[ WP ] In the distant future , convents are located in space and nuns are rebel astronauts who freely travel to and from Earth .

`` Hail Mary, full of grace,'' intoned Frances, tapping on her console impatiently. Her seatmate, Janis, lightly shouldered her and grinned. Frances saw her mouth the words WE'RE GOING TO EARTH and could n't help but grin back. 
 
 `` The Lord is with me, Blessed art thou amongst women.'' Janis said, trying not to giggle. `` Pilots are ready, Father Thomas.'' 
 
 From behind them on the bridge came an old, but firm voice. `` Glory be. Glory better be, anyway, we've got a fleet after us.'' 
 
 `` Maybe we should reconfigure the ship so that, I dunno, we do n't have to repeat the entire Holy Book to turn it on,'' Janis suggested, leaning back and placing her hands behind her head. `` We'd save a good ten minutes.'' 
 
 `` We have to make sure to save our souls, too,'' came the reply from Father Thomas. `` Anyway, you two need to be zippy today. They've got the acrobats on us.'' 
 
 The two pilots audibly groaned. The acrobats were the Corporations fastest ships, and nimble besides. Compared to the near-derelict S-40 they were ambling around in, they'd be toast. `` I mean, we'll try, Father, but it's gon na take an act of The Holy Father to help us outrun them.'' Francis tried not to sound too pessimistic, but she did n't do all that great of a job. 
 
 `` I know. But do it anyway.'' There was a bit of time between commands while the engineers shouted at each other and Father Thomas settled into the captains chair. Janis twiddled her thumbs a bit and daydreamed. Frances leaned back and let herself zone out at the stars. 
 
 `` Y'think it's true?'' Janis said, still twiddling her thumbs. After seeing the quizzical look on Frances' face, she continued, `` You know, that we came from Earth and all. I mean it has n't got oxygen or anything.'' 
 
 Frances thought a moment. `` Well...'' she said slowly, `` The Book of Tyrone tells us that there was a great disaster hundreds of years ago, when the first Steeple Ships set out for the stars. Maybe that took the oxygen?'' 
 
 Janis shrugged. `` Maybe. Guess we got ta have faith, huh?'' she teased, nudging Frances again. 
 
 `` Are you two done acting like starry eyed novices?'' Father Thomas' terseness carried through the audio waves and the two of them snapped to attention. `` Good. Let's get going. This planet is n't gon na terraform itself.''
