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I sit on my couch, watching the screen, the Artemis two mission launch. I can't wait to tell the kids about this. It's the furthest any human as ever gone. Amazing. The steam rising off the microwaved food I had yet to touch. The astronauts had a few scary black out moments ahead and I could not wait to watch the stream when I got home.New pictures of the moon is not my forte, but still, incredibly interesting. I was sure some of the kids already knew of it, some would definitely come talk to me about it later.
maybe I should get a rise bean bag? Adding Integrity— The spacecraft, to my 3D solar system might be good, just a little tiny thing next to the moon.
Maybe next lesson I could talk about the moon, I know when the information gets back to Earth might be a great lesson for them.Do kids still even want to be astronauts anymore?
I turn back to the screen, remembering what I am watching, a moment of history. We've had a lot of those but this? This is a genuine good moment of history.
With everything going on, just around the world, this is a great step to humanity. Maybe, just maybe we'll meet aliens soon, if we're not alone that is. Maybe I'll be right, maybe they're not water based.
Or maybe I'm wrong and stupid.
God I hope my kids never get their hands on that paper.
Huh. I like space? The memories are easier to find when I enjoy them. I suppose that makes sense, my brain blocking out the bad stuff that may have landed me here? Whatever, I'm a microbiologist not a psychologist.
I lay in my bed for a while, the nanny bot lording over me as if checking if I am going to fall again.
I am in space, not sure where yet, I hope I'm close to home— maybe I'll be able to see earth. Hopefully I am just in orbit. So, I'm a teacher, Science, I am thirty and American, I live alone, I like kids. Huh.
Still, none of this is particularly useful if I don't know my name. It's the key to the next room, only room I've not been in. The stupid robot keeps pestering me whenever I get close to it.I sigh, I want to see whats behind the hatch, I suppose they thought if an astronaut wasn't able to remember their name they shouldn't br trusted much. Fair. But I can't help but want to know!
I mean come on, I'm on a spaceship somewhere, freak out comes later. I feel like knowing the space ship I'm on is important, especially since I've not seen any controls yet, that's what has to be behind the hatch, unless I somehow missed one in the lab or…'bedroom'.
I've avoided here a little, staying in a room with my dead friends isn't exactly nice.
The Petrova line feels important, maybe I'm at Venus? Why would I need to be in a coma for Venus? It would take around four months so I suppose that makes sense. However, the rate of decay on my friends, particularly Yáo.Seems they've been dead a long time, longer than just months.
So further than Venus.
Why go further? Did they find something on a different planet in out system? I should try and remember, but that door. I want to know my name.
"Dr Ryland Grace." A woman walked into my undoubtedly cool classroom.
"Yes? Is there something you need?" I asked, looking up from the work sheets my class did.
She didn't look like a parent, I had met most of them at one point or another, she didn't look staff either. I tilt my head a little as I watch her, a thick paper in her hand, I recognised the name instantly.
"Did you write this?" She asked, she looked like she'd rip my head off if I said no, despite not showing any emotion.
"Yes, uh well, Yeah, but it was a long time ago—I've grown since then."
"An Analysis of Water-Based Assumptions and Recalibration of Expectations" She read out the title, a small annoyance on her face. "Awful title."
"W-well, I mean—" I want to fall into a pit and die.
"However, an interesting read, you spend several pages ripping apart you colleagues." She said, I can't tell if that's good or bad.
"You're willing to burn bridges to say what you think is right." The woman stated, looking back up to me.
"Sorry, who are you again—"
The memory cuts off as I come to a realisation, My name! I know my name. I jump up from the bed and rush into the lab then straight to the hatch.
"What is your name?" The computer asks dryly.
"Dr Ryland Grace!" I almost yell as it as I struggle to open the hatch, sliding it to the side.
A room filled with screens and a chair, clearly one for piloting the ship, I sit down on it and look around.
The big screens showing the sun, pretty close.
Why am I heading for the sun, or at least why am I so close.
I freeze as a notice something, it's smaller. The sun is smaller.
Did the astrophage do this? I though it was only taking away the light not deceasing the size—.
oh.
oh.
This isn't Sol.
Something in my brain knew. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew.
I needed to test this, it looked like Sol, same yellow star, same sort of brightness. But smaller, definitely smaller
I think I've gone much further than Artemis two.
Much much further.