Just keep going Kip. Be strong for him. Be the thrusters fine-tuning his path. The journey out from Terra Duomo had been tiresome for Kip Grove. That is not entirely true, not just the journey. The months leading up to the journey had been even more tiresome, saving all the credit, scrounging parts to upgrade Marengo and her companion pod Fair Winds. But it started well before that too, with the years of decline and debate.
Dad always provided. Long solo hauls out in the black for
months on end mining in the belt, for Ma and me. This is what is best for him,
so he can finally be at peace.
Kip waited until Terra Duomo did a pass by Venus
to disembark. Venus’ solar orbit is nearly circular, meaning Terra
Duomo would be at its’ closest point to the sun whenever they arrived. The
scientific stations on Mercury are not home to many people, and do not
require the administrative support and extensive re-supply that Terra Duomo
provides throughout Earth system.
“Short trips and large profits,” said Kip to his father. Less
food, less air, less fuel. “That’s what you always used to say, right Dad?”
Marcus Grove groaned but gave no real reply. He had not
spoken much in the 3 years since his 91st birthday. Even then it
was just a few scattered memories of Ma.
Originally, this practise had its’ roots from the experiences
of those early explorers, orbiting the Solarsphere and travelling to distant
worlds. Turns out they all hallucinated, but it was Orisa Marshall, the greatest
of explorers, who first truly understood and discussed these visions. While the
others sedated themselves during Solarsphere travel, which is still common
amongst gunslingers today, Orisa embraced it. In her later years she would even
set herself in orbit and use her thrusters to slightly adjust course so as to
prevent space-time travel. Orisa described the hallucinations as a sensory and
deeply emotional journey, beginning with insecurity and fear, but quickly
developing to euphoria and love. In her later years, she became obsessed with
studying the Solarsphere, often spending weeks at a time in close orbit to the
sun. Eventually she travelled to an unknown system and never returned, leaving
her husband and children, and the entirety of humanity, without their hero.
***
Humanity’s expansion throughout Earth system and
across the Solarsphere to endless worlds was supported by an age of scientific
enlightenment. Universally affordable biomedical advancements in biomarker
tracing, gene editing, and if necessary, drug interventions, ameliorated the
risk of the major causes of death in mid- to late-life. On top of that, lifestyle-related
illnesses were reduced, from a switch to mostly lab and hydroponic grown food,
and a rigorous exercise and sleep schedule necessary when living in the void. However,
even without the risk factors of cancer-related immunodeficiency,
cardiovascular disease and poor lifestyle choices, in the end dementia
eventually crept in, wearing away at the mind and degenerating neurons.
Dementia hit Marcus Grove earlier than most. At first it was
thought that prolonged time living in spaceships and stations accelerated
cognitive decline. Once Terra Duomo and the other large stations and
void cities were populated this was disproved. Turns out it was not related to
space or gravity, but it was the isolation of being out in the black in a tiny
bubble of air that wore away at the mind, even for those with crewmates. The Gunslinger’s
Society has tight regulations for their own regarding time spent on space
missions and crew size, and recommendations for civilians. Marcus Grove had
spent the majority of his life alone in the void, and now he was paying the
price.
“We are getting close to the sun now Dad,” said Kip. “Time
to get you strapped into the Fair Winds.” Kip unstrapped from his
captain’s chair in the operations deck of the Marengo, the light thrust
gravity gently pulling his feet down. He helped his father with his straps and
lead him aft to the small cargo bay where the companion pod was docked.
“Elise… Elise… is that you,” said Marcus.
“Don’t worry. Relax Dad, you will see Ma again soon,” said
Kip. “Come on, let’s get you into the Fair Winds. Remember that time you
and I fixed the Marengo, the year before Ma died, and I needed you to
climb between the bulkheads and check the circuitry as I tested the guidance software
in the ops deck? This is kind of like that. I am going to get you set up in here
and head on up to ops.”
Kip finished strapping in his dad with the IV and oxygen
supply, and then checked the Fair Winds supplies. Air, water and food first,
enough for 6 months. Next, the tubing to the reinforced carbon heat shield surrounding
the outer bulkhead of the Fair Winds. Acquiring sufficient liquid
nitrogen and radiation-resistant mould required a lot of saving, and many
nights of eating cheap ramen from the inner decks of Terra Duomo. Liquid
nitrogen, utilized to cool the carbon exoskeleton of spaceships, is distilled
from the pressurized air brought up the gravity well from Earth. It is often
reserved for the gunslingers though, and quite expensive for civilians to
obtain. All spaceships carry a culture of radiation-resistant mould, originally
derived from bacteria and fungi growing in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear
disaster in the 20th century. However, the large amount required for
a 6 month orbit of the sun meant that Kip needed to scrounge for that as well.
Anyways, all supplies and tubing were in order on the Fair
Winds. Kip looked at his father for what would be the last time. He took
his hand, and through a few slow dropping tears whispered, “Bye Dad. I love
you.”
***
Fifteen hours later the Fair Winds was in a stable
orbit around the Solarsphere, the pre-coded path designed to prevent space-time
travel and allow a slow orbital decay into the sun over 6 months. Kip set the Marengo’s
return trip to Terra Duomo and hopped on the comms to signal to the Fair
Winds and his father for the last time.
“Bye for real this time Dad. I am going to miss you so much.”
“Kip. Kip! I love you too son. Your mom is here son. I can
see her again. Elise and I are going to dance like when we were young…” Marcus
trailed off.
The sound of comprehension and excitement in his dad’s voice brought Kip to tears again. He switched the Marengo’s scope to view the Fair Winds on its’ close solar orbit. His sensors detected hundreds of other small ships doing the same, other personal heroes of the space age reliving the joy of their younger lives, drifting slowly in the glow of the sun. Kip Grove kicked the thrusters and main engine into action and began his journey home, and beyond. For once I have nothing holding me to Terra Duomo, maybe I will see what these new worlds have to offer.
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