A writing experiment. Three people on a mission to lay the first non-sol jump gates. What new worlds will they find? What discoveries will they make?
Blue for a Blue Planet
It was a momentous day in the lab. And in the kitchen. A few decades ago space-minded scientists started experimenting with growing algae in space. At that time people grew algae in massive vats of water, but these scientists tried to grow algae on glass plates instead.
More ...Chickens are a Poem
It was the fact that the poem was written out on paper – real paper – that kept Fatimah from tearing it off the wall of the Unity and wadding it into a ball. The shuttle wasn’t hers, of course. She was merely its Captain. While docked on the Bon Ki it served as the ship’s observational station, the ‘obv-pod’ as Chief Science Officer Park called it. Fatimah simply thought of it as the telescope; and for that reason alone it was as good as hers.
More ...Space is for the Birds
Day 2: Target Acquired
Excerpt from the Personal Journal of Rio J. Park
Well, day two in our new little solar system has at least been eventful: one of my algae tanks is behaving strangely, and I managed to lose my chickens.
More ...No Second Takes
Day 2: Foiled
Captain’s personal files
The universe knows I shouldn’t be here and it’s punishing me for it. First my chief engineer took half the morning running routine simulations, causing a delay in planing. Then we had our crew meeting.
More ...The Colliding Body Problem
Day 2: Scanning Space
Transcript of a Personal Voice Log
Sid, you are, in essence, the greatest physicist humanity has ever had. Every known astronomical fact and theory is available to you at the merest thought. I understand this is a new planetary system, that no one has ever observed these orbits before, but I have given you all the data I have. All the data the Bon Ki was able to pick up in the 24 hours since our arrival here. Nothing, no level of ignorance or misunderstanding of the parameters, can explain why you keep insisting that the 3rd and 4th planets are going to run into each other in seven months.
More ...One is a Question
Day 1: Target Acquired
Excerpt from the Personal Journal of Rio J. Park
What a day. It’s bedtime now – you remember that Mission Command ran tests with real people and decided that having us all on the same shift was better for ship morale than trying to do rotations with only three crew. Fatimah has made it quite clear that there is to be no all-nighters except for real emergencies. I suspect she was talking mostly to herself. She’s been sitting in the obv-pod – that’s the “southern” space shuttle to you nosy historians, the S.S. Unity – almost since the last piece of cake was eaten. All during debrief her eyes kept moving to the window. Sad dark eyes.
More ...One speck of light is much like
Day 1: System Processing
Transcription of an Audio Note from Mary Anders’ Personal Files
The problem with new things is that they aren’t usually broken. You run your program and then, while it works, you wait.
More ...Firstly Last
Day 1: Launch day, 1900 hours
Captain’s Log
All crew were on board the GS Bon Ki by 0700. Final inventory check was completed at 0800. Final system check was completed at 0830. No errors were found. Last member of Mission Command left ship at 0830. Engines were engaged at 0840. Gate Ship disengaged from Lunar Command Station smoothly and accelerated within normal parameters. Lunar Gate was reached at 1050. Gate was already open for the blind jump.
More ...Zero is a Gate
Day 0: Waiting to Launch
Excerpt from the Personal Journal of Rio J. Park
Tomorrow I’ll turn 70.
If I’m still alive tomorrow.
More ...It's Literally a Donut
Day 0: Day Before Launch
Transcription of an Audio Note from Mary Anders’ Personal Files
Okay, so if the air filtration server goes offline, I can boot up the backup processor in the green cabinet (I think its designation is E3? Or is it E4? Why do I not have this memorized by now?).
More ...Nothing is always First
Day 0: Eve of launch
Captain’s Personal Files
We board the ship tomorrow at 0700. No breakfast beforehand. No food of any kind, since we’re not sure how this portal is going to affect us physically. It’s the only really dangerous part of the whole mission; if we live through it the rest of the trip will be comparatively boring.
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