I’ve said most of my farewells. Lou and I had our last lunch together at our usual cafe and we both found it a little more emotional when it was just the two of us. I know we can – and will – keep in touch, but it is still a physical parting of friends.

I’ve finally got everything I need to take with me packed. Dad’s been really helpful and, once we were notified of the amount of baggage that I would be allowed to take with me, he went on a bit of a shopping spree and made sure that I got close to maxing out the limit.

“You’ll be really frustrated if you get all the way there and then find that you’ve forgotten something really important,” he tells me as we are packing travel boxes.

“I know, but it all feels like so much more than I think I need. I get the point. I just don’t feel that any of this is really happening to me yet.”

“Trust me, Son. It is all very real. In just a couple of days you’ll be on the ship and all you’ll have is what we pack right now. Okay maybe I’m over-thinking it on your behalf. There are shops and stores in Eastleigh, just like there are here. You’ll manage no matter what.”

“Dad, I will be fine. Everything is organised and you’re right that I can just pick up anything I need locally when I get there. Let’s just make sure that I have everything that I need for the journey and we’ll not worry too much about the rest.”

“Sorry, Aidan. I’m being over-protective, aren’t I?”

“Yes, I think so. Well, a little bit anyway. In a very good way, actually.”

“It’s just that it’s been just the two of us for so long. Change is difficult.”

“Dad, It’s fine. I get it.” I reach across the box we’re packing and touch the back of his hand lightly. “I’ll miss you just as much, you know.”

“Thanks, Son. I know we’ll be in touch all the time, but it will feel very strange to come home to an empty apartment every day.”

“Well, you could always do something about that.”

“I know, Aidan. We’ve talked about it before and you know how I feel. I’m not saying never, but your Mum knew enough about how I felt to not make me promise to move on after she was gone. One day, when you find yourself in love with someone, maybe you’ll understand how difficult it is for me.”

“I think I understand it more and more as I get older. I don’t want you to feel lonely when I leave. Why don’t we make a deal?”

“Hmm… What sort of deal, Son?”

“Nothing too serious. How about we both agree to keep an open mind and open hearts? If the opportunity comes along for us to be happy with someone, then we shouldn’t allow thoughts of the past to limit us?”

“That’s deep. Who are you and what have you done with my son the physicist?”

“Dad!”

“Seriously. You should have decided to be a philosopher instead. You could have stayed here in Sevrin City then.”

“Perhaps. I do think about things a little too deeply sometimes. There’s not much call for philosophy in our society though. I’d starve.”

“Well, no. You’d just be the part-time street-sweeping philosopher.”

“True. So, Dad, do we have a deal?”

“Yes, okay. I’d be lying if I said I was totally happy being single. You’re right. It is time to release the ties that bind us to the past. I’ll stop being the person who always politely says no. You have to do the same, though.”

“I will. I’m not expecting to find someone in Eastleigh, but I won’t hide myself away.”

“You never told me what happened between you and Maria. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. We talked a little at the party the other night. We just weren’t going anywhere. Actually, I think it was more to do with things other than our personalities.”

“Oh, how so?”

“I really did like her as a person. I’m just becoming more convinced that I’m more attracted to guys as time goes on. I think Maria wanted more than a kissing boyfriend and I wasn’t comfortable with that.”

“Well, I’m not entirely surprised. She’s a very pretty girl and you did always seem a little less interested than it looked like she wanted you to be. Don’t take this wrong, but I think she was making it pretty obvious that she wanted more from you.”

“Was I the only one who didn’t see this? Louisa told me much the same thing when Maria and I broke up. Can I change my mind about making a deal with you? I’m crap at this stuff.”

“Aidan, relax. Relationships are hard and sometimes you need to work for what you really want. When the right person – whatever their gender – comes into your life you’ll find that it is very easy to do the right thing.”

“Thanks, Dad. I hope you’re right.”

“Well, it worked for me once.”

“This is the last box, Dad.”

“Well, in that case we can get cleaned up and go out for dinner.”

“Go out?”

“Well, I don’t feel like cooking tonight and I want to treat you. I’ve booked a table that that restaurant you said you wanted to try. The one down on the end of the peninsula.”

“That’s nice. I’d better get dressed up – it’s a pretty fancy place. Thanks Dad.”

All my belongings have already gone down to the docks in a small truck that was sent for them yesterday. Everything seems to be very well organised and I’m pretty relaxed about the whole process.

I insisted that Dad shouldn’t follow me down to the ship. I was much more comfortable saying goodbye to him at home and just heading out the door.

Somehow, in all my life here, I’ve never actually been down to the working harbour. I’ve known that the great ships come and go with their schedule and have often seen one or another of them out at sea as they move along the peninsula. I’ve just never been close enough to get the full experience.

Even from half a kilometre or more away, as soon as I step off the eastern monorail line at the harbour station, I can see the Morning Star. She is truly immense and dominates the horizon in front of me as I walk down to the terminal.

MS Morning Star is about 400m long and more than 50m in beam – see, I know the technical terms. She probably also stands more than 40m high above the waterline. Being designed for multi-purpose operation, she looks unlike anything normally seen on Earth. There, they tend to have passenger vessels, cargo vessels and tankers and they are all very different form one-another.

Morning Star, and her sisters, are something of a hybrid that suits our purposes better. The forward portion of the ship is mostly dedicated to the passenger accommodation and then the aft section is more suited to handling containerised and bulk cargoes. We have no need to transport bulk liquids – there’s no need for oil – and everything can be handled by machines.

We actually also have several smaller bulk dry carriers for metal ores and minerals. Morning Star tends to carry food and manufactured goods from the other cities around the equatorial ocean. I read somewhere that it was a bit like a 20th century old Earth Banana Boat that had been built to five times the original size. Well, apart from the fact that we don’t have bananas on Sevrin because they wouldn’t grow true from seed.

The terminal is manned by actual people. I’d half expected it to be entirely automated, but it’s nice to get that human touch. I’m processed quickly and easily.

All my baggage is confirmed as having been loaded aboard and I’m given my cabin assignment. My implant links to the shipboard AI and downloads the itinerary, maps and schedules that I’ll need for the next two weeks. I walk up a long gangway and into the front of the ship on the lowest accessible deck. Nexima guides me up two decks and out onto the starboard side and aft to my cabin door.

The AI opens the door to my touch and I find myself in more space than I thought I’d have. It’s more a miniature apartment than a simple cabin. There’s a lounge that opens onto a balcony and then a separate bathroom and bedroom. It is clearly big enough for a couple, but I presume they don’t bother to have smaller cabins for single travellers. They’re probably all exactly the same.

I already knew that there wouldn’t be any cooking facilities, but there is a small cooler that seems to be stocked with soft drinks and fruit juices. It is compact and comfortable. I could even live here, but I’m sure that after much more than the length of our journey, I’d be happy to get out.

My two travel bags are already in my cabin, presumably brought by a member of the crew. In some ways, this all seems a little old-fashioned, but I guess people are the best at moving around such a human-centric space. My implant has details of where to find all the facilities on ship, the laundry, the gym and the main social spaces for eating and relaxing.

Just as I’m beginning to get settled in and have finally opened the sliding door on to the balcony, I get a notification in the corner of my vision.

<Incoming Call: Sarah Parker>

“Nexima, accept the call.”

“Aidan, are you on board yet?”

“Yes, just getting settled into my cabin. Are you here too?”

“Yes. I was wondering if you wanted to meet me at the cafeteria for lunch? We’ll be departing in a few minutes and then it’ll be lunch time.”

“I thought it had gone quiet. Loading and unloading must be over. Do you think we have time for a lap of the main deck before lunch?”

“I guess so. Shall we meet in the B-deck lobby in five minutes?”

“That’s great Sarah. I’ll see you there in a moment.”

“Nexima, end the call.”