by Travis Sande
The one-hundred and ten degree water was exactly what Derrick needed. Feeling comfortable and refreshed, he exited the washroom. Grabbing another outfit from the closet he got dressed and proceeded back into the hall and toward the galley.
"That's better, you look human again. No offense, Eilik." Hank once again greeted Derrick as he entered the galley.
"Have you left the dining room yet, Hank?" Derrick said with a smile, feeling much better now than before.
"Yeah, I changed out of my flight suit. Besides, they have the best nutrient gel in town." Holding up another pack, Hank smiled at Derrick. "Everyone else headed for the conference room. Eilik and I decided to wait for you."
"The commander requested I stay behind to facilitate Hank's punctuality." Eilik corrected Hank.
"Well that's nice but we should go join them. Conference is about to start." Derrick continued through the galley. “Come on.” He gestured to them, forcing them to join. Convinced to move, Hank got up and followed Derrick out of the galley and into the conference room.
The rest of the crew welcomed their arrival as they found seats around the table. Derrick sat next to Nik at the aft end of the table. The commander was standing at the opposite side. Before saying anything, he opened a holo-grid at the center of the table. Projectors hanging around the four corners of the room would culminate there to create a 3D image.
"For those of you that missed the memo, our bio and rec area have been amalgamated into a single multi-purpose room. As of this afternoon, the room has been quarantined. Anyone who spent time there should seek out Sian for a brief examination. As you all know, Derrick was subjected to a bacterial respiratory infection. We believe the infection is not an airborne risk. Nicole and I were both tested after contact with Derrick and had no infection. Luke and Sian conducted a sweep of the ventilation membrane surrounding the rec area and found trace amounts of the bacteria. The humidity within seemed to allow for bacterial gestation. Sian treated the area and believes it has been neutralized. The rec area will remain restricted for the next twenty-four hours. We would like to conduct another test tomorrow afternoon to ensure it has been successfully treated. Any questions?" After a brief pause, he continued. "This is the first day of a yearlong mission. I expect all of you to utilize the remainder of the day to familiarize yourselves with the functionality of the ship. Tomorrow will mark the start of standard operating procedure. A routine will be established to ensure day-to-day operation is as efficient as possible. Nicole and Henry, you will be on week one laundry duty for your respective crew sections. A rotating schedule has been determined and uploaded to your CCDs. You will all be responsible for the cleanliness of any shared rooms. All meals are coded when dispensed and if necessary I will utilize that functionality to confront individuals. Not only will this ensure a pleasant environment for everyone it is a required to maintain a habitable environment. We are in this thing for the next year, treat it with respect. The reclamation receptacles will recycle material for future applications, but they have their limits."
Once again pausing, Lorn brought up a schematic of the ship in the center of the table. "Our newly implemented ventilation system allows for area specific quarantine. All your quarters are a closed system and in the event you become sick, it is asked that you remain in your quarters for evaluation. The stricter we are the safer this mission will be."
The weight of their situation seemed to hit Derrick suddenly. They were alone and any situation that could possibly arise would fall upon them to solve. They were in this together and he was going to do everything in his power to ensure the safety of everyone onboard. He felt embarrassment at his own inability to diagnose his illness earlier in the day. He should have approached Sian the moment he felt strange.
They had all prepared for this mission, but the solitude didn't feel real until now. Derrick scanned the room and could see a similar sincerity in the faces of his colleagues. A year confined to this relatively small ship would be a trying task. It was easy to dismiss the travel time with the prospect of an alien world awaiting their arrival.
"We must mitigate any complications that could arise from our own ineptitude. We must be ready to confront any unanticipated concerns with our full attention. I have spoken to admiral Lest on Marsul and the unstable rift matrix appears to be functioning properly. Lest informed me of the livestream's success. Nicole, your words will go on to inspire a generation, well done. Derrick, your piloting was exceptional and exceeded everyone's expectations. Admiral Lest asked me to extend his apologies for the deception during launch. The manual override was his idea and was approved prior to launch. The belief was that it would instil a sense of pride among the viewers." The crew was surprised at the revelation.
"Why plan for the AI at all if that was the intent?" Yanna raised the question everyone was thinking.
"Initially we wanted to adjust the flight plan to remove the AI from the orbital escape. The public relations department for the program believed it would have a larger impact if Derrick was seen as taking over for it, a last-minute rise to triumph as opposed to business as usual. Lest's original suggestion was adopted by the program and was executed as we saw today." Derrick felt slightly betrayed as the commander extrapolated on this secret plan.
"Why not just let us in on it?" Derrick wanted to know.
"They wanted genuine responses from the crew and they got them." The commander's comments appeared to be bothering the rest of the crew as well.
"When did this become a show, is there anything else we should be aware of?" Nik asked in a frustrated tone.
"This is the largest space exploration mission in the history of mankind. It was always going to be a show; your speech is further evidence of that. The decision was made to use this as an opportunity to send a message. The theatrics ended at the launch and our mission is still the same. I understand some of you may feel some apprehension about it, but I suggest you put that behind you. It was a minor adjustment deemed beneficial to the viewership. We have a mission to focus on, you are all professionals and I expect you to respond accordingly. If you have any more concerns, now is the time to voice them." Lorn left the room open to response.
"This feels like a completely needless breach of trust. The exact same message could have been sent if we all knew about it." Nik continued, clearly not willing to let this go.
"The bottom line is, you aren't actors. With the limited time available the process of creating a scripted scenario was a burden we were unwilling to accept. It was a small change that was a success from top to bottom. The launch went exactly as we expected and trained for. I encourage all of you to submit feedback about the process now that you know. As for now, if there aren't any other objections, it's time to focus on the trip ahead." Lorn was losing patience for the topic.
The room was silenced with several of the crewmembers still visibly upset. Lorn decided to address it once more. "I understand the frustration and just want you to know that I personally okayed this. The change did not negatively impact any of us and it brought the procedure closer to our simulations. Every single day we trained with Derrick piloting us to the launch zone. Quite frankly when I heard they wanted to use AI, I disagreed with it. We all know how capable he is at the helm and the thought of AI leading us to the start of our journey didn't sit right with me. When the opportunity to change it arose, I didn't hesitate. I admit it may not have been ideal, but I would do it again. Derrick turned in the best performance of his life and I’m glad he had the opportunity. As I said, if any of this doesn't sit well with you please file a report, for now the topic is closed.” Lorn concluded the discussion.
"I guess I never thought about what was going on behind the scenes. At least it isn't some conspiracy to steal our thoughts or something. Quite frankly, I think you did the right thing. I guess I just wish it was handled better." Luke's words seemed to calm Derrick, he was right, the mission was the biggest spectacle in the history of humanity. It's no surprise that officials would at
tempt to use it for an agenda of some kind. I guess they were naive or too focused on the mission to notice. The room seemed to agree as they started to relax. It didn't feel great but in the grand scheme of things it was a relatively minor transgression.
Orientation continued with little mention of the deception. Commander Lorn went on to discuss basic functionality and day-to-day life onboard the ISO. During the trip, Derrick and Nik would have a significantly lighter workload than some of the other members. With the ship locked in a RIP bubble and Eilik monitoring their progress, a pilot was a redundant resource. The same could be said for Nik, a cultural liaison with no one to liaise. As a result, they would both see increased frequency in the chore rotation. They understood the practicality of it and accepted the additional responsibility with no hesitation.
As commander Lorn neared the end of orientation it became clear that the main challenge would be boredom. Ben and Yanna were the only two onboard with a daily purpose. They would be monitoring and conducting experiments that had been planned and scheduled for the entire year. Everyone else would have a role that would be utilized sparingly if at all before their arrival on Setu.
There was a significant focus on activities or hobbies that the ISO could facilitate. Reading, games, movies, and a multitude of other options were highlighted. In addition to that there were going to be group activities at least twice a week. The team dynamic was essential to the life onboard, and these group activities were designed to ensure team cohesiveness. The commander completed the meeting by emphasizing the open-door policy on his quarters that doubled as his office.
The crew began standing and filing out of the room. Derrick noticed that Kim remained seated. It was similar behaviour he witnessed after the successful launch. He decided he would stay behind to see if anything was bothering her. As the rest of the crew left the room, Lorn stood and followed behind. Kim didn't move, she just faced the center of the table as if she was lost in the moment.
"Everything alright?" Derrick asked, concerned for her.
"Oh, yeah, just thinking." She responded as if he surprised her. Turning to him, she smirked softly and stood. "I should probably have something to eat, have you eaten?"
"No, I was busy feeding my lungs bacteria and sleeping, remember?" Derrick returned the smirk.
She shook her head and laughed. "Good start to the trip."
"A little bacteria never hurt anyone." He stood to follow her.
"Bacteria is responsible for countless deaths." Kim put him on the spot.
"Yeah well I guess..." Before Derrick could awkwardly navigate her comment, she interrupted him.
"I am just messing with you, let's go eat." Kim turned and started out.
Following her to the dining area he had expected to see Hank with a handful of gel. To his surprise the room was nearly empty, except for Nicole who was in the process of getting a meal.
"Mind if we join you?" Kim yelled ahead to Nik.
Nik turned to face them as the dispenser provided her meal. "Of course not, I am excited to see what this stuff tastes like.” Nik shouted back.
"It's not bad." Derrick replied. "They had samples three weeks ago after training, I stayed behind to try a few of them. Texture leaves something to be desired but the flavour does the job."
Derrick and Kim went to their storage cabinets, grabbing plates and utensils for their meal. The knife and fork had an odd, rubber-like grip as Derrick ran his fingers over them. ‘Must be some anti-slip safety grip.’ He thought.
By now, Nik had her food and was sitting down at the middle table. Derrick and Kim approached the dispensers and prepared to order a meal.
Derrick was first to the dispenser, ahead of Kim. "Chicken fajitas, that sounds interesting." Derrick pressed the button and could hear some air bubbles preceding his nutrient gel. He must have been the first to try the chicken fajitas. "What did you get, Nik?".
"Mushroom Risotto." Nik pushed her spoon into the pile of gel in front of her.
"And you, what are you going to get?" Derrick motioned to Kim.
"I was thinking either filet mignon or chili con carne." Kim said.
"It's funny that they give them all these fancy names but it's always just grey nutrient gel." Derrick laughed as he grabbed his plate and moved towards Nik.
"Not all grey, the snacks are blue, and I believe the side dishes are green. I think I get broccoli with my filet." Kim moved to the dispenser.
"Really, broccoli? It's a nutrient gel that can taste like anything and they decided to add broccoli to the list. Seems like a sick joke to me." Derrick set his plate down beside Nik and took a seat.
"I love broccoli." Nik asserted passionately.
"Same." Kim agreed as she grabbed her plate and brought it over to the table.
"Yeah, ok, broccoli isn't the worst thing ever but when you have the option for literally anything, I'm sorry, but it doesn't make the cut." Shaking his head in disapproval, Derrick shovelled some gel into his mouth.
"What would you have, filet mignon and cheesecake as a side?" Kim said mockingly.
"Either that or a cheese burger, and speaking of which why didn't my fajita come with a side?" Derrick used his spoon to push the gel around on his plate.
"I think the same amount of gel is used no matter what you get. It's just distributed differently if you pick sides." Kim appeared to have some inside knowledge.
"This isn't bad." Derrick quit playing with his food and took a second bite. "How are yours?"
"Not bad." Kim said.
"Fine." Nik said at the same time.
The three of them enjoyed their dinner and had a little small talk to go along with it. The ship was already starting to feel like home. Not even a day in and It was reminding him of his childhood with his two sisters. His parents often had long trips and left him in charge of both. Many nights were spent at the kitchen table after he had stumbled his way through meal prep. It wasn’t the easiest time in his life, but he looked back on it very fondly. Seeing Kim and Nik laughing just transported him back to that table with his sisters. Even his bedroom at the end of the hall was nearly the same.
"What are you smiling about?" Kim surprised Derrick. He hadn't noticed his own retreat from the conversation or the smile that snuck onto his face.
"Oh, it's just, it’s nothing.” Derrick felt embarrassed by his joyous comfort with the two of them.
“You aren’t getting off that easy, spill it.” Nik assisted Kim’s inquiry.
“This reminds me of being back home with my sisters." Andrea and Brianna were Derrick's sisters, Andy and Bri to him. He usually avoided talking about them because it was a painful memory. He had told Kim all about it before and felt comfortable mentioning it in front of Nik. Both of his sisters had died on a transport to earth. Their ship suffered a breach that resulted in the death of everyone aboard. This one was of the first times in the last five years since it happened that he managed to maintain a smile with them on his mind.
"I'm sorry, Derrick. You just hadn't said anything in a while." He could see Kim felt bad as she offered an apology.
"Kim, don't worry, seriously." Derrick felt a pang of guilt for making Kim worry about him.
"You never told me you had sisters, how old are they?" He could see the excitement in her face as Nik turned her attention to him.
"They would have been 33 and 31 this year." Derrick could see the shift in Nik's face as he finished his sentence. Her excitement gave way to a far more sombre expression.
"I am so sorry, I should have put it together when Kim apologized." Now Nik was apologizing.
"Stop apologizing guys, please. It's nice to be reminded of them and feel positive about it. I just got lost there for a second." Derrick wanted them to both stop feeling so remorseful. "They loved laughing and seeing you two just reminded me of all the times we would sit around our kitchen table just talking. I think they would have really liked you two, and you would have liked them." His voice cracked slightly as emotion clawed it
s way into his throat. Tears obscured his vision as they clung to his lower eyelid, refusing to fall.
"I'm sure they were great." Nik said, noticeably searching for ways to alleviate the awkward situation.
"They were." Derrick said as he swallowed firmly to rid the lump that had invaded his throat.
The three of them finished their meals in silence. It was only six o’clock, but Derrick felt exhausted. His nap earlier did not serve its intended purpose at all. The illness, treatment, and the lengthy orientation had drained him. He wanted to just spend the rest of the evening alone in his quarters.
"Well, I might turn in and get an early start tomorrow. A respiratory infection and that orientation were a potent sedative." Derrick stood and took his dishes back to the cabinet to be sanitized.
"Yeah I wish I knew drowsiness was a side-effect of that meeting. Luckily none of us have to operate heavy machinery." Kim said with a smile as she followed behind Derrick.
"That's a good idea, we should all turn in, that was a big day." Nik agreed as they all cleaned their stations.
"Sorry I brought that stuff up, I didn't mean to kill the mood." Derrick still felt guilty about it.
"You didn't, I enjoyed learning more about you." Nik reassured him.
"You can always talk about anything on your mind to me." Kim always encouraged opened dialogue.
"Goodnight, I will see you in the AM." Derrick turned and started toward the crew section.
"Goodnight." Both women could be heard behind him as he left.
Retreating to his quarters, Derrick entered the room and removed his shoes. He had no desire to change out of his clothes, so he adjusted the personal thermostat a little lower. "Nineteen degrees should do it." He said to himself as he adjusted the digital interface. Moving toward the bed he turned on the wall-mounted lamp. "Lights off" He said, and the lights smoothly lowered until only the light of the lamp illuminated the room. He pulled back the linens of his bunk and hopped in.
