In the year 4625, humanity finally outran the speed of light.
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 cabin hummed softly beneath Mila's boots. Every vibration felt alive — like the heartbeat of something colossal beneath her feet.
She sat strapped into her harness, eyes flicking toward the viewport. The ship's silver hull gleamed under the floodlights outside. Beyond that — darkness. Endless stars, quiet and cold.
Her palms were damp.
Her heart wouldn't slow down.
For years, she'd dreamed of this moment — humanity's four-times-faster-than-light launch. Now that it was here, it felt surreal. Heavy. Beautiful. Terrifying.
Am I really ready for this?
Then, the cabin speakers crackled to life.
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.
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 shielding the body from extremes of +500°C to –300°C — we set foot on Venus, Mercury, and Mars. Harsh worlds. Barren. Unforgiving. But they proved one thing: humanity could survive beyond Earth.
Still, they were only the beginning.
That changes today."**
A tremor rippled through Mila's arms. She took a deep breath, trying to steady it.
**"Today, humanity takes its first step into the unknown.
The E-Flash Z719 — our most ambitious spacecraft — stands ready on its launch cradle. Months ago, it shattered the impossible: not just breaking the light barrier, but soaring at four times its speed. Engines flawless. Shielding unbroken. Every system tested, tested again, and tested once more.
But this was not achieved alone. Centuries of discovery led us here: the detection of dark matter in 3200. The matter-transformation breakthroughs of John Mayer. The innovations of Mark Lee and Steve Harvey in the 4200s. And the tireless dedication of every mind at NASA — and beyond. Step by step, generation by generation, they carried us to this very day.
To all of them, we give thanks.
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 humanity seizes the stars."**
Mila sat quietly in her harness, listening as the announcer's words thundered through the cabin speakers. Each sentence pressed heavier against her chest. Her palms were damp, her heartbeat uneven. She had dreamed of this moment since childhood — the day humanity would truly leave the cradle of Earth.
And yet, now that it was here, it felt unreal. Terrifying. Beautiful. A weight far too great for one person — or even six — to carry alone. This wasn't just their mission. It was humanity's.
She glanced toward the viewport. Beyond the glass stretched the launch bay, floodlights blazing against the ship's silver hull. The sky above was deepening into night, a faint scatter of stars peeking through. A thought whispered sharp in her mind: Will I ever see those stars the same way again?
The announcer's voice cut back in, steady and proud, pulling her from the thought.
**"The spacecraft will launch today at 7 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 Primora, aka 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 three times the size of Earth, its mysteries remain endless.
The journey will take approximately one year, with regular updates provided by NASA."**
The screen faded to black, leaving only the NASA insignia glowing against the starfield.
One hour before the launch.
All across Earth, people left work early, gathering with family in front of glowing screens. Some cheered in excitement, some watched in silence, and others whispered prayers. No matter their feelings, the world's attention was united on one thing: the launch of humanity's first faster-than-light spacecraft.
Meanwhile, inside the vessel itself, the five chosen astronauts stood ready.
A soft exhale slipped from one of them. Mila.
She had always carried a spark — bright eyes, quick smiles, boundless energy. But now, with the weight of the mission pressing down on her, she looked different. Quieter. Her gaze lingered on the viewport, where the distant horizon of Earth shimmered below. Another sigh escaped her lips.
"Mila, you good?" a voice asked.
She turned. James stood nearby, his expression calm but searching. Tears clung to the corners of Mila's eyes, though she forced a small smile. "Hey… I'm good."
"Are you sure?" he pressed gently.
She hesitated, her voice trembling. "I just… I'm still young. And this mission is so big. Ever since I was a kid, space was my dream. The endless stars, the unknown. I've always wanted to be here, to see it all with my own eyes. But now that I'm here… I don't know if it's really safe. It's a year-long journey. Anything could happen. And my family… they're worried about me."
James gave a slow nod, then placed a steady hand on her shoulder. His smile was warm. "I get it. My family's worried too. But that doesn't mean this journey won't be worth it. Think about it — your dream is right in front of you. We'll fly past the entire solar system, see every world on the way. And when we go under deep sleep, the next time we wake… we'll be staring at a new star system, ready to explore. You said it yourself — this is what you always wanted."
Mila breathed out, a shaky laugh escaping. "Yeah… maybe it will be fun." She smiled back at him.
Then the loudspeaker crackled.
"T-minus ten."
The cabin trembled with energy. Mila's heart hammered.
"Nine… eight…"
Engines roared beneath them, the vibration rattling through every panel, every strap of their harnesses. Outside the ship, plumes of white steam burst into the air, curling into the night like ghostly fire.
"Seven… six…"
Across Earth, billions of eyes stared at glowing screens. Some shouted with joy, fists pumping in the air. Some gripped each other's hands, silently begging for safety. And some only watched with quiet dread, whispering to themselves.
Is it going to work?
Will they survive?
Will we finally meet alien life?
"Five… four… three…"
Mila's fingers dug into the armrest. Through the small viewport, she could see the floodlights glaring off the launch platform, the darkening sky above.
"Two… one…"
The world held its breath.