Our shuttle, NASA's IXS Enterprise, began to rattle as we entered the warp. As our main pilot, Kate, pulled the stick further and further, everyone slowly began to grow nervous. I closed my eyes slowly in anticipation that the rattling and vibrating would settle down, though I was not granted my wish. As we grew faster, there was a strange noise. There was a sound of hail, though it was manipulated by the vacuum of space. I slowly edged my head to a 45 degree angle to look outside the window. I saw sparks arising from the sides of the ship.
Steven must have seen me shaking out of nervousness, he knew what was up. "Hey, don't worry about it man. Just before we launched, one of the engineers told me that something like this might happen. It won't last for long, only until Kate's got it up to full speed." He tried to explain it to me calmly, though I could feel he was just as nervous as the rest of us. I nodded my head slowly, anyways, then proceeded to look down at my feet. We are screwed, I told myself, before thinking of home on planet Earth. I looked towards the digital clock on the left side of the ship. I could vaguely remember what day we were launched, May 17, 2030, a Friday. It was now September, and we were millions of miles away from Earth, bring slingshot around Jupiter into the unknown.
Only moments and many thoughts later, Kate shouted to our group of five. "Warp is at 100%! An estimated time of only 4 and a half weeks and we will arrive at our destination: Alpha Centauri star system!" The three others on the ship cheered with joy, though I remained dead silent in worry. Leslie, just in front of me, turned around in her chair and have me a look of disbelief. She opened her mouth to say something, but unbuckled her harness instead and headed to the lounge. I shook my head in anger and proceeded to do the same.
