Status: Fifth draft, 35k out of estimated 100-110k (as of early feb 2026), incomplete
POV: Third person limited, three POV characters
Setting: Iomere, an exoplanet and the most successful terraforming project to date. It’s mostly water, and is now a mostly unsettled project in recreating an ecosystem for for Earth ocean flora and fauna. The story takes place on the ruined shell of the Pilgrim, a scientific research outpost, under an eternal storm that sits at a certain spot on the planet.
Synopsis:
Thirty-three years ago, the Pilgrim scientific research mission launched to document terraforming efforts. It was designed for full independence, with crews working in two shifts, the second crew waiting their turn in cryostasis. However, before it came, the Pilgrim mission met a tragic end: they washed to the end of the world—a hurricane so intense even probes can’t get through.
Now, decades after mission failure, only one person from the first crew is still alive: Dr. Mari Beck, and Rahim, the nineteen-year-old clone of her dead best friend. They go through their cycles, same storm, same outpost, same dangers, until everything changes.
A system failure revives the last living members of the second crew from stasis. A marine biologist, a software engineer, and the second crew's cloning specialist. However, instead of being rescued by their crewmates, they're dug out of the rubble by a pair of stranded coast guard medics who have taken up residence on the outpost.
The smartest thing is for the seven of them to stick together, but they have alliances, they have secrets, and they have ghosts. The remnants of the first crew hates the pair from the coast guard. Human cloning is against interstellar law. Memories of the first crew fill the outpost, and as long as there is a crew on board, the cycle of death threatens to repeat itself. However, without each other, they won't be able to keep surviving, or even better, escape the storm altogether.
Character info under the cut!
Characters:
Dr. Kit Peyton, PhD, she/they, 29 (all ages in standards, which are 5 days shorter than an Earth year), POV character: Kit is a software engineer who used to work on communications satellites. Ironic, considering that they’re only on this mission because they really just run away from things instead of... talking about it. She is energy drink and hair dye deprived.
Dr. Hudson Ruby Fay, MS, PhD, ae/aer, 28, POV character: Hudson is a marine biologist, and along with Kit, one of the second crew survivors. Hudson is usually very enthusiastic, outdoorsy, and funny, but has a calculating side that comes out in situations that need it. Like this. Slightly scary good at puzzle games.
Rahim Faraz, he/him, 19, POV character: Rahim is a self-taught mechanic who was born (technically cloned and pulled out of a tank of goo, but born is faster) and raised on the outpost alone by Mari. Considering that, he’s quite normal; not that that makes him a regular person by any means, the poor socialization shows. He’s deeply selfless and kind, and will follow Mari wherever she goes. He makes spreadsheets for fun.
Dr. Marika "Mari" Beck, PhD, DAS, she/her, 70: Mari was a biochemist and geneticist before the rest of the crew died and she started taking on everyone’s daily scientific tasks in an attempt to stay sane. She has a very powerful blue eyed stare. The two things her world revolves around are her routine, and Rahim. She has pet chickens and rats, both cloned.
Dr. Judith Tawfeek, MD, PhD, she/her, 38: Judith is an interventional radiologist who now works in cloning research, and along with Kit and Hudson, one of the second crew survivors. She’s not very good at having unprofessional relationships yet, and is only debatably trying. LOVES cats. Really likes cardigans and shrugs and other little jackets.
Hai Liang, he/him, 40: Hai is a rescue technician and EMT. He's an ex-pilot who has been working in search and rescue his entire career. He’s honestly best described as slightly awful, but he’s nice to people who aren’t Mallory. Keeps entertained by annoying Mallory, losing at cards, building shitty furniture (meticulous), and sucking slightly less at nightmare difficulty Sudoku.
Dr. Mallory Rudolph, MD, he/him, 46: Mallory is a emergency medicine doctor who’s been working in search and rescue basically his entire career too. He’s also best described as slightly awful and does not like being called doctor anything. Despite appearances sometimes, he and Hai would die for each other. Keeps entertained by annoying Hai, winning at cards, building shitty furniture (hammer that shit together), and sucking at nightmare difficulty Sudoku.
