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14
Days Adrift
by
Isaac Li
When
institutions of power have overlooked the vulnerable in marginalized spaces, and
have created systems of over-surveillance among others, there is a need to explore
the narratives of the people who were impacted, so that we meet them in solidarity
and consciously design to centralize such communities as architects.
In the year 2047, the largest operating human transport vehicle in space, housing thousands of retired citizens, sets off from Terra towards Ares paradise. Days into the journey, the medical bay reports to the captain cases of minor irritancies; yet there have been no casualties, so dismissed as not a concern, they move the ship onwards.
One week has passed, and several citizens are facing life-threatening conditions. The medical bay diagnosed the disease and have found it to be of non-system origin; potentially passed from orbiting asteroids, signs of life without carbon structures living in humans. There is no cure, and those with the disease need serious medical attention, so the ship turns back. An excuse was made to not concern those onboard.
At the port of entry to Terra, things have gotten much worse. Hundreds of citizens have been contaminated. The first few who contracted the disease have died. The global authorities of Terra determine that for the greater good of the planet, the people of the ship are not allowed to leave, so as to bring the unknown life form with them. The ship is to be stocked with various supplies, and is to wait in orbit until the situation is controlled.
The captain decides to reassure the citizens, “We were requested to contain this onboard by authorities, so please stay in your rooms while the situation passes, you will be safe.” And so they waited.