … Continue reading 111: SCAN

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> “So how’s our new home planet?” I ask Sam as we check the atmosphere in the Habitation Ring. They shrug. “Still orbiting. Presumably still mysteriously oxygenated. It’s passing in front of the sun right now so we won’t get much in the way of … Continue reading 110: GRAVES

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> When Lina takes my arm to insert the needle, I stiffen automatically. She hesitates. “If you’re uncomfortable with me, the Friend can do this,” she tells me. I shake my head. “I’m sure you won’t kill me for my organs on a spaceship.” I … Continue reading 109: NORMAL

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> It’s mostly dark. Dark enough that, as I lay on my back in my sleeper nest and stare up at the branch above, I can’t quite out make the ceiling behind it. The light’s not quite right, but I can almost, almost pretend it’s … Continue reading 108: GROWTH

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> The process of explaining the issue takes long enough that the designated time for Movie Night ends partway through. Captain Klees sheds random costume paraphernalia as he paces back and forth in the Engine Ring. “Everyone stay calm,” he says in a tone that … Continue reading 107: IMPLICATION