15 June 2025 - Jason Arlow

SUBJECT: OPS NORMAL - J4 LAUNCH PREP / RECRUITMENT / SECTOR 7 FILTERS

Had to deal with another CO2 scrubber alert in Residential Sector 7 this morning.

The filters are wearing out 15% faster than Ammano's projections. I've filed the report with AIRA, which will dutifully order more from the next cargo run, but it's a nagging, low-level annoyance that eats up an hour I don't have. The station's "hum"-that constant thrum of the life support and Klein generators-seemed louder all morning.

Then I got to the real work.

The official directive came down, piped directly into my terminal by AIRA. Message from Henderson. Donstand Station is to have its official public opening on July 4th.

Of course it is. Same old FAILTECH playbook. Co-opt a symbol of independence, polish it up, and sell it back to the masses as "Progress." I can almost hear Fred Donstand’s archived voice approving the date himself. The official justification is "Celebrating our public-private partnership." Right.

Externally, everything else is green for the J4 launch. I’ve initiated the main operational checklists, assigned prep tasks to the department heads, and scheduled the full-system diagnostics. From a management perspective, it’s a tight deadline, but achievable. The station is already 99% operational- this is just a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a five-star guest list.
The other directive is the one that matters.

Alongside the J4 announcement, Henderson has authorized the next major global recruitment drive. My office is to oversee the initial intake and vetting for all station-critical roles.

I'm already drowning in PR directives- they're seriously debating three different shades of "cerulean" for the digital welcome banners in the docking bay. But the recruitment drive- this is an opportunity. A massive influx of data is the perfect cover. It’s been a long time since I last heard from... Cardinal. That channel has been silent for years. AIRA is just a warden now, not a conspirator. I’m on my own.

But this is the biggest net I’ve had a chance to cast.

I spent an hour this afternoon drafting the recruitment language for the HR filters. "Seeking dynamic problem-solvers," "candidates must demonstrate initiative as independent thinkers," and my personal favorite, "applicants with experience maintaining legacy systems are encouraged to apply."

It’s corporate jargon, but it’s targeted. I’m hoping the keywords will attract the right kind of person- someone who remembers the world before AIRA managed everything. Maybe the filters, tuned to find optimization-obsessed loyalists, will flag the "right" kind of rejects. I’ll just have to find a plausible reason to review the system's trash pile. AIRA is watching every keystroke, so the audit trail has to be perfect.

I need to cast the net wide. I have to hope the filters miss the ones who know how to swim against the current.

Personal Note - 15 June 22:30

My left knee is aching. The 0.8g standard on the station is supposed to be a luxury, but it just makes old injuries throb. The synth-coffee from the replicator in my quarters tasted like burnt plastic again. Had to settle for a rehydrated nutrient pack. Still, the view of the aurora over northern Europe during my "night" cycle almost made up for it.

Stilted video call with David. He’s excited about the PR buzz, asking again about the "Orbital Gastronomy" initiative and the feasibility of opening a Serio Fonditas franchise up here. I deflected. Told him the logistics for fresh ingredients were still a nightmare, that the water recyclers couldn't handle that much organic waste. A half-truth. How do I tell him the last thing I want is him closer to this? Closer to the center of the machine?

Then I asked about Leo. David says his planetside rotation at S-Space is going well, that he’s learning a lot. I feel that familiar spike- pride, mixed with a sharp, cold anxiety. Leo is brilliant. He’s also the leverage they hold over me. Miller’s "personal recommendation" for his job wasn’t a kindness.

They didn't just promote me to this gilded cage. They put a collar on my son.

It just reinforces the truth. Caution. Patience. Every step has to be clean.