Chapter Text
APS ECLIPSE
September 6th, 2475, 11:07:34
74 Years Since Earthen Departure
179 Years Until Arrival on Emporia-18
Passengers: 3,000
Androids: 547
The starship glided through space, propelled by leviathan boosters that expelled large blue jets of energy at set times of the Earthen day. It was half a mile in length, a smaller interplanetary travel ship than was the norm, compared to ships like the Challenger, who was over three miles long. Granted, the Challenger was built to house over 20,000 people. The Eclipse was a Mid-Class APS, constructed to transport small populations over vast distances through space. It was a scaled-down version of its older brother, the Avalon, another APS Class.
Although it was built to transport people, No life bustled within it. Although it held 3,000 humans, not a single person moved.
Everyone on the APS Eclipse was in deep sleep, a frame of mind in which they did not age, dream, think, or breathe. Only their heart moved, chugging along at a slow rate to keep its host alive.
Eclipse's hull was inhabited by not just humans, but by Androids as well, robots with human appearance and actions, despite their plastic skeleton and metal organs. They took care of the ship while the humans slept, their minds filled with code and commands implemented when they were hauled aboard the massive craft. Every single one of the 547 Androids had a purpose, whether they be active on year 74 of the voyage or not.
Some androids were tasked with jobs on the ship while the precious cargo was asleep. Such as the Gardeners, who were ordered to Tend the Plants aboard the craft, watering the sapling trees who-when the humans woke up- would be massive in due time, or harvesting and freezing wheat and potatoes for future consumption. Or the Mechanics, who were staffed with upkeep of the ship's machinery, repairing and replacing parts.
Other Androids were made to be of use when the humans woke up. Such as the rehabilitation android, who would- when the time came- explain to the humans what was going on, why they were there, and jog their memory. Or the Cooks, who were quite useless until the humans awoke, as androids did not eat. They were programmed with all sorts of dishes and desserts to make. These androids where in standby until the humans woke up, standing in the deep cargo like statues with synthetic skin.
However, there was one android aboard the Eclipse who had a job, unlike any other of the robotic entities. It was put aboard the Ship as an afterthought, as a just in case. In case Murphey's Law decided to have a go at the inhabitants. It was a Security Android. It was to keep the peace, resolve conflicts, eliminate internal threats, the sort of jobs one would expect a Human Cop to do. However, this android had a problem.
Everything aboard the Eclipse was fine. There was no Possibility of any crime, as the only beings who would have any want, and who were able to disobey the law would be asleep for another 179 Years.
And yet the Security Android was awake.
It had no job until the humans woke up, so logically it should be in standby like the other Human-related androids until the time arose for the humans to become functional members of society again.
And yet the Security Android was awake.
Its programming was haphazard like it had been coded at the last minute, so he assumed that his existence was a "Just in Case."
The Android in Question had been given the designation of 'Connor.' It had a lean, tall build, with warm brown eyes, a smattering of freckles, and dark brown slicked back hair aside from a small tuft that refused to comply. It stood at 6'0, making it taller than most androids.
Connor spent Its time wandering the Eclipse without a real job to do, and as a result, he often found himself patrolling the upper cargo bay, where the sleeping humans were housed.
He had files on every single one of the 3,000 humans in hibernation, for if a crime was committed when they became conscious beings again. He assumed, at least.
He assumed that he had been left awake, unlike the other Human-related just in case something went wrong, even though his calculations told him that nothing would go wrong aboard the Eclipse without external Intervention.
Connor did a lot of Assuming.
He had no job to do, as there was no one to break any laws or wreak havoc, being that all the androids aboard the Ship followed their programming.
So he spent his time watching the humans.
Conner walked along the rows of pods; Blue LED pulsing in the semi-darkness that was the hibernation storage. His footsteps echoed in the expansive room, disrupting the stagnant air and cold atmosphere that pressed around him. He walked without reason, with no end goal, only the desire to experience something he was unable to obtain by himself.
He set a steady pace, weaving through the gridlike pattern of sleeping human, eyes scanning the room. He stopped at random, turning to his left to face a pod. It was a metallic grey with a dark-tinted glass top. It bore no markings, making it non-descript and unextinguishable from the rest. One in 3,000 pods that externally looked exactly the same as all the rest
Connor waved a long-fingered hand over the surface of this pod, synthetic skin sliding and shifting to reveal a hard, white plastic that was his frame. He drew his hand back as lights lit up from within the capsule, responding to the motion above it. The previously dark glass became translucent, displaying the internal chamber to the world.
A dark-haired man lay waiting in the interior, eyes closed. One would think him dead, as he did not breathe, nor move, or do much of anything. One would think him dead if not for a heartrate monitor that blinked into view in the top left corner of the glass, along with a name.
Jonathan Ray Mackey
Connor searched through the files locked away in his memory until he found the name, and called the expansive file into his view. A small box appeared in the corner of his vision, offering information on the male in front of him.
JONATHAN RAY MACKEY
DOB: March 8th, 2378 at 2:09 AM in Rochester, New York to Maria Rose Walters and Ray Weston Mackey.
Gender: Male
Height: 5'4
Weight: 210 Lbs
Ticket Class: Level C
There was more information, below that, miles upon miles of information detailing his every second of life, but there was only one thing Connor was after. He flicked through the pages of information on this Mr. Mackey until he found the Audio Log, a maximum 5-minute long clip of audio the passenger has recorded, for him to listen to when he woke up.
He played the audio log, listening to the voice only he could hear as he looked at the man.
"H-hey there future Jon! Uh, I'm recording this to tell you that we made it! Mom and Dad gave me-us a ticket so that we can go to Emporia! I can finally become an architect on a new untouched world! It's 'possed to take like 200 years, which is honestly kinda ridiculous. But I'm not complaining *laughter*. I'm gonna be over 200 years old by then, so take that Gramps! I Uhm, wanted to let you know that Mom and Dad love you- they told me to say that- and that they hope you do well on Emporia. *Slight Pause, then he resumed talking, but with a deeper, more thoughtful voice.* They're going to be dead by the time you listen to this. Uhm...*Long Silence then a cough.* B-but you get to start fresh. I hope that you aren't freaking out too much. *A weak laugh* But, Welcome to Emporia Jon, we can finally follow our dreams."
Connor replayed the clip twice, looking at the face of the man before him. He had a family once. A mother and a Father it would seem, they had bought him the ticket. He was C-Class, so they must be a wealthy family. C-Class tickets went for over 10 grand, but that was a low cost compared to higher-level tickets on luxury ships, which sometimes went for millions.
That is what his Android Mind offered to Connor, the ticket prices, and the likely hood that he was wealthy, but the back of his brain registered the sadness in Jonathan Ray Mackey's voice. The way he had paused to let the thought of his parent's doom sink in. The way he seemed excited to be able to be an architect on a new planet.
The back of his mind registered the Human parts of Jonathan Ray Mackey. The parts that made him feel alive.
Connor sighed and stepped away from the case, dismissing the file from his vision. The capsule darkened again, becoming a nondescript block without any difference from the rest.
Jonathan Ray Mackey was given a gift from parents he would never see again, so he could follow his dreams and become an architect.
Jonathan Ray Mackey left an overpopulated planet in hopes of starting fresh on a brand new, untouched one filled with Promise.
Jonathan Ray Mackey was human. With hopes and dreams and secrets and darkness. With a beating heart and a brilliant mind.
Connor was an Android with no purpose on a ship without life.