Chapter 27 - New Dawn

After I was done with my little charade, which felt like it lasted a lifetime, we moved on to the crew messages. One by one, each member of the crew stepped before the camera to deliver their pre-written message.

"Try to keep it short, people," I mumbled, earning a glare from Emily. I couldn't help but think that these messages, drafted by Karen's PR team back on Earth, were a bit… much. I mean, deep and somber messages of hope? Sure, why not. Though I was pretty sure none of us actually felt that way.

Danny, officially our Science Officer, went first. He cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses, and gave the camera a nervous little wave. He spoke about the scientific importance of our findings, his voice filled with a quiet intensity that was so Danny. He talked about the data, the potential for discoveries, and something about our place in the universe.

I zoned out a bit, picturing what kind of alien life we might encounter, and if any of it was edible, but it sounded impressive. Pretty sure he stuck to the script, more or less.

"Good job, Danny," I said, giving him a thumbs-up as he stepped away from the camera. He blushed, muttering a "thanks" and nearly tripping over a cable on his way back to his seat.

Ryan was more animated, flexing his biceps as he stepped in front of the camera. Show off.

"Alright, people, let's talk tech!" he began, grinning like a maniac. This was his element, and it showed. He detailed the technical challenges we had overcome to get here, pointing at different parts of the observation deck as if they were exhibits in a museum.

He spoke with passion about the intricacies of the ship, the innovative solutions we'd implemented, and the sheer ingenuity required to travel such vast distances. I think he even mentioned my name a couple of times, which was nice of him, even if it was probably in the script. And even if it made me want to punch him. Just a little.

"Don't forget to mention the part where you almost blew us up," Joey called out from the back, earning a round of laughter. Ryan just winked, unfazed. "That was a minor setback," he said, "But we learned from it, didn't we? Always learning. That's the motto of this mission." He finished with a flourish, striking a ridiculous pose that made even Emily giggle.

Joey, our medical officer, ever the optimist, talked about how important it was for us to stay healthy on this trip.

He gave a pointed look at Ryan and me. "Especially after that little stunt in the gym," he added, making me wince. "My infirmary is well-stocked, but I'd rather not have to use it on idiots." He mentioned the challenges of keeping a crew healthy in space and some potential for medical breakthroughs. Then, because it's Joey, he also managed to slip in a comment about resource exploitation, his eyes gleaming.

"Imagine the medical applications of alien flora," he said, a little too enthusiastically. "We could be looking at cures for diseases we haven't even encountered yet. And yes," he added, with a wink, "there's money to be made." Classic Joey, always thinking about profits.

Chris, ever the diplomat, bless his heart, actually seemed to believe the whole "international cooperation" and "representing humanity" bit. He stood tall and delivered his lines with a sincerity that was almost painful. I swear, the guy could sell ice to an Eskimo. He spoke about collaboration, transcending national boundaries, and our shared responsibility. He also emphasized his contribution to the recording's visual aspect, which, to be fair, was pretty good. Karen's team would be pleased. Muscles and morals, that's Chris.

Zoe shared her hopes for discovering new life, her words painting a vivid picture of the wonders that might await us. She paced back and forth in front of the camera, her skirt swirling around her legs. Distracting, to say the least.

She talked about charting unknown territories, navigating a new star system, and the possibilities that awaited us. I found myself getting caught up in her enthusiasm for a moment. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Even if the message was a bit cheesy, she delivered it well. And looked damn good doing it.

As she nervously stepped up to the camera, I heard Ryan and Danny calling out to her in a playful voice, "Zoe... Zoe... Zoe!" She rolled her eyes and smiled, shaking her head at their antics as she returned to her seat, her tone teasing. "Think we'll find any hot aliens? Our pickings here on this ship aren't exactly top quality," she said, turning to Emily with a grin. Emily just laughed, shaking her head. "One can only hope," she replied.

Emily, my second-in-command, my XO, and so much more, standing beside me, caught my eye and gave me a reassuring smile before stepping forward. God, she's amazing. Even reading a script probably written by some marketing intern, she managed to sound genuine. Her voice was filled with that quiet strength that always captivated me.

She spoke about the human spirit, our need to explore, and understanding the universe. She talked about the courage it took to leave everything behind and the importance of holding onto our humanity. Okay, maybe Karen's team earned their pay on that one. It almost made me feel better about this whole thing. Almost. And I was deadly afraid of what was to come, us being alone, together, for months on end. Especially after that whole g-string conversation. And the way she kept looking at me. Like she knew all my secrets. Shit.

Finally, it was my turn. I stepped before the camera, feeling the weight of the moment, the eyes of my crew upon me. And the camera, recording everything for posterity, or at least until the probe crashed into something.

"Don't mess this up," I muttered under my breath, earning a chuckle from Ryan.

"Just read the damn teleprompter," he whispered back. Asshole.

I took a deep breath and stuck to the script, talking about the challenges we had faced, the uncertainties ahead, and the belief that had brought us this far. I mentioned our hopes for the future, the discoveries we might make, and the legacy we hoped to leave behind, hoping I sounded more confident than I felt.

I talked about the incredible team I was somehow leading, their dedication, resilience, and shared dream of exploring the stars, and for a moment, I almost believed I was the right person for this job. Almost. Maybe this whole captain thing wouldn't be so bad. And maybe, just maybe, I'd get to make one of those grandiose speeches for real someday without a teleprompter.

When the last message was recorded, I nodded to Chris, who ended the session. The red light on the camera blinked off. A collective sigh seemed to ripple through the crew, a release of tension, and maybe a little bit of embarrassment. We had done it. We had created a record of our journey, a message in a bottle cast into the vastness of space, full of words written by someone else. Now, hopefully, we can find something out here that makes all this worthwhile.

After the official recording wrapped, the atmosphere relaxed slightly. The communication probe was prepped for launch, its storage packed with the mission's early findings, the official recording, and personal video messages from each crew member. I leaned against the console, watching as Ryan and Zoe finalized the probe's trajectory. This was really happening.

We were sending a piece of ourselves back to Earth, a testament to our journey, I guess. Or at least, that's what I told myself. I hoped they edit the fuck out of this video before it goes live across the UER. Now, if only we could find a planet made of solid gold, we'd be set.

***

As they uploaded our data, I glanced toward Emily, who was reviewing her own message one last time. "Think this thing will beat us back to Earth?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope and nervous energy. And that cute little furrow in her brow.

"If we stick to schedule, we'll beat it by weeks," I replied, though the thought of timing felt secondary to the monumental task ahead of us. The probe's smaller FTL engine meant it would take twenty to thirty weeks to reach Sol, if all went well, the crew of the Triumph of Darron would already be sharing our findings firsthand before the probe even arrived. That was the plan, at least. Assuming we don't all die out here.

I stood beside Emily, the hum of the ship a faint backdrop to our moment of quiet. I rested a hand on her shoulder, my thumb absently brushing the fabric of her uniform. Smooth, Luca, real smooth. The weight of the speech, the data, the mission ahead, all of it lingered in my mind, fueling my excitement. And the longing to be closer to her, to stay like this for a little while longer.

"Do you ever think about where we'll be in four years?" I asked, my voice low, filled with a sense of wistfulness. The four-year mark. It seemed so arbitrary, and yet, it held so much weight. It was when everything had changed, when the 'system' had arrived and turned us all into something... different. We were just kids, 16 years old. And now here we were. On the edge of a new solar system.

Emily glanced up at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Her eyes held a hint of hope, and also, something that felt like sadness, or longing. "I'm hoping I'll be with you, Luca," she whispered, almost to herself. "Wherever 'it' happens to be."

My breath caught in my throat at her words, but I forced myself to remain calm. I hoped that, too. More than anything. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it. I couldn't imagine my life at all in four years without her, and the thought of being alone in this vast nothing was terrifying. Her green eyes sparkled as she met mine, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing: that there was something deeper connecting us, something that transcended the mission, the ship, and everything else.

She knew, and I think, she hoped that I did as well. Then I glanced at the console, and a message popped up, indicating that the upload was complete. It was time to move on, I guess, so I pushed my feelings to the back burner to let the reality of our situation take over.

***

The probe was officially on its way back towards Earth, doing its thing.

"Alright, now what?" I said, stretching and trying to inject a bit of levity into the room. "Anyone hungry?" Honestly, I tuned out most of the tech talk. Ryan and Danny were chattering like chipmunks, heads buried in screens, probably having some secret nerd party only they understood. I just focused on the screen, the one showing Alpha Centauri, all shiny and new. Danny and Ryan had whipped up some CGI version of the system, and it looked pretty damn cool.

Then I noticed they had quietly excused themselves, their heads close together, and they were talking in hushed tones as they made their way towards the door. They looked like a couple of kids sneaking out of class, giggling like little girls. As I focused on them, I noticed how flushed they both looked. And their bodysuits, all tight and with suspicious wedgies visible. Were they going to go make out in the science lab now? Seriously?

Zoe asked about the asteroids. "Are those actual asteroids?" she said, squinting at the display. "They're so, like, organized." as if they were like, some fake props on a movie set. Joey, ever Mr. Confident, was practically preening, "Yep," he said, sounding like he’d personally sculpted each rock in orbit. Apparently, the fancy telescope they had was sucking up data faster than I could finish a coffee. Which, to be fair, was pretty fast.

Then Chris, naturally, had to go full capitalist on us. "Think of the resources," he practically drooled. "Metals, rare minerals…" Dude was already mentally counting his profits. Okay, fine, I'd thought about that too. We weren't exactly swimming in cash; if anything, we were drowning under a mountain of debt. A big score out here could change everything. It's not like we were here on some pleasure cruise. But man, the sheer speed he jumped to resource extraction was… Chris. Gotta love him, though.

Emily was more on my wavelength. She leaned closer, her hand brushing against mine as she pointed at the screen. "I want to know if there’s life," she announced, eyes all lit up. "Intelligent life, preferably. Not just some space mold." I had to grin.

"That's the dream, isn't it?" I said, feeling the same rush of pure possibility. To find something else, something… more. It was a wild thought, and I liked it. I glanced over at her, and yeah, that intensity was kind of... distracting, but in a good way.

The others were buzzing, tech talk and resource debates and the sheer freaking wonder of it all. I was right there with them, maybe for the first time. Taking it all in. We were actually doing this. It was ridiculous and amazing.

Then, bam. The door slid open and Danny busted in, looking like he’d just won the lottery, tablet waving around like a flag. “Hey guys, we just got the latest readings from the telescope. You've gotta see this.” Of course, he did. What now, I wondered. Probably another screen to stare at. But also, maybe something actually amazing. My stomach flipped, not sure if it was anxiety or excitement. Probably both.

***

Danny had something up on the screen. Everyone leaned in, all quiet. Holy shit, it was a planet. A real planet, not just some random rock. It even had a ring system. Looked like something straight out of a damn movie, but way cooler. White clouds swirled across its surface, hiding the details, but, it was breathtaking.

Ryan was next to Danny, "This," he said, all serious, "is one of the two potentially habitable planets we've identified. The theorists were right, it's Proxima b, but I’m calling it 'New Dawn.'" New Dawn. I liked it. A fresh start, a new beginning. The room was buzzing now, everyone geeking out. The gravity of it was hitting, even me. Could this be it? The place where we set foot? First damn humans on another planet, like, really? A whole new world to explore. Holy shit.

My pulse kicked up a notch, but I tried to keep it cool. No time for daydreaming, not yet. This wasn't some feel-good story, it was a mission, and we had a shit ton of work to do. But, a small part of me was like, fuck, this could be something. Hope started creeping in. I tried to push it back, gotta keep it real. Gotta keep focused on the numbers and the data. But still… a whole new world…

The crew was going apeshit. Theories flying around like crazy, everyone was suddenly a damn expert, forgetting all about asteroids and shit. They were all hyped about it, the potential, all that bullshit. New planet, new possibilities.

Hours later, everyone was mostly gone, just me and Emily in the lounge. Starlight spilled through that giant window, making the floor all glowy. The void outside was just endless, like a fucking abyss. And the ship, humming away, pulling us further into the system.

Emily was at the window, just staring, silhouetted against the stars, peaceful, but I could see the spark of wonder in her eyes. I felt something tug in my chest. No idea what the hell it was. Maybe the quiet, maybe the fact that it was just us here, together, doing this crazy shit.

I walked over, glass in my hand. Raised it a bit, caught her attention. "To New Dawn," I said, my voice steady, but my head was a mess of excitement and anticipation. And pure, unadulterated terror about what's about to happen.

She turned around, smiled. A small, knowing smile. Maybe she knew what the fuck was going through my head. Raised her glass, the sound clinking against mine in the silence. "To New Dawn," she said, her voice all warm and… I don't know, it just, felt… right. Felt like something, even if I couldn't name it.

The pit of my stomach did a little flip. I knew what was coming. Weeks of sneaking around, making out, waiting for the right moment. It was here. All alone in the lounge. And she had that look in her eyes. Only one thing she wanted now, probably. Some private celebration, with me. Shit. I've never done this shit before. Sure, I've got some ideas, but, fuck, I like her too much to disappoint her. But, this was it. Time to man up. Scared shitless, but, it's happening. No turning back now, Luca. You got this. Maybe.