“It just doesn’t feel like a luxury cruise ship” said Elizabeth to her husband, Joe “It’s so...functional.”
The couple was exploring the ship. True they were supposed to be in their quarters preparing for takeoff but a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.
“Well I guess it has to be” said Joe, “there are thousands of us on here so maybe not all that much room for...”
“Pools? Recreational fun rooms? What are we supposed to do when we wake up? Just stare at each other?” Elizabeth bit her lip. “I think we should leave”
Joe scoffed “A little late, honey” he pulled her close. “Listen, it’s all going to be ok. We’ll take our little nap then wake up and mingle and enjoy our vacation, please don’t worry.”
She nodded but couldn’t shake the feeling of unease which had settled over her long before they had boarded the ship. It all seemed wrong for some reason. “The chance of a lifetime” said Joe. No one else that they knew was going. It would be a chance to mix with all kinds of different people and see the effing solar system as well. Who would pass this up? “A crazy person” Joe had said.
So Elizabeth had let herself be talked into it but she was still hesitant.
“All remaining passengers report to your rooms for departure” said a soothing female voice over the loudspeakers.
“We better go,” said Joe, “before the AI gets us.”
He took Elizabeth by the hand and they headed to their room.
....
The ships were in space. The passengers were told that they should take a brief rest while the ships got into orbit and reached cruising speed. The semi-plausible reason that the passengers were given for this was one based on their comfort. Did you really want to experience intense vertigo and nausea while your body adjusted? Of course not. And everyone else would be sleeping. A very complex AI was taking care of all of the piloting so nothing to worry about, this was common practice. The ships sped off into the distance taking their precious cargo with them. Disseminating their human seeds out into the stars. The following month all of the satellites from earth went silent, just like that. Confirmation of Earth’s death. Corinne was the only conscious being that recognized what happened. She felt nothing.
....
Thanks for reading! I’m treating this as a sort of prequel to the standalone series which will follow the ships. We’ll see how things go!
....
Chapter 1 link here!
Chapter 2 link here!
Chapter 3 link here!
Chapter 4 link here!
