“The Engineer”. Part 3 of Book II.
Book I: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Interlude.
Book II: 1, 2, 3, 4.

Hours turn to days and turn to weeks,
so many small things to make the big things work;
Twist that bolt, turn that key, forget that day,
but forgetting never comes.

Minutes blur together,
a seamless stream of action;
the waking hours become a dream,
a haze of duty and science,
healing of men and machines,
equally traumatized, equally harmed.

But these are the glory days of my life,
dreaming of the horizon stars,
and the journey to lead us there;
the path is swiveling but smooth,
twisting but true,
with few fears to haunt us,
but for the nightmares of that day.

Only one more Eden before our final stop;
By the time we get there,
all will be well,
or made well;
That’s the dream of this ship,
the Grail of our quest:
To find peace in our own Garden.

Until then, I perform my sacred calculations,
perform my obligations to the tech in my care,
and do my best for the people I watch over,
an aging uncle.

Lost in my thoughts,
I almost miss it,
standing confused in a corridor,
blank-minded and staring at a fresh wall…
our home is healed,
the steel is strong,
the engines hum…
and hum…
a song ready,
a song happy,
a song hopeful…

The machine voice sings in its melodic monotone,
“Restoration complete. Ready for departure on command, Engineer.”

I smile, heart full of sad joy,
and give the order to move forward,
to move back through the stars.