Xara's Extraordinary Voyage

Xara took a deep breath, and then another, as her eyes dilated to let in the dim luminescence emitted by the walls of the launch bay. It felt surreal to be back here after so many years.

She was still new to this planet, having arrived just a few days ago, but now she was to leave it again. She had already left the planet behind once before, when she was just three-years-old. It was only a quick hop to the moon, with only one parent to watch over her, but the experience had remained with her. She remembered feeling the gravitational pull of the moon tugging at her as they spun around it. It was like being in some great whirlpool, with the planet spinning beneath them.

She reached out to touch the metal wall of the bay. It felt cool to her touch, and she knew that it would be warm within a minute or two. There was only one hour until launch, and she knew better than to be late for the first leg of what was going to be her first mission.

The corridor was lit with the same soft light, and she followed the signs to the changing room. The other members of the crew were already inside, putting on their space suits. She saw them through the glass of the door, and then she too began to undress.

When she was ready, she stepped into the room, holding her hands behind her back to keep them from fidgeting. The suit was strange, somehow, even after all this time. The helmet was fastened to her head and she felt the air begin to flow into it. The rest of the suit inflated around her torso and legs, with the arms and hands forming around her own arms and hands. She felt the boots lock into place around her feet, and she took a step forward toward the door.

There was a sudden hissing sound, and air began to whoosh out of the helmet, making it harder and harder to breathe. She pressed herself against the wall, trying to hold still as the sensors did their work. Then she felt the pressure release, and the suit loosened around her body. She stood up, gasping for breath, and waited for the others to finish putting on their suits.

Two engineers emerged from the room, carrying a small stack of crates.

"Careful, careful," one of them said. "Don't want to drop these things."

The team leader, an older man named Kaeden, nodded at them.

"All right, you lot," he said, addressing the team. "This is your last chance to change your minds. Once we're in the launch bay and the bay doors are sealed, there's no turning back. Are you sure you're all ready for this?"

The team answered in unison.

"Yes, sir."

"Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay, then. Let's move out."

Kaeden led the way, and Xara followed him. They walked through the corridors until they reached the launch bay. Xara's heart began to pound as she saw the shuttle waiting for them. It was sleek and silver, with a narrow and pointed nose.

Her eyes lingered on the shuttle for a moment, and then she looked away. She didn't want to distract herself from the task at hand. Kaeden led the rest of the team down the gangway, and they loaded themselves and the crates into the shuttle. Xara took her seat near the front, next to the pilot.

She took another deep breath as the wheeled down the gangway and into the bay. The lights of the bay dimmed and went dark, and Xara felt her pulse quicken. The bay doors slid open with a rumble, and she listened to the engines roar to life. She heard the shuttle begin to lift off the ground, and she closed her eyes. She tried not to think about the Earth below her, and the vastness of space beyond.

The shuttle reached its cruising altitude, and Xara sat up straight. She was looking forward to getting started. The ship was bound for the sun at first, to a region of space where the cosmic rays were most intense. Xara had spent months preparing for this mission, and she was thrilled to finally get started. The team was scheduled to spend one day in the sun, gathering data and taking readings. After that, they would set course for the heart of the Milky Way. They would spend the next two years traveling there, working with the local government to negotiate terms for a permanent research facility.

Xara had been looking forward to this mission for so long, and now that it was actually happening, she couldn't believe it. She was finally going to be a part of humanity's greatest adventure.