Chương 9: 9;LONG AWATED TOUR
The helicopter descended into a pristine white courtyard tucked behind the expansive NASA facility. The blades whipped the air into a frenzy, creating a whirlwind that bent the surrounding hedges and sent loose leaves scattering. The courtyard itself gleamed in the last light of the setting sun, its polished concrete surface bordered by carefully tended greenery and spotless white walls.
As the aircraft's rotors slowed to a hum, a woman came into view. She stood tall and poised, her white lab coat flapping gently in the breeze. Her black-rimmed glasses rested neatly on her nose, and her dark hair was tied back into a professional bun. A calm smile played on her lips as she observed the helicopter's descent.
When the helicopter touched down, the doors opened, and Leo and Kai stepped out, their suits looking even sharper in the amber light.
The woman approached, her posture exuding both authority and warmth. "Welcome, Leo," she said, her voice carrying easily over the sound of the slowing rotors.
Leo's face lit up. "Ms. Nana," he said, stepping forward to greet her.
Kai glanced between the two, his brow furrowing in confusion. "You know her?" he asked Leo, his tone almost accusatory.
Dr. Nana smiled at Kai and extended her hand. "You must be Kai," she said warmly. "I've heard so much about you."
Kai hesitated, then took her hand, shaking it firmly. "You have?"
"Oh, absolutely," Dr. Nana replied, her smile growing. "It's nice to finally meet you."
Kai let go of her hand, still puzzled, and turned to Leo. "How does she know me?"
Leo chuckled softly. "She used to visit our house a lot. She and my dad worked on a bunch of projects together."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I see."
Lowering his voice, Leo added, "I think they might have had chemistry, if you know what I mean!"
Dr. Nana, walking ahead, glanced over her shoulder with a knowing smile. "What are you two gossiping about back there?"
Leo straightened immediately, his voice overly enthusiastic. "We're just excited for the tour!"
Kai nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, totally excited!"
Dr. Nana smirked but said nothing. As she turned back around, Kai leaned toward Leo and whispered, "She's beautiful."
Leo grinned, nodding. "She is."
The tour began in earnest as Dr. Nana led the boys through the facility's winding corridors. The building's architecture was sleek and modern, with walls of glass and metal that reflected the soft glow of overhead lights. The air smelled faintly of sterilizing agents, and the hum of machinery provided a constant background noise.
Their first stop was a glass-enclosed exhibit, where Dr. Nana gestured toward a set of cases displaying dull, grayish rocks. "Here," she said, "are lunar rocks recovered from the moon during the Apollo missions."
Leo and Kai leaned closer, their eyes wide. "Wow," Leo breathed, his reflection merging with the rocks on the glass.
Kai pointed at one particularly jagged piece. "So that actually came from the moon? Like, space?"
Dr. Nana nodded. "Exactly. Some of these samples are billions of years old."
Kai whistled. "That's insane."
Their next stop was a small workstation showcasing a single metallic object no bigger than a human finger.
"This," Dr. Nana said, "is the strongest and smallest laser on Earth."
Leo crouched slightly, peering at the device with fascination. "It's tiny," he said. "How can it be the strongest?"
Dr. Nana smirked. "It's not always size that matters, Leo. It's the precision and energy output."
Kai chuckled, nudging Leo. "Hear that? It's about precision."
Leo rolled his eyes but smiled.
The tour continued, each stop more fascinating than the last. They saw experiments involving advanced robotics, specimens of rare materials from across the solar system, and even a prototype of a droid designed for interstellar exploration.
Eventually, Dr. Nana led them to a large observation deck overlooking a sprawling operations room. The floor below was a hive of activity, with scientists seated at rows of glowing monitors, their movements synchronized like a symphony. Machinery buzzed, and screens displayed streams of data, some of which were live feeds from space.
"This is where some of the greatest milestones in space exploration were achieved," Dr. Nana said, her voice filled with pride. "The first successful rocket launches were coordinated here, as well as the creation of some of humanity's most advanced droids."
Leo's eyes lit up. "Like Voyager 1?"
Dr. Nana turned to him, impressed. "Yes, exactly. Voyager 1 was a project born from rooms like this."
Kai stared at the scene below, his expression awestruck. "Amazing," he said softly.
After a few moments, he turned to Dr. Nana. "Can we see the weather collection data facility?"
Dr. Nana raised an eyebrow. "Why not?" she said with a smile. "Follow me."
Kai clenched his fist in triumph, whispering, "Yes!"
Leo chuckled, shaking his head. "You're like a kid in a candy store."
As they walked, a girl with dark, raven-black hair appeared in the hallway, her face like that of an angel's and one of questions as she saw Dr. Nana.
"Aunty Nana?" she exclaimed, curiously.
Dr. Nana glanced back at her briefly but didn't break stride. "Keep up, boys," she called over her shoulder.
Kai and Leo quickened their pace. "We're coming!" Kai called, his voice echoing in the hallway.
The weather collection data facility was a marvel of engineering. The room was filled with towering machinery, blinking lights, and monitors displaying streams of atmospheric data. Instruments like thermometers, hygrometers, and more advanced equipment Leo and Kai didn't recognize were scattered throughout.
Near the entrance, a diagram of Earth's layers was pinned to the wall. Small bags containing samples of each layer were affixed to the diagram.
"These," Dr. Nana said, gesturing toward the samples, "are materials representing the different layers of Earth. For example, the crust contains sand and rock, while the core—" She pointed to a small bag of dark stones—"contains cooled material from the planet's core."
Kai frowned, examining the stones. "How come there aren't any pictures of this online?"
Dr. Nana chuckled. "Not everything is online, Kai."
Meanwhile, Leo had wandered to the other side of the room, where a massive chamber dominated the space.
"What's this?" he asked, pointing to it.
Dr. Nana joined him, her heels clicking softly on the floor. "That's a gas chamber used for mixing and observing gas properties under different conditions."
Both boys were mesmerized as they explored the facility, marveling at the equipment and the endless possibilities they represented.
After what felt like hours, Dr. Nana glanced at the small clock on her wrist. "That's enough for today," she said. "The ceremony is about to start."
Kai's face fell. "But there's so much more to see!"
Dr. Nana smiled, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "There will be other opportunities. I promise to show you around again someday."
Reluctantly, the boys followed her back outside, where the night had fully descended. The courtyard was now alive with people. A massive stage had been set up on the hill, surrounded by rows of chairs filled with spectators. Behind the stage, the silhouette of a massive rocket loomed, its form illuminated by spotlights.
Dr. Nana pointed to the stage. "Go find your seats," she instructed.
Leo hesitated. "What about you, Ms. Nana?"
She smiled. "I'll be watching from here. Now hurry; it's about to begin."
The boys nodded and made their way toward the stage. As they approached, they were stopped by a man in a lab coat.
"Invitations?" he asked.
Leo and Kai handed over their cards. After a quick inspection, the man stepped aside, letting them through.
They found their seats near the front, surrounded by excited chatter and the glow of cameras. As the countdown to the ceremony began, the world around them seemed to fade, leaving only the anticipation of what was to come.
Little did they know, this night would change everything.
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