Chapter 1: Mars 1
The year is 2017 and the private company Mars Frontier is finally sending their first man missions to Mars. The date for this historic mission was to be held on July sixth after celebrating July fourth. There were millions of volunteers across the world that wanted to be the first to step into the red planet, fourth from the sun and soon to be our second home. I wasn't a volunteer. I was an Anthropologist that study both culture and human evolution. Of course, I wasn't the only one in this field and there were people who have years and experience over me and, yet they picked me to be the head scientist. A group of four others in the field of science would accompany me on studying Mars. But I didn't understand why an Anthropologist would be going on this trip when there was only red dust on the surface of Mars and no life for me to study besides our own. I wanted to turn down the offer, but they wouldn't let me. I try to explain I wasn't a botanist and anyone who study's planetree science.
I just study human evolution and culture. I knew nothing of space and exploration. Let alone biology and other sciences that doesn't involve humans. I for one try and try again at getting out of going to mars. I wouldn't be of any use there. I believe I would just take up space where another more experienced person in my field of work who has their master, or their Ph.D. can actually be of use there. However, the head of all of this keeps suggesting that I be the head scientist up there. I kept on asking why. Why would I be the head when there are people in my group who are better quantity to be there. Yet Mr. Davies wants me. I have the faintest idea as to why he only wants me to be the leader. What could I possibly bring to the table when I don't even have my master's degree yet. Besides I'm not even 23 years old yet! So, what could I do for something this big? How can I, June Hernandez, be of any use for this mission when I don't even want to go on it in the first place.
I just wanted to study and finish my master's degree in peace not be strap into a metal ship going into space to a different planet! This wasn't what I wanted but apparently, I have no choice in the matter. So, for the last six months, I've been training and living with close to six hundred people in cramped spaces. Mr. Davies said it was a good way to simulate the living conditions on our way to Mars and what it would be like living there unless we all die in a fiery hell in space.
"Keep on sighing like that June and I'll start to think you're into me," said Peter. "Not on this planet or the next one we're moving to," I said. Peter was someone who was always trying to make light of the station that we're in and I just don't understand how someone can be so happy. He is one of the lead scientists on the missions. He is the second oldest being the age of 36, on this mission besides our captain who I believe to be 38 years old. Peter is from Pittsburg and was a professor in chemical engineering. But since he got here to the Mars Frontier training facility in Florida which was right now to the NASA shuttle building. I didn't understand why Peter wasn't mad at me for being the head of him and the others. I was the youngest out of us and the less experience when it came to my field of study and, yet Peter here was fine with me being the leader. Then there was Ava, Judy, and Matthew. Ave was from New York City just like me, but she lived in the Bronx while I lived in Queens. Judy grew up and lived in Mexico City, Mexico and Matthew came from El Paso, Taxes.
Judy was one of a kind. She has caramel skin and bright brown eyes with raven black hair. She stood at five foot one inches and was sassy as hell. Guys would hit on her all the time, but she wouldn't take any mind to it. She wasn't looking for anything and was just focus on the mission at hand. But the thing was Judy was better suited to be the leader of this mission standing next to the captain now me. Judy studied and still is studying to get her Ph.D. in aerospaces and planetary science. That and she was practically a genius. Judy was also five years older than me and worked on several projects was NASA before all of this started and, yet they still pick me to be their leader. I would always ask the higher-ups why they pick me out of everyone else to be the leader of the science division and not Judy or Peter or anyone else for the matter. I was young and inexperienced.
Then there was Matthew, he was a tall southern man with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. he was about six feet two and not to me I look like a child. He had a tanned from the hot Texas sun and from playing football in both high school and college. He had study engineering and has been working with NASA on building rockets for ten years. he was seven years older than me and loved riding his Harley Davies. However, he loved his parents and four sisters more. Two of his sister were coming with us on this journey to Mars. Their names are Becky and Eva. They just graduated from college and both were in the medical field. To be more exact they study bio-machines. They were part of the CS-pods team and both would be up with us and not asleep in pods.
Last but not less in Ava. She was four years older than me and was from the same city as me. She is a doctor, a trauma surgeon to be exact. She was someone who prided herself in her work and ability to save someone's life. She was the youngest trauma surgeon in Bronx medical center at the age of twenty-six years old. She was good at what she did, and she did the impossible every day. She saved lives and now she's going to save lives on a different planet if all goes with. Ava was a chocolate beauty with amazing curly hair and dark brown eyes that shine brightly with her intelligent. She also had a book in her hands. Or jamming out to some old school 90s hip hop. She was just someone who could light up the whole room as soon as she walks in. She was kind and someone who wanted everyone around her to smile. She is an amazing person.
Then we have the captain of this mission, Naval Captain Miles Clint, he is 38 years old and has been in the Navy for sixteen years and in order for him to become to the caption of this vessel to mars, he had to take several tests that involve both physical strength and intelligence. He also had to spend several weeks in an isolation chamber that mock the solitude of being alone in space in case anything happens but we all had to go thought that as part of our training. Clint was a good guy. He had no living family left so this was something she can do without leaving anyone behind unless the rest of us going. But most of us choose this while I didn't want any part of it. However, I would be a part of history, depending on what will happen in the next two months when it's time for left off, either we explode in a fiery death ball of fire or make it to mars our names would be forever remembered no matter what will happen but for right now I had to get some training in.
Even though I was the head of the science division I was also made second in command a few weeks ago. So that meant I had to train with Clint of handling the controls if anything were to happen to him and he couldn't continue being the captain or his death. I still didn't understand why I was the science division leader but now I was also second in command. I could for the life of me understand what was going on with the higher up and I made several complaints, but none were answered. I knew the ins and outs of the ships controls by now, but Clint wanted me to understand the ship as if it were my own child. He wanted me to understand not only the controls but the wiring of the system and to know where all the main and sub-level control panels were. So, I did just that during today's training with him. I said before that Clint is a good guy, but he can be a bit crazy but then again everyone, all six hundreds of us going to Mars was a bit crazy.
A few hours later I was called by the other on my team for a meeting with the CEO and project leaders of this mission to Mars. I didn't want to go but I had to. So, I shower and changed into the uniform the provided us. I wear a silver and dark blue shirt with the American flag on it and silver pants. That was America's color. After getting dressed I meet up with the African sub-leader Abayomi Feechi, his countries colors where a forest green with white and his country's flag on his right shoulder. He was a botanist and was in charge of growing what will be our food supplies on mars. He was nice, but I never really spoke to him. But when we did speak it was about finding ways of growing food on a planet with no rain and soil.
After that, the sub-leader for the Chinese Chen Yu with her country's colors and flag of red and gold walked over to us and ask what was going on. I told her that I didn't have the faintness of ideas. She was out chief technetium onboard. We had about sixteen other sub-leaders and we all got call to this meeting. I wonder what it was about.
After stepping into the meeting room and take a seat the CEO and other important walked in. the CEO Maxwell Davis walk in and start the meeting up. "I called you all here today to talk about the planning and scheduling, I see that we are all on time in our training and preparation for launch, I just wanted to know how each section was holding up, I know half of the sub-leaders will be in stasis pods o CS-Pods for the period of the trip," he said, I just rolled my eyes and continue to listen to him speak. "Now it has come to my attention that everyone in this room doesn't know who the second in command is, this was decided in the event of something happening to your Captain Miles Clint, hopefully it doesn't come to that but I would like for everything to know who she is," I was started to tune him out at this point, "Your second in command in June Hernandez," all I heard was my name and looked up, "Yes sir," I said. "I was just telling everything who they're second in command is," he said, "Oh okay," was all I said. I stood up and introduce myself and said what I was in charge of, I kept It short and sweet.
"What!" yelled Paul Stevenson. "How could she be second in command when she isn't even a soldier or for that matter had training unlike me or someone in my crew who had the training to run this vessel," he said. "Well she does have the training for it and I saw her fit to be the second in command for her ability to think under pressure and being quick on her feet, also she passed all the tests and standards easily," said Maxwell. I just wanted this meeting to be over, but Maxwell continues talking. After twenty minutes of hearing his voice, he finally stops and asks if anyone had questions. Everyone had a question. Most of them were about why I was chosen to be second in command and others asked me question directly. It was a pain in the ass, but I did it. I had to show them I will capable of being there for them.
After some time, I was finally free. This day was crazy and now I was finally able to sleep. Tomorrow I had more meeting but this time with the different sub-leaders. I didn't want to have to deal with that, but I had to. Soon I was back at the dorm and in my room. My bed was calling my name but before that I made some quick calls to my friends and family. After saying good-bye to the last caller, I was finally able to go to sleep.
I woke up to the sound of my alarming going off. Today was just a day filled with meetings. After getting ready I met with the first sub-leaders. It just so happens to be Paul Stevenson, I could tell he was going to be a pain in my ass. A grueling ten minutes later I met with the others. Each had questions or problems and I did the best I could to listen and to help them out. It was something I was supposed to do, and I was going to do my job even though I had my own division to run. As the day was drawing to a close I met with the last two sub-leaders Chun and Abayomi. They didn't have any problems with me being there second, they just needed help planning and talking things over. After helping them I was able to take a break. Maxwell had something up his sleeve by putting me in second command and a division head. I just don't know why. But for now, I wouldn't think of him. Today was one hell of a day and soon things like this was going to be happening in space and I know I needed to be ready.
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