Astrollusion

Astrollusion ep.1 - New Horizons

The Sunshine painted our family at the doorstep. I stood with my wife Emily, holding our kids, Lily and Alex.

Mixed feelings hit me hard as I hugged them, knowing I'd soon leave for our Mars journey.

"Promise me you'll come back," Emily whispered, her voice quivering. I wished I could give her the assurance she needed.

Hours later, I gathered with the crew at NASA's buzzing space station, eager for our Mars mission. Machines hummed, excitement filled the air.

Beside me was Dr. Maya Patel, an astrophysicist, curious and sharp. Her eyes sparkled with dreams as she talked about exploring the cosmos.

"I've spent countless nights peering at the stars," Maya said with a wistful smile. "Now, I'll be up there, among them." She continued, and I nodded in agreement, a shared dream etching a bond between us.

"Alexei Sokolov, engineer here," Alexei's quiet declaration was backed by a fierce determination. He cast his assessing gaze over each crew member.

Then another figure approached and said,

"Hey I'm Camila Alvarez, but call me Sasha. I'll turn Mars into a dance floor," Sasha chuckled, her energy infectious.

Maya and I exchanged amused looks, appreciating the lightness she brought.

Then 'Flora', or Dr. Elara Greene, entered with plants. "Making Mars green, one leaf at a time," she grinned, cradling a delicate bloom. "Even in the harshest conditions, life can thrive." I admired her dedication.

Then I saw Lucas "Blaze" Thompson, our pilot, chimed in. "Expect thrilling rides. If you don't mind," he grinned, his eyes alight with adventure.

I caught Ethan "Echo" Clarke's thoughtful gaze, his mind always working. But Lucas was different with him, taunting and belittling.

"Hey Echo," Lucas called ,"mind understanding 'normal' emotions?" Lucas sneered, making Ethan withdraw.

"Hey!," I interjected firmly, locking eyes with Lucas. "We're a team, remember? We support each other. 

"I'm just ensuring our safety , Mr 'big authority', he's an autistic guy, he'll get us killed eventually", said Lucas.

I furiously yelled at him,

"That's enough Lucas, one more word and you'll be expelled from that mission by my order, Is that clear?"

"Yes sir.. Whatever, so be it",said Lucas dismissively and immediately went somewhere else.

"Maya noticed the tension and joined Ethan, steering the conversation toward his AI friend.

"EVA helps me understand people too," Ethan said with a little shy smile on his face. Maya's warmth provided a bridge of understanding.

As the launch countdown began, me and Emily had a call, her smile on the screen fueled my resolve. Our diverse crew held stories waiting to unfold in the unknown.

Amidst the anticipation, I noticed Carter Williams, our secondary engineer, in a hushed call, his face obscured by shadows. He whispered the words 'our plan', his voice barely audible, I couldn't hear the rest.

Our mission's success seemed tied to something deeper and darker.

Yet, as we embarked, I felt a gnawing unease, a knowledge that weighed heavy only on my shoulders. A secret I wished I didn't have to bear.

The countdown is almost over,

3..

2..

1..

"We are ready to launch," they said from the control room.

Our shuttle shook as the launch was activated, I immediately saw through the window that we were rapidly rising towards space.

The covers of the life pods started to close on each one of us, putting us to a deep sleep until we reach our destination.

As I slowly closed my eyes, I could see my wife in my dreams, beautiful then ever, so beautiful that I could cry, It's strange to think about it but I'm still not sure if I'll be able to keep my promise to her and return to her warm arms safely.