Search for the Stars [M]

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An awed silence descended upon the crowd as she took the final steps towards the podium. She cleared her throat, glanced at her audience, and then leaned over slightly to talk into the microphone.

"My name is Lucia Dallis. First of all, let me say what an honour it is to be standing among you. We are all part of this historical moment, and in a few minutes we will depart on the Hope and take the next step of this journey together. Remember, we are not only doing this for ourselves but for our home, our planet and our species."

She paused, measuring the reactions of the crew. Seemingly satisfied, she turned to a table on her right and began sorting papers into a pile. Once she stacked them, Lucia picked them up and returned to the podium.

"In a few seconds," she continued, "I will call you up to the stage one by one. Once you have received your booklet with your room assignment and ship information, go through the door on the right of the room - your left, that is. My... uh... husband," she stuttered, her face tightening with the word, "will be waiting there to give you the appropriate equipment."

Pulling a list from stack of paper, she began reading names. As their names were called, the crew members approached the podium. They each collected the information and exited out the side door.

"I’m Richard Dallis," a grumpy-looking man told them. "You each will get a laser discharger, analyser and communicator. Laser discharger fires by pulling the trigger, analyser is activated by the switch and communicator has buttons. Understood?"

He didn’t wait for an answer as he started handing out equipment. Lucia had entered the room at this point, and the two of them were exchanging piercing glares.

"Some of you will be subjected to cryosleep for part of the trip," Lucia began, "and if that’s you, it will say "ROUND ONE CRYOSLEEP" on your booklets. If that’s you, follow me when we get onto the ship."

"The rest of you stick with me and I’ll show you where your rooms are," Richard added, waving a hand.

The group exited through another door, and found themselves on a starship lift-off zone. The Hope sat waiting, sunlight reflecting off of its hull.

"Pilot Samantha Bakhvalova," the woman on stage said. Grabbing her bag, she slipped the carrying strap over her shoulder and made her way to the aisle, then up the stairs to the stage and the podium.

"Reporting as ordered," the pilot smiled. She was wearing a bright interplanetary orange and gray flight suit with electric-blue piping, with her pilot's wings on a leatherette patch over her right upper torso pocket. Handed her paperwork, she headed towards where Lucia's husband Richard was waiting for her and the others.

Please, no kid jokes, she begged silently. She was well aware of her height, thank you very much.

When Lucia Dallis called his name, Amil Hardin took a deep breath and stepped forward to gather his booklet. He'd spent the afternoon in a somber mood that was triggered initially by the decaying state of affairs in the capital, and again when a mob of anti-government protesters tried to block his air-cab from passing into the heavily guarded gates of the lift-off facility. Their world was collapsing, that much was certain. But there was always hope.

Amil swung his bag over his shoulder as they emerged out onto the launch pad. The Starship Hope glimmered brand new under the sun; a culmination of humanity greatest minds; a technological tour de force, and if the theoretical research behind the ship's engine was accurate, it was a vessel that could go beyond the Solar System. Amil shook himself out of his reverie. His eyes were suddenly drawn to the bright orange uniform of a rather small woman walking in front of him. Next to her, walking tall, was Richard Dallis - the man who had given him his Accouterments.

Amil shuffled forward and stopped between them so that they all walked abreast as one. He glanced at the young Pilot woman and said.

"I find it reassuring that the Hope commission had the foresight to employ such short crew-members like you and I!" Amil then peered upwards at Richard Dallis and grinned, "in the crammed confines of space, its the big folk who are going to have it tough."

He raised his arms and offered a hand to both Richard and the Pilot. "I am Amil Hardin, lead Computer psychologist. It will be a pleasure to work along side you both!"

"Sam Bakhvalova," she replied, giving Amil an amused glance. "Pilot. The rumor around the creche was the government was putting something in the food to keep us from growing too much. I just think it was really bad food, hardly any usable vitamins and minerals."


A computer psychologist? She couldn't help herself.

"You said you're a computer psychologist?" she asked, giving him a quick mischievous glance. "I've always wondered, how do you get them on the couch?"

Kamala looked over at the group following Richard. Then she looked at her group. "Hmph." She wondered if it was quite fair that some had to go into Cryosleep, and others didn't. She was a doctor, a freaking doctor, and she was put in the Cryosleep group. Logically, it made no sense. But such was America. Nothing made sense here. She scowled, and studied her group once more. One stood out to her. The Giant. He was absolutely huge, and he looked like he could snap her in half with her bare hands.

Ivan noticed the smaller Indian woman scowling at him, so he stuck his hand out to shake. "Ivan Grigorievich. My name. Most people call me Vanya, though." He smiled. "Ees joke, because Vanya ees a woman's name." he laughed. "Ees nice meet you, Mees...?"
"It's Vaknis. Doctor Vaknis." she reluctantly shook his hand.
"Doctor Vaknis. I look forward working weeth you."
"Sure." She turned away, and followed Lucia. Ivan followed.