Please be safe

Like most of you by now, I have watched the news horrified. An entire planet? Half a billion people? Gone?

I can't believe it. The numbers stopped making sense so many zeroes ago. Also, a planet? How do you lose a planet? They say it was a some sort of natural disaster, which is little consolation. Could it have been avoided? Who knows. At least some people got out.

They say, eight degrees of separation is what it takes to reach anyone in the galaxy. You know what, it does not work when everyone is trying to reach everyone else at the same time. Comms went under yesterday morning as news became bleaker and bleaker, and they are not yet back to normal.

I feel secretly lucky that family is OK -got in touch with them already. Doubly so that Paul took that job in Empire instead of going back to his mining op. I found out that Kay, demon and maybe Naka are OK, some of the UC people too but I am concerned about the rest of my friends.

Apparently some in the crew were not as lucky. Thomas, our navigator, warned me he is trying to find out about some relatives and he may not be up to his usual, god bless him. I could notice people going around and dealing with it in their own fashion: some red-eyed, some dragging their feet, slouching shoulders, some simply withdrawing elsewhere inside their minds. I must admit I have never been close to my crews...

I took the Déjà Vu out for a spin. She feels it too. She is not her smooth self, rather lurches forward nervously. Yes, it has to do with the people.

I have work to do. I feel terrible about ISRC having a race scheduled by Sunday. Yah, as if, we can't raise half of the racers and some of the staff. I think this may not be the best time to push it -even if I am OK it may be very selfish to assume everyone else is. I know what to do. Words are not enough but, today, I can offer words and little else.

"Those of you in our staff that have reported relatives or close friends affected by this tragedy: we stand with you. Please know that ISRC will put travel means at your disposal if..."
...
"ISRC will decide as a corporation -no, as a family- what our next steps should be."

I finish the press release and send the holo off, holding back the tears. I hope they are watching the news.

Come on guys, please be safe. Please call, let us know you are out there.

-Q


((Out of character: Please let us know if you survived the patch -especially if you are in the racing scene. I know I did but there are desync issues and god knows how many other problems out there. Some people may have trouble patching, some may need to get shader number five or whatever, some may never come back. The plan today remains the same as last Sunday: to hold race #2 on 15 March.

However, we can swap this race with the next one (exhibition) if you guys think it will be safer; we would still be racing but without scores. Let me know what you think.))