Going into stasis wasn't something that everyone felt good about, especially so when it was dropped on your breakfast plate next to a batch of dehydrated eggs and synthetic bacon.  There was some grumbling for sure that following morning when the Lieutenant made the most casual of announcements to a partially hungover crew that had assembled in the mess hall of Ares 8.  Running from a pirate vessel wasn't exactly what a bunch of trigger happy Forge soldiers were inclined to find agreeable.  Most of them looked to the Sarge with slack jacked perplexed expressions as the paused in the midst of shoveling chow down their gullet.  Of course their defacto leader fell in line and backed the Lieutenant, effectively squashing those murmurs of discontent with just a few words.  "Orders are orders.  You heard the Lieutenant."<br/><br/>By 20:00 military time everyone would come to find themselves entering those claustrophobia inducing pods.  One by one they settled in while Doctor Kahaan took care of the final preparations and oversaw each individuals entrance into that deep state of hibernating tranquility.  There were more than a few who needed some sedating, first timers that just couldn't get themselves to relax.  But beyond those minor issues the procedure went smoothly, leaving only Doctor Kahaan as the last to enter that blissful state of suspended animation.  Once all were settled in, AMI was left behind with only the synthetized intelligence of Ares 8's on board computer to keep her company.  Power was soon diverted, life support systems across the ship were shut down, leaving everything save for the most basic of operational functions be funneled to the core of the ships engines.<br/><br/>Two and a half months would come and go before Ares 8 rounded the bend that was Pluto where it would gain even more momentum as it slingshot its way towards the depths of space, where Cynosure waited.  The ships monitors kept tabs on that lone pirate gunboat that pursued them.  Even though that vessel was falling behind, unable to keep up pace with Ares 8's new found pace, they showed no sign of giving up on the chase.  Still by the current trajectory and calculations Ares 8 would be arriving at Cynosure ahead of their pursuers by ten days, eleven hours, and 47 minutes.  The crew would have ample time to settle in at Cynosure, conduct their business, and prepare themselves if those tailing bandits didn't relent.<br/><br/>The only thing that might delay them would be an emergency or unexpected development that might occur before they arrived at Ares 8.<br/><br/>One week, one day, seven hours, and 12 minutes out from Cynosure is when those conditions were unfortunately met.   It occurred during the midst of a poem being shared.<br/><br/><i>Thou brightly-glittering star of even,<br/>
Thou gem upon the brow of Heaven<br/>
Oh! were this fluttering code of numbers free,<br/>
How quick 't would spread thy wings to thee.<br/>
<br/>
How calmly, brightly dost thou shine,<br/>
Like the pure lamp in Virtue's.....</i><br/><br/>"Unit AMZN-T108m302, a series of anomalies have been detected originating from quadrant 3-7-1.  Low frequency transmission sequences have been detected. According to logs and data they belong to three escape pods whose codes originate from Space Station Cynosure.  Accessing data.  Data accessed.  File sharing link connected.  Please accept incoming data transfer."<br/><br/>A series of numbers, of base binary code rolled into AMI's processing center.  Those simple numbers falling into order swiftly, spelling out the details of the three individual pods that Ares 8 had discovered during its routine sweep for transmissions.  As the read out scrolled its way through AMI's computerized synthetic brain the information was quickly translated for her perusal.  Two pods contained bodies from which no sings of life or vital signs appeared to be registering while a third showed a tiny blip of one very weak vital sign.  All told, at the current trajectory, if Ares 8 were to move to intercept these pods it would delay arrival at Cynosure by four days, eight hours, and 25 minutes.