Fragment 0: Dream Came True
This fragment is a prologue pertaining to the main character's father, Owen Rybak. This is not the main story but it plays a big role to the main character's family.
On August 1, 2012, Humanity's dream of landing on another planet finally came true.
It was a mission named 'Through Mars and more', and was led by NASA.
Humans would have taken 3 years for a Mars exploration, but thanks to the discovery of planetary propulsion, Space vehicles can travel faster, and it’s the first time humans have used it to travel to a distant planet.
When the first astronaut came to set foot on Mars; The three rovers welcomed them; Perseverance, Curiosity, and Tenacity.
They were patiently waiting for their arrival.
Their first task was to collect samples for observations.
Scientists were hoping that through this exploration, they would discover a lot more of the red planet. They did, infact.
They were amazed because their estimation of Mars’ rocky surface was percentages off of what it actually was.
Additionally, the capability of digging on Mars was no joke either.
Thanks to the shovel, they were able to collect samples from shallow excavations, and eventually learned more of Mars.
One astronaut was tasked to install a Mars-Fi for each rover. Its function was to provide the astronauts’ phones internet connection, though the delay was brutal.
Since going to Mars was expensive, Billionaires who held a share were hoping to take as many samples and peripherals for profit.
They wanted to savor every last bit of penny they spent on this mission, and the astronauts could feel their restlessness even on Mars.
But taking samples was only one of their objectives, it was an astronaut’s dream to be amazed, explore, and truly feel the depth of the universe.
One astronaut did that, went a bit far in fact.
His name was Owen Rybak and he was one of the five crew members on board for the mission.
Owen was tasked not to collect samples, but to make sure to take as many photographs of the red planet as possible.
The administrator of the mission wanted him to walk further to capture vast landscapes. In essence, his mission was as a scout.
Owen did what the admins wanted him to do. That was what he wanted as well.
Both parties got to benefit; the mission being potentially extremely successful and Owen doing what he desired.
Before he explores, the authorities gave him a heads up: “Be careful out there.”, that was recorded to make sure all humans from Earth were able to hear the message, and maybe future humans would explore planets and that message was a simple reminder.
...
Do you know the blissful feeling when you have the freedom to do what you desire? A feeling where you’re currently living the dream, experiencing, and savoring every second of it? That was what Owen felt.
Underneath his helmet, a smile spread across his face. In fact, he was so happy, he lay down on the Martian ground, swinging his arms like he was on snow.
But too much happiness might attract misfortune, and that’s exactly what happened.
He was enjoying himself too much that he forgot he was on another planet, and when the rovers were far off, it was hard to find a strong internet connection.
Owen found himself lost inside a developing sandstorm. With no internet connection, he was forced to manage himself alone.
Luckily, he found a nearby cave, just enough so he could fit.
He went in, sat just enough so light could hit his body, not too deep; he was still searching for a viable connection from his crew.
There he rested. His eyes struggled to focus, regretting his unsupervised emotion. He did not want to be alone, not here, not even on Earth.
For five minutes, his cheeks suffered in tears, holding the phone so tight, still hoping to gain any contact to his friends. Still waiting for a second chance;
and then, he felt calmness on his legs, now, the tears were hesitating. It was almost as if he didn’t cry at all.
He thought that it must have been the work of God, so he straightened his body, stood firmly, and prayed.
Owen Rybak prayed on Mars, in a cave, all alone.
He prayed that the mission may succeed, that he wished to be safe, and that God may guide him through this difficult journey.
But little did he know, a different God gave him an answer. Owen could not move. His eyes were popping with fear, and prayer alone will not save him.
As the darkness caught up with him, all he saw in front was himself, still praying.
Owen Rybak died, snatched by two enormous hands behind him, so slowly. It had been inside the cave all along, listening to his last prayers.
===
On August 5, 2012, humans were successful in landing and retreating from Mars.
Through this accomplishment, experts laid a greater foundation and future proofed technologies to strategize another space exploration.
By going to Mars, humanity held its head high, achieving yet another accomplishment. Always has, and always will.
But as the past foretold, every accomplishment came with a cost:
Owen Rybak did not return.
His crew tried to find him before heading back to Earth, but they were scared. Engineers confirmed that the spaceship might not stand firm much longer due to the sandstorm.
The crew might risk their lives if searching continued.
The decision was hard fought. They knew they had to save him, but they also had to be saved.
They fought each other over the decision, cursed each other, but eventually they cried.
They had made a decision...
They left. They had no choice. Their hearts were hurting, so much so that their lips became a statue the entire flight.
They had known Owen for years, trained together, and laughed together. They considered him a familiar. But it all ended when the dream was about to start.
Five came, but only four returned...
Humanity honored his death, treated him as an unlucky individual who got swallowed by his dreams.
He died living his life to the fullest, at least.
To be continued...
I know, I'm not japanese, lol. I heard from my friends that this site is quite famous for light novels, so I'm here to give it a try.
I hope you will love my story as I continue to post fragments ever day.
I'm not accustomed to japanese culture so if my story said something offensive, then I'm sorry. I had not intended it that way.
