In the NASA training facility underground was a girl about twenty years old training in the set up virtual space craft. Her hair was long and silky black but tied up in a pony tail. She wore a blue overall with the NASA imprint on her left breast pocketand her back she wore a black cap concealing most of her hazel brown eyes her lips were thin showing off her little smirk as he continued dodging asteroids in the virtual world. As she approached the last asteroid she approached a new area completely surrounded by nebulas.
"Virtual training system completed, congratulations candidate 68",said the operating system as it shut down revealing a completely white area and a single chair inside. The girl took off her virtual reality goggles and set them aside. She slowly moved out the massive room to the operating room outside. Most of the workers were looking at her progress charts.
"The progress is greater than yesterday "
"You are getting good candidate 68"
"Thank you ",she answered
"But remember speed isnt the only way to maneuver ,you got that "
"Yes, understood",she said
"You may take a rest, we will resume training after thirty six hours "
The girl bowed and left the training area. As she was going towards her bedroom she moved the cap and the band tying her hair back letting it fall gently on her back. Then a feminine voice from behind called towards her.
"Hey Luna",said the feminine voice. As Luna turned around she met a young girl same age as her walking towards her also dressed in the NASA blue overall with its imprints. She had forest green eyes long silky black hair reaching her shoulders that was dyed striking green at the tips.
"Going to the dorms?",the girl named Catherine asked.
"Yep",answered Luna
"Let's go together, we haven't had time to rest in a long while",Catherine said dropping her hand on Luna's neck.
"You are always tired", said Luna
"Training in this facility takes a lot of brainpower ",said Catherine
"Then quit",said Luna
"Your so heartless, are you trying to reduce the challenge . I won't back down so easily",said Catherine
"Cat, I gave you a suggestion it's either you take it or leave it",said Luna. They had already approached their dorm room door so Luna opened the door and went inside followed by Catherine.
"But with you as the competition, I wouldn't back out so easily",said Catherine as he fell on the bed instantly falling asleep. Their room was big and cosy with two beds on each side and a large study table at the middle.
Luna got on her bed and looked at the twin frame on her bedside showing her parents and the younger version of her in the middle when she was about eight years old. Her parents were fully dressed in in their astronaut suit with out their helmets holding their little bundle of joy in their arms. Little Luna was holding her mother's helmet while wearing her father's oversized helmet on her head.
"I miss you guys so much",she said as she turned and looked at the ceiling filled with stars "I will finish what you guys started",she continued then she fell into a deep slumber.
The day Luna took the photo with her parents was the last day she ever saw them. Their mission and Luna's current mission was to delve into the mysterious black hole and figure out what lies in the other side.
Luna's parents Mr and Mrs Claus we the greatest astronauts in the entire NASA history they were like legends ,they loved their work and would find all ways to seek the reality they wished to see. They traveled through the various galaxies and survived many asteroid attacks. On their last mission so that they could focus on their little bundle of joy, they ventured to the mystery of the black hole and never returned.
All connections were cut off and not a single line from the Major control system in NASA managed to get to their destination. Little Luna was cared for by the director of NASA since he was a good friend of Mr and Mrs Claus and she was the only person Luna was comfortable with.
But little did they know a love or admiration for something can travel even through the DNA.
Luna started to develop a strong admiration towards space,she spent most of her time in the NASA library reading the books about space ,galaxies and universes. The NASA director, Madam Zhang didn't wish for Luna to continue her study in space for it would lead her to be just like her parents.
Years went by and all the Madam Zhang could do was prevent her from continuing her parents mission. Over the years Luna got attached to the NASA training program and started her training at a young age along the way she was the best but she finally met her rival and best friend Catherine, Madam Zhang's niece. Catherine was just like her an orphan but at least she had an amazing Aunt like Madam Zhang.
One day ,the statement Madam Zhang was hoping Luna to avoid for her entire life was finally surfaced up.
"Aunt Zhang, mom and dad's last mission was about the black hole, right???",Luna started "I would like to take a course in that as well",sh continued
"But dear, you won't be able to take that course it was closed down after their disappearance ",Madam Zhang said.
"But Auntie you said it was still open and Luna shouldn't know anything about it to avoid her disappearing like her parents",said Catherine "Oopsie that came out loud",she continued after realizing her mistake.
"You never have an inside voice do you, Cat",said Madam Zhang
"You..you ….never wanted me to take the course in the first place did you",said Luna
"Luna dear it was all for a good reasin. I was afraid you would rakethe course and end like your parents, I didn't want to lose younlike I lost them please try to understand",Madam Zhang tried to convince Luna. Luna just gave her a reassuring smile and said
"Dont worry Aunt, I understand. I won't follow in their footsteps . I will return from the black hole"
_Right when I thought this girl had understood what I was trying to say _
_She hits me with the same words her parents did_
Madam Zhang let out a long sigh and kissed both of them goodnight on their foreheads they might be sixteen but Madam Zhang treated them like four year olds.
Luna trained long and hard to qualify in the black hole experiment till she reached the finals. In the training program the two finalists will have to show all they learned in their training years.
Sadly who ever heard about going against an ex. The NASA program might be a little tight schedule but there is some little time for romance. Luna herself was already hooked up with Ricardo but things took a sharp turn to cheat street which made them break up.
The two finalists were Ricardo Anderson and Luna Claus , Catherine could have come among the finalist but she was no match for Luna.
The day of the finals finally arrived and Luna was getting ready in her room.
"Girl,you finally made it",said Catherine hugging her best friend "Make sure you beat that crap how dare he cheats on you"
"Ok ok I will I promise",said Luna hugging her back. Luna was dressed in the white training suit with her whitw sneakers since the actual deal had to be worn during the missions and her silky hair was tied up in a pony tail.
Soon they heard a knock in the door ,then Madam Zhang entered the room.
"Aunt, I finally.made the finals",said Luna as she hugged Madam Zhang, Madam Zhang smiled and hugged her back "Take this its a good luck charm from your parents",said Aunt Zhang "They were supposed to give it to you the day they came back which was to be your ninth birthday, So happy late birthday ",she continued as she gave her a small compass locket inside were two pictures of her mother and her father and behind it were five words scribbled
~you will always find home ~
Luna started getting emotional and crying "Thank you for being there for me",she said
"Candidate 68 you are required in training room 108 don't be late ofmr you shall be disqualified.",said the operator
"I will be going then ",said Luna as she ran towards the said location.
The room was filled with a wide range of audience,the best trainee will have the chance to explore the unknown. What kind of a chance was that? A chance Luna wasn't willing to loose.
"Hello, gorgeous how have you been?",said Ricardo to Luna. Ricardo was a tall muscular guy with a well defined jawline perfect body build, short cut brown hair and pearl black eyes. He was the type of guy that all girls could gawk over. His voice was melodic carrying a hint of a British accent
"The same way you left me",said Luna stretching her hands and legs
"So heartbroken",said Ricardo
"That's how you will feel when I beat you",said Luna
"Come on babe, no one can beat me you know that more than all. I am a champion"
"Well that's cause all the others don't know your weakness like I do "
"Really and what's that?"
"Wait till I beat you ,then I will answer"
"Contestants arrive to your stations ",said the operator. Luna and Ricardo went respectively to their stations which were two rooms all white separated by a glass.
They both put on the virtual goggles and were instantly sent inside the virtual world. They were both inside their respective space craft opera rating swiftly waiting for the final count down to lift off.
"5....4…..3....2...1…., we have lift off",said the operator. The main aim for this virtual simulation was to see how they would handle being outer space and all the dangers that may occur.
Luna started controlling the space craft with ease but the real obstacle usually occurs when passing through the asteroid belts and avoiding being hit , both participants went with ease but trouble occurred when the oxygen tank was damaged and the fuel line was leaking which meant emergency landing was needed without the the space craft.
Ricardo managed to get the escape chute and left safely landing into one of the planets that had camp set on which he could manage to call the nearby ships.
But Luna on the other hand took a dangerous stunt to land with the leaking space craft. Since the broken part wasn't the space craft windows which could cause major loss of oxygen levels inside the space craft she was safe to last a long time with out the use of the extra oxygen tanks and enough supply of food.
Both had survived the impact of the asteroid but it all came down to one question who won?
"Simulation ended",said the operator then all systems controlling the simulation shut down immediately. While in their rooms the gravitation force filed was deactivated so they were in mid air.
"The battle went quite well but only one of you won",said the supervisor dressed in the white coat with black pants and white shirt with a badge hanging from his neck wearing glasses with a silver rimmed frame.
"Its obviously me ",said Ricardo
"Do you read minds nowadays",said Luna
"Just wait and see babe",Ricardo said
"Ricardo your departure from the space craft was an excellent idea but I am afraid if it was real you would have run out of air in three hours ,because the escape chute has oxygen for lasting forty five minutes and the oxygen tanks available on the camping sites have oxygen for only half an hour. Also the oxygen tanks available on the camp are less than those inside the ship and how can you survive without food. So to sum it up you lost "
"I get that but how did Miss little hazel eyes here win hwr move was more dangerous than mine",Ricardo said pointing to Luna
"Luna here won because she can be able to survive with the oxygen tanks available inside the space craft, the oxygen tanks as back up in the store room and at the camp she landed on, even though she couldn't land on the campsite she could survive five days and if she did manage to land she can survive up to a week. Also she will be having food",said the supervisor
Luna was filled with joy as she floated up in the room
"I won I won I won",she screamed with joy "Hey Ricardo"
"What!",said Ricardo who was fuming angrily gritting his teeth no one could not notice his anger but Luna just wanted to have some fun first.
"Want to know your weakness now",she said in a mocking tone
" You take the first option you don't consider others",she finished then she continued hoping around bouncing from wall to wall.