Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Cosmic Convergence & Quiet Before the Storm
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"Worrying about stuff that's out of my control is a waste of time. I'd rather focus on how to make things more fun."
~ Luca, (Astra Lost In Space)
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<(TV-viewer POV)>
~ Good Morning everyone, I am Sally Floyd, reporting live from the Genosha National Space Center, where history is about to be made. In a few minutes, the first official private space shuttle, named Genesis, will lift off from the launch pad and head towards the International Space Station. This is a landmark moment for Genosha, a small island nation that has emerged as a global leader in cutting-edge technologies in recent years.
The Genesis space shuttle is the result of a collaboration between the Genosha government and the Baxter Foundation, the world's leading science and research organization. The shuttle is designed to carry up to seven astronauts and cargo to deep space and beyond. It is also reusable, meaning it can land back on Earth and be flown again, reducing the cost and environmental impact of space travel.
The crew of the Genesis space shuttle consists of four astronauts. They are:
Dr. Reed Richards, the commander of the mission and a veteran of two previous space flights.
Benjamin Grimm, the pilot of the shuttle and a former fighter jet instructor.
Dr. Susan Storm, the CEO of Baxter Foundation, mission specialist, and a renowned biochemist and biophysicist.
Johnny Storm, a famous actor and stunt specialist who is going to film a movie in space as part of a partnership with Baxter Foundation and GNSC.
The launch of the Genesis space shuttle is scheduled for 6:30 pm local time, which is 10:30 am GMT. The weather conditions are favorable, and the countdown is proceeding smoothly. The shuttle will take off from the launch pad and ascend into the sky, reaching deep space in about thirteen minutes. It will then stay there for about three days where the crew will conduct various experiments, activities, and media events during their stay. The shuttle will then return to Earth, landing again at the Genosha Space Center.
The launch of the Genesis space shuttle is a historic achievement for Genosha and Baxter Foundation and a milestone for humanity's exploration of the final frontier. We will bring you live coverage of the launch and the mission as it unfolds. Stay tuned for more updates. This is Sally Floyd from Genosha Ox News, signing off.~
The beautiful female reporter ended her report with her signature beautiful smile that she was known for with the scene in her background showing a big space shuttle getting ready for its launch.
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<(Atem POV)>
'They really turned this entire thing around, didn't they?' I originally only intended to launch the space shuttle from Genosha to forego all the headaches that would have accompanied the takeoff if it were to be launched from America. But turns out that the Genoshian Government and all the News agencies of Genosha loved it so much that they projected it to the public in a way that made it seem like this launch would be the next big thing in not only the country but the entire world's space industry as well.
However, they were not wrong. If this project was successful, Baxter Foundation would be the first private company to ever launch and land a shuttle successfully and would instantly catapult the capped-profit organization into one of the world's most premier and forward-thinking firms with Genosha able to project itself as the new hotspot for startups, businesses, and investments which was something I desired since I wanted to end Genoshas's dependency on Meta Enterprises.
The impact of this launch would have been even greater on the wide world if people knew that this was largely meant to test out the possibility of faster-than-light speed travel. Unfortunately, we could not reveal that at this stage because I knew as a matter of fact that any country that actually believed in Reed's capability unlike the USA would do everything in its power to steal or copy that particular technology. In their greed, they could even probably declare war against Genosha despite knowing that their chances of winning were almost next to zero. But that's what greed does to people, it blinds them.
Also, I knew at least a couple of dozen villains who would sell their very souls to Satan (quite literally) if it meant getting their hands on the proprietary technology. And that's why since I had no wish to cause a bloodbath in the launch grounds on the day of such an auspicious event, I simply made sure to keep the entire faster-than-light-speed drive technology completely confidential.
"Are all of you ready? We need to hurry up, we are almost behind schedule." Reed came up to me, eyeing the rest of the team after his fourth round of checks of all the systems.
"Yep, we are already as prepared as we will ever be. So, no point in delaying things any further. We have a welcome back party to plan for as well after we come back." Johnny said with his excitement barely hidden. He already had marks of lipstick and kisses on his face, indicating that he was enjoying his stardom way more than the rest of them.
All of the four employees of the Baxter Foundation were quite nervous yet excited at the same time. They were all dressed in special astronaut suits which were about one-third the thickness of normal extravehicular mobility units. Underneath their astronaut suits, they were wearing skin suits made of unstable molecules which were directly recommended by me since I had no idea if they would be affected by their powers while still in the spacecraft or not.
"The maintenance team is already done with their part of the work as well. So, let's just go ahead and board the craft." Ben proposed to which everyone just nodded and followed after him.
Susan of course gave me a discrete wink with a naughty smile before she and the other three were out of my sight.
The four were the only ones going. I wasn't going to go with them..., at least not through the rocket ship. Instead, I was going to join them in space after they reached their initial coordinates in deep space.
I could have easily gone with them but the thing is I would very much prefer flying to space or portalling there through a boom time instead of riding a goddamn space shuttle.
"Sir, I have detected multiple hidden cameras and drones. I have already deactivated most of the ones who tried to steal information from us or were just too annoying. As for the rest who were just there to observe the entire event, I have left them alone for now, so, as long as they do not make the same mistake of trying to steal data from us again, they will be allowed to observe the entire launch to their heart's content." Zoya informed dutifully.
"Good, very good indeed. After all, even villains have the right to entertain themselves by watching the lift-off while sitting in the comfort of their home, not trying to destroy the world anymore." I agreed with her.
"Did Doom send a done as well?" I asked curiously.
"Yep, those weirdly shaped flying objects that look like mechanical butterflies are his drones. No sanction has been placed on any of them yet since he hasn't tried anything shady but I am keeping my eyes on him." Zoya answered at which I nodded.
Doom probably won't try anything due to the contract but practicing some vigilance is never bad.
As I stood in my spot with a relaxed expression, Zoya continuously updating me on the take-off every few minutes, I began to wonder to myself if my interference in the history of the Fantastic Four especially in their origin story was going to make any drastic or major changes to the plot. I knew there would be butterfly effects but I had no idea how big they would be. I could only hope that none of the changes were too big for me to handle. I would hate for some zombie virus to suddenly break out of nowhere and destroy the planet and the entire human civilization on it.
"Ten... Nine... Eight..." A loud countdown began to echo over the entire place as the rocket began to release a huge amount of force to slowly try to propel itself up.
"The unique solar storm that you mentioned was steadily forming near the sun, it's still going to happen right?" I asked with a frown.
"Yes sir, It has a 99.94 percent chance of happening. It could probably affect the space shuttle and might even result in a major malfunction in the systems if not handled carefully. Caution is advised. The best course of action is to halt the launch until the storm passes away." Zoya advised.
"Three... Two... One... Blast-off" The entire rocket began to slowly lift off into the sky, releasing a blanket of smoke in its wake.
"... No, don't stop them. I'll make sure that they don't die. I am responsible for them and with my current powers, it will be quite easy too. As for the gathering of the Solar storm, keep an eye out for it. Make sure to gather as much data about the storm as you can. Also, increase Genosha's planetary defense. For some reason, I feel uneasy about this calm situation. It feels easy... too easy actually." I commanded in a worried tone.
"Whatever you say, sir. Your gut is rarely wrong after all, a perk of the cosmic awareness I suppose."
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