Summary

In Chapter 1 of Part 4 Leigh is traveling through space aboard a ship called Nereus, 42 feet long, between 5 and 8 feet tall. The design of the ship reminds Leigh of Datura. It contains a circular system, whereby all waste products are reused. “Our velocity after acceleration is such that the smallest fleck of dust may destroy us,” Leigh says (327). “The propulsion system locks on to the exterior of the craft and runs, like the navigation, completely autonomously.” The antennae of the ship constantly scan the sky looking for anomalies, especially Cassini ovals. The crew goes through the first jump or major acceleration together, feeling hungrier and slightly nauseous. Tyler, the captain of the three-person crew, feels uneasy he does not understand the ship’s inner-workings and constantly scans for noises.

While control was right there with the astronauts during the first days after the...