Stories tagged “generation ship”
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An Ark, perforce
It’s dark now, here in back, but I like it that way. You can see the entire Galaxy sprawled across the sky, now that they’ve shut the engines off. We’re traveling so fast now, a hairsbreadth below c, and there’s still no redshif...
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Waste not, want not
Captains log Day 007 Well it’s done. We used the last of the fuel for the ion drives. We’ve been accelerating at 1 g for a week now and have travelled more than 1200 au’s. We are almost at 2% of the speed of light. The fastest thing man has ever ...
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Dear Diary
1440 hrs 10-31-33 LE Che was 19 when he wrote the motor cycle diaries. There was a 15 y/o kid that fought in the American Revolution that kept a diary. Anne Frank was 13 and she kept a diary. So my keeping a diary of what happens to us, well maybe some...
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Shadows and Dust
Captain’s Log Day 8130 The mission may be salvageable. Scanners have detected an interstellar cloud passing in front of Rigel 36-F. To reach the cloud, we have to divert by 0.09 degrees, which is a lot of delta-v. Calculations show we should have...
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Verily, a Ship of Fools
Captain’s Log Day 8135 The General Assembly voted to go ahead with the plan. Ideally, we could still perform a wide gravity-assist maneuver and end up where we want to go, albeit much later. Captain’s Log Day 8138 We went out to harvest the...
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Survivor's Guilt
I have always dreamt of feeling space. As I’m out here, maintaining this ark, this generation ship, I feel close to the Universe. It flows through me. I am it and it is I; there is nothing else. The closest I’ve ever been to its pure majest...
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A Proper Burial
The Captain’s dead. There are a lot of people in the shuttle bay now. Mochrie is giving the eulogy. Bolts is leaning against the craft, head hanging. I can’t see who the other people are. The Captain’s corpse is embedded in a plastic ...
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Hobson's Shoes
Captain’s Log, Day 8191 Ship operations were as normal as could be expected today. It feels weird writing that. I have this nagging feeling inside me, that I can’t live up to Hobson’s standards, but everybody else seems to have faith ...
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Happy New Year
Captain’s Log, Day 8191 For what it’s worth, Happy New Year. 34 L.E. Thirty-four years since the Earth blew itself to hell. How far we’ve come…almost a tenth of our journey, behind us… I for one am glad that Donald and the...
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Psychiatric Case File #34LE0002
Subject: Louchard, Sebring M. III Code: PS-IV Admitting: A. Durecovic Witnesses: C. Badpring, R. Arrobach Date: 8199 (01-09-34) Time: 0032 hrs Desription: Mr. Louchard, engineer, age 29, reported for work at 2000 night prior. Said work involved doing a...
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Bishop Takes Pawn
Excerpt, Bishop Young’s prayer diary: O Lord, I am most curious as to Your greater plans. Sometimes I cannot figure out which end is up. But perhaps such is the point; after all, we, only transient mists in a meadow of continuity, do not and cann...
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Orrery
Excerpt, Pastor Norton’s prayer diary: O Lord…like our generation ship, I am adrift in a barren ocean of solitude. Helpless. Why am I losing my mind? Are these present circumstances clouding my concentration to the point where I forget that...
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Missive
Transcript of Voicecom recorded for Captain, intercepted 0919 Hrs 01-15-34 LE (Ship’s Day 8205) From: Pastor B. Norton @ Ship’s North, Quad 5 Captain…I have to speak with you. Have found out something most— Uh… I need to s...
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Breaking News
Newsfeed 1030 01/15/34 LE The criminal, Patrick Scott, was killed this morning while attempting to murder Pastor Jonas. Scott has been sought for failure to report for recycling. His actions in continuing to use resources have been an ongoing danger to...
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Autopsy
Excerpt of Autopsy report on subject Patrick Scott. Black male, aged 37. 178 cm tall 69.5 Kg Subject displayed superficial wounds consistent with powder burns to the back of both hands and the left hand middle, index finger and thumb. The right thumb i...
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Mors
CERTIFICATE OF DEATH Decedent: PASTOR BANQUO THOMAS NORTON Date: 8206 (01-16-34 LE) Time: 2014 hours Date of death: 8206 (01-16-34 LE) Time of death: 0431 hours Report: Decedent found unresponsive on floor of corridor K-17. Piping unit suffered a sever...
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A Voice of Dissent
Excerpt, “Backyard” Bob Benson’s personal diary: Pastor Norton’s death was no accident. I’ve been doing this, fixing crap, for far too long for me to be misled by someone dealing in foul play. I jury-rigged a ZX7 before th...
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A Crack in the Wall
Captain’s Log, Day 8211 Four in the morning. Four this accursed morning. I hear someone banging on my door and screaming “CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!” at the top of his lungs. It was almost like a scene out of one of those old movies. Nobody ma...
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The Answer Lies Inside Me
Captain— I don’t know if you’ll get this, or understand what I mean. But know this: You are right. Some within the Church are not what they appear to be. From the day you set forth, even before you scooped me up in a death orbit aroun...
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Pay No Attention To That Man Behind The Curtain
From the desk of Richard Tertius, By Grace of God, Archbishop Clarence. I am surrounded by incompetent idiots like you. I told you to get rid of N and you botched up what should have been a simple job. What the hell were you thinking? No. Never mind. ...
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The Father's Son
Day Six (01-22-34 LE) It’s been six days since Dad died. I don’t even bother using Ship’s Day anymore. I feel like I’m a walking ghost, like this can’t be real. Is everyone so detached when they suffer such a deep loss? Da...
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Through a Mirror, Darkly
Day Seven (01-23-34 LE) I can’t get back to sleep. I woke up from a nightmare and now I can’t sleep. Maybe writing it will do a memory dump and get me some rest. I am in this corridor. It is dark and covered in pipes and grating. There is a...
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The Truth Will Out
Captain’s Log, Day 8213 Everything went to hell today. Fleance figured it out. “The answer lies inside me.” Bob actually physically implanted a note inside his body. How Fleance managed to keep his lunch down while he rooted around in...
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The Wages of Sin
Excerpts of Minutes of the 24th Session of the Special Judicial Council 0802 Hrs 02-16-34 LE (Ship’s day 8246) Attending: Capt. Kettering, presiding Bishops Young, Mallard; Messrs. Johnston, Avalero, Tuqi; Ms. Charo, Taronado, Ng Absent: None The...
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The Matador
Excerpt, Bishop Young’s prayer journal: O Lord, You told us that we are to take great joy in times of trouble, because only through the testing of our faith can we improve ourselves and grow closer to You. I, a mere mortal, can only wonder as to ...