Karl in Space: Part 1

As the weightlessness overtook him, Karl could feel himself start to drift upward in the tiny capsule, and let out a curse when his head bumped against the metal ceiling. He pulled himself over to the window and looked out, watching the curve of Earth change, flattening and turning into a circle as the craft left the planet behind. It never got old for him, that first sensation of crashing into space, and he smiled behind his heavy helmet.

He turned to his co-pilot, Trevor, who was watching the Earth from another window.

“Wow. It’s pretty,” Trevor said.

Karl liked that about him. He didn’t use too many words when only a couple would get the job done. Karl figured that said something about his personality, something that translated into a good astronaut. Time will tell, Karl thought, and maybe his first mission with the guy would be a success.

Karl pushed back from the window and floated forward to the front of the craft, pulling himself past his partner and toward the controls. With a shove off the ceiling, he propelled himself down and grabbed the control seat. He strapped himself in quickly, before the lack of gravity made him drift again. Now clear of the planet, it was time to get down to work, and he was eager to get started. He began punching numbers into the computer, prepping the craft for the test of the jump drive. The precise calculations were crucial in aligning the engines, otherwise the craft could end uncountably off target. If all went well, they would make history for the longest space jump ever attempted. If it didn’t go well, Karl had said his goodbyes the best he could. It seemed like forever he was standing on the tarmac, looking at his wife.

“Hey baby, don’t look so glum,” Karl said, brushing the red hair out of her eyes. “I’ll be back before you know it. And I’ll be back a hero.”

Kate sniffled, grabbing his hand and holding it tight. “You know I don’t care about that. I just want you. And I want to have your baby.”

They had this conversation before.

“Listen, Kate. You know I don’t want to bring a child into this world knowing I might not make it home someday. I grew up fatherless and swore that would never happen to my kid.”

Kate was about to cut him off, but he stopped her by gently placing his finger over her mouth.

“That’s why when I make it back from this one, I’m retiring,” he said.

Her eyes lit up and a tear fell down her cheek.

“And the first thing I’m going to do in my retirement is knock you up.”

The conversation played through his mind on repeat as he crunched the numbers. When he planned it, he thought it would be a little more romantic, but Kate didn’t seem to care. And he didn’t care either.

Trevor pulled himself into the control seat next to him and strapped in, flicking a switch on the console that started up the engines. Since the invention of the jump engine ten years ago, testing had moved slowly and cautiously. Too much was not understood about how exactly it worked, other than it got astronauts around the galaxy faster than ever previously imagined. The first tests were done hesitantly and over short distances. Ten months ago a mission successfully went from the Earth to Jupiter and back again. Now it was time to push the limits. They were ready to jump farther than ever before, the edge of the known galaxy and back.

Karl finished his work and looked over at Trevor, who nodded back. Karl hit the communicator button to raise the base.

“This is Prometheus, calling Houston,” Karl said. After several moments a tiny, metallic voice rang back, echoing through the shuttle.

“This is Houston. What’s your status Prometheus?”

Karl hit the button again. “Ready to jump, Houston. Here goes nothing. Wish us luck.”

“Roger, Prometheus, come back in one piece. I don’t want to give that cute wife of yours any bad news. Houston out.”

Karl smiled and tightened the belts across his chest. “You ready to do this, Trevor?”

“I guess so,” Trevor said. “In 30 seconds. Thirty, twenty nine….”

His counted down and Karl tried to keep his breath steady. In front of him was just the stars, steady in the night. He put his hands next to his side and gripped the side of the chair.

“Five, four, three, two, one. Ignition.”

Trevor pushed the drive lever forward and the stars blinked.