This Long Vigil: A Sci-fi Short Story

‘This Long Vigil,’ is a science-fiction short story written by Rhett C. Bruno. It follows Orion, the only human being awake in a ship of 1000. Orion’s been serving twenty five years as the lone human Monitor of the Interstellar Ark, Hermes, and is scheduled to be placed back in his hibernation chamber with the other members of the crew in about 23 hours time. He knows he’ll die there and be replaced by another human before the ship’s voyage is completed. Will he, though, let it end?

‘This Long Vigil’ was formerly featured in the June 2015 issue of Perihelion SF, and takes place within the broader universe of the author’s fiction (being loosely connected to ‘Titanborn’, an upcoming sci-fi thriller to be released).

I’ll start by saying that I loved this short story, which at 20 pages long, stands and pulls off a plot which other authors could fail completely with. It doesn’t get limited by its length, and raises questions which permeate the entire story in the best of ways. Such is the question found at the core of the story: can a human being raised by artificial intelligence, which by definition has no concept of emotion, long for things like freedom and companionship? The story crafts this through the plot along with a futuristic atmosphere that goes along scientific facts without being brought down by them. With only two characters, this story creates a great narrative which, though finished in less than thirty minutes, is still memorable.

The main character, Orion, comes across as both believable and likeable despite the shortness of his story arc. The same thing goes for Dan, the artificial intelligence of the ship and only other character with which Orion interacts (often passing time telling riddles.) The dialogue was really well done, the discussions between both these characters following smoothly, and hinting and foreshadowing at what was to come later on. The emotional conclusion both made sense and was surprising, making for an incredibly satisfying and touching story.

Thought-provoking, ‘This Long Vigil’ came across as an intelligent short story with the perfect amounts of world building, plot, and character development. Though it can be hard to come by good short stories (or sci-fi), this one is something which I’ll definitely be reading again as soon as possible, and which I heartily recommend to anyone who enjoys science-fiction like that of authors like Philip K. Dick. At the very least it won’t disappoint you, and it works as a fantastic short-story (enough that I’ll order Bruno’s ‘The Circuit’ as soon as possible).

Imagine you only have a short time left before you permanently lose consciousness. How would you spend your final days, hours, and minutes?

The dialogue was really well done. All of the discussions between Dan and Orion flowed smoothly. At times I felt like I was eavesdropping on someone else’s private conversation instead of reading it on a page. It was simply that realistic and compelling. I especially enjoyed seeing how Orion and Dan used conversations to pass the time when there was nothing going on in the ship that required their immediate attention.

It would have been helpful to have a little more information about the backstory. I was able to infer the most probably reasons why Hermes was constructed and how Orion and the other humans ended up on that ship, but I would have loved to know if my guesses were correct. This was a minor criticism of an otherwise excellent story, though.

The ending to this tale was absolutely perfect. I especially enjoyed the foreshadowing of what was to come that occurred early on. It wasn’t something I picked up on the first time i read it, so I was surprised by the final scene even though it made sense given everything I’d learned about the characters early on. This is definitely something I will be reading again soon as the ending gets better every time I encounter it!

This Long Vigil gave me goosebumps. I’d heartily recommend it to anyone who likes hard science fiction as much as I do.

originally posted at long and short reviews

This was a really touching short story. I loved it! The world building was excellent too. You have a dude who is living with the ships computer on a generational spaceship traveling for years and years to reach some new place to colonize. The main character Orion is the only human awake. He gets to help the ship maintain stuff while walking past hundreds of sleeping humans encased behind protective barriers he'll never be able to cross. His only interaction for his whole life is with the ship wide artificial intelligence called Dan. He likes Dan. He respects Dan, but when Orion's time is nearly up he just can't face going back to sleep for eternity in one of those hibernation chambers, so he picks the person to replace him and does something drastic.

The story is very well written and started off with me being a very interested reader wanting to find out what Orion's life is like. You get to see how his life has been always inside of a ship. His life has been happy, but he longs for more. The author Rhett C. Bruno did a great job building the world, describing the sites and sounds of the ship and space beyond it.

This story was done really well. I loved it. It's a quick easy read but very touching and deep for such a short story. The ending was beautiful. It was also exciting. Great story.

Rhett Bruno asked me to read and review this short story. In exchange for my honest review, he sent me this book free of charge.

Who hasn't wondered what it would be like to float through space, one with the stars? An observer of the magnificence that is the universe at work? What would you do if you knew that your life was going to "end" in less than 24 hours? That at the ripe old age of 50, you had to choose your replacement from 1000 bodies in hibernation? Orion knew. And he didn't want to be asleep for the next 20 years.

This short story by Rhett Bruno explores the last hours of one of the inhabitants of the spaceship Hermes. He explores how the human race might carry on after our planet is no longer inhabitable. I really liked the main character, Orion, and found myself feeling and thinking like he did. How sad it would be to never leave the place you called home; to never know anything but the 4 walls that make up your room. No wonder Orion left the way he did.

This is the first story/book by Rett Bruno I've read, but I plan to add him to my "Must Read" list. Give this short story a try. I'm sure you'll like it as much as I did.

Independent Reviewer
Jackie Huntington

Orion is on an Interstellar Ark called Hermes and for the last 25 years has been the lone human monitor with only an AI called Dan for company. As Orion approaches the end of this 25 year tenure he is due to be put back into hibernation in the chamber and will eventually die and be replaced before the ship reaches it's final destination. So Orion decides he will not do that as he needs to escape Hermes and see space again no matter what he has to do.

Great short story that is very detailed in it's description of the scene, the characters, the thoughts and the emotions involved in the story. I was hooked in the story and was dying to know how it was going to turn out. I think if I was reading it on a traditional paperback I would have been tempted to skip to the end to know how it was going to end, but as it was I just started to read it faster and I have to admit ignoring things I shouldn't have (just don't tell anyone).

Orion is a human monitor aboard the interstellar ark, Hermes. His job is to be the hands for Dan, the ship’s AI, as it plows through deep space on a generations’ long mission to take humanity to another planet in another system. Orion, now 49, is nearing the end of his term as monitor. He must select a replacement, and afterwards he’ll be put back into stasis, from which he will never awaken. But, Orion, who was born on Hermes, and only knows what he’s learned from Dan, is curious—he wants to experience life outside the sterile confines of the ark.
This Long Vigil by Rhett C. Bruno is a short story that forms part of a larger series, but can be read as a stand-alone. A compelling story of the individual versus the hive. Both main characters, the human, Orion, and the computer, Dan, are fully formed and elicit empathy from the reader. One can sense Orion’s frustration and fear, while at the same time, see that Dan has become more than a mere automated appendage of Hermes. Bruno has done an excellent job in a short span with this story.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for my unbiased review.

Brilliant. A thought provoking, heart wrenching story. One of my favorite 2015 reads.

Orian is a Monitor. The only 'awake' human on an interstellar Ark, ferrying a colony of human beings to a potential new planet. He was born on the ship, and in less than 24 hours, it's his turn to go back into stasis, probably until the end of his days. For his whole life, he's watched over the sleeping people, from their birth, to their death - he's devoted his life to monitoring theirs. But when hope triggers Orian's sense of adventure, he realises he hasn't lived at all.

This is one man's journey as he makes a decision. A crazy, heart-wrenching decision, but more importantly, a human one. We truly only know what it means to live, as we face our own death.

Stunning five star read.

NOTE: The author graciously gave me a copy of this book and asked me to write a review. Some of the language in this review implies that this story is self-published. The author has informed me that this story and his other works have been published, and I apologize for any suggestion in the review to the contrary.

The best science fiction often poses complex moral, ethical, and philosophical questions for readers in ways that "ordinary" fiction can't because ordinary fiction is bound by real world limitations. In his brilliant and thought provoking short story "This Long Vigil," author Rhett Bruno examines the question of what it means to be alive and, in 20 pages, comes up with an emotional answer that will stay with readers a long time.

"Vigil" takes place on a centuries long voyage from earth to a distant solar system that scientists believe can support life. The craft heading towards that planet has 1,000 people on board, 999 of them in a form of suspended animation where they float in a tank of nutrients while machines maintain their vitals. One "lucky" individual, called a Monitor, is periodically wakened so that he or she can assist Dan, the ship's computer, in performing all the necessary maintenance chores. However, when the Monitor reaches age 50, he or she goes back into suspended animation to remain until death (people still age and die). The current Monitor, whom Dan calls Orion, is one day away from his 50th birthday, and "Vigil" describes what he does in preparation for what, for all practical purposes, is his death.

Author Bruno writes economically but emotionally, gradually revealing everything that readers need to know about this voyage and Orion over the course of 20 pages. And it's a sad story of careful engineering and planning that gives no thought to the human element. Orion's only contact with the universe is through a computer that's been programmed for a mission and that educates and trains Dan in furtherance of that mission. But, of course, there's more to the story, and bits and pieces of Orion's character slowly come out, leading to a powerful conclusion.

Well written science fiction short stories tend to be streamlined vehicles, with every sentence chosen to support the main theme. "This Long Vigil" is no different in that regard, but author Bruno does not stint on the development of his only human character. Orion actually comes to life over the course of those 20 pages, making what happens to him all the more moving. In addition, this story reads better the second time around, as readers are better able to understand the nuances of some of what goes on, such as the endless children's riddles that Dan asks Orion as part of his training and amusement.

"This Long Vigil" is the only work by author Bruno that I've had a chance to read so far. I sometimes get requests from beginning and self-published authors for reviews, and, frankly, these works are an extremely mixed grab bag. Having the opportunity to read a story like "This Long Vigil," however, makes the entire process worthwhile for me. The best compliment I can pay a short story is to note that the story will stay with you a long time. I first read the story a week before I got a chance to write this review, and it has stayed with me since then. I strongly recommend "This Long Vigil."

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I do not know the author personally.

"This Long Vigil" is a short story set on the Hermes, an interstellar ark on a very, very long mission to find a suitable planet for its passengers. Orion is the sole monitor/assistant on duty until he turns fifty years of age at which time a successor will be chosen and Orion will return to stasis. An AI named Dan is Orion's father figure, companion, mentor, and guide. The story takes place hours before Orion's 50th birthday.

I prefer longer forms such as novellas or novels because it gives the author more time to build the world and to allow the reader to immersive him or herself into the story. Rhett Bruno has been able to do this in short story form without the reader feeling rushed or cheated out of a proper story foundation. I found myself aboard the Hermes and contemplating what life would be like in such a ship and the choices that were made to ensure a successful mission.

I've already put Mr. Bruno's Circuit series in my 2016 to-read list.

‘This Long Vigil’ is the perfect short story. While the voyage of the ark ship Hermes does raise questions I’d love to see answered in a longer tale, the glimpse we have is succinct.

Perihelion Magazine, June 2015.
Perihelion Magazine, June 2015.
Orion is nearing the end of his twenty-five year vigil as the only human attendant aboard the ark ship Hermes. With only hours of remaining before he returns to his hibernation chamber, Orion begins to identify the restlessness that has plagued his last days. He knows his duty as it is all he’s known. He was born to serve the ship and when he returns to his tank, he will live out his usefulness until he is recycled and replaced.

His existence is so narrow and yet he begins to ask the most human of questions: Is this all there is? He wants more. However, ‘more’ entails putting aside all he has been taught and betraying the only friend and companion he has, Dan, the artificial intelligence designed to operate the ship.

‘This Long Vigil’ is a poignant story. From the very beginning, Orion’s voice feels personal. He’s thoughtful and engaging and he asks the questions I would if I were in the same position. His desire to see more, do more, is tangible without being angst-ridden or overly dramatic.

The riddles posed by Dan throughout have been carefully chosen to both prick and drive the narrative forward. Each one touches on Orion’s restlessness and search for meaning. I loved this aspect of the story. Then we have the world-building, which is a tricky proposition in a short story. You want to convey enough to set the scene and tone, but not so much it overbalances a simple tale. I particularly like stories with a setting that would have me reaching for another story if available. ‘The Long Vigil’ manages to accomplish all this.

I’m familiar with Rhett C. Bruno’s talent from ‘The Circuit’ trilogy. This story only makes me eager to read more of his work.

Written for SFCrowsnest.org.uk

The Long Vigil, by Rhett Bruno, is probably one of the most interesting scifi stories I have read in a long time. It takes a completely different approach to the usual space voyages, aliens and battles and focuses instead on one man, Orion, along with an AI called Dan. Whilst this is a short story, it is just long enough to tell a sad, yet very human tale of a man in conflict with himself and his duties on the ship. Orion is a monitor on an interstellar ark on a very long journey. There are one thousand people, of various ages, in hibernation. Each person will monitor the ark for a period of time, and then wake another person to take over, whilst they enter the hibernation chamber. Orion is a fascinating, and very human character and it is easy to relate to his conflict. To say much more would give too much away, but this is a book you really are going to want to read as it will certainly stay with you long after you finish reading it. I look forward to reading further books by this author.

A lone watchman on a generation ship is coming to the end of his run. He’ll go back into stasis and someone else will be awake for a while, but he’ll never be “alive” again. And there’s the problem: having experienced real life, how can he go back to “sleep” knowing he’s never going to feel it again?
Dan the AI bore some similarities to HAL 9000—yes, I just saw 2001 yet again—so I was a little worried toward the end, but thankfully it didn’t go in that direction. Most people on this ship are born, live in stasis, and die all without a moment of consciousness, which simply sounds horrible, but they don’t know any better. . . or anything at all, really. Having to pick his successor no doubt made things worse, though considering how lonely it must be—the ship even makes the babies!—it’s surprising he doesn’t go crazy, and actually makes his final choice all the more inevitable.
I’m thankful the author chose to keep this short; others might have bloated it, but this was all he needed to tell the story.

Not kindle unlimited, 3 star rating to match the store's 3. Got this from writer as freebie hope you review it type thing, and yes the review is all me as ALWAYS. I usually like his various books and most have been in the titanborn universe, but with this one was pretty much aggravated from the time read the synopsis and all.

Hibernation chambers as scientists are even in the present day stages of working on them would be hibernation with part stais, so the 50 year limit doesn't make any sense. How could 'Fish' be 70? Or was the age thing only related to monitors or what. Why would it be only be age of 50 before being 'recycled' and if so why was the other guy 70. There were just too many aggravations for me in trying to figure out this story.

*This Long Vigil was formerly featured in the June 2015 issue of Perihelion SF.

I have never read this author but after an email asking me to review this I did purchase for 99 cents even with the free copy provided as it hooked me. I usually shy away from shorts as I like to get lost in characters and stories and shorts do now allow for this. However...smooth reading, settled right into the characters and the story and when it ended, I had forgotten it was a short and now cannot wait to read more. Very interesting twist for me as usually shorts are abrupt, choppy or just out there, but this one drew you in, made you understand the desire of the main character and hoping he would get what he wanted but there is room for some twists to happen (a few popped into my head but I will wait and see). I will never give away the plot or blow-by-blow reviews as I HATE it when a review outlines the entire story taking away the enjoyment of discovering the characters and story on my own. Yes, I will be waiting to read the next book!

I liked this little book a lot, got a free copy somewhere.

It was a nice night read, with lots of things to think about, and lots of questions about humanity just brimming under the cover. As his turn at watch is slowly coming to an end, Orion struggles with knowing that his time is up, and he knows that he will die before the ship reaches its destination. Not only does he need to select a replacement, but he also needs to come to terms with his impending death, even if he doesn't realize that is what is troubling him.

Would definitely recommend, and would read again, for sure. This is a keeper.

Rhett Bruno’s short story This Long Vigil grabs from the first page and doesn’t let go. With the impression of a much longer tale and a definite Space Odyssey flavor he seasons his two characters with clarity and chronicles his backdrops leaving readers with a clear convincing picture and wishing for more pages.
The interstellar ship, Hermes is taking her 999 inhabitants to colonize a new planet. The journey is a long one so all but one human at a time remains in a suspended hibernation. The one awake, the monitor, Orion is due to choose his replacement from the remaining 998 and go back to sleep in just a few hours. He’s never seen earth and has only known the company of the ship’s computer/artificial intelligence, Dan. Armed with the knowledge he’ll never awaken again he has one last request before he goes back to sleep.

I usually prefer to read short story collections by an author, simply because it gives me a larger scope of their ability and a better taste of their style. However, I have read Bruno's other work, and can definitely vouch for his skill in turning a mind-bending phrase. Although this story was short (a bit too short, in my opinion), it was surprisingly engaging and actually touched on my emotions more than expected. This sort of sci-fi premise is hardly unique, namely the AI "companion" to humans, and the existential crises that plague people during decades-long journeys through space. However, this story was written with a bit more "heart", rather than the cold, calculating suspense of most sci-fi stories. As his name implies, Hermes is easer to race through the cosmos and become more than the man he is expected to be. He has a purpose, he served it, and in the face of eventual death and obsolescence, he chooses to rebel. This is a classic tale, but also one that is thoroughly modern, posing new philosophical questions for readers as we move into an age of mankind where travel among the stars has ceased to be pure science fiction.

Actual rating 3.5

Aboard the Interstellar Arc, Hermes, Orion has spent the last twenty-five years being entertained and educated by Dan, the artificial intelligence that runs the ship and ensures the continued viability of its cargo, only needing human hands occasionally.

//As I reached the top of the ladder, zero-g gently lifted my body. I drifted into the space – a tremendous, hollow sphere around which the Living Ring rotated. Rows of plantings and heat lamps wrapped in 360 degree arcs as if I were in a sea of green. Dan’s many appendages tended to the crops, probably using Fish’s remains to fertilize them.//

Dan is transporting one thousand people to another star system, some 350 years away from Earth, which has an eighty-three percent chance of being able to harbour human life. Each person on board is suspended in a chamber full of fluid, connected to life-sustaining tubes for oxygen and nourishment from birth to seventy, at which point they are recycled.

//When I reached the pregnant inhabitant, I turned my back to her chamber. It never seemed right to me to watch them give birth. The tubes attached to her would lift her legs and spread them so that the spindly apparatus descending from the ceiling could draw out her offspring. When I finally turned around, that metallic arm was lifting a bloody infant up through the opened ceiling. I made sure her readings were satisfactory while I waited for it to disappear. Everything went perfectly, as usual. The red-stained fluid in the chamber was flushed and replaced straight-away, clean as ever.//

At any given time, there are 999 people aboard the Hermes living and dying without ever waking up, their ages staggered so as to insure a range of abilities when they reach their destination. One person, a monitor, is allowed to wake for roughly twenty-five years, returning to their slumber once they hit fifty, never to wake again before recycling.

//“In twenty-three hours you will be fifty-years-old. As you know, I was programmed by my maker to ensure that there is always an able-bodied human on watch-”
“I know that!” I snapped, somewhat unintentionally. Last time he told me it was thirty-seven hours. There was less than one day until my eyes would never open again. It was going by too fast.//

Orion, the sixth monitor, isn’t ready to hand over his post just yet. He wants to know another person, he wants to set foot on a planet, he wants to live.

And time is running out.

//“You only have nineteen hours remaining-”
“Stop!” I bellowed, so loud that if the Life-Chambers weren’t filled with liquid I might’ve woken half of the inhabitants outside my quarters. I leaned my head against the cold metal wall beneath the viewport and stopped myself right before my clenched fist slammed into it. “Just stop.”//

The rest of this review can be found at: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/reviews/book-reviews/201601/157059

Rhett C. Bruno's <i>This Long Vigil</i> packs immense power into a very short read. A human colonization mission heads for the stars, with all but one in deep sleep. One human monitor is awake, interacting only with the ship's artificial intelligence, Dan. The others age as they slumber. Orion, the current monitor, is nearing his retirement age of 50, aware that when he re-enters sleep, they will not reach a possible habitable planet before he is "recycled" at age 70. The author takes this intriguing premise and creates a moving read, with intense themes of life, death, meaning, and choice. The end was cathartic and striking. Really, my only complaint about this story is that there isn't more of it!

I recommend this highly for lovers of a good story that will inspire thought and feeling; this is science fiction writing at its most human.

Review copy kindly provided by the author.

I remember watching Kirk on the Star Ship Enterprise? I loved the sound Trac of this book. You can almost see the characters interacting. The story is well written with just the right amount of action to keep you hanging on. Having the rest of this book is a must. Suppose you lived for an allotted time, then went to sleep until you died, would you go quietly? Or would you try to escape the space ship, (operated by a walking, talking AI), you had bèen born and raised in. Choices are limited. Make your decision and jump, or not.....but keep listening. LOL

Review: HIS LONG VIGIL by Rhett C. Bruno

A delightful science fiction vivifying the stultifying sameness of a lengthy interstellar voyage, HIS LONG VIGIL is endearing, saddening, but in my viewpoint has a happy ending. This is the space version of "ashes to ashes, dust to dust." The Hermes is an ark ship, ferrying exactly 999 slumbering passengers throughout space, on a colonizing mission from Earth to Tau Ceti. 998 remain in stasis, while one is awakened by the AI every three decades to act as human custodian. Our protagonist, within hours of reaching age 50, decides not to "go gently into that good night" [Dylan Thomas] and instead to decide his life for himself.

I received a free copy of this story from the author in exchange for my honest review.

As a writer, I've always struggled with writing short stories because I try to pack too much into them and then they're not "short" anymore. So it's always fascinating to me when an author can establish the character(s) and the backstory and still have plenty of time left for the plot. I loved the setup of this story. There's something both intriguing and depressing about a lone character living aboard some sort of ship/station out in space, just trying to do their job. In some ways it reminded me of Hugh Howey's <i>Beacon 23</i> series, which I also loved. In a mere 20 pages, you're able to grow acquainted with Orion's character enough to root for him and feel for him. The ending was predictable but <i>highly</i> appropriate given what we'd learned about Orion in this short amount of time.

This was a perfect little half-an-hour read. I love stuff like this.

(Originally posted at www.christopherkellen.com)

This Long Vigil is perhaps a story we know, or perhaps one that, as lovers of sci-fi, we may have considered in our own minds. A generation ship hurtles through the blackness of space, its inhabitants dwelling in a deep cryogenic sleep, tended by just one of their number–Orion–who must ensure that everything stays running. Orion’s only companion is the ship’s AI, known as Dan, a disembodied voice of reason and riddles.

This is a story of loneliness and longing, of human nature and the choice between duty and freedom. Its themes strike close to home, and the prose carries the reader effortlessly through sentence and paragraph, until its final, bittersweet conclusion which is, if not totally unexpected, the natural conclusion to the feelings and themes which well up and overflow in celebration of its greatest theme: the human desire for self-determination and freedom.

A quiet, soft-spoken yet thoughtful story, I'm glad to see "This Long Vigil" available at the store.

This Long Vigil (a short story) is exactly what it says as it is only 20 pages long. Anyone can read it. I'm most certainly not a fan of sci-fi but I really did enjoy this short book.

We are introduced to Orion the sixth human monitor of the interstellar Ark, Hermes and also Dan Orion's mentor/father/companion, who is in charge of the ship. The reader learns that Orion has reached the age where his time on the ship has come to an end and he is in need to retire to his chamber and sleep until he reaches the grand old age of 70 when he has to leave this world.

As the day draws to an end Orion takes his own destiny into his own hands.

What I loved was how it was written and that anyone could enjoy this story. Although it appears to be a sci-fi story it has a hidden message as well. I would be extremely interested in reading Rhett Bruno's other books.

I was given this short story for my unbiased review.

I loved it. It will takes hundreds of years to reach their destination (Tau Ceti?) where there is an 87% chance of humans to sustain themselves. With 1,000 souls on board and waking one every 50 years while the current subject goes back into sleep hibernation after choosing his replacement leaves Orion in a quandary. He is not ready to die yet. Only one human at a time can live under the care and tutelage of Dan the A-1 parent-teacher. Orion knows he will not be alive to reach his final destination and is desperate to be free.

Warning! This is REAL science fiction! Many thanks to the author for sharing with me.

"The Long Vigil" contains all the best elements of thoughtful, well-developed hard science fiction. It takes a SF convention (an ark ship sent to inhabit another planet) and makes it a very personal story about one man's odyssey into the great unknown. The ending is anything but predictable, and although some may find it dark, I thought it was a brilliant conclusion to the journey, and the only one that really made sense given what led up to it. It's short, so you don't have to spend a lot of time reading, but the time you do spend on it will be time well spent. An absolute must for the SF enthusiast.

If you are a Science Fiction fan and you enjoy a good short story, then This Long Vigil might be up your alley.

I recently had the pleasure of reading this story, written by the familiar Rhett C. Bruno. I will admit, that at 10pm I was wiping my nose due to the fact I was starting to tear up. I was surprised at the amount of sensibility Bruno was able to capture in an 11 page story. Emotions run raw in this small tale, when the choice between duty and freedom collide. A tale of a lone spaceman and his robot companion, as together they count the hours until his impending and unending hibernation. As a Sci-Fi writer, Bruno is making a name for himself and I look forward to the other stories he has yet to tell.

This is a short story set in the "Titanborn" universe. It is completely separate from the story unfolding in the novels but mentions a generation Ark by Pervenio corporation.

The thought experiment of humans boarding a ship and travelling through space to a possibly unhabitable planet isn't new. But as usual, the author makes this his own. 18 pages aren't much to give the reader a sense of where they are and to bond with characters, but I find myself having had no troubles at all with either of that. On the contrary, the isolation, cold space, rigid system and preordained destiny all gave a claustrophobic and tragic feel, much like Orion must have felt it.

Thus, although not essential to the novels, do read this and enjoy the world-building and character development (and make sure to read the exceptional novels too).

Bruno takes us on a deep exploration voyage to the stars and shows us the tribulations that the main character is wrestling with. You can easily slip yourself into his character, Orion, and get wrapped up with his concerns and decisions.

Bruno his built the basis of another great book series if he wishes to persue this plot line. This book offers all the conponents to create a great multi-book series.

Michael - Ohio

We meet Orion, the monitor of the generational interstellar ark Hermes and Dan the AI who's mission is to get the 1000 inhabitants safely to their new plant Tau Ceti. When the monitor reaches 50 yrs, they must pick their replacement and then go back into their hibernation chambers until they are evacuated. Orion has other plans. Wow, Rhett Bruno has done an amazing job in 22 pages of creating 2 characters that leave a lasting impression on the reader.

As I near the end of my life, I thought there would be... "More!"
Perhaps, others my age have pondered the same expectation, but it's not a subject I'm willing to share with others, so I don't know if I'm alone in this belief?
Then, after reading this brilliant short story, I realised the answer to my dilemma!
I don't want to spoil the remarkable ending to this delightful story; however, I will say it solved for me the definition of the word "More!"

I read this story for the first time on Perihelionsf.com and fell in love with it. I went back to the site not too long ago and I couldn't find it. But here it is on the store!!!! I had to put it on my Kindle to make sure it did't escape again!

Rhett Bruno does such a wonderful job pulling you into Orion's small tiny world....a spaceship, where he has known nothing else. You watch as this "grown man" has the thirst for knowledge with a child like tenacity. Always asking questions, wondering where he came from, a question we ourselves ask with no sure answer, wanting to explore more. Rhett Bruno creates this fully formed character in such a small space (20 pages) and it doesn't disappoint. After reading this I plan to read his book "The Circuit: Executor Rising" and see what this talented writer can do with some more pages!!!!

I loved the short story which is the first of Rhett Bruno's work I have read. What I found is a writer with lots empathy and wisdom. A man is something more than simple upbringing results and logic. Man has need of freedom of choice because there is a soul behind each and everyone. The story makes one think and evaluate one's life choices and direction. I will surely look for more of the same writer's work.

This excellent short story held my attention from start to finish. Interesting premise: the difficulty of a prolonged inter-stellar flight, guided by a master robot, Dan, and a succession of individual human Monitors, who must spend much of their voyage in suspended animation. What happens when the robot and the human have a difference of opinion of how long the trip should be?

Well-written piece of interest beyond just the sci-fi audience.

A day in the life of a caretaker aboard a colony ship. This is his final day on duty, he is scheduled to return to stasis after today. We are privy to his thoughts and feelings about the mission and his part in it.

A gentle, haunting tale of quiet yearning.

I received this short story for joining Mr. Bruno's fan club. I am so glad that I took the time to fill out that form and to read this story. It is a jewel just waiting for discovery. The story drew me in and kept me captivated until the end. It reminded me of 2001 in ways. I couldn't ask more of a short story.

One of the better short science fiction stories I've read lately. Although a quick read, it is strangely addicting to read. It made me laugh and think. I was surprised that Orion was not crazy being on the space ship as the only human alive. But he did have the AI Dan to talk to. I loved the ending! I received a free copy and my honest review is - Cool short story worth reading just for fun.

This long vigil by Bruno is a short novella about stasis on a spaceship, 999 of them. It's main protagonist is Orion who is nearly 50 years old and due to return to stasis. Orion has a father-son relationship with Dan, the ships computer. Shades of '2001, a space odyssey'. As the hours and minutes count down, he wants to go outside the Hermes. How he circumvents Dan and his response is graphically displayed. Will Orion get his wish?

Just finished reading Rhett Bruno's short story "This Long Vigil". Takes 20-30 minutes to read. It is very engaging and thought provoking. Very well written, held my attention throughout. I see it as an allegory of life lived on another's terms, but ended on ones own terms. Well worth the time to read, you will enjoy it.

With an A.I. named “Dan”, the story must be great, right? As usual, for one of Mr. Bruno’s creations, it certainly is.

I won’t go into any detail, as other reviewers have already well covered that. I’ll just join them in saying that this is a thought provoking short story, well worth your time.

This was a freebie for signing up, and is my first exposure to Mr. Bruno. This short story pulled me in immediately and I felt like I was on the ship with Orion. It is well-written and it leaves you questioning your own feelings about where you are in the universe. I will most certainly read more of this author's books.

Rhett Bruno has created something special in these 20 pages. Whether you love sic-fi or not this short story delivers. Orion is a special character that reminds us that we as humans, have always longed to push the boundaries, to explore, to want something more and have meaning. To live. Orion's continuing desire to understand things and to look for answers is represented by his child like wonder. It is liberating that Mr. Bruno's Orion has this wonder in the body of an older man. A hint that we as humans should never become too jaded our stop asking question and losing our curiosity because that is the essence of who we are as humans. I can't praise this short story enough and I recommend all who come across "This Long Vigil"

Excellent short story reminding me of sci-fi from the 50's. A question if a person who's only companion since birth happens to be an AI would still feel the need to explore and have freedom to make choices or to simply fade away.

This was a great short story! I really enjoyed the idea the author had in writing it and I even related to the main Character, Orion, for the most part. It was a quick read at only 20 pages but super fun. The author does a great job with such a tiny space at developing compassion for Orion, and having me eager to find out what was coming next!

A really good short story only requires a short review.

Put this one on your reading list. It doesn't take the author very long at all to hook you into the story and connect you with the main character. I hope that I would never find myself in a similar situation yet if I were… I hope that I could react the same way.

A short story that follows a loan human and his interactions with a ship AI as he comes to the end of his "shift" (life)

This is well put together and really drew me in. It's set in the universe of another series of books so if it's goal was to get me interested in that it worked. I really wanted to know more about how they ended up on the ship, where they were going and what would happen when they reach their destination

My only gripe was that it seemed too short. I know it's supposed to be a short story but felt it could have been fleshed out a little more over another five or six pages. I'll definitely be checking out the other books

Somehow, Rhett Bruno was able to capture the feel of a classic Twilight Zone episode, while fusing modern nuances into this riveting short story. Fantastic read! I hope this story is expanded upon in his future works. Highly Recommended.

The disappointment with this story was how short it was. It was a delightful read about a man's desire to live his life the way he wanted instead of the way a computer wanted it to end. A nice start to a longer story about the arrival of the star ship to their new world.

This is the first story I have read of Rhett C Bruno, and I must say I am going to have to read more. The story though short was very moving and very human. Some writers can right a great stories, but miss the mark on creating a relatable character. This is not the case in The long vigil, you can totally understand Orion and the choices he makes. I highly recommend it.

A hidden gem of a short story… In a matter of 30 minutes I was swept into another space and time with a main character, Orion, that elevated then transformed sorrow, duty, yearning, determination, and ultimately his own destiny! Does this journey end here? I loved this blink of a work!

This is a short story set in the "Titanborn" universe. It is completely separate from the story unfolding in the novels but mentions a generation Ark by Pervenio corporation.

The thought experiment of humans boarding a ship and travelling through space to a possibly unhabitable planet isn't new. But as usual, the author makes this his own. 18 pages aren't much to give the reader a sense of where they are and to bond with characters, but I find myself having had no troubles at all with either of that. On the contrary, the isolation, cold space, rigid system and preordained destiny all gave a claustrophobic and tragic feel, much like Orion must have felt it.

Thus, although not essential to the novels, do read this and enjoy the world-building and character development (and make sure to read the exceptional novels too).

I loved the short story which is the first of Rhett Bruno's work I have read. What I found is a writer with lots empathy and wisdom. A man is something more than simple upbringing results and logic. Man has need of freedom of choice because there is a soul behind each and everyone. The story makes one think and evaluate one's life choices and direction. I will surely look for more of the same writer's work.