Ama Kit Xmas Gift - 12_2020

used to moving in zero-g, it made every motion so much more difficult, it seemed. Some people
spent their entire lives up here, she thought. Such an odd lifestyle, those people must lead. Man
was built for one-g Earth - nothing else. Again, the idea that humanity was abandoning its
mother came to her, and she felt the sudden urge to return home. “I mean, what even is space
‘turbulence’?”
“Hey,” her mother said, squeezing her shoulder, “calm yourself. Calaway is… ​interesting​. But
he’s responsible for this luxury, so we have to thank him.”
“Sure,” Johanna replied, taking her mother’s hand. “I’ll thank him if we make it out of this
alive.”
“Jo,” her mother scolded, “don’t think like that.”
“Yes, mother,” she rolled her eyes. “Let’s just get back to the cabin. Dad and Mal’ll be there.”
Her mother nodded. “Think like that.”
Raven Wateen was already in her cabin, actually enjoying Stronam’s new mystery novel for
once, when the lights went out, and as Calaway’s voice started over the speakers she, despite her
immediate panic, quickly smiled and started making mental notes of the events for her story.
This was ​definitely​ a security disaster among Calaway and his crew, and depending on the
probably chaotic results, could be the perfect reason to get this foolish operation disbanded. No
more wasting of the precious resources that men like Calaway threw out as she and her peers
watched longingly. Neither the public nor the govs would like this. Grinning, she prepared for
the perfect headlines; that is until she noticed the slight way the stars seemed to tilt. Stars, of
course, don’t move - not visibly at least. Confused, she put down her book, floated towards the
window. It was then, just as her fingertips reached the windowsill, that the alarms started blaring,
screaming and flashing low green lights like those that shone around the edges of her room.
Panicked, Wateen gripped the sill, staring out the window at the tipping stars, listening to the
blaring of the alarms and the many sets of footsteps she could now hear out in the hallway. Good
for her report, yes, but not her, as she realized that the ship was tipping. The pilots were losing
control. That, or were attempting the most ridiculous and dangerous stunt in all of history. ​What
is Calaway doing?
Unnerved, Wateen pushed herself away from the dizzying view of the stars, reaching to open
the door on the other side of her cabin, pausing only to grab her port and life suit before floating
out into the river that was the hallway. ​River​, she noted, bookmarking the word for the article she
planned on publishing as soon as she got back to Earth. ​A river of people​. Panicked, it seemed
every one of the civilian passengers had decided to rush out, creating a tide of screaming and
thundering bodies as people pushed themselves forward through the use of the walls and,
sometimes, each other. They screamed, crying and talking and the bang of fists and feet on metal
filling up every inch of space between the people as they pulled and pushed, held tightly to the
crack of a cabin door or simply stopped, in panic, fatigue, or laziness, and allowed the current to
pull them forward instead. Even the most intelligent seemed to have lost their wits in the