by Travis Sande
"Not just me, the membrane. I just want them to figure it out." Derrick decided he didn't want to subject Nik to his neurosis.
"They will, Sian and Ben would be able to, but now you tell me Earth and Setu are involved I have no doubt. It's just a matter of when." Nik held a passionate confidence in their team.
Derrick nodded in agreement and continued eating. He knew she was right, they had arguably the most talented team humanity had ever established. Still, his pessimism was difficult to ignore. Looking up at Nik as she enjoyed her meal, it all felt surreal. Alone in deep space, sitting at a table, and eating nutrient gel. A potentially serious infection dwelling within the ship itself. There was no dock, there was no rescue team; it was going to be up to the people onboard to deal with everything, big or small. Derrick once again retreated from his thoughts to connect with Nik. "Eventful first couple days." He said.
"And we were worried about being bored." Nik laughed.
The two of them finished their meal while discussing mundane things. Nik did her best to distract Derrick with stories from home. Growing up as an only child on earth, Nik started her life in an entirely different career path. Derrick was shocked to find out her original occupation was a large vehicle mechanic. Her demeanor was so light hearted and accommodating. If Hank had said something similar he wouldn't have given it a second thought. Nik though, he just couldn't picture such a soft spoken and kind person doing a job like that.
"How do you transition from large vehicle mechanic into government liaison?" Derrick was captured by her story.
"It came out of nowhere honestly. I was working for my father's organization when we were tasked with accompanying a government envoy to Greater Marsul. Mars had just surpassed Earth's population and we were to attend a ceremony in honor of it. All interplanetary missions were required to include a maintenance crew. My father put me in charge of a three-person team and appointed us to the envoy. While in transit, the liaison responsible for the landing ceremony became very ill. Unable to reliably do his duties there was a discussion onboard as to who would replace him. I was in the room working on a failed relay conduit, and I offered. Still to his day I don't know what got into my head. Most of the room ignored me as if I didn't exist. The senior officer of the mission took notice. Commander Melissa Lorn, or General as you know her now, decided to give me a chance. No one had volunteered and with past conflicts between her and newly elected Jorun Firk, I became a valid option. The remainder of our transit was used to prepare me for the opportunity." Nik's story seemed awe inspiring and almost impossible to believe. Derrick was enthralled.
Nik continued, "Once we landed and I had delivered the message, Lorn recommended me for a permanent government liaison position. The rest is history, as they say. It felt like fate, had I not said anything I would never have had this opportunity nearly thirty years later." Nik's face was filled with passion as she recapped her past.
"So, you just dropped everything and joined?" Derrick was seeing Nik in an entirely new light. Regretting he never learned about her sooner, he wanted to dive deeper into her history.
Nik’s expression became noticeably more somber as she answered. “At first, my father was upset. After my mother's death, he felt like he was losing me too. It took a long time to get back to normal with him, but eventually he respected my passion and desire for this." Nik could make anything sound like an interesting story. "Leaving home wasn’t difficult when I started considering where the new position could take me. I felt guilty at first, leaving him behind. He gave me everything, but I just couldn’t see myself working on Ion engines or deep space hydraulics for the rest of my life. I knew that an opportunity like that would never happen again and I had to take it.” Nik seemed to be justifying herself to Derrick, the decision clearly still weighed on her all these years later. “What about you, how did you become a pilot?"
Derrick took a moment to gather his thoughts after hearing Nik’s incredible story. Slightly surprised to have the discussion reversed to focus on him, he took a breath and spoke. "I always wanted to fly when I was younger. I didn't want to wait, when I turned sixteen I enrolled in a youth piloting program." Derrick kept it short.
"There has to be more to it than that!" Nik wouldn't let him get away with such a brief explanation.
Derrick smiled, he never really enjoyed being the center of attention. Nik’s interest in him felt comforting, warm even. He decided to elaborate. "My dad would always talk about how it wasn't long now until we would be leaving the solar system behind. I wanted to be part of that. He helped me enroll, and for two years I was stationed on Mars. After graduating top of my class, I enlisted into the Triumvirate stellar fleet. Over the next nine years I was an interplanetary chauffeur. It felt like I had stagnated, and nothing was moving forward." Derrick felt like his story had less passion or excitement than Nik's.
"You were a stellar taxi?" Nik seemed enthusiastic about the story.
Derrick saw compassion in Nik’s eyes as she responded to his story. Surprised by her genuine interest in him, Derrick continued. "Basically, yes. I piloted a transport vessel on the Earth-Mars route. It was exciting at first but after both missions to Jupiter were failures, it felt like my dream of leaving the solar system was dead. I left active duty and returned home for five years. I thought that if I wasn't going to achieve my goal then I should at least be close to family." Derrick hadn't opened up to anyone other than Kim about his past. "Over the next five years, my instructor stayed in touch with me. He wanted me to reconsider active duty as more missions to Jupiter were being planned and possibly beyond. I didn't take any of that seriously until..." Derrick trailed off.
"Until what?" Nik had quit eating and was attentively listening to Derrick’s story.
"Until my sisters planned their trip. They were going to spend a month on Mars and then return to Earth. When their return ship didn't make it home I spent the better part of a year looking into it. Every report said pilot error. They overlooked a pre-launch check and one of the engines had overheated causing the catastrophic failure. The pilot and everyone onboard was killed. I searched for someone to blame, I couldn't reconcile that they were just gone." Derrick could feel himself reliving some of the emotion. He took a deep breath and bit down with his jaw to prevent it from taking hold in his chest.
"I can't imagine, I am so sorry." Nik said as she reached out and put her hand on Derrick's.
"I don't know what I would have done without the support group on earth. They helped me accept it. There was no one to blame, it was an oversight and an accident. After spending so much time with everyone that was impacted by the accident I felt a purpose. I needed to prevent this from happening to anyone else. I reenlisted eight months after the accident. Contact with the Vryl occurred two months later and I was the only pilot with a perfect safety record. When the program was discussed I saw my dream reappear. I met with my flight instructor, my commander, and admiral Lest himself. My record and precision spoke for itself and they recommended me for the opportunity." Derrick finished his story and closed his eyes. Opening them again as Nik spoke.
"I'm sorry that's how it happened but I am glad you are here." Nik smiled, her eyes were welling with tears.
"I hate myself sometimes." Derrick said as he thought about the story.
"What, why?" Nik asked, shocked by the assertion.
"If they hadn’t taken that trip I never would have reenlisted, and I wouldn't be here living my dream. I hate that I have that thought." Derrick said as tears started to fill his eyes.
“Seeing something positive come from a tragedy doesn’t make it any less of a tragedy. If anything, you’re honouring their memory by being here. Your sisters would be proud of you and who you’ve become.” Nik’s words hit home, deep in Derrick’s chest. The thought of his sisters being proud of him was almost too much to bare.
"Thanks." Derrick struggled to maintain his composure. "I better head back to the bio lab. Ben wants me checking in a few times a day."
“You okay?" Nik lifted her hand off Derrick’s, letting him stand.
“I am, thanks for listening.” Derrick stood from the table, taking his dishes back to the cabinet.
“Always” Nik said. “Talk to you soon.” Nik nodded to Derrick, sporting a compassionate, somber smile.
“You too.” Derrick turned away, attempting to hide his emotional state as he moved to the upper deck access door.
Nik’s sincerity in the moment was incredible. While Derrick had confided in Kim countless times, he always knew it was part of her role on the team. Nik was simply a compassionate person going out of her way to listen. The moment lingered with him as he made his way toward the upper deck. Attempting to shed the emotion, he decided to just focus on his schedule.
Derrick had to check in on the greenhouse twice more before the end of the day. He didn't expect to find anything other than soil, but Ben wanted him to get into a routine. Once up top he noticed the added permission to his CCD. The bio lab opened upon his command. Derrick was grateful for the decontamination procedure, it afforded him a final moment to collect himself before facing Ben. Grabbing one of the yellow suits, he climbed inside and awaited the mist. As the room disappeared behind the thick fog, Derrick sighed deeply to shed the emotion trapped deep in his chest. The mist vanished into the venting system and the familiar green glow overcame him. Looking up, Derrick saw Sian and Ben working inside the lab. The click of the inner door losing its lock announced Derrick’s entrance.
"Anything new?" Derrick said as he opened the door and walked into the room.
"Actually, yes. We have had a couple theories go unrewarded." Ben seemed frustrated.
"The lack of success is information that will facilitate our treatment. I consider that a reward." Sian corrected Ben. “You are doing well.”
“You’re right, just been a long morning.” Ben took a deep breath.
“We will figure this out.” Sian tapped Ben on the shoulder. A rare sign of emotional prowess from her.
"So, what exactly is going on?" Derrick wanted to know. "I talked to Luke and he said Setu and Earth are also helping, have they given any feedback?"
"The remaining bacteria has survived all attempts we have made so far, and Eilik has not informed us of any incoming transmissions." Ben’s dejected demeanour returned almost immediately.
"Why was treatment on me successful if the same thing refuses to die in there?" Derrick was still confused about what exactly the ventilation membrane was made of. The entire system was implemented by Luke’s engineering team last minute. Eilik oversaw the procedure and The Triumvirate approved it. The benefits were substantial in their eyes.
"The membrane itself appears to be functioning too well. The filtering technology we received from the Vryl appears to filter out the treatment before it can fully eradicate the infection. Our concern is that if we continue to treat the area without complete destruction of the bacteria, the bacteria may become resilient to our treatment. So, for the moment we are making every attempt we can to ensure our next treatment is a success." Ben shrugged. “At least that is our best guess. Without physically removing the infected section, it’s difficult to tell.”
"If the membrane can filter out the treatment, why doesn't it just filter out the bacteria?" Derrick was underqualified for the situation but didn’t let that stop his curiosity.
"In short, we don't know. The membrane should have been equipped with an anti-microbial filter like our treatment." Ben shook his head slightly and moved back to the diagnostic tools present on the lab table.
"Should we be worried?" Derrick took on a very sincere tone. "I am ok, right?"
"The infection is quarantined and it's impossible for it to propagate. The worst-case scenario is loss of access to the rec area indefinitely. There is no immediate health risk to the crew." Sian turned to confront Derrick directly. "You are clear of all bacterial infection." She leaned in and did her best to comfort him. It was odd to see her so in touch with the emotional reality around her. She almost seemed like a different person.
"It's just a frustrating thing and I would like to solve it." Ben said, refusing to turn his attention away from the samples.
"I will let you guys keep working then, I just wanted to come check on the garden." Derrick appreciated the task even if it was somewhat meaningless for now. It gave him something to do onboard the ISO. Without the rec area, any task seemed like a positive.
"Great, the first few days you can just focus on checking mechanical stuff. I just want to ensure all the automated irrigation is working properly. You can also grab the soil sampler and test each pod for nutrient content." Ben continued, “It’s unlikely there’s any substantial deviation, but I would like you to familiarize yourself with the compliment of tools in there.”
"Sounds good, I will go get to it! Sian’s right, quit being so hard on yourself, Ben. If anyone will figure this out, it’s you." Derrick returned to the garden without hesitation. His thoughts lingered on Sian and Ben as he moved through the humidity barrier and into the greenhouse itself. It was rare to see Ben so engrossed in a challenge. His passion to solve the problem was inspiring.
Derrick spent the next forty-five minutes testing every pod for moisture and nutrient content. The device he used was a display with a small metal rod protruding from the bottom. When he pushed the rod down into the soil it would show all the pertinent information regarding the contents of the soil. The activity was mundane but captured his attention. He found himself jabbing the rod into the soil with delight. It seemed to be the perfect distraction from his thoughts earlier. To no surprise, each pod was within the optimal guidelines for growth.
Once he was finished, he returned the device to its storage container and moved out of the greenhouse. Ben and Sian were continuing their work at the station and Derrick decided not to bother them before he left. Their dedication was something Derrick had a lot of respect for. It seemed as if the two of them were going to stay in there until the problem was solved.
Derrick went back to his quarters and spent the rest of the day there. Only leaving once more to tend the garden. Sian and Ben were still hard at work with little to show for it. On the way back, he grabbed something to eat. This time opting for a quick gel pack snack that he could take with him to his quarters.
For the rest of the night Derrick's mind was preoccupied. Turning on his media interface, he browsed the options available to take his mind off the day.
“A documentary is not going to cut it tonight.” He whispered to himself as he swiped the screen through the various genres. “Ahh, here we go. The rise of Jorun.” Derrick had always kept a keen interest in the underbelly of Marsul and its formation. He jumped at the opportunity to lose himself in an exaggerated parody about the rise to power of Jorun Firk. Derrick settled in for the night, turning off his lamp and climbing into his bunk.
Accessing his interface from the overhead panel, he loaded his selection. As it began he cuddled into his blanket and felt sleep quickly pursuing him. Knowing the overhead sensors would automatically turn off the panel when he fell asleep, Derrick closed his eyes and gave in to the chase. The aggressive sounds of an over-the-top action movie provided the perfect background as it whisked him gently to sleep.
Chapter 5
Day 15
Two weeks had passed since the discovery of the resilient bacteria dwelling within the ventilation membrane of the rec area. Efforts were being made, both onboard and back home to find a solution. On Earth, they were infecting sections of membrane with a similar strain of bacteria. Their goal was to simulate the circumstances facing the ISO and create a functional treatment. Back on the ISO, Sian and Ben were attempting to isolate and treat the infected section of membrane without damaging or breaching the airtight seal. A small quarantined problem with a seemingly simple solution became a persistent headache for both the crew and teams on Earth.
The loss of the rec area was also proving difficult to handle for some members.
With nowhere to physically blow off steam from the day, the ship began to feel even more isolated. Commander Lorn, along with several of the crew, repurposed sections of the galley into a pseudo rec area. Interface panels were being used to host movie nights, one of the tables became dedicated to games, and the starboard crew corridor even became a sports arena. Hank had taken several items of clothing and tied them into a ball used for competition. It wasn't perfect, but it was an acceptable replacement to tide them over until a proper fix could be found.
"Who's next?" Hank shouted after just finishing a long hard game against Derrick. Hank would of course have Luke as his teammate and Derrick had chosen Nik.
“Wow, you aren’t even going to celebrate your victory? Just onto the next game, like we were nothing?” Derrick mustered a smiled as he bent over from exhaustion.
“That wasn’t a victory, it was an inevitability.” Luke’s words were met with bursts of laughter from the crew.
“Luke!” Nik scolded Luke’s mocking tone.
Luke laughed before turning to pick up the ball, awaiting a new opponent. “The corridor is for active games, move along.” Luke decided to double down on his arrogance.
“Wow, you’re going down next time.” Nik pointed directly at Luke while walking out of the hall and into the galley with Derrick.
“You know where to find me.” Luke attempted to spin the ball on his finger, he failed. The ball was too soft and slipped off his finger. Luke scrambled trying to catch the falling mass of clothing. Escaping his grasp, he made one last attempt to save it. Trying to kick it back in the air, his efforts backfired. The ball ricocheted off his foot hitting Hank right in the side of the face. Doing his best to hide his smile, Luke continued. “You’re messing with the best, baby.”
Hank looked at Luke with an invading smirk. Unable to contain it, Hank broke into a giant smile as he saw Luke’s face. The two of them shared a laugh as Hank picked up the ball. Planting the ball squarely against his hip, Hank summoned all his strength to suppress the outburst of laughter. Stoic, he returned his gaze to Nik. “We aren’t here to make friends, we knew it would be lonely at the top.” Cocking his head to the side in one last show of defiance. The deadpan delivery had its desired effect on Luke as he keeled over with a second round of laughter.