Lavender & Ice

1. Lift Off

"30 seconds."

"Here we go, Ashima. It's finally happening."

"15 seconds."

"Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

"Here we go."

"Five....four...three...two..."

Ashima lost her breath as her body was slammed against the seat. Her ears rang with the sound of the blasts outside. Her heart pounded with anticipation. Excitement with a healthy amount of nervousness and fear pounded through her.

"Standby for detachment." A man's voice rang through the speaker.

Ashima's body jolted as the rocket strap ons were released, sending a shock through the ship.

"Detachment complete."

Ashima's body stayed plastered to the seat as the ship continued to propel forward, away from earth. The ship gradually slowed, the pressure from the speed releasing. Cheers erupted from the crew as they released their safety harnesses and Ashima let out a breath of relief.

"We did it, girl!" Celine grabbed Ashima, hugging her.

"Yeah." Ashima hugged her back as she stared out in amazement through the large window viewing a black sky filled with stars. "We did it."

"Go on newbies, you'll want to look out the aft window." John laughed as he and the other crew within the cockpit readied the ship for manual controls. They were officially self-sustaining, cut off from ground control except for communications, which would also cease in another hour or so.

"Yes!!" Celine grabbed Ashima's hand and they rushed through the door and down the hallway. "Too bad they couldn't just bring up the aft camera view on the screen. Then we wouldn't have to run all the way back."

"You know that's only for emergencies, they need to leave the bow view up. You know, to see where the ship is actually going. Besides, I want to see the aft view with my own two eyes, not from a camera. Isn't that the whole point of being up here instead of watching it from home?"

"Yeah, yeah. You're right as always." Celine rolled her eyes. "There it is! Too bad everyone else on this part of the ship had the same idea." She said as she pushed her way through the crowd of people, dragging Ashima with her.

"Oh my...." Celine lost words as she got her first glimpse out of the large window.

Ashima stared in silence at the planet they had just left. A well of emotions bursting through her.

"You're right, it just isn't the same as watching from a screen." Celine whispered reverently. "This is life altering. To see earth from above, to not actually be down there on it."

~~~~~~~~~~

"We are not alone."

Ashima lay on her bed hours later, remembering how she had been crouching beside her grandfather to get a better view of his computer screen at his office desk, watching the big news when she was 14 years old.

Her grandparents had practically raised her from the time she was a young child and she had always been fascinated with her Grandfather's work in the Air Force. He wasn't a pilot, but she was determined to be up in the sky in those military planes one day. So when she was old enough, he would take her to work with him on occasion and let her be his "little assistant" as he'd called her.

On this particular day, his actual assistant had come rushing in, telling him to put the news on.

"Which channel?"

"Any of them?!" She yelled over her shoulder as she ran back out to stare at her own computer.

"Contact with another world."

"Signs of intelligent life on a far off planet."

"We are not alone."

However they spun it, every news company was blasting articles and live videos of the big announcement. Contact had been made with intelligent life on a planet well outside of our system.

Over the next 5 years, NASA worked tirelessly on improving Earth's space traveling abilities. With the confirmed communication from other life forms, their funding and support was greatly increased. Ashima's dream changed from simply flying in the sky to soaring through galaxies.

Eventually the other planet's inhabitants shared that they were just one of many planets with intelligent life outside of Earth's system. Once their trust was gained, the Aurelian's even came on an official exploratory visit of their own, establishing relationships with our planet, as they had apparently done with many others. They averaged five feet in height, with slightly yellow skin, solid gold eyes, and feather-like head coverings where humans had hair.

With their help, 9 years after initial contact, humans were finally ready to make a trip to Aureli using their own ships. Many had been frustrated that the Aurelians would not let humans onto their ships and would only give small pieces of advice at a time, causing Earth's advancements into true space travel to be a long process. But many others, like her, knew the advancements made would have taken considerably longer without their aid. She was thankful for any advice they were willing to give.

"We will provide aid, but you must make discoveries on your own, to show you are truly ready for such an experience." The Ambassador had said.

Now she was 29 and she was looking at her own laptop screen in her office at NASA as she watched the news covering the launch of Earth's longest exploration mission yet. Her veins practically tingled with excitement as she knew she would be on that ship. Humans had made great progress since that first launch six years ago. The first hadn't made it all the way to Aureli, the second made it but was too beyond repair to return. Thankfully the Aureli ships were there to aid the Astronauts from both missions and no human casualties were made. Their technology was far beyond anything we could comprehend, but if it saved lives, Ashima wasn't going to question it, or them.

Successful trips to Aureli over the past several years have led to this moment. Our astronauts will be making a short pit stop in Aureli to restock supplies and have a health check completed before returning to space and attempting to reach the next inhabited planet.

~~~~~~~~~

"All crew abandon ship." Ashima stood in disbelief as the words were blasted through the speakers by the captain.  They had just left earth 10 days ago. All had been going so well. Where did everything go wrong?  

"I repeat, this is not a drill. All crew abandon ship immediately."

She forced herself to move as she rushed down the hall. "No time for sentiments, get to the nearest pod and evacuate immediately, there is no time." Ashima took one last look up and down the hall to see other crew members running. She climbed into the pod and pushed the button to close the door. She ignored the hand banging on the outside of the door, yelling for help.

These particular pods only held enough room for one person. She was lying on her back and had just enough room to move her hands to work the controls. She pushed emotion to the side. "Initiate Pod Release."

"Pod Release Initiated."

In a matter of seconds, she felt her stomach threaten to move up through her throat as the pod was pushed away from the ship.

"Pod Release Completed. Nearest planet -"

Ashima didn't hear the rest of the message as the pod was blasted through space, her body jolted from the movement and she shook her head, forcing herself to keep consciousness. She knew what had to have happened yet she still forced herself to confirm it. Hoping she was wrong.

"Computer, aft view." The small digital screen in front of her showed nothing but space. "Bow View." Space again. "Port view."  

"Port camera damaged."

"Starboard View."

Tears began streaming from Ashima's face as she saw the wreckage in the distance. She had been blasted rather far but the flaming pieces of her ship were unmistakable.