"T-minus 10 seconds and.... remaining
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....
and ignition and liftoff...... Eve205 is off to Venusian orbit."
The mumbling I heard from earth. Now, far from there, lurking in this deep lonely space. All I saw and heard was emptiness. The grand module that once pictured the blue oceans and green woodlands was long gone.
I was starring at the G51 para gravity ring, that was rotating since we came here. Then i saw Karl coming toward me with a small cup of coffee.
"Hey, what happened? Feeling homesick?" I never saw any distress in Karl's face. But i could say he had his family in his heart suppressed, especially, his son.
"Here lighten up. "
Karl handed me a cup of coffee. I wished we had other drinks. But unfortunately we were stuck with a coffee dispenser.
We were 66 days 10 hours away from earth. Space missions were launched from all over the world to find resources. Two from B.A.S.E. We were among them. But we weren't alone. Q.O.H.A.I. was recruited to assist us. I couldn't tell the difference. Except, his skinless processor on his head always reminded me, how he was after all a machine.
"Wait i know, what can light your mood?" there had never been a day in Eve205, when Karl didn't listen to any song.
"oi, Q. Give me some tune." "Which one commander?" "Come on, The best one, Q."
The quarter was tuned up with music. i cheered up. And smiled when i recognized that song.
"17s video child."
" The best tune. what do you say, Q?"
"Not accurately, commander. THE BEATLES does better. "
Q answered rapidly. I smile when i see a sigh on Karl's hopeless face.
"Well, you know Q, for a modern humanoid your thinking is very old."
"isn't it good for mankind if i don't think too modern?"
"Well. Anyways..."
Karl turned at me for a dance and leaned his hand. " Care to?....come on, say no to a dance god"
I couldn't say no. And also he already made me stood to dance.
***
we were slowly having weak communication with earth. Signal would return after a few days later. but we kept sending signals to B.A.S.E. just to make sure that our existence was fine.
The next day i opened my eyes, starring at the aluminium ceiling of my small quarter. suddenly Q entered and confirmed me something that forced me to wake up from my bed.
"D. Ann. I think Commander asks for you presence in the Flight deck. You might wanna see this."
I immediately ran for that. But I wasn't prepared to witness the view, when i arrived at the deck. Eve205 was standing before luminous beige Venus. My eyes instantly fell on the asteroid breach on the southern side of venus's atmosphere with shattering clouds.
"The breach is huge." Karl said while controlling the ship. We knew that Venus had a huge asteroid impact 5 years ago. The breach was so huge that it reduced its heat and pressure from its surface by 56%. But venus could pull its asmostphere back by a couple of years. That's when this mission was official.
By the next couple of days, we were prepared to move the mission forward. Eve205 was out of venus's orbit to it's atmosphere.
The turbulence was still heavy, as we gradually entered. It felt like a large meteor shower. The clouds blocked our view. The outer TC shield was engaged. And it was indeed protecting the ship from the dense acidic clouds.
