Dreams Can Come True

A launch and a collision

It has been two months since you started your training and the team is getting ready to leave earth. You are busy making sure that your helmet fits nicely and Thomas is helping Olivia and Akira. It's a good thing that SpaceX has made the suits simpler than the Soyuz flight suits.

"I think I'm ready for the leak checks," you remark as you get the gloves on. A technician quickly checks everything and then he guides you to a seat. He gestures for you to sit down. It is a little awkward for you but you manage. A flock of technicians soon descend on you to make sure that your suit is ready. Olivia giggles at the sight. You are about to say something but you are beaten again.

"You'll be joining the chaos soon. Olivia" Akira remarks.

"True but it is still funny," Olivia responds. She has clearly finished teasing you. One of the techs gives you a thumbs up and you return the favour to let her know that you are ready to go. She helps pull you up from the seat. Five minutes later the others have gone through the same process. At least it's your turn to giggle at Olivia's misfortune. You all make your way to the awaiting Tesla Model Xs. Akira mutters something in Japanese as he joins Thomas in the first Tesla. You and Olivia awkwardly get in the car. You feel a sharp pain in your side.

"Sorry Annie," Olivia responds to the accident.

"It could be worse," You respond. It was going to happen sooner or later. Ten minutes later the team made it to the launch pad. You are curious as to why Thomas hasn't said anything since you arrived. It's probably because he is thinking about the mission. You all head to the elevator. The three-minute ride is the tensest part. You quickly go over the preflight checklist even though most of it is automated. It makes you feel better anyway.

"Ladies first," Akira remarks. You all leave. Another minute later you have made it to the capsule. Everyone shuffles awkwardly into their respective seats. The techs get to work on making sure that you are hooked up to the life support systems. They are soon finished.

"Now that we are hooked up to the LS system we should get to work on the preflight checklist while we wait for the comms check," Thomas announces. You and Thomas soon get to work. You are impressed that they let you pilot the spacecraft. Not that you will be doing much in the way of piloting.

"This is a comms check," The CAPCOM announces.

"This is Commander Thomas Pesquet. I read you loud and clear," Thomas kick starts the process.

"This is pilot Annie Morgan. I read you loud and clear," You are glad that Everything is working so far. The others sound off. The only thing that is left is the fuel loading go or no go pole. It's a good thing that the weather is perfect.

"The abort system is now armed," You call out. The tension builds as the count down to the fuel go or no go pole continues. An impatient sigh slips from your mouth because you despise the tension.

"Annie It will be ok," Akira tries to comfort you.

"We are go, for fuel loading," The CAPCOM announces.

"Roger, we are go, for fuel loading," Thomas acknowledges. He quickly checks everything. After an hour of waiting everyone is waiting for the terminal countdown. Thomas mutters something in French. You assume it has something to do with luck.

"Launch in t minutes ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two...one," You can feel the rocket roar to life. The Gs start to pile on as the rocket races towards its target. Two minutes later you are getting ready for stage one separation. You and Thomas are furiously tapping the screens to make sure that the rocket is ready.

"Tom what should we expect from stage one separation?" Olivia asks. A good question that you hadn't thought about.

"There will be a small jolt and then the spacecraft will feel lighter," He replies.

"Thank you," Olivia responds. You can tell that she is glad for the warning.

"Ready for stage separation," The CAPCOM calls out.

"Roger that," Thomas responds. You brace for the jolt. It soon occurs. It was a little worse than you thought. At least you can feel the spacecraft getting lighter. Another four minutes later the second stage has boosted the spacecraft towards a rendezvous with the international space station.

"You guys can take your suits off if you want," Thomas remarks. You unclip yourself from the seat and LS systems. You drift towards the bottom of the capsule. You are impressed at the room that the capsule has. You quickly rescue yourself from the suit. You are soon followed by Olivia. You head back to your seat and you strap yourself back in because you would rather stay in your seat. Five minutes later everyone has finished and you are thinking about the tasks you have to do. Two hours later you are monitoring the docking. It is going well.

"Contact," You call out.

"Capture," Thomas responds. Now you wait for the pressure to equalise. After an hour of waiting you are greeted by the Russian Cosmonauts. They are glad to have your company.

"Welcome Annie," Ivan Vagner remarks as he pulls you into an embrace. Typical.

"Thank you, Ivan," You respond. It feels good to be embraced after the two weeks of quarantine. The others are soon welcomed in the same manner.

"How was the ride?" One of the new Russian Cosmonauts remarks.

"Well Daniel It was smooth," You reply. Thirty minutes later You are getting some stuff from the capsule. It's a good thing that Zero-G makes things lighter. You are still getting help from the Russians anyway. You are about to get the last package but you are stopped by a siren. It's the space junk alarm. Ivan pulls you out of the capsule. You follow him to one of the reinforced sections. You are joined by Thomas, Ivan and Daniel. You assume Akira, Olivia and Artemi have taken shelter somewhere else.

"J'espère que tout le monde va bien," You hear Thomas mutter in French. You assume that he is referring to the others. 

"Excuse me?" Daniel responds. You wish you could have learnt a third language.

"I said I hope everyone else is alright," Thomas clarifies. Daniel nods. You are thinking the same thing. The lights start flickering. Both Ivan and Daniel curse in Russian. Thomas grabs one of the communications headsets. He swiftly places the headset on. Hopefully, he can get some answers.

"Thomas to ground. Do you receive me?" He tried his best to contact someone.

"Station we read you loud and clear," Comes the slightly delayed response. After five minutes of conversation comes the bad news. Thomas pulls the headset off in defeat.

"We have to do a spacewalk to repair some of the damage," The siren stops blaring which means the space junk has passed. A minute later everyone has gathered in the destiny module. Thomas soon briefs everybody on what is going on.

"Are Annie and I going to do our spacewalk as planned and add the repairs on top of It?" Olivia asks. You have had the question circling around your mind.

"It will be a long spacewalk if you add the repairs on top of the other tasks," Artemi speaks up. A ripple of nods flows through the group.