Tevun-Krus #33 - Generation Ship

Alex - A Short Story by @katerauner

Alex

by Kate Rauner

I am Alex, and I was the first of my kind to be born on the ship, but not the first crewmate born. The Departure Crew's grandchildren where taking over ship maintenance when I was a naked chick, snuggled for warmth with my brothers and sisters in our nest box in the Orchard.

Each tree grew in a large round tub, some so tall their limbs splayed out against the metal ceiling, and the tubs were laid out in concentric circles with rings of aisles. In all directions, the world ended at a curved wall. In one place, the wall would open and our tall, wingless crewmates would enter or leave, the wall sliding closed quickly behind them.

I was newly fledged, flying from tree to tree with my flock or perching in our open cages, when Evelyn came for the first time. Her soft coveralls hung loosely around her, and her arms and face were dark and glossy. Her eyes were as black and bright as any in my flock, and her hair clung close to her head in a mass of curls.

Every morning she brought me carrots and slices of banana, and I was careful to never nip her fingers with my sharp curved bill. In the evenings before the lights dimmed, she brought me a warm mash of cereal. Soon I waited for her where the wall slid open and would lift my wings and ruffle my velvety gray feathers in greeting, and wag my crimson tail side to side. One evening after my treat of mash, she lifted a small cage and tapped its side. I hopped in.

My belly feathers quivered as Evelyn carried me out the wall opening through a dark space where her steps echoed, until we reached a place where bright lights made me blink.

"Ev, you're not seriously bringing a filthy bird into our quarters?" The crewmate talking was much taller and much paler than my Evelyn. I trembled at his harsh voice.

"Shush, Jayden. You're scaring him," Evelyn said.

"He's beautiful." A second crewmate with blond hair pulled tightly back into a long tail approached me.

"It's bad timing," Jayden said. "We should be concentrating on End Acceleration, not on birds."

"You're really hyped about that, aren't you?" Evelyn said.

"Hey, it's the only interesting project we'll see in our lifetime. In anyone's lifetime until Deceleration and Arrival at New Earth."

"That's too far away to think about," the blond said. "Do you really think the ship will have enough fuel to decelerate on schedule?"

"In three hundred years? The forward scoop's accumulating interstellar dust for fuel at about the rate predicted - so, sure, Mia. I think our decedents will arrive safely at New Earth."

"And if not, tough luck on them, huh?"

"Jayden is right," another crewmate said. I soon learned six people shared our quarters. "We're the lucky ones."

"The lucky ones will get out of this can and set foot on a planet," Mia said.

"Okay. We're the second luckiest."

***

I gripped Evelyn's shoulder as we gathered for the regular planning meeting in our galley - the crew had a lot of plans to review because when the ship's acceleration ended, we would rebuild the interior of the ship. She poured herself a cup of tea and carried a small plate of fruit to the table for me. As usual, a square of light with colored lines and bars sprang up on the wall, but I was used to such things and focused on the banana Evelyn was slicing.

"This is the plan Earth sent with us." William was an old man with no hair on his head who always led the meetings. "But I'd like to start these installations - here - sooner. Is there something we could delay?"