Chapter 2

Summary

• The character realizes the gravity is too high and considers sensible explanations, such as being in a large centrifuge which, combined with Earth's gravity, could create the high gravity environment.
• The character searches for an accurate accelerometer and, upon finding no string, improvises with a spool of nylon thread from the lab to create a pendulum.
• By counting the cycles of the pendulum's swing over ten minutes, the character determines that gravity is the same in two different locations in the structure, which would not match the conditions inside a centrifuge.
• The calculations conclude that, if inside a centrifuge on Earth, the centrifuge would need to have a radius of 700 meters and spin at 88 meters per second. This seems improbable due to the lack of noise or wind resistance that would accompany such a structure.
• Considering the possibility of being in space, the centrifuge would need to be even larger, which the character deems unrealistic, leading to the conclusion that they are not on Earth or in a centrifuge, and no known celestial body matches the gravity conditions.
• A flashback occurs involving the character and a friend, Marissa, discussing a phenomenon known as the Petrova line, which seems to be absorbing energy from the sun, potentially leading to an ice age on Earth.
• Following the flashback, the character feels a responsibility to solve the Petrova problem and has a fleeting memory of a crew on a spaceship; they associate this with their current situation.
• The character struggles with the loss of crew members and contemplates their survival and slowly returning memories.
• Another memory surfaces, detailing a significant space project named ArcLight that was launched in response to the Petrova problem to collect samples from Venus.
• A sudden interruption by the computer about an angular anomaly pulls the character out of their memories and prompts them to explore further within the spaceship.
• The character recollects fragments of personal life, realizing they are a teacher based on their lifestyle and affection for children, which helps in retrieving their own name.
• At the end of the chapter, the character is eager to find their name to access other parts of the spaceship, working off the memory of being a teacher as a clue.