Felicity’s Journal – The Amazing Journey

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Felicity’s Journal

September 17, 1863

Hello all,

We have been extremely busy these past few weeks. And, if I am being honest, I have been remiss in my journaling. One gets overwhelmed at times with everything and forgets to write. I am terribly sorry about the gaps.

We have been busy testing the Omicron devices and learning to work the ship. I shall recount my impressions of our first flight around the solar system here. I still feel giddy from the experience even though I have been on more trips since.  When we first got into space, we looked down at the earth. We were so high that we could not see people or buildings. Even the cities were hard to spot (although Charles pointed out the Egyptian Pyramids to us on one orbit). The colors were a vibrant green and blue with brilliant white clouds that looked like so much cotton floating. It all looked so delicate…so fragile. Being weightless was also remarkable. For our first flight, I think we mostly played like little children. We did flips and bounced around the room. John and Rachael practiced science experiments. (Eleanor and Simone might have tried some things no children would. I blushed a bit at the time and I am married!) . When we arrived at the other planets, they were equally beautiful although in different ways. So far away from the sun and so cold; their beauty had a cold and remote edge. There would be no touching these planets of horrible storms and strange gases. But the colors we saw were so different and the shapes so delicate. I have seen more still in the time since and they seem less strange. I suppose at some point it will all seem so normal. Privately, I hope note.

Millicent has assigned me to communications. She says I make a very good ambassador. Working communication may not require the knowledge of the ship or science, but it involves more work than one might imagine. Obviously there is making appropriate contact, getting the content right and relaying messages correctly. One has to log each message and retrieve them when asked. One also has to record things like the ship’s name, its origin, and the communication details. There is also a protocol language when greeting other ships. You might think we were in the Queen’s court to hear all the useless pleasantries we exchange with Smith’s ship. Millicent says such efforts make rare encounters special.

Rachael, Jason, and Simone – the resident geniuses are hard at work improving the Omicron devices. We have taken several more test flights and have gone as far away as another star! Travel such distances seems less strange. Our travel on the airship to Prague now seems quaint and romantic in a way.

My regards to everyone and please send me questions.

Felicity Richards