17. First Day in Heaven’s River

Bob and his team of four mannies—Bill, Garfield, and Bridget—successfully infiltrate Heaven's River through a hidden tunnel and reach the inner rotating shell via mining drone. They emerge into a vast, Earth-like habitat and travel downriver to the village of Garack, where they secure lodging and begin their investigation to locate Bender.

The expedition team launches from the cargo drone in five mannies (with Will operating backup) and traverses a hundred-yard tunnel to the gap between Heaven's River's outer and inner shells. Bob experiences the disorienting reality of the inner shell rotating at nearly 1,950 miles per hour, just thirty feet away. They descend to the rail system and use mining drones to individually accelerate to match the inner shell's rotation, arriving at a maintenance platform. After navigating an emergency stairwell and exiting through a concealed hatch, the team emerges into Heaven's River's interior—a fifty-six-mile-radius habitat with rolling terrain, rivers, weather systems, and indigenous life. Bridget corrects the group's walking approach; Quinlans are primarily aquatic and should travel by water. The team enjoys an exhilarating swim downstream before arriving at the village of Garack on the Arcadia River. They encounter a local enforcement officer who directs them to transient accommodations, and Bridget defends herself from a drunk Quinlan with a direct punch. They secure a small room in a traveler's hotel for a weekly rate. That evening, the team discusses their strategy: they must research local records to gather intelligence on Heaven's River's administration and population before attempting to locate Bender, estimating less than a decade to make meaningful contact through social networking effects.