Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Two more days dragged on with no word from Rhea on when we could leave.
At least there was something to keep me entertained, buried deep into the folders on my computer some of the now-deceased crew members had snuck music and films onboard to keep themselves busy when off-duty. The music was nothing special, but the movies provided an enlightening glimpse into the culture and society of this far future I found myself in. It was profoundly odd to watch a 'period drama' that was set in my present day, complete with anachronistic mistakes and misunderstandings that might arise from shoddy research.
Otherwise, they were about what you'd expect. Romance, drama, and plenty of action. I always spent a lot of time watching this kind of thing back home, so it was comforting in a way. Not to mention the incredible video quality that the screen in the cockpit had. It dropped down from the ceiling and was normally used for actually productive purposes like letting the captain keep an eye on what his fleet was doing.
Unbeknownst to Rhea, I'd also delved deeper into some of the operating manuals and learned a lot that she had neglected to tell me. Officers in the Corporation, like all astronauts, were expected to be in prime physical condition. Part of that came from training, but there were also several mentions of body modification using the same equipment that could be found in the medical bay. More to the point – leaving the orbit of this desert planet was going to put immense strain on my body.
After concluding that there was more that Rhea wasn't saying, I decided to confront her and ask for some more plain facts. If there was one thing that I hated above everything else, it was people concealing important information from me. From minor things to life-changing events – missing out made my anxiety flare up all the same.
"Rhea, are you sure that I'm space worthy at the moment?"
"Apologies Captain, but I did not wish to overload you with information when you arrived. I conducted an initial evaluation of your body while mending your hands, and found that you're well beneath the standards expected by company policy."
I sighed, "You don't need to tell me that. This uniform barely fits as is, and I've got a serious stomach on me too."
"Your body fat index is actually very low for a man your height."
"Yeah – but I'm not healthy. What's all this about modifying my body with the pod?"
Ensigns are given a standard course of biological and mechanical enhancements to make their time in space easier. Asking you to undergo such a procedure was assessed to cause you psychological distress, Captain. I am forbidden from directly taking such action if I believe that it will lead to the harm of a human member of the crew."
"So what are your priorities, or rules, exactly?"
"The Ralis-Byrant Corporation found that the aftermarket artificial intelligence systems available were not suitable for the Pariah. The Fendris Protocol, named after the lead scientist on the project, is an advanced subroutine applied to me and my sister programs that provides an increased level of situational adaptation. My first priority is to protect the crew at all costs and make suitable risk assessments that protect the lives of as many crew members as possible."
"What if that involves letting somebody die?"
"That decision can only be made by a commanding officer. There are several scenarios which require express authorization from a human superior; the ship itself cannot even fly with my presence alone."
That explained why she needed my DNA to 'boot up.'
She continued, "I am incapable of refusing an order from the superior officer unless it poses a direct risk to the integrity of the craft and our operational goals. This duty of care extends to the emotional well-being of my crew as well. To be a spacefarer places exceptional demands on the human body. Given the already stressful situation, I did not want to pressure you into making a decision that was not entirely your own."
I exhaled and nodded, "That makes sense. Who knows what I would have done if you asked me from the moment I stepped through the airlock."
"I understand that it is a serious commitment for anyone to undergo such an operation, I would like to clarify that the biomedical machines used are well-researched and understood. They will not cause any long-term harm to your body; even should you return to your original universe. They will simply cease operating and allow you to return to normal."
But was I willing to put that much trust into her words so soon? She had kept me alive for three days now, but that could always change. That blue chamber in the medical room was foreboding for all sorts of different reasons. I could easily climb inside and never wake up again, or find that she went rogue and decided to 'improve' me even further.
"That's what I was wondering – how long do you think I'm going to be here?"
Rhea calculated a rough estimate, "We have one week left to complete our repairs. We will retrieve the solid fuel module within the day and spend two reintegrating it into the craft structure. From there, we will egress from this planet and locate the nearest Ralis-Byrant station or ground base. Presuming they are still in the same locations, that will take another week of travel."
"About three weeks then?"
"That is correct. I would highly recommend undergoing this basic treatment. It will allow your body to adapt to the zero-gravity environment in space, improve your sense of balance, and automatically manage lactic acid levels – increasing the efficiency of our oxygen use. Unfortunately, the onboard gymnasium was also jettisoned during the battle, so it cannot be done the 'honest' way."
The more advanced levels of bio-engineering could go even further, allowing people to rectify birth defects and malaise that were considered huge problems back in my era. Missing limbs and organs could also be replaced with mechanical imitations. Some were exclusively for the purpose of making your job easier. Company policy dictated that every pilot and crewman was to be tracked by the managing AI using machines in the blood.
"Additionally, it will allow me to react quickly in the event of a medical emergency, and also locate you if you get lost while onshore."
"But?"
"It takes a significant length of time for the operation to complete. You will be placed on the support system and suspended for a week while everything we discussed is applied. Though from your perspective it will be done in the blink of an eye." Just like when I had corrective surgery done to my jaw when I was a teenager. You never expect anaesthesia to sweep your consciousness away like that until you actually experience it first-hand.
"Can you give me an hour to think about it?"
"Of course, Captain."
The rational side of my brain was telling me to go for it. All of those astronauts I saw in videos and documentaries did that harsh training for a good reason. I couldn't expect this far-off future to be nothing but convenience and plain sailing. There were some things that technology couldn't solve. The less rational side was all about trust. How much did I trust Rhea to do what she claimed she'd do?
But if she really wanted me dead why did she feed and hydrate me, and even treat my injuries? From her perspective, this was a mutually beneficial situation. I could get survive and get off this planet, and maybe even get home. She could return to her corporate masters and fulfil whatever purpose they originally intended for her. Breaking through the atmosphere without the appropriate preparations sounded like a terrible time. I decided to consent to the procedure. I liked to play things on the safe side, and getting it done sounded more palatable than having my organs turned inside out on the ride up.
"Alright. Rhea, let's do it."
"Very well, Captain. I have already cycled the chamber so that you can enter. Please take yourself to the medbay and remove your clothes."
I closed the movie I was watching and squeezed down the narrow hallway into the medical room. The chamber in question was what you'd expect, a large circular tube that was filled with cyan liquid just a few hours ago. It was now empty and the doors had been opened to welcome me inside. I left my clothes on the bed and shivered as the climate-controlled interior chilled me through.
"Please place your feet onto the designated marks, Captain."
A white outline had been painted on the metal grate below. I did as she asked and faced dead ahead. A pair of braces came down from above. One of them fitted snuggly around the top of my head, while the others held my shoulders in place to prevent me from floating up to the top. Finally, a small robotic arm brought a syringe towards me, precisely injecting the anaesthetic into a vein in my arm.
"The tube will only fill when you are no longer conscious. Have a pleasant sleep, Captain."
My eyes drifted shut.
And then they opened again.
My body was drenched to the bone as the last of the cyan liquid flushed itself out of the chamber. It really did feel like the blink of an eye. The arms remained in place for the time being. I felt groggy and my limbs ached. There was also a slight stinging in my eyes.
"Good morning Captain. Before I release you, I am going to perform an assessment to ensure that you are healthy."
I felt a little sick.
"Rhea, are we done already?"
"You have been asleep for a week, Captain. Please follow this light with your eyes."
I saved my questions for later as she ran me through a gamut of other similar tests. I was given the all-clear and allowed to dry myself off with a complimentary towel. I noticed several red marks on my arms, legs and on my chest where I had been injected repeatedly during the modification process.
"I can see you on the scanner and there appear to be no problems with your bodily functions. The operation is now concluded. Please be aware that you will feel a strong urge to urinate for three days post-operation."
That was an all-too-familiar problem. After my first operation, I was stuck in bed for days and just couldn't will myself to use the bathroom. Every time I tried it was like something was blocking me from doing the deed. There was also an embarrassing nighttime episode where one of my stitches opened, leading to me bleeding from my mouth onto the floor and being forced to clean it up with toilet paper…
She was right. I really needed to pee. But I knew that I couldn't for the time being. So, I resigned myself to enduring the sensation for a good while before my brain caught up. In terms of everything else, there was nothing unusual to report. The changes she had allegedly made were subtle in nature at best.
"Hey, does this data get sent back to the corporation?" I asked.
"Not unless the crew are participating in a long-term medical study," Rhea responded, "There are many better-controlled environments in which such tests can be performed. Additionally, transmitting such a large amount of data to a limited number of relays would preclude more important information."
"I get it."
That was some assurance that big brother wasn't keeping track of when I went to the bathroom. Once I was dressed, fed and watered, I returned to the cockpit.
"Rhea, can I get an update on how close we are to ditching this shithole?"
"Repairs are now complete. The vertical thrusters will allow us to fly in the atmosphere - we can locate our missing solid fuel container and be away in due time."
I took a deep breath as the shutters receded and allowed the outside light to shine through. That same old scenery was soon to be a thing of the past. I could hear an alright rumble as the engines roared to life. The entire cabin shook and rocked as the door locked shut behind me.
"Activating cockpit dampeners, please remain in your seat."
The entire construction shifted and suddenly the rumbling came to a stop.
"Ready to take off on your order, Captain."
"Alright. Let's get out of here, Rhea."
"Gladly."
My stomach jumped up into my throat as an immense amount of thrust suddenly poured outwards from the vertical engines. The crater that was so large when I slid down it on foot looked like nothing more than a pothole as we shot upwards into the air, almost reaching the thin clouds that floated above. I gripped the armrests and tried to calm my nerves. I was not a confident flyer. Thankfully, the horizontal axis proved less demanding. We floated above the sandy landscape. I enjoyed the view as Rhea navigated us in the right direction.
"How does it feel to finally be in the air, Captain?"
"Stomach churning."
"You will adapt in time. You have a zero-point-three percent chance of vomiting."
"Okay, I don't need real-time updates on everything that's going on in my body now."
"Apologies. I will refrain from sharing superfluous information in the future."
Just her saying that made me feel sick.
-----
Compared to the long wait for the repairs, our journey to the last known location of the solid fuel module was comparatively speedy. I was not left wanting for amazing views to keep myself occupied during the trip, and there was a certain addictive element to watch the blue dot on my map speeding across the landscape getting ever closer to our intended target.
"Systems are operating normally, Captain. The repair process was an unmitigated success."
"I'd hope so, given that we're already up in the air and flying."
"Sorry. It is a force of habit. The Pariah was in the final stages of flight testing when it was downed – I was required to inform the Captain and crew of the ship's status at all times."
"Did you ever have trouble with it?"
"In the early stages, it proved to be a difficult craft to maintain, but later revisions ensured that it boasts a reliability level that is in keeping with the very best craft available on the market. That may have changed in the hundred years that I have been disconnected though. I would not worry about technical problems impeding our journey. I am capable of repairing any issue within the core module."
That was said with a level of certainty that only filled me with doubt. There was no credible way to engineer a device that was completely immune to malfunction, not even one-thousand years into the future. It furthered my confusion over her honesty and credibility. She had made several big claims to me, like the level of their biological and mental manipulation, that sounded like something out of a science fiction novel. It was a confusing experience – she hadn't kept me locked up in the medical room as I initially expected.
Aside from the occasional rattle and the low rumble of the engine, it was almost impossible to tell that we were travelling at five-hundred miles an hour. The scale of the planet was finally obvious as the ground barely moved below us, it was a small miracle that I walked in the direction of the Pariah in the first place.
"We are approaching the solid fuel module now, Captain. Decelerating."
I leaned forward in my chair as the flaps opened and started to increase the drag we were generating. The slight rocking of the cockpit increased in frequency, but the isolation system that Rhea had mentioned was designed to keep the cabin steady even under increased G forces. It was very strange to feel the forces with my body's internal balance, but have the cabin around me maintain its position. The specifications described it as free-floating hydraulic adjustment; the doors had to be kept closed so that it could rotate. In line with this, the windows that looked out of the front were slightly larger than they needed to be. When the ship made a sharp turn, it was possible to see each edge approaching as it rotated to lean into the motion.
As we finally slowed down to a crawl, I got my first look at the solid fuel module that Rhea had been pestering me about for days at this point. It was a pair of large, steel cylinders connected by a webwork of metal struts. They had landed with a fair amount of impact onto the rocks below, leaving them with deformities and a few holes to patch.
"There it is," I quipped.
"Indeed. It appears to be in repairable condition. Lucky us."
Rhea trained the undercarriage camera onto the wreck and zoomed it to analyse the parts. As she manoeuvred the ship over the tanks, she suggested something odd. "I feel that this is the perfect opportunity for you to learn about the ship's functions, Captain. Can you see the workstation on the far left below you?"
I could. There was an isolated little spot on the left side of the cabin. In front of the seat were five screens. On the desk below was a pair of joysticks and several buttons. Considering that my stewardship of the craft was only temporary I was unsure of why she felt it was worth the effort. I left my chair and wandered down to it so that Rhea could show me what she was talking about.
"This is the physical manipulation station. For objects that are too large for the suction beam, this provides a practical alternative. A salvage officer is normally assigned to handle these duties."
"So, you use these sticks to move the claw?"
"Correct."
The monitors came to life, displaying a scene that took a second for me to understand. The doors on the underside of the ship receded and allowed me a top-down view of the landscape below. Vertigo, my old friend, so nice to see you again. I sat down on the chair and scooted up to put my hands on the controls.
"Please release the safety switch at the top left of the console."
I reached over and flipped the tactile red dial to the other side with a satisfying click. The claw reacted and started to lower itself. I manipulated the controls and got a feel for what direction each one was meant to manage. The left stick moved it left to right, front to back, while the right stick controlled its elevation. The other screens all served a purpose as well. There were multiple cameras attached to the claw rig to ensure that the operator had a clear view of where they were going. The monitor up top displayed a proximity sensor, with red waves representing the surrounding objects. A regular beeping noise played as I got closer and closer.
"You can disable the proximity alarm with that key, Captain."
Rhea carefully guided me through what each of the controls and switches did. We worked out way down to the tanks and positioned it over the connecting metal bar. When I was certain that it was in the right place and ready to be secured, I pull on one of the levers to apply tension. The claws clamped around the beam and allowed me to pull it out of the sand. It made an almighty noise as the dirt and sand were pulled aside to reveal the full body of the object below. Attaching something this big and bulbous to the ship was not going to complement the aerodynamics at all.
"Excellent work Captain. Those are the basics of utilising the physical retrieval system."
"It wasn't that complicated," I said dismissively.
"Regardless, it is important for a commanding officer to understand the workings of his craft inside and out. Knowing the responsibilities of each crew member will increase cohesion and therefore your productivity."
"This is only temporary, Rhea. I'm sure that as soon as we find the guys that built you I'll have to hand the Pariah back over to them."
"An astute observation Captain; but I must consider all eventualities and provide the best probability of success even for crew members without formal recognition or training. It never hurts to be prepared."
"Can't argue with that. What are you going to do now that we have this thing?"
"For the moment, I will refrain from integrating the module into the ship as we do not have the solid fuel required to utilise it. The module will be repaired and prepared for when it is needed."
"I'm not sure how this is going to attach to the ship," I commented.
"A solid fuel module only needs a hose connecting to the engines, we can place it anywhere along the form of the Pariah with little issue. Other modules, such as ones that demand internal human access, will be more demanding. Now that we have retrieved the module we are safe to break the atmosphere and seek assistance."
I smiled, "Sounds good to me. Let's get the hell out of here. I've seen more than enough sand for one lifetime already."
"Affirmative. I will secure the tank to our ship and make the required preparations."
Rhea worked double-time and finished the job within two hours. It just needed to hold while we travelled into outer space, where I assumed that repairing it would be much easier without having to worry about gravity. Rhea had another lesson for me to go through before we took off. Just safety precautions that I'd keep in mind in case of an emergency. I was shown the location of a spacesuit locker (which was bulkier than I was expecting,) the emergency relay, and how to switch the ship into silent running mode.
With everything squared away, our cargo secured, and the prospect of finding anything else of use dwindling – we finally started moving into a position from where we could break the atmosphere and get into space. I sat down in my chair and secured a series of straps to keep myself in place. It was rather unpleasant, digging into my chest and crotch. The pain just showed that I wasn't going anywhere.
"Are you ready, Captain?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"Confirmed. Adopting launch posture now. Please ensure that all hands are secured into place."
Rhea did the honours. My centre of gravity shifted as the entire ship started to lean back, and back, and back until we were entirely vertical. There was nothing to see above but the blue sky. I said my last goodbyes and gripped the armrests. The engines spun up to a new level of power – one that made full use of every bit of energy that the fusion reaction could generate.
"Orientation confirmed. Launching in five, four, three, two, one…"
Even the free-floating cockpit couldn't hide vibrations passing through the ship. My bones rattled inside of my body. I was pressed all the way back into the seat as we rapidly accelerated away from the ground and headed towards the thin cloud coverage above. Blue turned to orange, and then black. The entire thing was so overwhelming that it was over in a flash, just like when I underwent Rhea's surgery. My stomach was not having a good time either. The shaking grew more violent as we broke through the atmosphere and finally reached out into space.
"Jesus fucking Christ!"
That was the only thing I could think to say in the middle of all of it. The incredible pressure was replaced with the opposite. My legs and arms went crazy as we entered the zero-gravity environment.
"Launch successful. We are now in safe orbit."
I unlatched the belts and held onto the chair. The cabin space was small enough that you were never too far away from something to use as a rest hold. Even so, there was going to be an immense struggle as I tried to adjust. Humans just weren't meant to be in this kind of place. It caused problems with your circulation for one thing.
I let out a deep breath, "Holy shit. This is mental. Completely bloody mental."
"Noted," Rhea replied earnestly.
It took all of my nerve to finally push away from the Captain's chair, and when I did I found myself flying up towards the ceiling after using too much force. I barely avoided bludgeoning myself by reaching out with my arm. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, of course. I needed to keep that in mind.
"Hey Rhea – how long is it going to take for you to find out where the station is?"
"I have already dispatched a ping to the nearest base. We should receive a response within twenty-four hours. I am already plotting a course in that direction. We should be there in three days."
"At least I can kick back and enjoy the view."
And what a view it was! Out here in the grand nothingness of space, there was no sign of human contact. A nebula of different pastel colours stretched out in a blanket of blackness. Shimmering points of light, numbering in the hundreds, all visible from the small slither of window space that I was given. It finally came home to me just how big the universe was. Where would we even start?
I watched through the windows for nearly an hour before my bladder demanded that I make a visit to the bathroom. I was halfway down the main corridor when I realised that zero gravity would make things more difficult than usual.
"Uh, Rhea – do you have any advice on how to use the bathroom?"
"As a matter of fact, I do, Captain. Allow me to explain!"
She sounded way too enthusiastic about it.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
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