by Charles Nall
“I've done zero-g training. It's like learning how to swim, everyone should learn how, you never know when you'll need the knowledge,” Jacob said.
“Well, actually, I never learned how to swim. It just never came up,” Sharon said. “Artemis doesn't exactly have the best water parks or swimming holes. I just hope I never need to use it. And if it does come up, I figure I can wing it.”
Sharon walked along the catwalk. “As you can see there are some doorways down on the bottom of the cargo bay. They lead to the engine room and some maintenance shafts as well as a few airlocks to the outside of the ship. Here on the upper level we have the hallways to our lounge and living quarters. We use the lounge for everything: sickbay, galley, extra storage, and so on. The lounge is down the hall on the port side, the quarters down the starboard side. There is some secondary entrances to the engine room along those hallways as well. Here, let me show you.”
Jacob and Sharon went down the hallway on the right and through an airlock. The passage was rather cramped, barely enough room for both of them to stand side to side. Jacob noticed five oval-shaped hatches on the right side and two on the left of the hallway. The hatches on the left were open. The area was dimly lit with humming lights placed at odd intervals down the hallway.
Sharon opened one of the hatches. “These are the quarters for the crew. Any excess crew from salvage operations or delivery usually stay in the lounge or some additional spare rooms in the lower levels of the ship. Usually there are five or six people operating a corvette, although a smaller crew can function if nothing too complicated is being undertaken.
“The first type of crew member is the engineer. Some corvettes use two of these. The engineer's main job is to make sure the reactor system is running at peak condition. They also make sure all of the other ship's systems are running fine.”
Sharon opened another hatch to another living area. It was rather small, only enough room for a bunk and a few dressers and lockers.
Sharon closed the hatch. “Another crewman is the weapons specialist. Obviously we don’t need one of those, as we don’t have any weaponry. Usually most of the targeting of weaponry is automatic but 'weps' makes sure all the weapons are calibrated correctly and targeting the correct foes. They can manually control a few guns from the bridge as well. Again, we have no need for one of those unless we get some weapons. Typically corvettes have an arsenal of mass drivers and rotary cannons and maybe a torpedo tube or two. Corvettes are designed for skirmishing with light threats such as fighters.”
“Corvettes aren't really any match for destroyers or cruisers, right?” Jacob asked.
“Corvettes can soften up a target, but they won't be able to take out a large ship like that on their own.
“The third member of a corvette is the communications specialist. 'Comms' keeps track of communication chatter. They also keep an eye on the sensors. Typically in a firefight comms is tasked with keeping the corvette's own shields online.”
Sharon motioned to the end of the hallway. “As you can see there's a ladder going down at the end of the hall. It leads down to the first level with all the maintenance stuff I was talking about earlier.”
Sharon stepped through one of the open hatches on the port side in the middle of the hallway. This hall looked similar to the dim passage they were leaving.
Sharon examined Jacob. “You know, it's kind of dim in here, but has anyone ever told you that you are kinda pale? You aren't a vampire are ya?”
Jacob laughed. “No, no. I guess it's because when I was outside on Urbania, smog usually blocked out the sun. I've just never tanned well.”
Sharon motioned toward the open hatch at the end of the passage. She proudly said, “This is the engine room! It houses the reactor system which powers the engines and everything else. I'd throw a hyper-drive into this room if we found one.”
They entered the engine room. A cylinder of energy pulsed in the middle of the room.
“Just like the cargo bay, there's a catwalk surrounding this place, and if you go down that ladder over there you can go down to the lower level. Let's go check out the bridge now!”
Jacob glanced around the engine room. “The heart of the machine.”
Sharon smiled. “I'm the heart.”
“I can tell. What's the fourth role?”
“Navigation. They pilot the ship. During hyperspace travel they plot a course through the chaos. The other roles also help with that as it can be very complicated. Dodging gravity wells and storms. It's a tough job.
“The last position is the captain. Although they don't have any set duties, they are usually performing any excess tasks that are necessary and have access to all the other systems. The captain makes the commands. For most purposes the captain is usually the 'face' of the ship.”
They took the other hallway near the living quarters. Sharon pointed and said, “If you go all the way down this hallway it links with the lounge's hall. However, half way down this hall, you'll see a ladder. I know, it's a bit dark. Follow me.”
“So if you and Arnold had to man the corvette in a battle or something, which positions would you choose?”
Sharon eased herself through the dim hallway. “Engineering or communications, probably. We’re both skilled when it comes to that sort of thing. Arnie has some piloting skills. I'm not really sure how the weapon systems works but I suppose I could figure it out. The captain position would overwhelm me, probably.”
“Well, all of those positions would overwhelm me.”
Sharon climbed the ladder. “We all have a role to play. The bridge is just up here!”
Jacob followed her up. He tried not to stare at Sharon’s rear. Jacob had noticed it was nice, though. He reached the top of the ladder and looked around at the bridge. It was more spacious than the cramped quarters and hallways. Ship readouts and panels lined the walls. A few stray pipes and ventilation shafts wrapped around the brown walls. Although the walls were the same dull brown, the readouts displayed vibrant arrays of colors. The paneling for the consoles were shining silver. The computers beeped and hummed.
“Here she is! The Command and Control!” Sharon said enthusiastically. “We put a lot of work in making sure this place is perfect. Everything is linked correctly to the other parts of the ship. It's great, I'm so proud of it.”
Jacob climbed the rest of the way into the bridge. “I'm impressed, really.”
“We put more work into the bridge, that's for sure. Before we really knew what we were getting into. So this room is more or less square shaped and in each corner of the square is a command console with a chair, see? The bow of the ship curves ahead a bit and the captain's console and chair are over there next to the viewscreen if it were active. There's the window we saw from the outside. Each console can control every setting on the ship but usually the captain sets up each one for unique control. The captain's console can set up the other ones. It's very customizable. We can sit in different chairs each day and do the same tasks, or different tasks. It's all up to the captain and how he sets up each console.”
Jacob looked around the bridge. As Sharon said, each console had a chair next to it. As opposed to most of the rugged corvette, the seats looked comfortable with restraints for choppy rides. The chairs were set up about two meters across from one another.
“I love it, Sharon,” said Jacob, “you need to show me how to work some of this stuff.”
Sharon sat down in the captain's chair. “Oh I'll show you lots of things. Speaking of which, you still need to go with me to Vis. I need to show you the planet in the sky.”
Jacob sat in another chair. “Sorry, I don't think so.”
Sharon leaned back in her chair. “I dare you. And I promise you'll get something out of it.”
Jacob had a perplexed look on his face. “Something?”
Sharon seductively looked at Jacob.“Something.” She laughed and bit her lip.
Jacob sighed. “If you want to show me the other side I suppose you
know the way. We just have to be careful.”
Sharon quickly sat up, ran across the bridge, and tackled Jacob in his chair. “I knew you'd do it!” Sharon stood back up. “Come on, let's see what dad is up to, we'll go to the other side tomorrow night or the next night. Oh! I just had an idea. If you want, tonight, we can sleep in the living quarters on Rapture!”
Jacob stood up from his chair. “Well, those quarters are cramped. I don't know about that.”
Sharon started stepping down the ladder in the center of the bridge. “Oh, I suppose if we both slept in the same bed it'd be cramped.”
“Who said anything about sleeping in the same bed?”
“Oh. I guess we don't have to do that,” purred Sharon.
Jacob blushed. “Wait, I'm confused, did you, uh, you want to?”
Sharon snickered and dropped down the ladder onto the steel below.
Jacob hastily went down the ladder and looked around for Sharon. “Where did you go?! Wait up! Wait up!”
February 2, 0270 AC - 21:12
Outside Argolis, Artemis
Galactic Union Space
“Just this way.”
Jacob ducked under a gnarled tree. Jacob and Sharon were traversing a wasteland. The light pollution from Argolis was fading as they walked further and further away from the city.
“How long are we gonna hike for? This is getting tiring.”
“It's worth the journey,” Sharon promised as she illuminated their path with her flashlight.
“Why is this so barren?”
“Terraforming isn't an exact science. If you think this is bad, prepare for yourself for the other side of the moon.”
They continued hiking in the looming darkness.
After several minutes, they came to a fence that seemed to stretch the entire area ahead of them. Jacob noticed a sign posted on the fence that briefly was illuminated by Sharon’s flashlight. “WARNING: HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS BEYOND THIS POINT. NO ENTRY ALLOWED.”
“This may be a bad idea,” Jacob said.
“It’s not that bad on the other side. Prolonged exposure is ill-advised though,” Sharon said.
“Prolonged exposure? Like your friend out here?”
“Well, yes. Hey, come on.”
Jacob hesitated.
Sharon laughed. “You gonna let a sign tell you what you can and can’t do?”
“Maybe! There’s a sign there for a reason!”
“Come on, you are signing up for Exodus. I thought you were strong and brave!”
“Well, no.” Jacob sighed. “But, fine, Sharon. Fine.”
Sharon laughed. “That’s right! I knew it! Let’s go!”
Sharon and Jacob helped each other climb the fence. It was a fairly crude fence. The authorities must not have cared too much if people wandered out here.
The pair continued walking for several more minutes before Sharon saw something.
“Here it is.” Sharon shined her flashlight at a concrete building in the distance. “We're going in there.”
“You aren't going to beat me over the head and take advantage of me in there, right?” Jacob said.
“Not unless you want me to. Come on.”
They entered the small concrete structure through a rusty door. They entered into a small, cramped room. Debris covered the floor. The room might have been used as some sort of supply shed, but all the supplies had long been raided. An opening was in the floor of the structure with an already-opened rusty hatch. A ladder led down into blackness.
Jacob peered down into the darkness. “We're going down there?”
“Yup!” Sharon exclaimed.
“What is it with you and cramped places?”
Jacob and Sharon went down the ladder. The ladder led to an underground tunnel built out of concrete. The walls were slightly damp.
“Where are we?” Jacob asked.
“An aqueduct for supplying water from deep within the moon. One of the reasons Artemis was terraformed was the presence of a few underground reservoirs. This supplied water to terraforming machines. Since the terraforming failed, the engineers disabled this pipeline. The exit is just a few more miles this way,” Sharon said.
“Miles? I've never walked this far in my life,” Jacob groaned.
Sharon giggled and led the way down the tunnel. “You’ll live,” she said.
They came to a divide in the path. Sharon guided Jacob down the left side. They walked and talked. They joked and laughed. They flirted and blushed. Even though the dark path smelled like mildew and appeared to go on forever, neither Sharon or Jacob seemed to care.
“Here's the ladder up. I can tell.” Sharon said as she pointed to an arrow drawn in chalk pointing up on the concrete wall.
They both went up the ladder. Sharon pushed on a hatch at the end of the shaft.
A blast of cold air went down the shaft. Jacob and Sharon climbed out of the hole and walked out into their new surroundings.
A murky, muddy swamp surrounded them. A chemical smell lingered in the air. Jagged rocks jutted up through the terrain and cliffs painted in a bronze light rose from the earth. The entirety of the wasteland was bathed in sepia tones from the orange planet hanging in the sky.
“Jacob, that's Diana.”
They leaned up against each other for warmth and stared at the world above them.
“Massive,” said Jacob in awe.
Sharon hugged Jacob. “Vis is just down the path here. Don't step in any of the swampland. It's really terraforming residue. It's not exactly safe.”
On the top of a small hill sat a dilapidated shack. A path made of rocks winded up the hill to the shack. The rocks glowed brown in the planet light. Jacob and Sharon walked up the path. Sharon knocked on a rusty aluminum sheet that served as the shack's door.
A soft voice said, “Come in.”
Sharon and Jacob entered the small building.
A woman with shaggy white hair approached them slowly, using a branch to support herself. She smiled. “Yes. I had a feeling you were coming. Young one, how are you?”
Sharon grinned. “I'm doing great!”
The woman turned to Jacob. “And how are you, my new friend?”
Jacob kept his distance and said, “I'm okay. I'm not your friend yet.”
The woman laughed and slowly turned around. She collapsed into a worn rocking chair. She motioned to some wooden stools in the room. “Sit, please.”
The room was overflowing with books on the floor and on bookshelves. A golden Star of David dominated the left side of the shack. Many Christian crosses were placed on the other walls. Dream catchers hanged from the ceiling. A large Buddha statue sat behind the haggard woman. A globe of Earth sat next to the woman on a small wooden stand.
The woman sat in silence and smiled.
Jacob looked around the room. “Many different faiths are represented here.”
The woman nodded. “And many more represented in the many books I own. Everyone thinks they have the answer, but the answer is elusive. The answer will fight with you before revealing itself. Everyone sees a small glimpse but the big picture is just not meant for our minds to comprehend. One must find something that gives their life meaning and hold onto it, any faith or combination of faiths. Only then will the truth eventually be revealed.”
“No, no,” declared Jacob. “I don't have faith. I don't believe in any higher power.”
“It doesn't have to be a 'higher power'. Everyone has faith in something or someone: science, religion, a mentor, a friend. You do believe in something.” The woman glanced at Sharon. “Someone.”
“If you are referring to Sharon, well, yes, I believe in her, but I also see her. She's flesh and blood.”
The woman smiled. “Faith in the known is no more different than faith in the unknown. Deep down you do not know if she exists or doesn't. Is she a figment of your imagination? You believe the world you are surrounded by. You think evidence proves anything? The evidence itself betrays you. You could be in a mental a
sylum, or worse, an imagination of someone who is in a mental asylum. Who is to say who is right? We must each find our path. The true nature of the universe is far too big for any of us to figure out on our own. But the collective faith of the entire human race is bound to get close one day as we evolve and mature. The important thing is for everyone to strive for that ideal or we will never make it.”
Jacob shrugged. “I guess. I have no idea what that has to do with anything.”
The woman grinned. “It has to do with everything. You asked the question.”
“I didn't ask a question.”
“But I answered it.”
Sharon laughed. “Yeah I told you she was something else. This is Vis, Jacob. She opened my mind.”
Jacob picked up a book off the floor. “On The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus.”
Vis nodded. “Religious text for the scientist.”
Jacob flipped through the book. “This book outlined the heliocentric view of solar systems. Planets rotate around their star. It's not religious, it's science. Science and religion aren't the same thing.”
“The book outlines the tenets of their faith. It describes how planets revolve around their stars. And it seems to be the case from observation.” Vis spun the globe that was sitting next to her. “A deeply spiritual person believes they touch the other realm, they observe things different than you. They truly believe it and feel they experience it. Just as you experience the evidence of the planets going around their stars. They experience their own evidence. It's all relative. It's all personal. Everyone must find their own path. Unfortunately, many people belittle the paths of others when their path leads to the same place. Sometimes this is very dangerous.”
“If any religion was true, they aren't all true. Certain religions claim they are the one true religion, therefore other religions cannot also be true.”