The Colony
“Space camp?!”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you a bit too, how can I put this delicately, experienced to be going to space camp?”
Nadine bit her lip as she considered her reply. Charlie had been her best friend and boss for the past seven years. Though they had shared intimate details of their personal lives, Nadine had never revealed her deep desire to explore the cosmos.
“Charlie, this program is for elder space enthusiasts. Since we began colonization, you know they’ve been desperate for help.”
“Desperate. Interesting choice of words, Nad.”
Nadine ignored him and continued. “It’s a one-month training program. When I graduate, I’m eligible for a six-month colony deployment.”
“That’s a long time. Are you sure about this? I know since your divorce you’ve been-”
“Let me stop you right there. This has nothing to do with my divorce. Charlie, I’ve been fascinated with space travel since I was little. I just never mentioned it to you because I figured you’d make fun of me for it. Can’t imagine why I’d think that though. You’ve been so supportive thus far.”
Charlie paused. “I’m sorry, Nad. You’re right. I should support you. Lord knows you’ve had my back for wilder ideas than this.”
Nadine smiled. “I’m thinking of when you decided you were going to rock that mullet.”
He sheepishly grinned. “Oh man. Don’t remind me of that.”
“With the frosted tips?”
The two shared a good laugh and then Nadine went over the program in detail. She was scheduled to leave for camp soon. The first two weeks of the program she would be on earth engaging in colony life simulations. Provided she was able to pass that portion, the remainder of her training would be held on the colony itself. Communication once she was there would be sporadic at best.
Charlie still wasn’t comfortable with the idea. Nadine was more than a friend. She was like a sister to him. Since her parents were gone and she was estranged from her one sibling, Charlie felt responsible for her. He and his wife had welcomed Nadine into their home for most holidays, family events, or just on a random weekend for no reason. Now she would be so far away. Will she be all right? What if something goes wrong? he wondered.
As if reading his thoughts, Nadine said, “There is an emergency contact system in place, just in case. Would you mind if I used you as my contact person?”
Charlie felt a sense of pride. “Absolutely. And if they need me to come down in person and sign anything, I’d be happy to do so.”
“Charlie, it’s 2057. Nobody signs anything in person anymore. You know that.”
“Yeah. That’s true. So, seven months, eh?”
“At least. If all is going well after the six-month tour, I can enlist for a longer deployment.”
Charlie was taken back. “But you wouldn’t do that, would you? I mean seven months is one thing, but then to take more time on top of it?”
Nadine shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess it’ll all depend on how it goes. Charlie, I’m so excited.”
He wanted to share her enthusiasm, but as her self-appointed big brother, Charlie’s mind was too busy racing with every negative thought and potential disaster scenario imaginable. He had to try and shift the conversation.
“What are you going to do about your plants?”
“Excuse me?”
“Your plants. What are you going to do about them? And what about your home? And all your things?”
Slightly confused, Nadine answered, “Well, I only have a few plants, so I guess I could give them away to friends? And as far as my home and my stuff, I figured I’d rent out my house, and the program sets up storage for any items we can’t take with us.” She sensed Charlie’s hesitancy and concern. “Charlie, this isn’t a pop-up, fly-by-night operation. It’s highly organized. It’s not sketchy, I promise. I did my research. It’s reputable and well vetted. I’m gonna be fine.”
They exchanged a warm embrace and then Nadine went back to her office to pack her things. Charlie promised her position would be there waiting for her when she got back, whenever she got back. Nadine smiled and thanked him, but deep down inside she wondered if she’d be coming back at all.
On the day she arrived at space camp, she was relieved to discover she wasn’t the oldest student in her class. Though she’d assured Charlie it was for elder space enthusiasts, in a youth-obsessed culture, she wasn’t exactly sure what qualified as elder. She was thankful it was a healthy and diverse group of friendly people.
The students were housed in a dormitory. Each day consisted of a combination of classroom study and physical activity. No one had considered how much exercise would be involved. As one student remarked during their daily 10-mile hike, “I just wanted to see the colony not run a marathon on it!”
Initially, the program consisted of 25 students. After the first phase of earth-based colony simulation training, that number had dwindled to 15. Nadine was proud she had made it to the second round, even if she had thrown up multiple times during the high-speed inversion simulator exercise. She was moving forward. She would get to see the colony.
The night before the launch, no one in the dorm could sleep. Nadine was a mix of anxiety, excitement and, though she hated to admit it, a little homesickness. Snap out of it, she told herself. You’ve wanted this since you were 8 years old. You can do this.
It felt as if everyone had just drifted off to sleep when the morning alarm sounded. The 15 students gathered near the shuttle entrance. Nadine hadn’t eaten any breakfast for fear of getting sick during the flight. The knots in her stomach would have to tide her over for now.
After ushering the students onboard, the flight crew introduced themselves and gave a short presentation. They covered basic safety features. Nadine paid careful attention to where the space sickness bags were located. And then they were off.
As they achieved maximum velocity, Nadine thought for a moment her face might literally detach from her skull. She was grateful when it didn’t. She felt nauseous the entire time but completed the trip without needing the bag. Some of her classmates weren’t quite as fortunate.
She had hoped for a window seat but was disappointed to learn the shuttle had none in the passenger area. They did, however, have a screen which projected images from cameras located on the shuttle’s wings. It wasn’t the same. I might as well be watching it from home, she thought.
But now they had landed. Soon, the doors would open, and she would get her first glimpse of the colony. Everyone remained seated and silent as the crew gave last-minute instructions. Then the doors began to open. All she could see from her seat was a bright light. She felt a rush of cool air. She inhaled deeply, half expecting it to smell different from the air on earth. It didn’t.
As the students made their way off the shuttle, everyone had the same thought. “This looks just like home.” It was true. Most buildings were all white with domed rooftops, but other than that, it looked rather ordinary. Her classmates were happy to see familiar sites. Not Nadine. Is that all there is? I traveled all this way for this?
The students were taken to their new dormitory which looked surprisingly like the old one. Nadine’s heart sank as she unpacked her things.
But then everything changed.
Their instructor for this portion of the program came in and addressed them. He told them what they’d seen when they got off the shuttle was itself a simulation. This was done deliberately to help newcomers adjust. He shared how in the beginning when the first recruits stepped off the shuttle and saw the actual colony, many were upset. The simulation was a way of easing them into their new setting. He gave them the next day’s schedule and suggested they all eat and get some rest. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.
The next morning the class was buzzing around the breakfast table about what to expect.
“What do you think it really looks like?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think it’s a desert.”
“A desert. Why?”
“I don’t know. Just makes sense that if there’s nothing there, it’d be a desert.”
“Nah, it’s not gonna be a desert. I think it’s gonna be a frozen wasteland.”
“It’s not gonna be a frozen wasteland.”
“Oh yeah. What makes you so sure?”
“Did you check your gear? There’s nothing for cold weather in there.”
“Well, unless they’re gonna give it to us later, you don’t-”
Nadine did her best to block out the chatter. She was deep in thought. There would never be a day quite like today. It didn’t matter to her now what the colony looked like. There were millions of people back home who would never see it, except in digital format. But today she was going to see it in person. And more than that, she was going to be a part of it.
She remembered when discussions about establishing a colony first began. It seemed like a pipe dream then. Life on a planet other than earth? Not possible. Technology didn’t exist for the travel. And even if it did, what were the chances a planet existed somewhere that could sustain humans? There were so many insurmountable obstacles.
But now here it was, many years later, and Nadine was about to explore it. Her heart leapt for joy.
Later that evening as everyone was getting ready for bed, sharing stories of all they’d seen, remarking how much greener it was than they’d imagined, Nadine sat quietly. As the class glanced over the next day’s schedule and how much manual labor was involved, she only smiled.
Yes, the colony was still in its preliminary stages and somewhat primitive. But deep within her heart, she knew she was home. Charlie is not gonna like it when I tell him she thought. Sure, she still had to complete the training, but she felt confident she would. And, perhaps, after her initial deployment, the colony might no longer appeal to her, but she doubted it. For Nadine, the colony represented the best of the past and the brightest for the future. And she was there for all of it.
Flight of the dragonfly 