by Travis Sande
"Four minutes out." Derrick relayed the information to the crew about their docking timeline.
"Remember, we are hitching a ride on the station to the far side of Mars. This will be a fifteen-minute break before embarking on the true journey. We must remain locked down until we are underway at full speed. At which time we can feel free to move about the ship." Every word of the commander's reminder had a renewed importance that was never felt in training.
This was it, they were truly going to be the first of humanity to leave their solar system. Travelling into the unknown on a journey to an alien world. No amount of preparation could do this moment justice as the weight sunk into Derrick's chest. Reminding him of the first day he left Martonne for central Marsul. A ridiculous comparison that caused him to chuckle quietly. How could a few hundred miles inspire the same sensation as a few hundred billion miles? Kim had always told him everything was relative, and that objectivity was nearly impossible for people to keep in mind while experiencing something. Words had never felt so true as he was brought back to his childhood in Martonne. He remembered turning the lights off in his room, grabbing his bag, shutting the front door, and simply walking down the front steps one last time; leaving his home, and a city behind him. Derrick laughed again as the comparison returned. Trading front steps and a sidewalk for Mars orbit and an interstellar RIP.
Derrick scanned his monitor and saw that the docking procedure was on schedule and unhindered. Less than two minutes to Mars 1 and then a fifteen-minute reprieve as the ship would be prepped for their final release. Mars 1 dock was merely a final check and refuel during the orbital drift to launch position. Checking his readout, Derrick noted the approach for docking. "30 seconds out, docking has been initiated."
"Ok, keep a close eye, Derrick. Everyone else just relax and enjoy the trip around Mars. This is the final step before we officially begin the journey." The commander continued to voice his thoughts on open comms. "I need everyone to be at one hundred percent until we are officially on course. Eilik, you have been quiet, how does everything look on Setu's end." Lorn addressed the Vryl crew member for the first time.
"Setu diffusion array is prepared for our arrival in one year, thirteen days, four hours, and nineteen minutes." Eilik's translator had received many upgrades over the last few years but it still lacked emotional significance. Combined with his analytical sense of speech it always seemed robotic to Derrick. "Unstable rift matrix is online, comms uplink to Setu is active and stable. RIP drive is standing by."
Eilik had always strived to sound more human in his speech. Not necessarily for his benefit but for the comfort of the crew he was serving with. Although his translation device had received upgrades, it still functioned purely at a level sufficient for his needs. He was given the choice of an external head mounted device or an implant. The implant would leave almost no trace of its existence apart from a small speaker mounted on his left shoulder. A wireless controller would also accompany the implant for specific toggles. Another benefit of an implanted translator was that he would never miss out on spontaneous conversation. The internal vibration core would act as a constant guide to all things human going on around him. With the external model it would have to be worn for it to be effective.
Mistranslated dialogue was rare but not impossible with the translation devices currently being utilized. Errors were usually confined to minor issues like tonal differences or syllable emphasis. The main message would remain intact and understood.
Attempts were made to simply learn the language but with no mouth or ears it proved beyond practical for the Vryl to pursue it. A similar fate awaited humans as they lacked the vibration organs or Tohlin as they were named. With the failure of direct translation or interpretation, technological solutions became the future of Human to Vryl communication.
"We are about to make contact with Mars 1, sir." Derrick kept his attention focused squarely on the docking arm as it extended towards the station.
"Okay, here we go, brace for impact." Commander Lorn decided to err on the side of caution. His mindset was to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. This trait was seen as pessimistic by some, but a beneficial in a leader. Talking freely about worst case scenarios would often cause stress in his peers. He knew the AI would likely dock with little to no disturbance to him or his crew, but there was no harm in being prepared for a bump or even a collision. Arguably one of the reasons he was chosen for the mission.
"The onboard computer will prevent any harmful contact with the Mars 1 station." Eilik said with a reassuring certainty. His staunch defense of the Vryl technology was evident at every turn. As a leader in unstable rift research, he was the personification of confidence whenever the topic arose.
"Speed is matched exactly and we are coming in smooth" Derrick advised, deciding to reinforce Eilik's assessment of the situation.
As Derrick finished his sentence the final five seconds of the docking procedure was already underway. When the docking arm connected to the ship, he could feel a sense of safety. It was a strange emotion to feel but as the small vibration ceased and they became one with the station he felt relief. Being once again tethered to humanity provided a comfort. This would be the last time he will feel that connection for quite some time. At least three years to be exact. Travel time was just over a year each way and their mission was scheduled to last one year on Setu.
"Dock complete, piggyback underway." Derrick, still monitoring the situation, provided confirmation.
"Fifteen minutes starts now. Eilik begin RIP prep. Luke, close all blast shields and ionize the hull." Lorn's words barely left his lips before being acknowledged.
"Understood." Eilik turned his focus to the engineering panel on the right side of his chair.
"On it!" Luke was quick to engage blast shielding. A loud release of gas echoed throughout the cockpit as the dyronium shielding rolled down over the windows. Light entering through them seemed to fight its demise, crawling down the inside of the cockpit until it was inevitably extinguished. A mechanical click was the signal that the blast shields were secure. The ionization of the hull was less noticeable and only Luke's words, "Blast shields secure. Hull ionization complete" was evidence of it.
Darkness engulfed the crew in the moments before internal lighting came online. The only illumination came from the lit buttons within the various consoles. Derrick looked over at Kim and saw her face in the amber light of an O2 monitor. Her eyes turned to meet his and, in a moment, he wasn't sure if she could see him. Was his face lit the same way or was she simply looking into the darkness with curiosity.
It was a moment that captured Derrick fully. The peace he felt as her eyes met his felt like something out of a dream. Time stood still as he scanned every inch of her face. Like a painting, he noticed detail after detail he previously overlooked. They had spent countless hours together and he just now realized he had never really looked at her. She felt like a different person, as if he was just meeting her. ‘Was the same true for the rest of the crew?’, he thought. What features had he overlooked in the rest? Derrick soaked in the moment, truly seeing Kim for the first time. Kim’s attention rested squarely on Derrick as they stared into each other’s eyes. He wasn’t sure if she was able clearly see him amidst the darkness but couldn’t bring himself to look away.
So many thoughts raced in Derrick's mind as the internal lighting began to flash into existence. With a blink, Kim's gaze was averted. The cockpit came back into view and Derrick's focus lingered for a moment on the profile of her face. The moment had only just passed, and he found himself longing to relive it. Was it an attraction to Kim or was it just the beauty of a moment under those circumstances? He decided that he could dwell on it another time and brought his attention back to the controls.
Fifteen minutes separated the crew and their destiny. The ISO would be released in a little less than a coffee break's time. Eilik was still working quickly to ready the RIP engines while the rest of the crew anxiously a
waited their outset.
"RIP engines primed." Eilik notified the commander.
"Derrick, ready thrusters for orbital escape maneuvers." The commander's words signaled the final stage of Derrick's role in the launch of the ISO. He would engage an automated thruster sequence to leave the station and exit Mars orbit. Once free of orbit, Eilik would bring the RIP bubble online and engage.
"Thrusters ready." Derrick confirmed. During training he would manually perform the orbital escape. It was going to be odd leaving it to the computer system.
"Crew, we are ten minutes out from our journey into distant space. We are the first, we are the guinea pigs of a new technology." Lorn didn't mince words.
"You're making me misty eyed, commander. I always dreamed of being a guinea pig." Hank finally broke his silence and several laughs were heard throughout the cockpit.
"Guinea pigs? You make it sound like we are going to explode. They tested this thing while we were training, right?" Ben chimed in with a half-joking remark.
"All variables were accounted for" Eilik reassured him, immune to the joke.
"Can I be something bigger than a guinea pig, like a chimp or something? I saw a video of one smoking a cigar back on earth. Felt like he had things figured out." Luke never liked rodents.
"No, we are all guinea pigs, that's an order." The commander's words had a deadpan sincerity to them that made Derrick laugh.
"Is the cigar still an option?" Luke fired one last jab that was ignored.
"Nicole, have you prepared some words for our departure?" Lorn had tasked Nicole, the cultural liaison of the mission, to prepare a memorable dialogue to precede the departure of the ISO. Something concise that would resonate with humanity. It was a tall order that was not taken lightly. Nicole often approached Derrick and other crew members with drafts to get feedback.
"Luke and I prepared something." Hank said, "Although it’s more of a skit and we will need two wigs and an apron."
"Henry?" The commander paused.
"Sir?" Hank knew the use of his proper name was not a good sign.
"The doors..." Lorn only needed two words to bring Hank back into line.
"Got it" Hank retreated into silence.
"Yes, I have prepared something." Nicole finally had a chance to respond. Derrick had heard several iterations along the way and was excited to see the final product.
"Ok, Nicole, I would like you to broadcast your message at the five-minute mark of our final countdown.
"Understood." Nik had a noticeable apprehension in her voice.
Derrick felt his own insecurities in Nicole at times. She was more than capable of any challenge but always seemed to underestimate herself. Derrick decided to lend her some words of encouragement.
"Hey, Nicole?" Derrick said over comms directly to Nicole.
"Yes, I read you." She sounded flustered and Derrick began to regret his decision. Maybe he should have just left her alone to collect her thoughts. It was too late now, he had to say something.
"I just wanted to say I am excited to hear what you have to say. Every time you presented something to me, I was inspired. You're the best representative we could have hoped for and I am proud to be here with you." He knew that she would succeed and just wanted to reinforce that knowledge in her.
"Thanks, Derrick. I hope I live up to the title." Her voice took on a more relaxed tone.
"You will." Derrick's words had a sincerity to them. He truly believed that Nicole was the best cultural liaison they could have hoped for. She was always compassionate and engaging no matter who she was speaking with. Never speaking out of turn or speaking just for the sake of it. Words held an importance to Nicole far beyond the emphasis applied by the average person. As he thought about it he became more curious and excited to hear what she had to say about their departure.
Ten minutes left, ten minutes until they engage RIP engines for the first time in human history. Ten minutes until they start a journey that will take them beyond the farthest reaches of Derrick's childhood dreams. Everything still felt surreal, a perpetual shock enveloped him whenever he focused on the situation surrounding him. Derrick wished his harness wasn't so snug, he wondered what everyone else was doing. Like a child wanting to look around at his friends, he felt strangely alone at the front of the cockpit. Only the commander and Kim were visible in his peripheral and he knew that Hank or Luke were probably up to something behind him.
The next five minutes were filled with silence. A calmness overcame them as they each imagined the next year of their lives. Confined in a ship surrounded by an unrelenting bubble of energy, it was a time of reflection as they awaited the speech.
Excitement was the predominant emotion during all of training as none of them could truly be objective about the mission. Yes, it was an opportunity of not only a single lifetime but of all lifetimes to this point in humanity. The struggles that they would inevitably face would be relegated to an afterthought in the face of such an amazing task.
Once they were underway and had a daily routine established they would settle in. Derrick thrived on routine and although it was sometimes a struggle to get into a one, once in, he would rarely deviate. He found himself living out a day on the ISO in his head as the silence remained deafening. He recalled his quarters and the way he had requested brown sheets and a black blanket. He specified thread count and a particular shade of brown. Derrick knew it was a peculiar request when he made it early on in training. To his surprise there was little hesitation and special linens were made. The bedding was just the beginning of his special requests, and he felt appreciative as the team in charge was very accommodating to the crews’ needs. He started wondering what requests were made by other members of the crew. Did they try to recreate a familiar home onboard or go the opposite direction entirely?
"Thirty seconds until your message, Nicole. I received permission for an open channel to the official livestream watching our launch. You will have a thirty second window starting at the five-minute mark. Everyone else please remain muted." Lorn's words cut through the silence, lifting the fog of rumination that had so suddenly infected the cockpit.
Nicole opened her comms and took a deep breath. "Ok, here we go" she paused for the remaining few seconds. Derrick envisioned her with eyes closed and lips twitching with the final practice run of her words. He couldn't take his eyes off the clock on his panel. As the five-minute mark hit, the hiss of an open channel revealed itself, and, without hesitation, Nicole began. "Humanity's past defines who we are. We embark today to define who we will be. Unified, we reach into unfathomable distance to cement our closest friendship. The crew of the Interstellar Observer are proud to undertake this journey on behalf of all humankind. Whether it’s steps, leaps, or even RIPs, humanity always pushes boundaries in search of the unknown. Setu may be our destination, but it will serve as the start of a new journey. A journey alongside the Vryl. Together, we shall continue to breach the unknown."
Her words came as promised; beautiful and concise. Derrick felt the added importance of the mission. They were at the forefront for the birth of a new era. Nicole captured the crew as silence returned. The countdown however, carried on unimpeded.
The last five minutes came and went almost exclusively in silence. The only sound that could be heard was Eilik maintaining the RIP drive for launch. The dull tapping of his alien fingers contacting his control panel, accompanied by a muted *beep* to acknowledge each button activation. It was strange how obvious the sounds became in utter silence. Derrick couldn't remember the last time he noticed that sound, and every detail of the launch felt as if it was new. As if somehow it was the first time he was going through this process. Even though he had trained for these exact steps over a thousand times, the minor differences seemed to jump out at him at every turn. Kim's face even inspired this feeling. He started to think that maybe the change was within him, focusing on the minutia he previously overlooked.
Once again, the commander's voice broke the si
lence. "Derrick, are you ready to take us out? One minute until docking release."
"Aye sir, ready and waiting." Derrick was caught completely off guard. Was Lorn implying a manual orbital escape? Launch training always culminated with Derrick completing the maneuver manually. However, it was understood that in real world implementation the AI would accomplish the task. He didn't want to assume, but the commander's words had familiarity about them reminiscent of their trials. Refusing to leave it to chance, Derrick decided to confirm the order. "Vectors laid in, AI standing by."
"I said, Derrick. I want us to do this manually. I am not leaving the final stage of our launch up to a computer. You completed the maneuver flawlessly every run through the simulator. This is the first step into a future beyond our solar system. I would like our voyage to begin with the best pilot we have at the helm." It was very surprising to hear the commander deviate from standard procedure. He had voiced displeasure for automated systems several times throughout training but never to this degree. "I will note any objections."
As he finished his thought, Derrick was taken aback. Was the commander doing this for his sake or was it a sincere mistrust of the AI. Either way he found the gesture out of place and considered objecting to it himself. The opportunity was a welcome one and he very much desired it but the last-minute nature of it felt unsettling.