Time to Orbit: Unknown

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> The crew gather in the medbay once more. Only half of us have done much actual physical labour today, but weariness shows on everyone’s faces. It’s clear that we’re all quite sick of random crises blindsiding us. Adin’s eyes are slightly glassy from whatever … Continue reading 038: NERVES

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> “We’re in space! I’m not cutting a hole in his space suit!” “He’ll die if you don’t.” “Aspen, please.” The Friend’s voice is gentle. “This plan isn’t great, but we don’t have time to come up with a better one, and we probably don’t … Continue reading 037: MODIFY

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Beyond the little safety wall, we have about two metres of clearance before the solid floor of the javelin shielding’s end cap gives way to the grid of straight bars that supports the electrostatic shield. When hauling a body in a bulky space suit … Continue reading 036: HEIGHTS

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> “Are we sure this’ll work?” Adin asks. I look down at the hospital bed. The seven of us are crammed into the small medbay, and the bulky space suit on the bed makes it feel even smaller than usual. There’s a body in the … Continue reading 035: MORALE

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> “Dear Lord in heaven,” Tinera mumbles around a mouthful of greenhouse beans, “I forgot what eating real food was like.” “I didn’t even know you could sautee with moss oil,” Lina says, stabbing a bean with a fork. “But this came out really well.” … Continue reading 034: COMORBIDITY

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Four of us – me, the Friend, Lina, and Tal – stroll toward Recreation and Medical Ring 2 at a leisurely pace while Tinera runs off to find the boys. I’m not sure why we need the entire crew for this, but apparently my … Continue reading 033: PREDICAMENT

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Everything about this situation makes less and less sense. Why would Denish be deconstructing a device from Da-bin’s body? And why would he lie about it? The idea that the device is from her body isn’t hard to accept; lots of people have implants. … Continue reading 032: CONVICTION

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> I think the crew are hiding something. And I know how that sounds, okay? I know. I’m very well aware that paranoia is an extremely common symptom of all kinds of stress-induced mental illnesses. I know that there are all kinds of things on … Continue reading 031: CONSPIRACY

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> Once the filters are in place, I drop by the medbay to meet our new doctor. Our Friend isn’t there (apparently it’s doing the autopsy in the other medbay, which is probably smart), but Tinera’s handing the patient a cup of post-chronostasis broth, and … Continue reading 030: BONE

<<First .......... <Prev .......... [Archive] .......... [Map] .......... Next> .......... Last>> All six of us gather around Da-bin’s chronostasis pod. I’m not sure why, but everyone insisted on being there, despite the doctor’s warnings that there was a ninety one per cent chance that we were about to watch somebody die. “Okay,” I say. “Start … Continue reading 029: PRESERVE