Ablation ✔️

6 - The Weight of Time

A week passed with the final message from home still unopened, then another, and another. A month after the majority of the colonists had launched back to Earth and a calm had finally settled over Enhet Basen. The remaining settlers, well, they settled. Life returned to daily routine, even if a new routine.

Talia began each day with a quick breakfast in the kitchen off Mímir Corridor, which she shared with Haruka, Mímir's group leader, and Dr. Sam Keeling, the physician that she had seen parting ways with an elderly relative in the Departure Hall of Launch Pad 73C so many light years ago. She now knew that the woman had been his mother, and that she had died only two weeks after Dr. Keeling left. He hadn't had the heart to return to Earth after hearing the news. Now the three of them were the sole inhabitants of Mímir Corridor, which had been built to house fifty original colonists, with padding for 25% more. That had been built in as a safety precaution in case the colonists were unable to build new housing before the population expanded. Now, the empty halls and quarters echoed with the slightest movement, the untouched housing a reminder of everyone that had left the colony and everyone that had been left behind on Earth.

All the remaining colonists had a sob story, not just Talia and Sam. Haruka had been one of the few to travel with his family, yet his wife and daughter had returned with the other colonists. This shared grief in the fresh loss of their families bonded the three final members of Group Mímir: a physician, a military commander, and an astrophysicist, and each orphaned in their own way. They were far from the oddest "family" to have formed within Enhet Basen – just one of many adopted families struggling to understand their new life in the twilight.

Talia settled in beside Haruka for a breakfast of eggs and artificial bacon. They didn't have the livestock for real bacon and while some of the groups had cultured meat, Mímir's bioengineer and her team had not stayed behind, leaving their lab in Yedinstvo Kholl sadly unstaffed. They could have easily attained the supplies, but it was early yet and Talia lacked the energy to shuffle her way down to Tenjin corridor where Ikeno grew the cultured pork. At least eggs were in bountiful supply, as plenty of hens had made the voyage and themselves outnumbered the remaining human colonists.

"Morning," Talia said, before starting on her eggs.

Haruka merely nodded.

"Good morning ," Sam said as he sat. "Any luck yet?"

Sam was referring to Talia's current project, collaborating with an engineer from Ogma to set up the observatory. Dr. Ernst wanted to collect as much information as she could about the local solar system. She had the opportunity to gather the most accurate data yet on the Alpha Centauri system. That would be the legacy she left for humanity; and one day it might prove critical for the colony on Anima.

"Not much," she said. "We found the files for the print, but we only have two functional print crews, and they're still tied up on the start of Nabu's electrolysis project and the construction of the first remote outpost with that architect, Lacroix out of Lao Zi. Bachir says it will be at least three weeks before one of the units frees up and two months before he has anyone trained for the third unit. Not that it matters. He's already promised that one out."

Talia stopped and chuckled. "You know, for a colony dependent on interstellar travel, we're already short–changing the value of the stars."

Haruka remained silent, but Sam nodded his agreement. "We always have. Just hang in there. You're welcome to join me on my rounds. You know how awkward it can be when you're the GP for half the people you know?"

"I'll pass."

"I thought so."

"Thought what?" Gustavo turned the bend into the kitchen. "Mind if I join you?"