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"And, of course, you will immediately transfer to the
Mayflower, which will launch from its base along the southern edge
of the Mare Nubium just in time for prime-time television coverage
Stateside, and carry you on its own magnetosail beyond the solar
system's outer limits." The next hologram showed the Mayflower
and the bright red line of its trajectory that curved away from the
inner planets and out beyond the orbit of Pluto. "And once you
Pilgrims are sound asleep, preserved for centuries in your cryobeds
and far away from any other living thing, the Mayflower's automated
flight system will aim it towards the Forty-seven UMa system, fire
up its implosion engine, and initiate the four hundred fifty-eight
year journey to Forty-Seven UMa Gamma."
When the colonel spoke next, after the Mayflower had zoomed
out of sight and the holovision had gone dark, he was choked up for
the first time the Colonists had ever seen him. "Well,
kids, that's the mission. I have to say that I'm damn proud of you:
you handled that year of training in Texas tremendously well and set
a high standard for all the SCP classes that will follow. I hope you
won't have forgotten us Earthlings when you arrive at your new
home in the year twenty-four seventy-nine." He sucked in a gulp of
air and wiped at an eye. "Any questions?" "No? Then get the hell
outta here."
The four hundred Colonists let out a collective cheer, and those
who didn't approach their gruff instructor to thank him immediately
headed for the exits for one last night of Earthside celebration.
############
"So where are all of your roommates?" Bettmann asked with a
rotating glance after looking upward from Korsakova's left hand, the
wrist of which was resting on a foam support bar as the hand lay
suspended in midair, covered with a gray goo that was rapidly
drying in the stream of a hairdryer.
"Out with their dates this evening," Korsakova replied while
maintaning a steady gaze on her immobile hand. "I let Veronica and
her boyfriend borrow my car." Then, with a sly smile, she added, "I
suppose I won't be needing it, since I'm staying in with my date."
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