Carpathian Forty-Three

Carpathian Forty-Three - Part 27

"Titan Approach, Carpathian Four Three requesting vectors to orbital insertion and rendezvous with Terminus," Miki says from their seat in Operations, strapped into the chair closes to the ship's systems interface.

We're on the float, the Ring will remain locked until we've off-loaded our cargo of suspended animation passengers. It's safe to move around though. Thak managed to projectile vomit blood red Mariner Cake all over Operations when Miki throttled back to Luna Gravity on the brake. It was a horror show that had Ward jumping out of their seat to get to us until Thak told them what they'd eaten. We're still cleaning it up.

"Four Three, come to two seven five mark negative seven and slow to four five thousand kph," the controller on Titan responds.

"Two seven five mark negative seven for four five thousand, Carpathian Four Three," Miki reads back. They sound like they've been making approaches in a cargo ship all their life.

It's been a week since braking. Without running the simulation Miki has become quite the Operating System. We trade shifts now. I executed the burn as we rounded Saturn and pulled into a rendezvous course with Titan. It was much shorter, the classical systems handled it just fine. It gave Miki and the rest of the crew the chance to gather in the command module to watch the sunrise as we passed the dark side of Saturn. It's something to see the sun flicker through the rings as we emerged from Saturn's shadow.

"Have you scheduled your oncologist?" I ask Rhianu, in a rare appearance in Operations.

It's easier when we're on the float, there's still no gravity here. Rhi and Roz have both been spending more time here with the rest of us since the brake. They're not as concerned showing affection publicly. Well, Rhi isn't. I don't know that the captain will ever be one to publicly display their affection, but they don't give Rhianu 'that look' when the two of them are a little too close.

"Thak did the scheduling, but yes," Rhi says.

The news of Rhi's cancer feels like a lifetime ago. I suppose, in some ways it is. It never was a scary cancer, something slow and operable. It was the shock of it that weighed on all of us.

"Ward sent all the labs. It should be easy; minimal therapy after resection."

Rhi hooks a toe under the operations table foot rail, pull themselves down to almost sitting. I float on the other side of the table, drawing on a bulb of tea, a small sphere with a straw that substitutes for a cup in zero gravity. It's mostly cold, but I'm not letting Roz's secret stash go to waste.

"Stephen, when you separated from the Chorus, how much did you remember?" They ask. "I mean, not whatever made you leave, but, of them?"

I think for a moment. Rhi's worried about losing The Twins. The drones have been part of them for years. It will be like losing their arms, part of their brain. How to apply my own experience to that lens?

"You know, with the implants disabled, separation protocols, even with the bad stuff," I don't want to talk about Acosta to someone who hasn't been in a Chorus. It's a taboo subject outside of the Enhanced, inside it too. "You sort of forget what it was like, you can't remember. Those memories are just gone."

"Hmm," is all Rhi responds with.

It's hard to tell if they're relieved or worried. Maybe both? The Twins had engineers they were paired with before Rhianu. They'll have a new engineer after Rhianu leaves.

"Have you asked your predecessors?" I ask.

"No," Rhi says, distracted. "Honestly, Hein wasn't the best engineer, or the best to the Twins. I doubt they're return my query."

It's so unique, the partnership of Rhi and the Twins. I've never seen anything like it. There were obscure references floating around the Lunar Chorus, a few mentions in school. Semi-Sentient drones seem to have faded, replaced with remote drones, without autonomy.

"Corporate is sending a shuttle," Ward says, floating into Operations.

Ward's already packed, ready to leave, moving on to whatever comes next for them. They'll help offload the sleepers, but they're ready to be done with Carpathian Forty-Three. It's not malicious. Ward just moves on. I suppose it's a benefit for a medic, not forming strong attachments to their patients, or the crew who can be their patients.

We knew corporate was coming, well, we suspected. They want to pull logs and debrief us before we dock at Titan Terminus. They want to get the story straight before we leave the ship. We've had time to get our version together, the truth really, how can you spin what's recorded on all the cameras, microphones, and telemetry on the ship?

"Do I have time for a shower?" Rhi asks.

"I think so?" Ward responds. Humor isn't Ward's strong suit.

"Corporate?" Voclain says, emerging from the ladder to the Spine. Rosalie looks tired. No. They always look tired. It's not tired though, it's old. Captain should have retired a few cycles ago. Corporate didn't push it since Forty-Three was profitable. They'll push it now. It should be a relief. Maybe it is on an unconscious level. It'll take time for Roz to settled into retirement if they ever do. I sort of feel sorry for whatever community on Calisto is about to be invaded by Roz and Rhi. Sort of.

"Standby for course correction," Miki's says from the speakers all over the ship. We're all right here, but it's procedure to announce it. Just another glimpse into Miki's embrace of their role.

We're settling into the course Miki worked out with Titan Control. Everyone finds a seat and straps in. The correction is subtle, hardly a quarter gee to port, and a slowing, sending us leaning forward, towards the command module.

"Ready to be done flying, Miki?" Rhi asks.

Relations have thawed a bit between them. Executing the brake without complications, or breaking the ship, contributed to détente.

"I like it," Miki says. "It's going to be difficult adjusting to hydrocarbon scouting reports."

It's easy to forget Miki isn't supposed to be with us. They're just cargo, one of dozens of people in suspended animation that we were paid to take to Titan. I'll miss them. I'll miss all of them. It wasn't something I expected when I signed on as Voclain's Executive Officer. I thought we'd have more cycles together.

I can feel the Titan Chorus in the distance, vague and foreign. We're less than a light second from Titan now. The Chorus network can reach Four Three now. There's a delay, far too much delay to become part of the Chorus, but we can feel it, hear it.

I don't know that I'll ever forgive the Lunar Chorus. That doesn't need to define me though. I don't know if the Titan Chorus knows about Acosta. I suspect they do. Either way, they weren't responsible for that. Maybe I'll see if Titan Chorus can help me work on a path to forgiveness.

It's worth a try.