Has Anyone Here Seen Kelly?

"Has Anyone Here Seen Kelly?" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction story set in the vastness of space, where Kelly, fulfills an engineering role on a vessel inhabited by a collective crew. He observes how space travel is affecting the crew, who exist as a unified consciousness within a protoplasmic tank. It considers the challenging themes of loneliness and self-discovery, alongside questioning the risks that come from easing into contentment while in extreme technology-advanced settings. Kelly's growing uneasiness about the ship and its crew, who seem too satisfied, is a thread through the scenes. Kelly believes the crew has a reckless attitude and needs to venture into the unknown while coming to terms with what could be very real dangers. His shipmates, snug and at peace, push back against his attempts to pull them out of their safe place. Motivated by loyalty and a longing to spark the crew’s sense of individuality, Kelly takes extreme measures that spin the story to disaster. The aftermath leaves him to face deeper revelations about the meaning of life and how to survive. As he reflects on the chaos he's caused, the story questions destiny and the essence of being.