Note by Andrew, October 31, 2026

Fuck, I hate landing, Gabe thought as the world shook around him. He was looking forward to getting to Nora, but the noise was unbearable, and the shaking was worse. The fucking shaking.

The trip hadn't been all that bad. He had his routines: getting up, cleaning himself, and the basic exercise he needed so he could still walk when they landed. Ideally, he'd get through things as quickly as possible so he could click in and get on with his day.

Nobody could click in during landing. Something about needing every resource free so the ship didn't crash. Probably wasn't safe to be in a pod for it, either.

"How much more of this shit before we land?"

"Shut up, Gabe. It'll be over when it's over," Beck replied.

Beck was the "pilot," if you could call him that. Mostly, he just made sure the AI didn't fuck something up.

Liz and Roger didn't even seem to be paying attention. Probably trying not to puke all over the cabin.

Despite having been on this ship with them for five years, Gabe didn't really know much about them.

Most people with interesting lives don't sign up for these sorts of missions, unless it's the bad sort of interesting.

Folks back home didn't usually send missions out to Nora if they could help it. Between the long trip and its one-way nature, it didn't really attract volunteers.

But as the only tech with any experience with these comm systems and no family to speak of, he was the one to go.

"Arriving at Nora settlement in 10, 9, 8..." the ship announced.

Finally! Then his stomach turned, and it wasn't the shaking. Six years since anyone had heard from Nora.

There should have been a few folks on Nora who could patch things up.

"4, 3, 2, 1."

They hit hard, and then it was over. Everything still seemed intact, and the shaking had stopped.

"Happy, Gabe?" said Beck.

Gabe didn't bother responding. He just unlatched his harness and prepared to exit the ship.

Published October 31, 2026