Vik walked down a long corridor. Metal plates, disguised as wooden finishes, lined his path. From the cells, also decorated to look like wood, echoes of working departments could be heard.
There was no day or night in this world. Each department could work round-the-clock cycles as long as there were staff members available and their desire to work at a different time from the main crew.
"Is there ever silence in this area?" he thought, and turned the corner. In the time that Vik had been visiting Professor Gennady Zernov, he had never once heard silence in these cells.
The professor's office was located in the industrial district, behind number two. "Will the new districts, filled in as the expedition progresses, also transition to round-the-clock cycles?" Vik wondered.
At the moment, construction of district number five was finishing up in the winged section. Vik was also curious about how many districts would eventually be formed by the end of their "journey," if up to twenty-five such districts could be built in one such section.
Reaching the door, which was carved from real wood, he knocked with the tips of his fingers. The so-called wooden finish, serving mainly as decoration, was mostly made of metal.
"Yes, yes, come in," a slightly robotic voice came from behind the door.
Vik put his hand on the doorknob and hesitated for a moment before pushing it open with a little effort. This was an unusual movement for him, as in his twenty-two years of life he had only encountered one door that opened in this way. On the ship, everything, or almost everything, taking into account this or possibly other doors, opened automatically, removing the "partition" itself that prevented faster or unauthorized access to the areas called rooms. The door opened with a quiet, melodic creak.
"Hello, Professor," he greeted the anthropomorphic robot sitting on a sturdy wooden chair. "I still can't get used to this type of door. And it creaks sometimes, maybe you should leave a request in the maintenance department to oil it? Then there wouldn't be any creaking." Puzzled and offering a solution to the problem, as he thought, Vik entered the office.
"Take care of yourself too. " The professor replied with the same robotic voice. "And about doors like this, I proposed the idea thirty years ago. To increase their number even in residential areas. And when we arrive at our destination and start settling in nature, we won't be making all doors sliding, and we won't be able to immediately provide electricity for automation everywhere either. "
Vik closed the door behind him and slowly made his way to the therapeutic chair. And Gennady Semenovich continued:
"So the council said. Majority of the doors should be standardized! So that in case of emergency they can be easily opened. Just what if something gets jammed and there are no proper tools at hand, how will they open this door? They won't be chipping away at a solid sheet of metal, will they?" A smile appeared on the robot's interface. "But regular doors that open into or out of the room can be broken through, whether they are made of wood or their metallic substitute. We leave them hollow inside so we can feel the real weight of the object, and not adjust to it upon landing. "
In this society, "podobiya" refers to items traditionally made from plant-based materials. However, due to a shortage of resources, these items are now created to look and feel similar to the traditional ones, but with different materials, weight, etc., in order to ensure that the feeling of using them is not lost.
"If there is an accident and any door in the corridor is open, it could create obstacles for the emergency response teams," Vik supported the council's decision.
"They also proposed a similar thesis," Zernov informed with a smile. "We can't just designate training areas for 'opening different types of doors', or we might as well designate training areas for blowing soap bubbles," the professor chuckled.
The room itself was decorated in a minimalist style, with a screen on one of the walls simulating a window and producing a weather phenomenon called rain. There was also a slight coolness and noticeable humidity in the room.
During his first appointment with the professor, he explained the presence of this screen as follows:
***
"The sounds and visual display of rain," the professor explained, "causes a relaxation and slight distraction effect on patients. This allows us to more quickly establish a connection with each other. For example, even your question and my answer, as strange as it may sound, are already a result of this phenomenon."
"What could be relaxing about an uncontrolled stream of water from a height? "
Even though I understand that you, Vik, have never seen or been in the rain in your life, you can still experience this phenomenon, for example, by taking a shower. "
"I can imagine that." Vik replied at that moment. "And it's true that standing in the shower, you can sometimes immerse yourself in your thoughts for a few moments. "
"That's exactly it."
***
The dialogue with the psychotherapist, who was none other than Gennady Semenovich Zernov, progressed as usual. Sometimes everything went smoothly and calmly, while at other times the conversation encountered psychological and conceptual obstacles.
At present, Professor Zernov's body was in a state of suspended animation, while he controlled an anthropomorphic robot through a KI system. This system helped individuals in situations similar to his own to provide support for the expedition, ranging from psychological to scientific and technical support.
At the end of the session, Gennady summarized:
"I can note one, I would say not unpleasant, but still a fact," said the psychotherapist. "Due to being born and realizing oneself on a spacecraft, you often use technical and other difficult-to-pronounce terms in your lexicon, which sometimes make it difficult for you to maintain a conversation. For example, when you use a certain term in dialogue, you try to explain it."
"But how can I continue to talk to someone if they may not understand me? That's why I explain it to them," Vik tried to justify himself, slightly embarrassed.
"Just don't explain it," summarized Gennady Semenovich. "Just calmly and simply lead your monologue and don't stop to explain. If your conversation partner doesn't understand something and asks you about it, then you can explain it without changing the mood of your dialogue."
"It's easy for you to say," Vik retorted.
"I can recommend another option. Do you keep a diary?" asked the professor with interest.
"No," Vik replied.
"So, start recording, the important thing is not to type it, but to dictate it on your communicator. And most importantly, don't edit it and reread it after recording. At first, you should notice the angularity of your statements. Do you read or watch fiction?" asked Zernov.
"Yes, sometimes I relax with such cycles on weekends," replied Vic.
"Exactly!" exclaimed Gennady enthusiastically. "Secondly, you will emotionally notice the dryness of your speech style again," he stated.
"Okay," agreed Vic, and started to prepare to leave.
"Then let's meet at the same time in ten days, is that okay for you?" asked the professor.
"Days?" puzzled Vic. "Oh, you mean cycles?"
"Yes, exactly," replied the professor. "Then let's meet in ten cycles."
Victor was confused by the door once again, but he managed to overcome this obstacle. Before leaving, he said goodbye to the professor and stepped into the corridor. The corridor branched off within a five-minute walk, and after another five minutes, Victor found himself "outside".
Although what it meant to be "outside" for people who previously lived on Earth was different. Victor heard that they compared this space to a huge hangar in ancient times when some of the first flying machines appeared, the hangars of the so-called "Dirigibles" were tens, if not hundreds of times smaller than this space.
He lived in the third residential district, and that's where his path led him. The residential and working districts were arranged alternatingly. This was for the more comfortable purpose and method of visiting the place of work for members of the expedition.
The area where the districts were located is a winged compartment that is connected to the main axis of the ship, with three winged compartments on one of the main axial compartments. There are a total of nine winged compartments, five of which were initially used for storage purposes and the remaining four for housing and public production. Additional modules, namely the districts, were built during the flight to facilitate the adaptation of space society for subsequent planet colonization.
When Vik came out onto the main road, which served as the main transition between the districts, as well as the transportation of materials, he encountered barely a dozen people and robots who were either hurrying or strolling. Transport drones and vehicles moved along the main lane to his right.
At the current moment, which was three hundred and sixty-three yearly cycles since the ship's departure, construction was still ongoing in only one winged compartment for the districts. Currently, there were four fully operational residential and production districts whose locations and construction were alternating.
The fifth production district will only be put into operation approximately twenty yearly cycles from now.
Vik lived in an apartment numbered 25 in the third residential district in the space of the first winged compartment (0103025). This numerical code was intended for both specific room designation and delivery address.
On the way to his apartment, he met a short girl who was about his age, compared to the average height in the chamber. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail, and he had never seen it down, whether she was working or resting. She had a lively personality and was not shy to speak her mind.
Her name was Kira, just like him, she only had a name, as there was no past for the children of the dead civilization.
They were, so to speak, bred for the frequency. And it didn't stigmatize or lower their relationships with other people, who were mostly in stasis or emerging from it. Or those born naturally on this expedition.
"Hey you." she greeted, sharply tapping two fingers to her temple.
They had a close and brotherly relationship because they were colleagues. On his fifteenth birthday, Vic was overjoyed not only that he was assigned to the activity that interested him, but also that he met her that day. Their acquaintance triggered new feelings in him that he had not suspected before.
It was also a coincidence that they were both born in the same way. Although birth by genetic engineering was not stigmatized in this society, the absence of parents and observation of the relationship between those few peers still had a depressing effect on the children. Even the presence of a guardian chosen by the system, although creating a strong adult-child relationship through good statistics, still left its mark.
"Hi, are you going to practice?" Vik asked.
"That's right!" Kira cheerfully replied, standing at attention. "Allow me to invite you to follow me!" she chattered on. "We have the last weekly cycle before the upcoming game!"
"I just came from the mind doctor" he reported. "So tired, I'll go home to rest. "
"Oh, I was hoping for you!" Kira relaxed and playfully protested.
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
"I'll stop by and find you, don't leave without me."
They said goodbye and each went their separate ways. When Vik approached his apartment, he used his biometric data to get inside.
When someone was assigned a residential unit, the resident had the choice of how to get into their home. Previously, when he lived with his guardian Aoi Nakamura, who had been in a state of suspended animation for three years, he used a physical pass, which he sometimes lost. Although Aoi didn't scold Vik for such mistakes, he still became nervous anticipating them. This became the determining factor for him in choosing a biometric lock, as he couldn't lose his head, right?
Entering the apartment, and satisfied that the door panels opened almost without his involvement, Vik began his pleasant routine: changing clothes, starting the laundry, playing background music, and preparing dinner.
He enjoyed making dinner himself, even though there were opportunities to snack in the cafeteria or eat dry rations that were available on the ship with any flavor and texture. Cooking itself was akin to meditation and some kind of magic mixture of flavors in creating the next dish. After preparing dinner, as well as breakfast and lunch for the next cycle, Vik sat down to eat.
After putting the washed dishes in their place, he decided to start his diary:
"Well, let's begin... "
"Entry of traveler 00001's diary.
My name is Vik, and I am a resident of the spaceship "Shambala". There is something magical in this name. Previously, our ancestors believed that there was a mysterious unexplored territory filled with wonders on our home planet. And upon discovering it, one could achieve everything they wished for. Similarly, our spaceship, where I am currently making this entry, set out to colonize a planet other than our home.
Ironically, considering the fact that only thirteen cycles after the departure of "Shambala" on its only voyage, our planet was hit by the "Red Sunset". And we forever lost our home planet.
At the moment, the ship has been in transit for three hundred and sixty-three cycles. "Shambala" is a self-sustaining spaceship of the "Planetary Immigration" class, designed for a one-way flight, followed by the colonization of the planet. Also, during the flight, three Individual Adaptation programs (IA) are provided.
IA 1 provides for the transportation of subjects whose organisms are in a state of suspended animation. To maintain clarity of consciousness and awareness of the status of the expedition, the subjects' minds are linked to the computer reality. Additionally, the subject, using the computer reality, can take control of autonomous objects, using them for engineering purposes, rescue and medical operations, and maintaining order on the ship.
The main individuals participating in this program are members of the expedition who began their journey from our planet and desire to reach the destination, starting a new chapter in the history of our race. Individuals from IA 2 and IA 3 programs can also join the program.
IA 2 is a program designed to support and develop the society that has been in a closed space for a long time. Specifically, it involves the birth of new individuals through genetic engineering throughout the expedition, assistance in personal development and instilling the norms of the given society, and help in adaptation when transitioning to IA 1 and IA 3 programs. The main participants in this version are people born on the ship from pre-frozen embryos.
IA 3 is designed for the so-called "cells of society," families formed on Earth or during flight between individuals from IA 2 and IA 3 programs, which can subsequently lead to natural childbirth. IA 3 also includes individuals who operate the ship from the beginning of the flight and periodically use anaerobic sleep as a means of rest and preservation during the "distance." And individuals from the IA 1 program who have decided to come out of anaerobic sleep also belong to this program. The main goals of observation in this program are natural childbirth during interstellar travel and the assessment of the mental state of subjects detached from their subjective reality based on the planet Earth.
There is also an IA 4 program designed for offenders, but due to the established safety systems of the ship, the crew, which includes every living subject on board, except for the animal fauna, cannot physically cause material damage. All hints of committing a crime end with anaerobic sleep without connecting to the IA. For an individual in this situation, from the moment of falling asleep to waking up, it will not take more than ten seconds...
What is all this information about programs for? It's because I am a person born under the IA 2 program, and was raised from genes taken from a larger population of the planet Earth.
Without even rereading, I can already see how I'm getting into explanations, but I think that's enough for the first time. Although I'm holding back from explaining what "explanations" have to do with it. Oh well.
End of transmission."
After finishing his note, Vic reread it with some embarrassment and praised himself for not explaining what "explanations" had to do with it. Then, after taking a contrast shower, he fell into a deep, restful sleep.