veil of the unknown

Chapter 2: Rumors and Realities

The news of the Luxembourg Space Colonization Program spread like wildfire, each new headline and announcement stirring up excitement and unease in equal measure. Luxembourg wasn't known for big, ambitious projects, and the idea that this tiny country could participate in something as monumental as colonizing a new planet seemed surreal to Soren and his friends.

The topic came up almost every day, whether over coffee at the small cafe they frequented or during late-night conversations when the streets were quiet and the world felt like it belonged to them alone. They speculated on what Kepler-186f might look like, imagining everything from dense forests and vast oceans to alien landscapes with colors and creatures they couldn't comprehend.

One evening, Soren's family gathered around the dinner table, and inevitably, the conversation shifted to the colonization project. His mother, usually cautious about anything out of the ordinary, seemed curious but concerned.

"Do they really think people can just... leave?" she asked, her brow furrowed. "Leave Earth, leave everything they know behind?"

Soren's father shrugged, his usual easygoing manner tempered by a rare look of seriousness. "It's not just anyone," he said, glancing at Soren and Elise. "They're selecting young people, ones who have the health, the resilience to adapt to... well, to a whole new world."

Elise, always pragmatic, leaned forward. "But they're not telling us everything. Have you noticed? They've given us details about the planet—oxygen, water, all that. But the gravity there is stronger, and the ecosystem... who knows what it'll do to people? This isn't just a one-way ticket; it's a leap into the unknown."

Soren nodded, trying to keep his excitement hidden behind a mask of curiosity. The more he learned about Kepler-186f, the more he felt the pull to apply, to see if he could be one of those chosen few. But he hadn't voiced that desire to his family yet, unsure of how they'd react.

His mother looked at him, a glint of worry in her eyes. "It's a huge risk, isn't it? A new planet with who knows what kind of dangers. And the journey itself... they're using a rift, right? A wormhole?"

"Yeah," Elise said, nodding. "They're not even sure if the rift is completely stable. They've only sent a few probes through. No one knows what'll happen if you try to send people, equipment, everything needed to start a colony."

The gravity of their words sank in, and Soren felt a twinge of fear. They were right—this was no simple journey. It was a leap into the unknown, with no guarantee that anyone who went would return. And yet, that very uncertainty made him want it even more.

The next day, he met up with his friends at the usual cafe, their conversation quickly turning to the colonization project. Markus, who had been Soren's closest friend since childhood, leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Imagine actually getting picked," Markus said, awestruck. "Can you even imagine what it would be like? To be one of the first humans to step foot on an alien planet?"

Leni, another friend who had a more practical outlook on life, rolled her eyes. "Come on, Markus, it's not like a school field trip. This is survival. They don't even know what they'll be facing over there. Higher gravity, different atmosphere... everything would be a struggle."

"Maybe," Markus said, undeterred. "But it's still an adventure. It's a way out of this... this boring routine we're all stuck in. We could actually do something, be part of something that matters."

Soren stayed quiet, listening to his friends argue back and forth. Part of him agreed with Markus, thrilled by the thought of escaping the confines of his small life, of doing something extraordinary. But Leni's words echoed his own doubts—the risks, the unknowns, the reality of leaving Earth and everything familiar behind.

"What about you, Soren?" Leni asked suddenly, her gaze sharp. "Would you do it? If you had the chance?"

Soren hesitated, feeling the weight of their attention on him. He wanted to say yes, to declare that he'd leave in a heartbeat, but the words caught in his throat. "I... I don't know," he said finally, his voice quieter than he'd intended. "I mean, it sounds amazing. But it's also... it's huge. Leaving everything behind, starting over on some alien world. I don't know if I'm cut out for it."

Markus clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "Come on, you're selling yourself short. I bet they'd pick you in a second."

Soren laughed, though the praise made him feel strangely uncomfortable. "Thanks, but I'm just... I'm just me. I'm not special or anything."

Leni sighed, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, the way you talk, you'd think you were just some random kid off the street. But you're more capable than you think, Soren."

He nodded, offering her a small smile, but inside, the doubts still gnawed at him. He wanted this—wanted the chance to escape, to make something of himself. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't enough, that he'd fail before he even started.

That night, as he lay in bed, his mind kept returning to the idea of Kepler-186f. The thought of an unknown world, untouched by human hands, waiting for exploration... it called to him in a way he couldn't ignore. But with that call came the nagging whisper of fear, the doubt that he'd be chosen, or worse—that he wouldn't be able to rise to the challenge if he was.

Still, the idea stayed with him, lingering in the edges of his thoughts like a shadow, until he finally drifted into uneasy sleep.