Graham Heights
MayFlower
Log Entry - September 22nd 2095
Lorin Knorack (Personal Log)
This place is huge. And way too small all at the same time. Jason keeps trying to get me involved in one of the thousands of groups that are designed to keep our minds off the fact that we are stuck in this ship. But, for the life of me, I can get interested in gardening, cards or decorating your home in space. I’m just not sure how anyone can deal with the cramped quarters, the sterile smell and the fact that you have so little privacy in this place. I miss Earth. I miss the sun, the wind the uncertainty of what the day will bring. Everything here is artificial and clean. Even the dirt. Or at least it seems that way.
The kids have worked themselves into others’ lives already and have dozens friends. They play with complete abandonment. And with so many kids in such close quarters, half the time they run out of here after breakfast and I don’t see them until dinner. They seem to be adjusting fine.
Jason has his work and his obsessions, so he seems fine. But, I don’t. I will keep trying groups so I can find a place to fit into this… ship... Environment. No. Existence. We are here to exist until we are set free again on a new world. My only fear is that I won’t see this new world. That somewhere in the vastness of space I will perish and my body will become part of the nutrients that will feed the plants in this bio-bubble in space.
Where will my soul go? Will it find its way to heaven? What foolishness! I need to find something to keep my mind busy and stay out of this pit of insanity. I must stop worrying about what I can not control. The Bible says that we are not to worry. That if God will take care of the birds of the field and the flowers, then surely he will take care of us.
But the Earth is dying, so now the birds will have no trees to nest in and the flowers will eventually stop growing. “So, what now God?” Lorin’s thoughts broke through to verbalize her fear.
The walls absorbed her words and gave no response. What now God, kept echoing in Lorin’s mind. What now? The thought lingered a moment longer then faded. No one answered. Maybe no one is there? We have left Earth and its God. We are adrift.
The door chime announced a visitor. At first Lorin did not hear it. Her thoughts had to tight a grip on her reality, but as they faded and reality gained ground she heard the chime and got up to respond. As the door opened the AI Tiffy was standing there. Lorin abruptly said, “Jason’s not here.”
“I’m not here for Jason.” Said the AI with little emotion. “Our records show that you have missed you last appointment at the clinic.” She paused to allow Lorin to respond.
Lorin thought for a moment and then remembered that Jason had set up a series of appointments for her. They were starting the last phases of the genome therapy and she was scheduled for one earlier today. “I’m sorry, I’m have a little trouble adjusting to ship life.”
The AI stood in the doorway waiting, “That is to be expected from certain individuals. It will pass.” The sentence was so final.
Lorin felt like she had been insulted. This thing doesn’t feel and yet it just insulted her for feeling. How could her husband have had an attachment to something like this? He spoke so highly of...her, no it. “Tiff, I’ll be with you in a minute.
The AI stood at the door, “Mam, I’m not Tiff. My designation is Tee-Aye-Oh-One-Seven-Five. I am one of two hundred and seventy five of this model. My designation is engraved into my Ident card that is placed on the upper left corner of my uniform. Please give me the courtesy of this identity.”
“Forgive me.” Loring said with a tint of sorrow, “I didn’t know it mattered.” She turned to gather her sweater. That’s all that was ever required, a sweater. The temperature in the habitat never changed much more than a few degrees and it only rained in the park. She then explained to the AI, “My husband worked with one of your models on Earth and she went by the name Tiffany.” She paused to see if the AI was listening. “He called her Tiffy.”
The AI’s response was short, “She must have been a later Tee-Aye-Oh-Six model.”
“Oh, I see.” Said Lorin, “Well Tee-Aye-Oh-One, shall we go.”
The AI looked annoyed. “There are seventeen Tee-Aye-On-Ones on board this ship, please use my entire designation if you see more than one of us.”
“Why don’t you just use names like the AIs on Earth did?” Lorin Asked.
“On Earth, we were to augment the humans and give them a sense of social cohesiveness, as there were so few humans. Here, human life forms outnumbered artificial six to one.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One allowed that to sink in, “We are here to do mundane or dangerous tasks, that is all.”
Lorin wanted more information. She knew there was more going on than that. Jason never brought home his work, so this was the first time Lorin had heard of how few humans were left on Earth. “Please explain how artificial humans out numbered the biological on Earth.”
“They don’t. However, most of these biological humans on Earth have reverted to… a more animalistic nature.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One reported.
“So, the non-animalistic humans are rare?” Lorin wanted more details.
“Until, your colony was assimilated, it was less than seven percent.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One responded, “We will be late, please follow me.”
“Wait, wait.” Lorin pleaded, “How many humans are on Earth.”
“It is estimated to be just under seventy five thousand human and or humanoid inhabitants.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One reported.
“And of those, how many will be selected to… be assimilated and brought to these ships?” Lorin asked.
“Less than twenty percent or as close to twenty thousand as we can get. This ship will leave orbit with only five thousand six hundred and fifty eight humans.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One said as she indicated for Lorin to start walking.
Lorin complied hoping that she could ask more questions along the way. “So there are more ships?”
“Yes, but you don’t need the details of those ships or their complement.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One said in a final tone.
“We had over ten thousand people in our colony. Are they all going?” Lorin inquired.
“More will be going.” Was all Tee-Aye-Oh-One would give up.
“Are we going to the same system?” Lorin Asked.
“That is not within my data files.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One was shutting down.
“Fine.” Lorin conceded. “Where are we going and is it really going to take over five hundred years.”
“That depends.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One said.
“What depends, where we go or how long it takes to get there?” Lorin was confused.
“Yes.” Tee-Aye-Oh-One said.
Obviously the conversation was over as that was a loaded answer that Tee-Aye-Oh-One was not going to give any more details on. Why would it be a mystery? What was she hiding or maybe she was not privileged to that information. Either way Lorin believed that it was information that they should be allowed to have. Or were they now prisoners on this ship. Lorin didn’t remember much about the trip to the infirmary, she was just suddenly standing in the door and being asked to fill out a questionnaire.
She did so and then turned the pad back to the receptionist. In just a few minutes a nurse or something call her name and she entered the exam room. Here she waited for almost fifteen minutes. She was starting to get annoyed or was it more. Maybe Tee-Aye-Oh-One reported all her questions and she was going to be detained. Lorin started thinking about how she could get out of here. What turns to take and where to go after that. If they suspected, wait! Why would they be upset over a few questions. She meant no one any harm, she was just curious as to where they were going and how long it would take to get there.
The door suddenly opened and a young man stepped in. “Good afternoon.” the man said as he looked at the pad and approached Lorin, “Your Lorin Knorack, correct.”
Lorin shook her head yes.
“Habitat 12, row 4 section 22.” the man asked without looking up.
Lorin was still not sure, even after being on board a month. It all looked alike and on two occasions she found herself at the wrong compartment or section, whatever they call the quarters. “Sounds about right.” Lorin finally said.
“Mam, let me be blunt. Are you having trouble here?” The man said suddenly.
“Well, I’m not enjoying it. But I wouldn’t say I was having trouble.” Lorin was caught off guard. Why would he ask something like that?
“Our record show that you have not joined any of the hundreds of groups that are available in a huge variety of activities.” He looked at the pad again. “Nor are you close with anyone, but your husband.” he paused briefly. “Your records show that you have a tendency to worry about things you can not control.”
“Well, I uh.. Well I uh like to know where thing lie… I guess.” Lorin was not liking this line of questioning.
“Have you considered looking into training for a job in one of the manufacturing or reconditioning plants on board?” The man was firing off question after question. “How about the reclamation units or power distribution, does that sound interesting?”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Lorin stammered.”
“Do you ever think of the safety of the ship?” The man continued.
“Not..” Lorin said, unsure why he was asking the question.
“Could you close and airlock knowing there are people in that compartment.” he continued.
“What do you mean.” Lorin asked as fear welled up inside of her.
“Could you close an airlock knowing that your children were in the leaking compartment?” The man yelled at her then vanished.
“Hey Mom!” Kevin, Lorin's son, yelled.
Lorin suddenly saw her son standing in front of her. She was in her quarters. She was confused. Where was the doctor? The infirmary?
“Mom. Are you okay.” Kevin gently put a hand on both of her shoulders. “Mom you look scared.”
Lorin pulled him in close and hugged him, “I’m okay.” She did not release him.
“Uh, mom.” Kevin finally said after about thirty seconds of her embrace.
“Oh. sorry.” Lorin responded and released her grip.
Lorin was sitting on the couch in their quarters. The pad she was writing her diary on was sitting beside her. She dare not look at it. All she wanted to do was hug her son. The visit to the infirmary was a dream or...
As you know this blog contains two books of the Remnant Series. Graham Heights is book 3 of the series. Below is more.
Book 4: Obsidian Arrows
Book 1 is now available in paperback or kindle The Grey Abyss
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R. A. Legg
R. A. Legg
R.A. Legg © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
