he’ll be graduating high school and heading off for college. You’ll have been dealing with the house and Thad and the whole college search business all on your own and, not that I don’t think you can handle it, it’s just that I’d like to be there with you and be part of the whole thing and not just a bystander giving armchair quarterback advice from a million miles away.
“Just about the only privacy we get on this tin can is using the toilet or here in the comm shack talking or sending personal messages home. I can deal with the lack of privacy, but I’m seriously wondering how well I’ll hold up without you at my side.
“Remember the trip we took to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland? The wonder we felt when we saw those big rock formations that dropped down into the surf and under the sea? That’s the feeling I get whenever I look out the cupola window into deep space, but without you beside me it feels kind of empty.”
He sighed. “I guess I’m in a melancholy mood. I apologize. I’ll try to be more positive. I don’t want to leave you feeling depressed after my messages!”
Putting on a smile, Connover continued, “Yesterday Hi learned he was a new uncle. Houston sent an alert message to him and then a couple of hours later he got a video from the hospital. He was on Cloud Nine. They way he pranced around, you’d think he was the father instead of the uncle. Sort of reminded me of how I felt when Thad was born. We don’t get a lot of personal news out here; that was a real high point for the whole crew. We all celebrated.
“I’ve even started feeling some respect for Bee. You know I’ve never really liked the stuffy little prick. But I’ve been a good soldier and supported him one hundred percent. Unless he listens to my messages to you, I don’t think he has the faintest suspicion that I wished he’d broken his leg a few days before launch. Oh, we had our shoot-outs when we first started off, but it’s getting harder and harder to dislike him. He’s not really such a bad guy. Really, I think I enjoy badmouthing him more than I actually dislike him. Makes me feel good, for some reason. Go figure that one out.
“Oh, yeah, you asked me to tell you if any of the crew are getting familiar with each other. I haven’t seen much of that, but it’s obvious that Hi is head over heels about Catherine. All she has to do is ask him for something with that French accent of hers and he practically bounces off the walls to do it. Kind of reminds me of myself when we first met. Funny thing, though; I don’t think Hi really understands it. He’s all fumbles and fidgets around Catherine, like a kid on his first date, but I don’t think he realizes what’s going on.
“Come to think about it, it would have been kind of fun to be trapped with you for two years in a tin can between the planets. Whatever would we do to keep ourselves occupied? Better not let myself get too distracted. Too frustrating!
“Tell Thad I’m thinking about him. And remind him to send me a copy of the story he wrote in his creative writing class, like he promised to. You’d think he’d be a little more conscientious with his dad on his way to Mars. But what the hell, he’s a teenager.”
Connover paused for a heartbeat. Then, “I’d better sign off now. Vicki, just know that I love you and can’t wait to see you again. I never realized how much I’d miss your touch. Just thinking about it makes me smile. I love you.
“Bye.”
May 30, 2035
Earth Departure Plus 46 days
09:30 Universal Time
Galley
The klaxon’s sudden blare jolted Virginia Gonzalez so hard she nearly dropped the cup of coffee in her hand.
It’s just a drill , she told herself. Still, the instant raucous blast was louder than anything she had heard in training. Maybe . . .
“This is a solar storm alert drill,” announced the silky synthesized voice of the ship’s computerized intercom system, flat and unruffled. “Report to
“Just about the only privacy we get on this tin can is using the toilet or here in the comm shack talking or sending personal messages home. I can deal with the lack of privacy, but I’m seriously wondering how well I’ll hold up without you at my side.
“Remember the trip we took to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland? The wonder we felt when we saw those big rock formations that dropped down into the surf and under the sea? That’s the feeling I get whenever I look out the cupola window into deep space, but without you beside me it feels kind of empty.”
He sighed. “I guess I’m in a melancholy mood. I apologize. I’ll try to be more positive. I don’t want to leave you feeling depressed after my messages!”
Putting on a smile, Connover continued, “Yesterday Hi learned he was a new uncle. Houston sent an alert message to him and then a couple of hours later he got a video from the hospital. He was on Cloud Nine. They way he pranced around, you’d think he was the father instead of the uncle. Sort of reminded me of how I felt when Thad was born. We don’t get a lot of personal news out here; that was a real high point for the whole crew. We all celebrated.
“I’ve even started feeling some respect for Bee. You know I’ve never really liked the stuffy little prick. But I’ve been a good soldier and supported him one hundred percent. Unless he listens to my messages to you, I don’t think he has the faintest suspicion that I wished he’d broken his leg a few days before launch. Oh, we had our shoot-outs when we first started off, but it’s getting harder and harder to dislike him. He’s not really such a bad guy. Really, I think I enjoy badmouthing him more than I actually dislike him. Makes me feel good, for some reason. Go figure that one out.
“Oh, yeah, you asked me to tell you if any of the crew are getting familiar with each other. I haven’t seen much of that, but it’s obvious that Hi is head over heels about Catherine. All she has to do is ask him for something with that French accent of hers and he practically bounces off the walls to do it. Kind of reminds me of myself when we first met. Funny thing, though; I don’t think Hi really understands it. He’s all fumbles and fidgets around Catherine, like a kid on his first date, but I don’t think he realizes what’s going on.
“Come to think about it, it would have been kind of fun to be trapped with you for two years in a tin can between the planets. Whatever would we do to keep ourselves occupied? Better not let myself get too distracted. Too frustrating!
“Tell Thad I’m thinking about him. And remind him to send me a copy of the story he wrote in his creative writing class, like he promised to. You’d think he’d be a little more conscientious with his dad on his way to Mars. But what the hell, he’s a teenager.”
Connover paused for a heartbeat. Then, “I’d better sign off now. Vicki, just know that I love you and can’t wait to see you again. I never realized how much I’d miss your touch. Just thinking about it makes me smile. I love you.
“Bye.”
May 30, 2035
Earth Departure Plus 46 days
09:30 Universal Time
Galley
The klaxon’s sudden blare jolted Virginia Gonzalez so hard she nearly dropped the cup of coffee in her hand.
It’s just a drill , she told herself. Still, the instant raucous blast was louder than anything she had heard in training. Maybe . . .
“This is a solar storm alert drill,” announced the silky synthesized voice of the ship’s computerized intercom system, flat and unruffled. “Report to
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