Chapter 2
Minor Updates: 29 November 2004
'This was a huge mistake'.
‘Oh, I don’t know about that’, Relle responded.
Something about the tone of his wife’s voice told him that she was implying something, he just wasn’t sure what. And he wasn’t convinced.
It had been just over eight months since they had left home. Taren was part of the first team, and their shift was nearly up. Two days ago the next team had been woken up to start theirs. Roughly eight months on, followed by six years in cryogenic sleep. Each team would have two shifts on the trip to Nova. All 60 of them would work together for two years. The trip home would be a repeat of this one: six people awake, 54 asleep.
The exception to the 6:54 ratio was the crossover week. The team coming on-duty worked with the team just finishing up for a one-week period. [this paragraph needs work]
Despite his wife’s reassurances, Taren was worried. In the two days since the second team had been awoken, Nis had been in a constant state of agitation. She had always been high-strung, but it was amazing easily Tor got under her skin. She hated him with a passion that was almost comical. Of course, that was part of the problem: Tor seemed to think it was funny. Nothing good could possibly come of this.
He checked himself in the mirror quickly before leaving for the day’s briefing session. As he walked to the conference room, he ran into Tor.
[I got stuck here. I think there's a few paragraphs missing.]
As the meeting wrapped up, people began filing out of the dining hall, which doubled as the conference room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Nis began shouting. Tor stayed in his seat and waited her to stop. The two had known one another for nearly a decade. He knew there was no point interrupting her until she was finished. She needed to vent and would do so until she had nothing more to say.
(…‘He’s a pompous, condecending, immature’…) Tor focused himself on remaining calm. If he allowed her to draw him into her rage, this could go on for days. He reminded himself that she was a competent and capable leader. He wouldn’t have chosen her as his second in command if she hadn’t been. He almost started laughing, but bit his lip just in time. He had put together the list of people he wanted on this mission, and presented it to the council. (…‘single most arrogant’…) They had scanned the list, nodding and whispering their approval. Then, one by one, they had seen the final name on the list: Nis Gembers. There had been several seconds of silence. Eventually, the council chair had cleared his throat and denied the request.
(…‘Who does he think’…) Tor had spent the next six months persuading them. He had tried to rein Nis in as best he could for a full year before the Questor’s departure. It hadn’t been an easy task. (…‘over-sexed’…) What? He wasn’t sure what that was about or where it had come from. They’d almost sent her packing two weeks into the training. (…‘tell me I’m overreacting’…) He still wasn’t sure how Relle had convinced her to make a formal apology to Ferra.
(…‘the best pilot ever! Ha! My grandmother could’…) Oh good, she sounded like she was winding down. After a few more minutes Nis eventually paused.
‘Well’, she demanded, ‘aren’t you going to say anything? You know, defend him or something. I know you’ve been dying to.’
It took him nearly 20 minutes to get her to calm down. By the time they left the dining room, dinner was almost ready. Nobody spoke for a moment. Alela and Naved filed past them and began setting the table. Tor was nowhere to be seen.
When the table was set and the food was ready, Keeler sounded the bell. Those who had left the common area began to file back in the room. The group sat down and began to eat. Conversation was muted at first.
After a couple of minutes Tor returned. He took a seat next to Ziv. Pretty soon the two were laughing. Tor had that way with people — well, with most people. He loved to laugh and he loved to see other people laugh. Pretty soon the whole group was talking and laughing. Nis stayed fairly quiet, but even her mood seemed to have improved somewhat.
After dinner the group split into smaller groups. Most people moved into the lounge. Tor brought out his guitar and began to play. Conversation flowed easily, relaxed and informal. Eventually, people began to yawn and stretch. Nis was one of the first to leave. Tor and Relle left not long after.
‘See’, she said as they walked back to their quarters, ‘I told you there was nothing to worry about’. Taren knew his wife understood people better than he ever would, but she didn’t know Nis as well as he did. He looked at her bewilderedly, but didn’t tell her that she was wrong. She just had to be wrong. How could she not see it?
'This was a huge mistake'.
‘Oh, I don’t know about that’, Relle responded.
Something about the tone of his wife’s voice told him that she was implying something, he just wasn’t sure what. And he wasn’t convinced.
It had been just over eight months since they had left home. Taren was part of the first team, and their shift was nearly up. Two days ago the next team had been woken up to start theirs. Roughly eight months on, followed by six years in cryogenic sleep. Each team would have two shifts on the trip to Nova. All 60 of them would work together for two years. The trip home would be a repeat of this one: six people awake, 54 asleep.
The exception to the 6:54 ratio was the crossover week. The team coming on-duty worked with the team just finishing up for a one-week period. [this paragraph needs work]
Despite his wife’s reassurances, Taren was worried. In the two days since the second team had been awoken, Nis had been in a constant state of agitation. She had always been high-strung, but it was amazing easily Tor got under her skin. She hated him with a passion that was almost comical. Of course, that was part of the problem: Tor seemed to think it was funny. Nothing good could possibly come of this.
He checked himself in the mirror quickly before leaving for the day’s briefing session. As he walked to the conference room, he ran into Tor.
[I got stuck here. I think there's a few paragraphs missing.]
As the meeting wrapped up, people began filing out of the dining hall, which doubled as the conference room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Nis began shouting. Tor stayed in his seat and waited her to stop. The two had known one another for nearly a decade. He knew there was no point interrupting her until she was finished. She needed to vent and would do so until she had nothing more to say.
(…‘He’s a pompous, condecending, immature’…) Tor focused himself on remaining calm. If he allowed her to draw him into her rage, this could go on for days. He reminded himself that she was a competent and capable leader. He wouldn’t have chosen her as his second in command if she hadn’t been. He almost started laughing, but bit his lip just in time. He had put together the list of people he wanted on this mission, and presented it to the council. (…‘single most arrogant’…) They had scanned the list, nodding and whispering their approval. Then, one by one, they had seen the final name on the list: Nis Gembers. There had been several seconds of silence. Eventually, the council chair had cleared his throat and denied the request.
(…‘Who does he think’…) Tor had spent the next six months persuading them. He had tried to rein Nis in as best he could for a full year before the Questor’s departure. It hadn’t been an easy task. (…‘over-sexed’…) What? He wasn’t sure what that was about or where it had come from. They’d almost sent her packing two weeks into the training. (…‘tell me I’m overreacting’…) He still wasn’t sure how Relle had convinced her to make a formal apology to Ferra.
(…‘the best pilot ever! Ha! My grandmother could’…) Oh good, she sounded like she was winding down. After a few more minutes Nis eventually paused.
‘Well’, she demanded, ‘aren’t you going to say anything? You know, defend him or something. I know you’ve been dying to.’
It took him nearly 20 minutes to get her to calm down. By the time they left the dining room, dinner was almost ready. Nobody spoke for a moment. Alela and Naved filed past them and began setting the table. Tor was nowhere to be seen.
When the table was set and the food was ready, Keeler sounded the bell. Those who had left the common area began to file back in the room. The group sat down and began to eat. Conversation was muted at first.
After a couple of minutes Tor returned. He took a seat next to Ziv. Pretty soon the two were laughing. Tor had that way with people — well, with most people. He loved to laugh and he loved to see other people laugh. Pretty soon the whole group was talking and laughing. Nis stayed fairly quiet, but even her mood seemed to have improved somewhat.
After dinner the group split into smaller groups. Most people moved into the lounge. Tor brought out his guitar and began to play. Conversation flowed easily, relaxed and informal. Eventually, people began to yawn and stretch. Nis was one of the first to leave. Tor and Relle left not long after.
‘See’, she said as they walked back to their quarters, ‘I told you there was nothing to worry about’. Taren knew his wife understood people better than he ever would, but she didn’t know Nis as well as he did. He looked at her bewilderedly, but didn’t tell her that she was wrong. She just had to be wrong. How could she not see it?
posted by sic at 14:31
2 Comments:
This is interesting! I've been struggling with a concept in my story regarding the whole space travel thing. Have "warp" drive, or have sleepy time? It seems to make the stories move along, most opt for the warp thing. But, in the event warp drive, or wormholes, or whatever actually don't happen, then how will we go to the stars? So, like I said, this is interesting, partly because the dynamics of ship life are not all that well explored!
fb
Hmm... Warp drive makes for convenience, but I like the idea of these people being stuck together with no option but to get along. And I like the idea that they know going into it that there's no going back, so to speak.
sic
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