9

They had gathered as they always did at 17:00, for dinner in the smaller dining room adjacent to the main cafeteria. Originally intended for overflow, it had sat empty for as long as anyone could remember. The room was dark and more than a little cold - the power having been rerouted to more populous areas of the ship to conserve energy - but it was familiar and it was quiet and it was theirs. They had even found a couple of space heaters and portable lanterns in a storage closet, and when switched on the room was almost comfortable.

 “I’ve heard it’s not so bad, almost peaceful. That’s why they call it the ride” One said, chewing thoughtfully. “Some say it’s like a wave that passes over you, and you don’t feel anything.”

 “Pretty sure that poor sap they brought in from the SCOUTS yesterday felt something.” He could still hear the shouts and screams as they wheeled the broken man in, they had to cut into his suit right there in the loading bay to get him out. The sound had hung in the stale air and tight corridors of the ship like a phantom. He went back to sawing at the meatloaf on his plate, it was reconstituted soy and had the texture of cold oatmeal.

 “Yeah I guess, but he wasn’t dead. I was talking about dying.”