“Good to see you, Robert.”
“Good to be here, Tom. You’ve met my wife, Jenna, and here are my kids, Henry and Fin. They are both super excited and have spent months deciding what they would bring along. I had no idea it was going to be as difficult as it has been. We’re really looking forward to testing the new skills Henry and Fin have acquired in the training sessions.”
“Hello, Tom,” said Jenna. She turned to Henry and Fin. “Now please greet Captain Burns. Don’t just stand there.”
“Hello, Captain Burns. Sir, we are thrilled to move on board and to help crewmembers however we can.”
“Well, that’s great to hear. We’ll be giving out assignments a little bit later, and I’m looking forward to working with you on a successful mission.”
“Now, Tom, there have been a few concerns we have. See, I’m a bit nervous seeing the people board and looking at the ship. It’s frankly not what I imagined. It seems cramped. And some of these people don’t give me the best impression really. How are we going to even strike up a conversation? I don’t know any of these people. I’ve usually only socialized with friends and family I’ve known all my life.”
“Robert, sure. I understand. You’re used to being involved with politics and with big time rollers. I can see this will be an adjustment. The best answer is to give it time. You’ll start being able to talk to people you meet at our meetings, in the cafeteria, in our entertainment room, and also—”
“What you’re saying is that this is the equivalent of moving into a retirement home? People I’ve never met and our common concern is when will we actually die or how we can pass the time? Please, Tom, I—”
“Robert, no. That’s not what I’m saying. You can get as involved in our daily needs as is permissible, and I encourage it. You have a great mind and great experience and enthusiasm. I can imagine that you might be intrigued by some of the medical advancements we will make and even help us teach and learn about the benefits of constant learning about astronomy and the benefits it will have in prolonging human survival. There is no telling what technologies we can develop, and you can be an integral part of that. I assure you, there will be more than retirement home vibes on Imagine.”
“Thank you, Tom. I needed to hear that. I’m sacrificing a lot and I’m still getting used to the idea beyond thinking it’s a possible necessity.”
“Captain, excuse me,” said one of the engineers. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I needed to give you an update. When I couldn’t find you in your office, I was told I could find you here. Well, various tests have been concluded on parts of the engine and the propulsion system. The electric propulsion diagnostics have conclusively shown that after testing in the anechoic chambers with the vacuum chamber to test the electromagnetic interference from one of our electric propulsion thrusters that it aced the test. There’s more testing, but I thought you’d be happy to hear that.”
“Yes, extraordinary news.”
Robert interjected, “That does sound extraordinary. Maybe we can have science trivia nights to catch up with rocket scientists to learn about the components of the propulsion and auxiliary engines. Now I’m more intrigued. I’m sure our accommodations will be pretty impressive too, come to think of it.” Robert shot his wife, Jenna, a glare.
Jenna chimed in, “Please, show us the way to our accommodations. I would really like to start understanding what life will be like for us.”
“Yes, Jenna, by all means, and remember we’re not taking off just yet.” Tom knew how anxious she felt and asked one of the officers to show their family to their quarters. When they left, Tom spoke with a few more passengers and answered their questions.
As soon as Tom felt that the ten families that were boarding today felt a little more at ease, he headed to the bridge. Passing rooms that were filling up now with passengers was a bit of a thrill for him. He got on the loudspeaker on the bridge.
“Hello, fellow Imagine travelers. I am pleased to have a chance to greet you and to meet some of you to talk individually. You will notice an itinerary in your rooms that specifies a time for you to meet with me and other fellow officers today, throughout the day. The first meeting will be happening very shortly, so please take a look to see which group you are a member of to participate in this brief orientation. I am sure you have many questions, and I am also interested in providing appropriate resources the sooner the better, given how much there will be to get used to in your new homes. I will meet the first group in the cafeteria, which will sometimes be an auditorium. You will be able to find it using the map provided with your itinerary. I am looking forward to meeting the first group in ten minutes. Thank you and welcome onboard! Just a note, you will find several graduates from Goddard High School you may very well recognize if you have been part of the community. If you haven’t, you can find them wearing a silver pin with the words ‘Onward and Upward’ on them who are ready to assist you.”
After three years of training with Mrs. Smith and her assistants, Tom could see that the young trainees felt a lot more confident about their duties. Tom had seen the changes, and he was excited they were instrumental in helping arriving passengers. He felt proud. It took quite a while to learn where all the rooms were.
Tom greeted each group of passengers every time Sam, Jose and their fellow students dutifully helped them find their way to the orientation meeting throughout the day. Tom and the officers met each group to provide them with the rules of the spacecraft and get them ready for the launch. His wife, Sarah, Dr. Sato, Sam and several other officers were also on hand to answer questions and alleviate fears. By the end of the day, most had already moved onto the spaceship and were adjusting to the major changes in their lives.
Each person coming on board would be given a bed, dresser, closet, desk and communicator that would allow them to listen to the news on the ship and contact others. Within a week, all personnel had a GPS chip inserted. They were instructed daily about protocols and procedures. All medical files were to be provided to the medical team. Each family had been provided with a packet of what to bring and what they could not bring in the mail prior to arriving. Now, they were reviewing it. It had been suggested that they bring enough clothes for two weeks. All crewmembers would be easy to identify since they were provided with specific uniforms depending on their rank and job duties.
All objects had to be kept in their dresser or closet. No objects would be allowed on walls and that included any kind of pictures. It was reemphasized that it was important during the move that objects be smaller than 8x11 feet. If they were larger, these items could be returned to their vacated homes or turned into a center where these types of items would be handled by crewmembers. They were reminded that no person needed to bring any money since there was no longer any use for it.
Eric Watson, who had been a big donor, watched his wife, Thelma, stand up and his eyes widened. At the mention of pictures on the walls and the rules, his wife couldn’t sit still.
She spoke. “I just want you to know that I have several precious pieces of art that I am bringing with us. I have a Monet, Manet, Renoir, and about ten other fine art masterpieces that are probably worth at least two million dollars each. Surely, you do not expect me to leave them home.”
Tom tried to reason with her. “Since there will be no money on board and you cannot sell anything to anyone, what do you plan to do with those pictures? Once we go into space, they will be rendered worthless. Why not just sell them at home and donate the money to a worthy environmental cause, give them to a relative to sell them?”