Craving Space (English edition)

Chapter 1 - Orbiting

Stella gazed calmly at the void outside the spacecraft. From Earth, the stars appear small and close, yet in reality, there are light-years between them.
The woman frequently contemplated distances, wondering if there was a 'safe distancing' in the philosophical way of life, not physical. She didn't even know what she was thinking; she was lost in daydreams.
For seven grueling, uninterrupted years, she captained the spaceship - an extremely important position, obviously. She met a lot of people on the station and cherished her job, but she was drained. Endless travels, hard missions, and all types of people counting on her were making her anxious. Although exciting, the adventurous life was overwhelming. Due to everything, she doesn't hesitate when summoned for the next mission-an audacious idea, another exploration to reclaim territory for humans, and it needs to be done alone. Stella doesn't particularly agree with the Cold Interplanetary War, but she has learned to be egotistic at times. There's only one way to fulfill your dream of being a Space Captain, of being in contact with Astros like that, and they have a complete technological monopoly.
This mission could be an escape, but a safe one. A fair trade: the realization of a dream in exchange for the omission of your values... This was the price to pay.