I walked through the front doors of the main facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center near Houston. I looked around, stunned, as I looked at everything lining the walls and ceilings. There was a guide as I walked in, he had a badge and a name tag. The tag read as "Stephen Smith". He looked delighted to be working at the place, and greeted me with a polite wave and handshake. "Welcome, you must be here for the Alpha Centauri meeting." Smith spoke calmly but firmly, and I nodded in acknowledgement.
He pointed his hand towards the main desk. "Registration and check up is right over there. There will be food and drinks provided if you desire, just after the lecture." I once again nodded with a slight smile as I casually walked towards the registration desk.
Upon arrival, a nice woman greeted me with a bright smile. She spoke in a very soft tone, "Hi, how may I help you?" I responded with a nod. "I'm here for the speech on the Alpha Centauri briefing." She understood with a quiet "ah" and moved some papers around. She then handed me a few brochures and papers. "You'll need these. Walk through the doors on the right, cooperate with the security, and you'll be just fine." She smiled and watched as I walked away.
As I settled down in a seat in the fourth row, I realized that there were only a few minutes left until the event started. There was what sounded like a speech being played through speakers, but it was muffled by all the other conversation. I looked around, and the room was much bigger than I first though. There was a blonde haired girl sitting on my left. The seat to my right was empty.
The lights dimmed and two lights lit up the front stage, while star-like lights lit up the walls and ceiling. The overhead speech stopped, and a man walked out on stage. The crowd clapped softly, however there were several hundred people and it sounded like thunder.
The man who walked out on stage was casually dressed. He wore a pair of jeans along with a nice-looking sleeved shirt. His hair was brown and nicely groomed. He began to spoke with a firm, deep tone. "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the briefing!" Everyone began to clap louder, and then the clapping quickly stopped.
The man presented himself as Richard Trullen. He discussed very basic things, like what to expect on the journey, how to prepare, and what would be expected and required. I paid little attention until he began to discuss the beauty as which would be flown. "As you all should know, Alpha's system is four and a half light years away. This means that the transport required is going to have to arrive there quickly so that none of you decide to just die in space." Everyone gave a small laugh, before the man continued. "And, of course, the shuttle will have to go many times the speed of light. What we, here at NASA, have created, is something that can do just that. It is something magnificent, something that will go beyond what has been imagined before." I marveled as he spoke, and my eyes were wide open. The man paced across the stage, scanning to crowd as he spoke. "This has been only a theory for a while, but it is now a reality. The IXS Enterprise."
He stepped out of the way and a wall behind him opened up. Everyone gasped as the sleek space ship was presented. I noticed a smile on the presenter's face as he looked towards the ship and out to the crowd. He described various parts, designs, and facts about the ship before going on to the most anticipated part--the raffle.
"I'm sure everyone has been waiting for this moment. We will have a raffle to see what 5 people will be the first to leave the solar system, out of the 570 who applied." There was a bright screen that showed up behind him, on the closed wall that covered the space craft. A slot machine styled raffle came up, and everyone's name slid by as the screen rolled. It began slowing down to reveal someone's name. I tensed up, but did not see my name. Instead, "Kate Lard" showed up. Everyone began clapping, though secretly the entire room was sweating in hope they their name would be chosen. The presenter announced Kate's name, and I remembered someone who went to Michigan with me, and I thought it was the same person. I hoped it was the same person.
Three more names were drawn before mine. Steven Lamont, Jackie Rile, and a girl I went to Michigan with, Leslie Kamino. I was about to bite my teeth as the last drawing rolled, when my name popped up. I was so relieved.
