I looked back just in time to see my sister, Jake, before she headed deeper into the forest. That’s a weird thought: Jake, my sister. Maybe Jacqueline would fit her better? Nah. She doesn't really seem like a Jackie.

My dad looked over and saw me looking back. “Well, it's certainly been an unusual night. That definitely was weird, wasn’t it, son?”

Positively fuming, I did something that I thought I'd never do. It was something that was so unlike me but felt so right in the moment. I slapped Rob Martin directly on the right side of his face... hard.

He rubbed his cheek, and started saying "OK, I deserved..."

I fumed at him. "You deserved way more than that. My mother was murdered, and I'm only hearing about it now?!"

He hung his head. "I'm sorry..."

I just finished talking to the junior and senior crew. I told the junior crew I'd give them full compensation for senior benefits for the day, even though the senior staff members were in position. I warned the senior staff that the next brawl would result in anyone involved losing their commission. That should hopefully set them straight, and keep them from doing anything foolish.

Tensions are still high, but the ship is under control and fully staffed again. And I'm off the clock. On alert, but officially off the clock.

My name is Kevin Jackson. I am the third man in my family to carry that name. It used to mean something on this ship, but it doesn't hold much weight anymore. My grandfather was captain, my father was the science officer and second in command, and I'm working the cash register at Main Street Electronics.

As the group descended towards the counselor, I practically ran into the hallway. I lept into action and stood defiantly in front of the counselor. My declaration of “crew, get back to your stations immediately” was met with comments about how my “kind” were just as bad as the “splicer-babies”. The situation was much worse than I had first thought, and at the rate that it was escalating, I was sure it would quickly get completely out of hand.

Our multi-generational ship, the UAE Epoch, has been cruising through space for four hundred years now. I suppose it's fitting that I take on the role of captain on our quadricentennial year. I am the first gender-fluid captain of our ship, after all. We've come a long way since our ancestors in the United Astral Exploration unit first left shore so many generations ago. Back then, there was a lot of fighting. It was hard for our forebearers to blend so many different cultures together on one tiny vessel. People fought over religion, race, gender, and sexual orientation.

"You don't sound OK. My name's Karen. I'm here for you if you need someone to pour your heart out to."