Marine biologist Marian Waters stood gazing through a porthole onto the oceanic planetrise from their spot in orbit, one hand resting over her heart. The boy teenager came around to her, after she’d listened to the explanation nearby. She wrote three places onto the list, feeling the matte surface of the clipboard. “And we’ll get our destinations after the ship’s crew go over this?”

“We’ll get going en route, then take the time to inform. Possibly at each step.”

“Thank you very much.”

After a moment, communications expert Zarae joined Marian in front of the view. Sometimes they would wear their dresses on the same day, while they’d been below. “So, I wonder how long this vacation will last, and what state the worlds will be in when it’s over.”

“I hope to relearn how not to count time. If only for a moment.”

“Thrilling. For myself, I have a sitting ensemble picked out. I have shades, and I’m going to find a hat.”

“Hats!” Marian hadn’t thought about hats in a long time, and thought a new style might be fun, while also a wise choice.

Zarae craned her head around a tiny bit to see if she could spot specific large islands. “Do you know the current section of the Synchrony?”

“I haven’t calculated yet today. I think we might have just passed the cusp.”

“Oh – I’m sorry, you already started not counting time. I don’t blame you, I obviously haven’t, either. A nap is the prize of the moment. We’re allowing, naps, now.” A welcoming hand showed Marian back towards islands of rumpled comforters from Captain Wendel’s deeper ship closets.

“Oh, that’s excellent news. I will get right up to the minute with that.”