New Hope: Book 1
5

Ellie awoke the next day all rested. What time is it? she wondered, stretching out across the hammock. She looked at her watch and was surprised to see that she’d slept almost 10 hours.

“Julius, why on earth didn’t you wake me?” she said, but when she looked around, Julius was nowhere to be seen. “Where in the world is he now?”

Ellie slipped out of the hammock onto the tilted floor. “At least zero-gravity keeps the hammock straight even in a wonky room,” she muttered to herself. Ellie got through her morning wash quickly and skillfully in comparison to what it was like on the way to the Moon and in orbit. Last night she was so tired, she hadn’t even realized that she went almost an entire day without any food. Now she was starving. Before jumping to work, she made her way to the kitchen sector of the landing pod.

It was far from the semblance of a real kitchen. It was made up of only a microwave oven, a small unfolding top fit for one, a stool that was now protruding from the wall instead of the floor, and a cabinet for ready-to-use food rations. Ellie approached the food drawer and opened it carefully, trying not to spill its contents all over the place. She took out a random packet, tossed it into the lopsided microwave, and turned it on. Two minutes later she could enjoy her cooked chicken and veg. Again. “Do they even know how to prepare a diverse, balanced diet? It’s always chicken, chicken, and chicken!” she complained to herself. Oh, well. At least it’s something. Bon appétit! Ellie sat down on the floor for lack of proper seating and started consuming her first meal in several hours. Once she had devoured her meal, it was time for her to go to the cockpit and plan out her expedition of finding the source of the signal jamming New Hope’s radio.

“Good morning, Captain,” she said as she entered the cockpit. Julius was sitting in his seat and typing commands into the computer. He turned around and glanced at Ellie. “Hello! You slept in, I see?” he grinned. “I didn’t want to wake you. I could see the state you were in yesterday. My injuries might be more serious but you looked as if you could faint at a moment’s notice. I’m telling you - no sleep does crazy things to people,” he added, deep in thought.

“Now I know. I was so tired, I didn’t even realize it,” Ellie smiled. “That’s a bygone now, getting some shut-eye did wonders for me. I’m ready to get out there and finally find the cause of our predicament.”

“I suspected as much. Your suit and helmet are ready. Did you know your original one had cracked a little?” asked Julius.

“Of course! That’s why I put on the spare one,” she replied. “It’s a good thing someone down there thought of supplying us with backup equipment. I don’t know what we would have done without it,” Ellie froze in thought for a minute.

“You know, as soon as you leave, there won’t be anyone to help you?” asked Julius. “Communication is down between the cockpit and your radio, too. And we’re not going to be able to communicate until you find the cause of the disruptions and eliminate it,” he said. “Unless you can come up with some kind of, I don’t know… hand gestures or smoke signals, but that’s a tough order on the Moon’s surface. Let’s be clear, if you have any problems or difficulties, I won’t be able to come to your rescue. My injuries simply won’t let me...” he added gloomily. “But I’d like to rearticulate this strongly - as the captain of this ship, I should be the one going out there, not you! It’s my responsibility to endanger my own life for the good of the crew, not the other way round. I’m allowing you to take this risk only because of the circumstances. It’s the only way,” said Julius.

“Of course, sir!” said Ellie. “I have no objections to taking this risk. I did enroll in the space program myself, after all, and I agreed to fly to the Moon. Risk is part of this profession. In my mind, this is not just my obligation but also the adventure of a lifetime. How many people can say they’ve driven a convertible on the Moon?” she added, laughing. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful! Besides, you know well, it’s in my interest to get back in one piece.”

“Yeaaah…I know. Right, let’s get technical. Should you find the source of the signal, remember, you’ve only got 8 hours to get there and back. Not a minute longer. Any extra time is only for emergencies, and I don’t want your excursion to turn into one. Safety above all,” said Julius. “If you don’t find anything after 4 hours, you’re to return to New Hope. That’s an order!” he added, making it abundantly clear who is in command.

“Understood - don’t lean over the barriers while driving, click it, and try not to suffocate,” she said seriously at first, and then winked.

“No, not try. Just don’t,” said Julius in opposition. “You’re to make it back here safe and sound. If you don’t find anything the first time, there’ll be other rounds,” he concluded.

“Good. Jokes aside, I promise not to put myself in danger. I’m ready. Well then, I’ll be on my way,” she said as if it were just another day at the office.

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