[ON HOLD] Xorad ~PJM~

001: Observation

Pushing through the bunch of scientists, you shove aside your colleague and look into the GMT (Giant Magellan Telescope). Of course, being a prominent member of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute was one of the best positions you could hold, especially being a woman, you hardly had any female friends to talk to in the institute.

"Yah, Jiyoo-"

"Shh!" You hold your finger up, eyes still focused through the lens of the telescope, searching for the once in a lifetime opportunity.

"You can't shush-"

"Shhhhh!"

"You're looking the wrong-"

"I see it!" You exclaim, and everyone's heads turn to you immediately as a few scientists bounce up to you. It looked ethereal with cloud-blurred contours of seas and continents and a vague mottling of gray and brown and green. None of the surface features, not even the major mountain ranges or rivers, were yet distinguishable but just the sight of a new planet brought a smile to your face and a sparkle to your eyes. These were the moments where you loved your job more than anything else in the world.

You were even more excited because from the lush features of the planet, one would expect life to have found its way there, and the next plan would be communication and soon, visitation. You were pushed out of the way by the next person who bounced in joy as he gazed through the telescope. You were in the younger section of the academy so most of the people around you were nerdy teens and 20 year olds.

"It's so close!" The boy who was staring through the telescope exclaimed.

Your colleague nodded with a wide smile, replying,

"Yes.. it's almost the same distance away as Jupiter. It'll stay in contact of our sight for about a year and then it'll be gone for another 50 years. Count yourself lucky when you'll be one of the very few that step foot on it."

A radiant glow of happiness emitted from the freshman as he smiled so hard you were afraid it might get stuck that way forever.

"We will do no such thing." A gravely, croaky voice echoed from behind you and you turned around to reveal an old man, cladded in the same attire as the rest of you - Blue shirts with the institution's logo over your left chest tucked into white trousers for the men and skirts for the women.

Although, you opted for the trousers because you found it ridiculous to be doing your tasks in a tight skirt and you wanted to break out of the stereotype of girls wearing skirts. You wanted to be yourself, no matter your gender. You wanted to be treated equal and you wanted to make choices of your own without getting judged by the backward minded society of the world.

You pulled your hands out of your pockets and bowed as did everyone else in the room towards the 70 year old man that had a stone cold expression on his wrinkled face. You lower your head, speaking up.

"With all due respect sir, but why not? This is an amazing discovery and it's closer than any of the other new planets we've discovered. It could be our chance to communicate-"

"I was here 50 years ago." He cuts you off, lowering himself into a plastic chair at the side of the observatory.

Oh.. right..