A journey into the unknown naturally raises questions, highlights doubts, stirs concerns, whatever. It's not always the fear of what's to be found on the other side that stresses you, but on what's in between. Travel has long been a symbol of escape and freedom, but there's something truly paralyzing about being in transit- away from one center, toward another, where provisions are rationed and shelters scarce. This story finds that particular horror in the trip from a home planet, to some distant unknown, that is interrupted so that our main character finds himself in a truly horrifying state of lifeless animation.
You may have already ready the text on our blog, but for our commuters out the here's the audiobook version. Enjoy!
SPOILER!!!
ReplyDeleteOk now. I was enjoying this story but I hit an annoying logic gap...
Now I can understand the DNA coded stasis gas... but if it was limited to only 1 dose then how could it offer to put him back into stasis in the brothers chamber? So it must have additional amounts. Where are these stored? Cant they be bypassed to send his extra amount to another stasis chamber?
If it is hardwired into the selected stasis pod then with the potential century ahead would it not be more constructive to break open the stasis hatch, hopefully with the AI guidance in order to detach and move the needed gas tank to another chamber and then put himself back into stasis? Would it not be better to attempt that then just allow the AI to euthanase him?
Its a good story, but this just bugged me. Maybe it will occur to you 2 as well, or this might make you ask the question as well for the discussion side now. Keep up the good work.
Easy one.
ReplyDeleteThere is only enough sedative for 300 years of stasis. If Danny is removed from his pod, there will be enough sedative left for the rest of the journey -- regardless of which of the brothers is placed in Stasis. If the sedative is rerouted, that will divide it by two, leaving each of them with 75 years of stasis time. Either way, they won't make it. Only one of them can.
Besides, nobody said it couldn't be done. =)
ReplyDeleteIn fact another one of my readers has mentioned it. It's just that Alan is getting arrested for murder, hacking into the ship's database and impersonating a trained crewmember. So... he's going on the chair anyway.
Thats a thought, yes... I wonder how good a hacker he is? And it was his pod at fault right? Not his sedative balance so the rerouting his own sedative to another pod might be a plan... And then test his hacker nuance to alter the record of his activities to try and cover himself... :)
ReplyDeleteHarsh future with capital punishment there as well. :3
Good story though all in all. :)
This story kind of reminded me of the movie Pandorum, especially with the mention of possible insanity. Ya know without the mutated people... or the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I liked how he used the feeling of hopelessness as a means of horror over the more conventional blood, gore, and paranoia. I can say I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Great read, keep up the good work.