Chapter 1: Interstellar Void

The Calypso soared through the interstellar void with the majesty of a technological colossus. Designed for long-range military missions, the spacecraft resembled an Earthly building with its layout of four interconnected levels. Its Alcubierre drive was a masterpiece of human engineering, allowing it to propel itself at ten times the speed of light, creating a distortion field that folded space around it.

The fourth level, the highest of all, was the hub of the crew’s daily life. It was home to the bridge, a large, bright space dominated by three-dimensional holograms and control stations that projected real-time data on the ship’s position and its surroundings. A few steps away, the crew’s individual bedrooms offered privacy and rest, while recreation rooms, a gym and even a swimming pool provided space to combat the tedium of the voyages.

Below this level, on the third floor, were the cryogenic living quarters and maintenance rooms. The technological crown jewel of this level was the HighTech 601-S Cryopreservation Room, a sophisticated system designed to ensure the safe hibernation of the crew during long periods of inactivity. The long room housed thirty cryogenic containers or “pods,” each equipped with advanced life support technology, constantly monitored by CIO-2, the artificial intelligence that governed the ship.

The two lower levels served as cargo holds and operational spaces. In wartime, they could carry troops, military equipment and weapons; but on this mission, they housed geological exploration tools and detection systems for strategic minerals. Notable equipment included the PolarDark space shuttle, designed for complex landings, which housed a land rover adapted for hostile terrain, and four EVA (Extravehicular Exploration and Activity) vehicles with articulated arms for work outside the ship.

In the corridors and compartments of the Calypso, one could see neutral-looking anthropomorphic robots, which assisted the humans in various auxiliary tasks. Scattered throughout the ship were small cylindrical robots, with articulated arms. When looking at them, they gave the impression of being small miniature drums. Their mission was to ensure the general maintenance and cleaning of the ship.

This entire ecosystem was overseen by CIO-2 (Cybernetic Intelligence Outflow 2), the AI that controlled and optimized every critical function of the Calypso. When the crew was asleep in hibernation, CIO-2 took over command of the ship. Its presence was ubiquitous and efficient, a tireless entity that monitored every variable of the journey, from the atmospheric pressure in the cargo holds to the fluctuations in radiation surrounding the ship.

The Calypso mission was an ambitious expedition to the bulge of the Milky Way galaxy, a star-dense region that has been little studied due to its remoteness and complexity. The crew’s primary objectives were to investigate the planets OGLE-2018-BLG-0677Lb and MOA-2011-BLG-293Lb, both discovered through gravitational microlensing and considered candidates for hosting habitable moons or moons with conditions conducive to life.

From a scientific perspective, the mission sought to answer fundamental questions about the origin of the galaxy and the possible expansion of life. Additionally, scientists would evaluate the possibility of finding a celestial body suitable for terraforming. From a military standpoint, the Calypso would map strategic minerals and generate star charts that would be vital for future human expeditions. Lasting a total of 27 years, the voyage represented not only a technological feat, but a commitment by humanity to exploration and knowledge.

The current mission clock read 12.5 years and the crew was in their awake period.

-”Estimated time to reach OGLE system: two Earth years.”- CIO-2 reported, his typical calm voice echoing across the bridge.

-”Perfect,” murmured Brenda Ivanova, the Lieutenant in Command, as she looked at a three-dimensional hologram of the galactic system they were heading towards. OGLE-2018-BLG-0677Lb and MOA-2011-BLG-293Lb were just two bright points in an immense sea of stars.

Brenda was a woman of military bearing and iron determination. She led the mission with a mix of discipline and pragmatism. Although her love affair with Ralph Brown, the chief pilot, offered her human and emotional support, she did not allow her responsibilities to be compromised.

Last night in the break room, the dim blue light cast soft shadows on the metal walls. Ralph sat in an armchair at a small table, holding a steaming cup. Brenda sat beside him, her expression distant and serene, staring out the window at the starry void. Ralph looked out with a slight smile, turning the cup in his hands. He said, “I’m always struck by how quiet space is. Like everything we left behind has lost its voice.”

Brenda replied after a few seconds - “It’s strange, isn’t it? Here in space, time seems to freeze, but there on Earth ... the lives we leave behind keep moving forward. Contact becomes ... more and more spaced out ... I don’t think we have much to say to each other anymore...” -

Ralph sighed. “I understand. My sister stopped writing to me a year ago. I guess it’s hard to maintain a bond when time on Earth runs so differently than ours.”

Brenda said with a touch of melancholy - “Do you think they will forget us completely? That one day we will be just a blurry memory in an old album...” -

Ralph stroked her hand. “Maybe. But that’s the price for choosing something different. For daring to seek something beyond the comforts of Earth.”

Brenda turned her head to look at him. “And what did we get, Ralph? Being here, floating in the void, far away from everything we know. Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it.”

Ralph attempted a smile, a little laden with nostalgia. “You’ve always been the pragmatic one, huh? To me, it’s worth it. What other place puts you so close to the stars? What other life would have put me here, with you?” Brenda reflected, “At least we’re together.”

Ralph replied with a serious look, “It’s true, Brenda. If I didn’t have you here, I probably would have gone crazy by now. Space can be crushingly lonely.”

Brenda nodded slowly. “I feel that way too. But sometimes, even with you, I miss Earth. The breeze on my face, the smells ... The sound without the metallic echo of the ship...”