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Journal Entry 1 Vacation on Cloud 9 (2 days before the end of the worlds)
It's strange, I've been sitting on my bed with pen and paper in hand for the last hour trying to decide where to start with this journal. My English teacher Mrs. Dornamn gave each of my classmates and I a journal to write in over school break, and my mom always told me that the best place to start is always the beginning so here I go.
My name is Allison Brynn, I'm fourteen years old and I attend Caprica City High school. One day I'm going to become a doctor like my father, and work on a battlestar. My parents are just like any other except that they were still attending school when I was born. Despite raising a child so young, they both finished school, my dad was at the top of his class, and they both attended college. My father joined the military to pay his way through medical school and spends months at a time on the battlestar Atlantia. It's hard when he's gone. We all miss him terribly, but I love to sit up with him at night for hours when he comes home to tell me stories about what life on a battlestar is like. My mom Julia is the best, she never complains when he's gone even though I can tell it kills her, but she's happy for him. She's also done everything she can to help me learn about medicine, even though she's afraid I'll go out and join him and never come back, she just wants me to be happy.
I think it's been easier for her after the birth of my baby sister Kacey, two months ago. At first she drove me crazy because she would keep us up all night crying, but I love my little sister. I like to call her my little angel. We both look so much alike with our wispy blonde hair and our best feature, our bright blue eyes that daddy says remind him of looking into the ocean. Now that Kacey's a few months old she's started sleeping at night which has been great for mom and I. I know it's been hard for mom taking time off her job, she's an elementary school teacher but she took the year off so that she can spend time with Kacey.
A few weeks ago we got a letter from my dad who's finally got some leave approved. We haven't seen him since Kacey was born nearly 2 months ago, but now he's about to have a month's leave and has gotten us tickets aboard the luxury line, Cloud 9. Dad's sending us on ahead and he's going to join us in a week or so. I can't wait to see him! He's going to be so shocked when he sees how much Kacey has grown.Kacey, mom, and I have been here for two days and it's amazing. I've traveled to a few of the other colonies for school trips and to visit dad but never anything like this.
Usually ships are dark and cold, but I've never seen one where it reminds me of my home on Caprica. Yesterday I took baby Kacey to see the garden, surrounded by a sea of color all around us, I pointed out the flowers to Kacey even though I knew she didn't understand anything I told her. There were bright red roses, soft pink tulips, and vibrant purple orchids. Even though the sun is fake and the background, a view of endless hills and mountains, I know this is the most beautiful sight either of us has ever seen before.
I've only been aboard a battlestar once before in my life. When I was eight years old Admiral Nagala gave my mother and I permission to visit the Atlantia. My father was gravely injured trying to rescue and help his fellow crewman who were hurt during an accident aboard the Atlantia. It was one of the most amazing and terrifying experiences, and would live with me for the rest of my life.
Terrified, was the first emotion I felt when my mother told me that we were going to go out into space and visit my father. I was too young to realize how serious my father's injuries were to allow our family aboard one of the most decorated battlestars in the fleet. I was terrified that my father was going to die, and frightened because I'd never been off Caprica before. Caprica was my home and it was all that I've ever known. The ship was cold and I remember being thankful that I'd listened to my mom when she told me to grab my jacket despite the 80 degree weather in Caprica City. Everything seemed so large, but that may have been because I was so small, less than three feet tall at the time. There were so many people dressed in the same military garb that my father always came home in as we were shown our way through the Battlestar's long dark passageways. As I walked by I didn't see the stares of those around me, unfamiliar with the idea of a child aboard their ship, the child of a man willing to sacrifice himself to save his fellow man. Admiral Nagala told us of my father and his desperate attempt to save those stuck in a closed off compartment full of flames, how he dragged three men out before a smaller explosion caused pipes to fall and nearly crush him.
I know dad will be here within the week, but I'm going stir crazy waiting for his arrival. Months ago he told me that if I can get mom's permission I could stay aboard the Atlantia with him over summer break and learn about the battlestar and what he does in sickbay. After months of begging my mom's finally agreed to let me visit my dad. Six years ago when I saw my father, a hero aboard the Atlantia I knew what I wanted to do with my life, who I wanted to become. I wanted to save lives like my father, I wanted to travel through space and discover new planets and if the time ever came, to fight the cylons with my dying breath.