Date: April 22nd, 2132
Day 139 - Third Rotation
Update from Operation Eicere came in late. Scheduled for 0900, received at 0955. Nearly an hour delay.
Too lazy to make a physical copy of the transmission report. It's logged in the system. Someone else can print it if they want hard documentation.
I've been drinking. Last night. Patel's whiskey. Most of the bottle. My head is killing me and I spent the first hour of my shift in the bathroom.
Told Dr. Chen I had stomach issues. "Diarrhea," I said. He looked disgusted and told me to take the day off. Back in my quarters now. Trying not to vomit.
The update itself raised questions.
Lead pilot Joshua Harden reported smooth departure. First 25,000 kilometers traversed without complications. All systems nominal. Crew in good health.
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But there's something in the transmission notes.
Thumping sound coming from inside the storage unit.
Rhythmic. Regular intervals. Harden noted it in the technical log. Not loud enough to be a mechanical issue. Not consistent with standard cargo shift or pressure equalization. Just... thumping.
They're monitoring it. Continuing mission as planned.
What the fuck is in that container that makes sounds?
Medical Bay update on the regeneration patient.
The hand is growing back.
Not just tissue. Not just preliminary bone structure. An actual hand. Tissue formation has progressed past the wrist. Elbow joint is forming. Skeletal framework, muscle groups, vascular networks - all developing at a rate that shouldn't be biologically possible.
The patient's fever broke yesterday. Temperature normalized. They're conscious now. Coherent. In pain, but stable.
Growing a limb in less than three weeks.
I need to document this properly. I need to run comparative analysis. I need to figure out what the Proto-Gel does on a molecular level.
But first I need water. So much water. And maybe to stop drinking.
Hydration. Focus. Work.
In that order.
[Entry ends]
