Endurance by Elaine Burnes

Author:Elaine Burnes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: speculative fiction, space tourists, lesbians, Sapphic, lost in space, space adventure, outer space
Publisher: Mindancer Press
Published: 2022-06-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

ENDURANCE ENTERED THE Toliman system at 1400 on 17 April 2179, the 134th day since the mysterious event flung them from Saturn’s orbit to Rigil Kentaurus. Nothing specific marked their arrival other than Ghez announcing they had crossed the boundary between the two stars. It didn’t warrant a celebration, they were still two months away from the closest planet, but Lyn breathed a sigh of relief. She’d take any good news where she could find it.

While everyone’s hopes were buoyed by the arrival at Toliman and even by the news of Suzanne’s pregnancy, Endurance continued to feel its age and distance from overhauls and repairs. Isabel ran the Recyc-All around the clock making new parts, but eventually it would become impossible to keep up. Some days the water was too hard and Sharyn complained her laundry was ruined. Other times Miriam said the water tasted funny. “Define ‘funny,’” Isabel asked. Lyn worried more about the air, dreading another mishap with the oxygen levels.

She was adjusting to being in the Okichitaw class with Diana when the lessons became physical. She never got the chance to see how she’d feel throwing Diana, making contact, because no one wanted to throw her. The captain. Marc tried to alleviate their anxiety by fighting Lyn himself, but still there were no takers. “Too bad Jeanne’s not in the class,” Lyn said to Marc later. “I bet she’d love to take a few whacks at me.” She invoked her Important Job excuse and stayed away.

What Lyn missed most was the chance to disembark and stroll a sandy beach, feel a natural breeze, or climb a rocky outcrop and look out onto the Pacific. Most tours lasted only a month, and she normally took several weeks off between trips. The Grand Tour, at three months, was unusual even before their stranding. She tried to see it as nothing more than an extended journey. Omara had once taken two years off to putter around the solar system. That system, though. Not one four light years from Earth. Still, there were successes. Miriam harvested her first tomatoes from the hydroponic garden to much fanfare at dinner. Ernice Dietrich performed her new composition for piano and violin—with Ani on violin—“Endurance Under Stars.” Some days, though, Endurance’s walls tightened and the corridors narrowed, the air dank. Lyn asked Isabel to check the quality. Everything was on target, she responded. “Would you like me to add some alpine notes to the outflow?”

“It’s April,” Lyn said. “Would spring flowers make people happier or more depressed?”

“Up to you, Captain.”

Up to me. Everything’s always up to the captain. “Maybe some vintage wildflower essences.”

One night, as Lyn left the greenhouse, she stopped and stared across the landing at the closed door to the Obs Lab. She wanted to knock and enter but didn’t have a good reason to. Resigned, she started down the stairs only to run into Diana coming up, carrying a bag and thermos. They traded casual greetings, but Diana added, “I’ve missed you in Marc’s class.

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