|
|
2004-11-01 - 10:45 p.m. Capture The Flag August 17th, 2007 Kathy was excited. Today marked her final day of training, then she’d be a certified astronaut! Ever since she watched “Apollo 13” as a little girl, she had wanted to travel in space. To go where nobody – or at least only very few – had been before, see sights other people only dreamed of. It had been a long and difficult journey getting the necessary high marks in university, getting corrective eye surgery, so she wouldn’t be dependent on glasses or lenses while in outer space, the gruelling and extremely taxing education at NASA. Kathy had been challenged both physically and emotionally more than she had ever thought she would be, and contemplated giving up more often than she cared to think about. But still, in the end it was all worth it. She loved the intensive training, looking back on her education, realizing how much she had learned. She had passed her final tests, tonight she would receive her diploma and party together with her friends, and on Monday – after the hangover had subsided, hopefully – she was going to meet up with her team and start the real work. The real work meaning getting ready for her first trip into space. And not only was she finally realizing her dream of leaving old Mother Earth, she and her best friend, Bob would be the first people to set foot on the moon in almost 40 years. Nobody knew why NASA was suddenly once again receiving funding for the lunar space program, but speculations were aplenty. The most persistent rumour being that the president was an old space addict himself. Knowing there were no chances of a re-election, he thought he might as well live out his dream while he still had other people’s money to use on it. It might be true. Kathy didn’t really care. She and her team definitely weren’t complaining. They just counted their blessings that they were the ones to go up there, rather than some of the more experienced astronauts. Kathy had asked her supervisor, Jack Timmons about this, but he had brushed her off. “Going to the moon is a walk in the park these days. We’ve got the know-how, we just need some enthusiastic young people to gather the necessary specimens for us. No need to waste an experienced astronaut on such a simple mission. Besides, you’re cheaper!” It still made no sense to Kathy. Surely a trip to the moon wasn’t as old news as that. She would have thought people would be dying to go. “Well,” she thought with a grin. “I guess a trip to the moon is old news. After all, Neil and Buzz retired a couple of years back. Amazing to think that I wasn’t even born when they took that first amazing journey, and now I’ll be following in their footsteps.” Kathy hugged herself with excitement. Through her window, she could see the goal of her dreams shining brightly. “Just a few more months. Just a few more months and I’ll be up there looking down here. I wonder if the earth-light will be as romantic and captivating as the moonlight is down here?” Kathy’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. “Honey?” her mother called. “Are you ready? We’re going to be late if we don’t leave soon, and your father and I so want to have good seats. We have to be able to film it all for granny.” “Yes mum, I’ll be right out.” Kathy grinned. It was a standing joke that her father never went anywhere without his camcorder firmly attached to his right hand. Kathy’s grandmother had been bedridden for several years now, but still wanted to take part in everything that happened in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She was sad she couldn’t be there tonight, but seeing it on video was the next best thing. “Kathy?” her mother called again. “We really need to leave now.” “Coming,” Kathy replied. She took one last look in the mirror to make sure the robe was neat and her makeup properly applied. She knew that by the end of the night, nothing would be left, but wanted to look good for the photos. Who knew when she would next have the chance to dress up and act feminine? Satisfied with her appearance she ran out to join her parents in the car.
|