Sergeant Daniel Monroe,
Thank you for your application! We are so glad that a distinguished veteran and true patriot such as yourself wants to head our security team for the Planet Exploration Initiative. It is our sincere hope to colonize a new world and we believe you would be instrumental in this monumental task. We are pleased to accept your application for Head of Security! Please report for in processing on April 3rd.
Respectfully,
Megan Bruener
Head of PEI, NASA
Dan had been ready for a new life for a long time, and the PEI was his chance, not knowing when he would get another one, he took it. As the Head of Security he was permitted to hire and train his own staff, which unfortunately meant he had to sift through thousands of applications, but eventually he had assembled a good core team who he then allowed to hire the rank and file of security.
Every applicant, no matter their job, had to go through six months of training for the life they were about to lead. Even so, Dan knew they were going to be learning by doing and in an unknown environment that wasn’t always a good or even safe thing. They didn’t pay him to question things, just to keep them running smoothly. He reported for the maiden voyage to their new home at 0400 as requested. He was given a litany of shots and immunizations before being placed in his cryogenic sleep chamber. The glass door to his chamber slid closed over him as the chamber filled with cool gas. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.787 Years 4 months 1 Week and 2 days later.
When Dan awoke his breathing was ragged, an expected side effect of the cryogenic sleep process. He reminded himself to breathe deep as the chamber was filled with Oxygen and the computer system of the Mayflower, their ship, checked his vitals. As was part of the security protocol, Dan was the first one to awaken along with his Deputy Head of Security, Amelia Jones.
”How’d you sleep, Amelia?” Dan asked as he put on his security uniform. It was the same uniform everyone else would wear, a pale blue jumpsuit with his name and job title embroidered in black thread over his chest. He and Amelia had matching black arm bands with the white lettering, “SECURITY.” Each department had a different colored band to help differentiate between the uniforms.
”I feel like I’ve been sleeping for centuries, Sir,” Amelia joked dryly. ”According to EVA all of the cryogenic chambers are functioning normally and I requested that Team Omega be woken up.”
”Good work. We’ll meet the other leadership on the bridge once they are awake. Eva will direct non-essential members of Team Omega to their duties around Mayflower. We should be about 3 weeks away from arriving at our new home. We’ll be using this time taking scans of the 3 potential colony sites and deciding from there where to go.”
Dan couldn’t shake a bad feeling from the moment he woke up but he hoped it was just sleeping sickness, another known side effect of the process. Still, he kept his concerns to himself…bad feeling or not, he would do his job and make sure these people arrived safely home.
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"Oh don't worry, Eliza! It's not like you're being given a death sentence or anything! You just happen to meet NASA's colonist qualifications. Due to the closing of Guantanamo, our prisons have been fuller than ever and petty criminals like you are getting the boot to make way for the actually dangerous people!" Eliza snorted as the warden of the Leon County Jail undid her handcuffs and ankle chain, then handed her back a big Ziploc bag of what ratty clothes she'd been wearing before her lockup. "Thanks," she muttered. "Next time I guess I'll rob a bank if it's that important to you," she muttered sarcastically.
The warden cocked his head. "What was that, Eliza? I'd advise you to keep your mouth shut. This is a huge opportunity for you! I've even arranged to have a van pick you up outside and take you straight to their headquarters! I'm told that normally someone would go through with about six weeks of training prior to departure, but since the ship is just about scheduledd to leave, they're condensing your orientation to today. Good luck!" He merely turned around as she dressed down out of the orange jumpsuit and into her plaid button-up shirt, a ratty, holey faded-blue jeans, and worn white Reebok sneakers. She made him wait while she put up her blonde hair in a ponytail with her one scrunchy before clearing her throat.
The warden seemed all too eager to spin about and shoo her out the door. He even escorted her out to a side entrance of the prison where an idling black van with the NASA logo was parked. Eliza smirked at his nervousness. The reason why she'd been fitted with an ankle chain was because the rest of the inmates in her pod had dubbed her "Field Goal" for her propensity to kick peoples' kneecaps like they were American footballs. Not that Eliza played any sports to begin with; she had never had the money.
The ride to NASA's Florida headquarters was quite short. Once arrived, they only made her assign about ten different forms and change into a standard blue jumpsuit before sitting her down in a tiny theater-like room, of which she was the only occupant, to show some orientation videos to the program. The video narrator had a way of making everything he was talking about exciting and interesting. By the end of it, Eliza was easily fooled into thinking she wanted to go up into space to some unknown planet. There was that small bit about being frozen to a near-death state though.
NASA was all gung ho to get Eliza from theater into a cryogenic pod. "What's the big rush?" she asked one medical technician who would apparently be staying earthbound. The visibly harried technician replied, "Oh it's nothing Miss Zerbst. We just have to keep you on your nearly eight hundred year time schedule!" The woman winked at her, which did nothing to lessen the butterflies in Eliza's stomach as various tubes were stuck into her arms to monitor vital signs. Upon stepping into her pod, Eliza felt oddly warm. She guessed she wouldn't feel that way for long, but suddenly this "new opportunity" seemed all very sudden. "Why me?" she blurted out to the technicians bustling over her pod prepping it for freezing. "What makes me so special?" The lead technician, the woman from before, just smiled. "Why you indeed? You are on a list Miss Zerbst. Don't worry, everyone here has been handpicked for various reasons. I'm sure there will be a place for you in your new home!" Her easy tone and implication that Eliza had no place on Earth was frankly starting to anger and terrify her in equal portions. "Wait a minute! What reasons? Do I not have a place he--" The techs shut the pod door with a metal clang that rang out with a note of finality, cutting off room for discussion.
Her breathing quickened, body tensing in expectation of the coming cold, but the air remained warm for the moment. Outside, she heard voices like they were underwater. The words "pulse elevated, respiration normal. She'll be fine" floated through, but the rest was nearly incomprehensible medical and technical jargon. Eliza listened, but there was no "freeze her up" or anything related to cold.
After a few minutes, her pod jolted and she looked out from the tiny porthole to see that her pod was being wheeled somewhere. She watched as they rolled her into the trailer of a huge truck filled with other pods. Then for an amount of time unbeknownst to Eliza, her existence was just the three pods across from her and the feeling of jolting over asphalt at high speeds with occasional stops.
Sometime later, the truck stopped completely and the back was opened. One-by-one the pods were wheeled off, Eliza's pod going after two of the three that had been in front of her porthole. When she saw the size of the ship her pod was being wheeled onto, her breath left her. The thing was immense! She was barely inside when her pod was wheeled into an alcove near the entrance and, once again, a different set of technicians bustled around her pod, more briefly this time. An audible hissing started up after one tech seemed to plug her pod into some outlet on the wall behind her. Another tech pressed some buttons and all of a sudden the cold started. Eliza's thoughts went unbidden to the mother alone at home whom she had lost all contact with, had rebelled against. Now she would never see her mom again. Did her mom even know where Eliza was being taken? Out of fear, Eliza tried futilely to bang her palms against the glass. "Hey, wait!" she breathed. Her breath frosted on the porthole glass as the two stone-faced technicians watched her reaction with clipboards in their hands. The struggling slackened as her body temperature lowered. Suddenly Eliza found it impossible to keep her eyes open as her hands drooped to her sides and she fell asleep against her restraints, head lolling.
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Slowly, Eliza fluttered back to consciousness. Where am I? she tried to murmur, but found that her mouth and body weren't responding to commands very well. On the ship still was the most obvious answer. Her eyes fluttered open seemingly of their own accord. Outside the porthole, techs bustled around and some of the pods in the distance were open, empty of occupants. Eliza's breath quickened and she found she was able to flex her freezing fingers, the digits tingling and itching as blood flow sped up in them. So this was it, she had finally arrived at her destination? How many years had really passed? Was this all a dream? Was it still possible to contact Earth? Her mother would be dead by now. Oh God...Mom I'm sorry. I left you behind. I didn't even ask if you were on the list. Oh God I'm so sorry Mom. She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily, tears leaking out of the corners. She was so selfish.
The eyes came open just in time for a shadow of a person to fill her porthole. No, from this day forth, Eliza Zerbst was fully in charge of her own destiny. Perhaps this time she would have more control and not become the scum of society. She breathed in deeply, listening as air discharged and equalized between ship and pod Reaching up to wipe her eyes, she plastered on a small thin smile and raised her chin defiantly towards her welcoming committee.
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All her years of work would finally amount to this. The culmination of decades of Research, countless hours testing new technologies, and finally it was time to launch. As Director, she had the privilege of remaining with the bridge crew until they reached escape velocity. It was exhilarating, the roar of the engines, being thrust into space, the feeling of weightlessness once they reach the lower atmosphere. Of course, she had trained for all of this but nothing could prepare her for the real thing.
Helmsman: "Well Director? It's a long trip ahead of us. Any last words before we all catch some serious shut eye?"
Director Izumi: We're doing it. Going where no one has gone before, exploring new worlds. I can't wait to see what wonders awaits us in the unknown. Transfer all controls to automated systems and report to your stasis pods, good night everyone."
The ship chirped a confirmation and she headed to her own pod situated in the bay reserved for department heads and higher leadership. Once all remaining crew were asleep she started the sequence for her own pod. She muttered to herself "Third star to the right, ahead full." just as the automated systems initiated a burn sequence. As she drifted off she imagined new worlds to explore. Were they teeming with life? Would they meet sentient extraterrestrial life forms? Maybe not the latter but it was a sweet dream.787 YEARS 4 MONTHS 1 WEEK AND 2 DAYS LATER
She awoke from stasis in a haze. It was expected of course but still disorienting. She would have to make a note to look into ways to make the process less jarring in the future. She checked the monitor on the pod as her door came open. Her vitals looked normal, at least she assumed since she isn't a medical doctor. It was a bit difficult to breathe but otherwise fine. The security head and his deputy had woken up moments before she did. Head of Security Daniel Monroe, a seasoned veteran of the US military and a good man from what she'd been told. She never did get any support in changing the security uniforms to red, for the best probably.
Silly thoughts aside, they had just awoken in new space. Far away from the old world in search of a new one or even possibly, several new ones. It occurred to her that she had been sitting in her pod for some time now and should probably get moving.
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In the microseconds before she became conscious Emmeline dreamed about her last day on Earth. She had been out in her garden tending to her flowers like she had every time she came back to her parent’s house. It only seemed fitting to have spent her last on the planet with them, the people that loved her the most. She actually enjoyed these past few days, it seemed that only her leaving could bring her parents to stop bickering. With a quick hand motion she pulled her dark hair into a high ponytail and pressed the button on her radio. It was an antique but it worked just fine. “That’s how you know” from her favorite childhood movie Enchanted, starting filling the small garden. The twenty-year started dancing with the water can. Her mother watched her from the doorway with tears in her eyes but the girl was too wrapped up in her fantasy to notice. Em practically was shouting by the finally verse. “Because he’ll wear your favorite color just tht he can match you eyes.” Her fingers stroked the petals on the roses. “Rent a private picnic by the fire’s glow, ohhh!” The water can sprayed in every direction as she twirled. She then saw her mother and pulled her through the door. “His heart will be your forever, something everyday will show,” her song was mixed with laughter as she spun her mom around. “That’s how you know…” her bare feet flattened the grass beneath them as she danced, “That’s how you know, that’s how you know, that’s how you know, that’s how you know, that’s how you know he’s you loveeee” and with the final line she let herself fall on the floor giggling.
When she finally got up and turned off the music her father knocked on the doorway with a grim look on his face. “They’re here.” Butterflies seemed to explode in Emmeline’s stomach as she pulled a small smile on her lips and ran upstairs to her room. Her small grey suitcase was propped against the wall. As she reached to grab it her eyes roamed her room for one last time. “Good-bye” Her voice sounded chipper; masking the tinge of sadness she had nursed since this morning, when it all became real. She went downstairs and hugged her parents tight, overwhelmed as they had not been this close since she was a child. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime, if I do not go I will live with the what ifs until I die.” They nodded. “Take care baby,” her father murmured as he kissed her forehead. Her mother stroked her hair as she said, “We’re so proud of you, Emmy.” Tears were streaming down their three faces but the daughter made the quickest discovery. A final surprise awaited her as she exited the house. “SURPRISE!” The faces of her whole group of friends greeted Em outside the door and she felt a little guilt. Goodbyes were too emotional for her so she decided to leave out the piece that she would be asleep for nearly 800 years. Lying was horrible, it was the first time she had held her thoughts back, but she could not bear to let them all go. Truth be told, her life outside of college had just started but already her friends had dispersed. It had been another reason to sign up to this program; she did not want to be the one left behind. A few more hugs, selfies and false promises later the driver who had come to pick her up scuttled her into the car.
The inside of the car was nice than she was used to. “What’s this?” She asked pointing to a button on the roof. The driver stayed silent so she pressed and a hole in the roof was revealed. She stuck her head out and hollered, “I’m queen of the world!” That got a reaction out of the driver, “Miss please sit still.” She was forced to sit back down but she kept fidgeting until they arrived. She was lead into a different building than where she had trained the past months. Lucky for her the station was close to her parent’s house, that way she had gotten some extra time with them. A woman in overly clean clothes saw her and walked over quickly, heels clacking threateningly. “There you are, we are behind on schedule so come with me and we shall load you into the chamber.” The lady did not wait for an answer and Em scrambled to grab her suitcase and follow. Her suitcase was later taken away and she found herself standing in front of the chamber. This was it, it was time to board, and her heart was pounding. Hands clung together, nails chipping off the old black polish of each other like she did whenever she was nervous. “Well what are you waiting for?” God, she really hated this woman. The girl stepped inside and turned to face the outside. She got strapped in and started feeling a little panicky as soon as the glass door closed. “I would like to write my will now.” Her humor was lost on the concentrated scientists and researchers that were writing down notes and pressing buttons. Suddenly she heard, “It’s too late, just freeze her here.” Oh no, this seemed so much scarier than in training. “Wait-” she was cut off as the cold air wrapped around her and she went under.
With a gasp she woke up, the temperature was almost back to normal but the strands of dark hair that brushed against her neck felt icy cold. Her thoughts were jumbled and her lips felt dry and cracked. “What the…” her voice felt foreign bounding off the walls of the cryogenic chamber. Her door jerked open, hopefully that was not abnormal. Em stumbled outside and looked around. Apparently it was waking up day because others were rising out of their chambers and taking a look around. She should have probably stayed near her pod but instead she starting walking, her legs felt so sore. Eyes clung to every detail of the ship, it was bigger than she could ever imagine. “Wow,” this is what she had signed up for! Excitement bubbled within her as a Cheshire cat grin formed on her lips.
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Atticus was at the shooting range with the rest of his squad, doing their favorite past time activity, Firing all their guns at once. (Someone better start singing in their head after that.) When all of a sudden he heard the guy in the first booth yell something. Now, most people probably wouldnt have understood him, however everyone in the squad knew what the mumbles sounded like and they all stopped firing, unloaded their weapons, took off their ear and eye protection and swiveled around with backs straight and standing tall. The Admiral was on deck. He walked slowly down the line of men with his leather shoes clicking on the cement floor with every step. He kicked away some brass and it sang as it bounced across the floor. He Stopped when he reached the other end of the room and spun on his heels to face us.
"Chief Petty Officer Szabo! Turn and Face!"
He said all of a sudden with a loud stern voice. Szabo took one step out and snapped his body to face the Admiral.
"SIR!"
He responded with the same intensity and volume.
"Come with me."
As the Admiral passed by Szabo did a 180 and started out of the firing range right behind him. His mind was racing just as fast as his heart. He was trying to think of what he had done wrong but he couldnt find anything off the top of his head.
"Sir~" He tried to ask.
"Not now. We'll talk in my office."
This meant something was going on, and Szabo didnt like it. Once in the office Szabo straightened his uniform one more time just to make sure and sat down in a seat across from the admiral's desk.
"Im putting you in space kid. Can you do it?"
"Hell yeah, Sir."
"Then go get packed. You have two months."
Szabo walked out feeling refreshed but then burdened again. So filled with mixed thoughts he decided to do the easiest thing possible and just get packed.2 MONTHS LATER
After the intense training over the last two months Szabo felt more that comfortable with getting on this ship and going wherever out there they were headed. He had no fear and was gunna live this up 'till he died. With his two big green over the shoulder military bags of all the stuff he owned and a smile on his face he checked into the storage wing and handed off his bags. Then quickly paced to the Stasis wing where they were all being cryogenically frozen for long distance travel through space. He checked in, then stripped down to the bare minimums and hopped into the med-pod with his name on it, getting comfortable before the doctors came over and froze him. Once a doctor had finally come over after about two hours of waiting and a quick nap, Szabo gave her a nod when she asked if he were ready. He could feel the cold for a half-second before he was out. Only to wake up in-787 Years 4 months 1 Week and 2 days later.
The really pretty girl that he had just been talking to started to let out this awful hissing noise which made Szabo start to run, only to look to where he was running to and finding himself sprinting headlong into a brick wall. When he woke up, that's what it felt like. He was sore and stiff everywhere. He took a second and went through the recovery process, once all was finished the hissing noise returned and his pod door opened. He swung his legs out first, getting a little light headed as he rose but nothing bad. He found his full change of clothes with socks, and his jumpsuit and armband already waiting for him. He swept it up and put it all on quickly he headed towards the security headquarters where the man in charge on the military operations, Sergeant Monroe, would be. It didnt make sense why Monroe was leader of the team since Szabo was a higher rank, but he let it go quick because the Admiral put him in charge and whatever the Admiral says goes.
"What's up, Monroe, Give me the run down, then what needs to be done." Said Szabo with a stern authoritative voice that was maybe just a little too authoritative.
"Sarge~" He adds in an attempt to make it sound a little less offensive.
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