The year was 3625 — more than sixteen centuries into humanity's future.
By then, human technology had reached its peak. Cities towered higher and stretched wider than ever before, their skylines filled with light and motion.
Everyday life thrived on inventions once thought impossible: adaptive exosuits, automated transport systems, medicine that erased disease.
And among the marvels of this age was the greatest of all — a spacecraft capable of traveling faster than light itself. Humanity's dream of reaching the stars was no longer fantasy. It was reality.
The announcer's voice rang across every screen, steady and commanding.
**"For thousands of years, mankind has looked to the stars with restless hunger. We dreamed of distant planets, imagined alien civilizations, and whispered about the mysteries of the cosmos: black holes, endless galaxies, phenomena beyond comprehension.
Yet for all our dreams, we remained small. All we ever truly conquered were our closest neighbors. With the invention of heat-cold suits — adaptive exosuits capable of shielding the body from extremes of +500°C to –100°C — we managed to set foot on Venus, Mercury, and Mars. Harsh worlds, barren and unforgiving, but they proved we could survive beyond Earth. Still… they were only the beginning.
That changes today.
Today, humanity takes its first step into the unknown.
The E-Flash Z719, humanity's most ambitious spacecraft, stands ready on its launch cradle. Months ago, it did the impossible: it broke the light barrier, surpassing the speed of light itself. Countless tests proved its systems stable, its shielding secure, its engines flawless.
Now, at last, it is time for a manned launch.
History will not remember this day as another attempt at exploration. No—this is the day we seize the stars."**
The announcer's tone swelled with pride as the feed cut to the gleaming spacecraft, framed by floodlights.
**"The spacecraft will launch today at 6 P.M. Be ready to watch it live from the comfort of your homes. This is history in the making.
The E-Flash Z719 will chart a course through Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, before piercing the Kuiper Belt and breaking free from our solar system. Its destination: System E815.
System E815 is unlike anything we've discovered. Nineteen planets orbit its blazing sun — a star ten times the size of our own. But more importantly, it is home to Qz-191, the planet with the highest possibility of alien life. Ultra James-Webb imaging revealed the presence of liquid water and carbon traces. Its temperatures mirror Earth's, making it a prime candidate for sustaining organisms. While we could not penetrate its atmosphere to see clearly, scientists speculate that forms of life — perhaps avian, reptilian, even mammalian — may already roam its surface. Some even whisper it could harbor creatures as massive as Earth's long-extinct dinosaurs. At five times the size of Earth, its mysteries remain endless.
The journey will take approximately one year, with regular updates provided by NASA."**
The screen cut to the bold insignia of the agency, glowing against a starfield.
"Woah!" a boy laughed, bouncing on the couch, eyes wide. "This is gonna be so cool!"
His father sat beside him, silent, the amber glow of the bottle in his hand catching the TV light. He stared at the screen, worry etching lines into his face. Then he sighed and took a long drink of beer, muttering under his breath.
Upstairs, another conversation unfolded.
"Mila, do you really have to go?" her mother asked softly.
Mila hesitated, then let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know… Ever since I was a kid, I've always wanted to explore space. It's fascinating. But knowing I'd have to leave my family for a year…" Her voice wavered. "I just don't know if it's the right choice. My brother… he's still so young. Would he even understand?"
Her mother reached out and gently tapped her shoulder. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came.
"If that's what you want, then go."
Mila turned at the sound of another voice. Her father stood in the doorway, his face calm but his eyes heavy.
"As a father, I've always known how much you loved space," he said quietly. "You're willing to risk everything just to be an astronaut. Nothing else has ever mattered to you." He stepped closer, resting a firm, reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Go. We'll be waiting for you here. I know you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't."
He smiled, pride flickering across his face. He was happy his daughter was finally chasing her dream — but deep down, he already mourned the distance that would soon grow between them. A year without her. Perhaps longer. Who could say?
Mila gave her father and mother a long, lingering hug. Neither of them wanted to let go, but eventually, they did.
And soon, it was time. Time to say goodbye to her brother.
She walked downstairs to the very couch where he was sitting, his small frame lit by the glow of the TV. He was bouncing with excitement at the broadcast, completely unaware that he wouldn't be seeing his sister for a whole year.
Mila sighed, then knelt beside him. "Hey," she said softly.
He looked over, grinning. "Mila! Did you hear? They're going to fly past Jupiter and Saturn and everything! It's gonna be so cool!"
"Yeah…" She forced a smile. "It's going to be amazing." Her hand reached out, ruffling his hair gently. "Listen, I have to go for a while. A whole year, actually."
His grin faded, replaced by confusion. "Go? Where?"
Mila hesitated, then pulled him into a tight hug. "Somewhere far. But I'll come back. I promise."
He hugged her back, still not fully understanding.
Mila pressed her forehead against his hair, whispering, "Be good while I'm gone, okay?"
"Mila," her father said quietly. "Be back before your twentieth birthday, okay? And don't forget to take a picture with that planet for me."
Mila nodded, forcing a small laugh.
"Wait…" her younger brother frowned, his excitement fading as realization crept across his face. "You're not going on the spaceship, are you?"
Mila's chest tightened. She leaned down, kissed his forehead, and whispered her goodbye. A moment later, she turned and walked out the door.
Tears blurred her vision as she drove away. She was still young, barely an adult, and though she was chasing her dream, she knew the truth: space was dangerous. A single mistake out there could mean never coming back.
Hours later, Mila stood inside NASA's launch facility — and then inside the spacecraft itself.
The vessel was enormous, its curved walls lined with glowing panels, the hum of its systems filling the air. For the first time that day, Mila felt herself smile. Maybe… maybe it'll be okay.
"Are you excited?" a voice asked.
She turned quickly. James stood a few feet away, his expression calm, his presence oddly reassuring. He was one of the chosen astronauts boarding with her.
"Yes," she said, her voice steady.
The loudspeaker crackled.
"Ten… nine… eight… seven… six… five…"
The countdown began. Mila closed her eyes, her fingers tightening around the straps of her seat.
Outside, the world held its breath.
And in that moment — as the engines prepared to ignite — the future of humanity balanced on the edge of fire and stars.