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Progress And The Days (3) That Passed (part 1)
Heia walked along the cafeteria, seeing fewer people than the day before. She picked up food for her and the others, now that they had decided to help Zeydar in full. All of EverDanger was assisting him in the digital data copies, highlighting specific numbers as he had requested. Where Zeydar did many of the calculations in his head, he had started writing them down on a tablet, along with conjectures that they had to read and tab as well. While the work was not difficult, it was fast paced. Zeydar’s reading speed was faster than her own, and even if they used general AI to highlight the numbers properly, they had to check that everything they gave him was correct.
There were a few times, she had messed up as it was.
The work load was not too difficult with them all assisting from their other ships, but it was quick paced. If they were not ahead of Zeydar at all moments, he would do it himself, and then continue ahead and they’d have to catch up. Luckily, Zeydar took time to write up formal reports for Maverin and Estashia, in words and numbers to be input into the Project, which gave them time to catch up if necessary. Heia hated looking over all the data, over and over again, as the numbers did begin to blur after a bit, however she had see the complication documents and reports and Zeydar had typed up and knew that they were getting information that days before she would have never thought needed. All of it, important for their survival.
“You okay?” Europa asked.
“How are you?” Seeing Europa reminded Heia, that she was behind on reading the plans and graphics for the new society and housing plans as well as the government structure. Would a few all-nighters be so detrimental before she was frozen? She needed to catch up, but didn’t want to leave the others. They needed her help.
“Okay. I hear that you and the others are all helping Zeydar.”
“He does not need it, but it is making him go through the data faster.”
Maverin had even suggested that they could add the calculations to the project and Zeydar might be able to go through them again, for secondary considerations, to help adjust what was necessary. The more prepared they were, the better off they would be.
“Father is going through it as well, although from what I’ve heard, he’s taking Zeydar’s considerations and preparing to add it into the programing. He apparently wants Zeydar to make contingency plans.”
“Contingency?” When would they have time? Had he decided it now that things were going faster?
“Part of what makes the project work is that it has human input for changes. The project and the ai are going to have to do everything themselves. But they will still need guidance and father is hoping that Zeydar will be enough to do that himself.” Europa said. “Once they’ve gone over the data as many times as they can, and input all the considerations to a certain point, there will be little they can do other than create contingency plans in case all else fails. I think father wants to ask Zeydar to do that soon.”
“For the whole journey?”
“Yes and… There has been talk of waking Zeydar up at variable times over the course of the trip, for days at a time, where he can review the data and input the calculations and return to sleep,” Europa told her.
“What?” Heia whispered.
“It’s just talks for now.”
“But if… he’d get older than us, quickly that way.” Let alone that Heia was not sure it was healthy to be frozen and unfrozen so many times. Kim had said something about how it could kill a person. However if there was a talk of it for Zeydar, then there was a chance that his magic might keep him safer.
“He’s already older.” Europa shrugged. “And it would not be all the time, three or four days, and once every few centuries, to ensure we are on track and to adjust.”
“Has he agreed?”
“When I say talks, I mean father has discussed it with Mother and I was there. He wants her approval before he pitches it to Zeydar.”
Heia had a feeling that Zeydar would agree to it. She had a feeling that Europa was telling Heia when no one else knew, because Europa knew that Zeydar would agree too. Like Heia, Europa did not like the idea. “That’s not fair on him.”
“No?” Europa asked with a look that told Heia that she agreed.
“No.”
“But he’s the best asset we have.” Europa was speaking for her mother, for all the world leaders who would agree and try to pressure Zeydar.
“Couldn’t he and Uly…”
“There is talk that Maverin and Uly would also be woken to assist with the calculations and implementation into the project.” Europa nodded.
“What of the others?”
“We can not risk it, however. Father predicts that Zeydar might be the only one who can risk being frozen and unfrozen, multiple times.” Which was exactly what Heia feared. Magic could save Zeydar but not the others.
Heia looked at all the civilians who were clearly listening to their conversation around her and making meager small talk. She wanted to give them a piece of her mind, but realized that Europa had chosen the location on purpose as well. She wanted to push Heia to make a decision, but also wanted to explain that she was against what her mother and father were planning. She was also gauging civilian reactions to the news: all of which seemed favorable at the idea. Zeydar was a hero to them, EverDanger were heroes. Heia suspected that to some degree, the people expected self sacrifice from themselves for the greater good.
“It is necessary?”
“Only father knows. But we should not worry. We have other things to care about for now.” Europa said handing Heia additional plates of food. “We should take these to the others.”
Heia nodded. How moral was it to put that sort of weight on Zeydar? How moral was it to ask him to be alone for days at a time? What was the best choice for everyone? And, ultimately, was it even their choice to make? Zeydar would be the one who would stay awake.
Heia followed Europa out of the hall.
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Marlena Marie 
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