Destiny Among the Stars - Scifi - LitRPG - Adventure

After Luca was done with his dramatic introduction, which he felt like had lasted a lifetime, they moved on to the crew messages. One by one, each member of the crew stepped before the camera to deliver their pre-written message.

Emily adjusted her uniform one more time, smoothing down the fabric. "Do I look okay?" she asked, catching Luca's eye in the reflection of the observation deck's massive viewport.

"You always look good," he said, not bothering to hide his smile. "Though I'm pretty sure Earth won't care if your collar's off."

"Some of us want to make a good impression," she shot back, but her tone was warm. "Unlike certain captains who look like they just rolled out of bed."

Luca ran a hand through his hair, trying to smooth it down. "Hey, this is my 'effortlessly disheveled' look. Very captain-like."

She brushed an invisible speck of lint from his shoulder. "This matters, Luca."

He caught her hand gently. "I know it does."

She looked up at him then, and he could see the nervous energy behind her careful composure, like the way she needed everything to be perfect, especially today. It was one of the things he loved about her, even if he didn't always share the intensity.

"Try to keep it short, people," Luca mumbled, earning a glare from Emily. He couldn't help but think that these messages, drafted by Karen's PR team back on Earth, were a bit… much. Deep and somber messages of hope? Sure, why not. Though he was pretty sure none of them actually felt that way.

Danny, officially their Science Officer, went first. He cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses, and gave the camera a nervous little wave. He spoke about the scientific importance of their findings, his voice filled with a quiet intensity that was so Danny. He talked about the data, the potential for discoveries, and something about their place in the universe.

Luca zoned out a bit, picturing what kind of alien life they might encounter, and if any of it was edible, when Emily's elbow found his ribs. He straightened up, giving her an innocent "what?" look. She just rolled her eyes and nodded toward Danny, who was still going strong.

"Good job, Danny," Luca said, giving him a thumbs-up as he stepped away from the camera. He blushed, muttering a "thanks" and nearly tripping over a cable on his way back to his seat.

Ryan was more animated, flexing his biceps as he stepped in front of the camera. Typical.

"Alright, people, let's talk tech!" he began, grinning like a maniac. He was in his element, and it showed. He detailed the technical challenges they had overcome to get here, pointing at different parts of the observation deck as if they were exhibits in a museum.

He spoke with passion about the intricacies of the ship, the innovative solutions they'd implemented, and the sheer ingenuity required to travel such vast distances. Luca thought he even mentioned his name a couple of times, which was nice of him, even if it was probably in the script.

"Don't forget to mention the part where you almost blew us up," Joey called out from the back, earning a round of laughter. Ryan just winked, unfazed.

"That was a minor setback," he said, "But we learned from it, didn't we? Always learning. That's the motto of this mission." He finished with a flourish, striking a ridiculous pose that made even Emily giggle.

Joey, their medical officer, ever the optimist, talked about how important it was for them to stay healthy on this trip.

He gave a pointed look at Ryan and Luca. "Especially after that little stunt in the gym," he added, making Luca wince. "My infirmary is well-stocked, but I'd rather not have to use it on idiots." He mentioned the challenges of keeping a crew healthy in space and some potential for medical breakthroughs. Then, because it's Joey, he also managed to slip in a comment about resource exploitation, his eyes gleaming.

"Imagine the medical applications of alien flora," he said, a little too enthusiastically. "We could be looking at cures for diseases we haven't even encountered yet. And yes," he added, with a wink, "there's money to be made." Classic Joey, always thinking about profits.

Chris actually seemed to believe the whole "international cooperation" and "representing humanity" bit. He stood tall and delivered his lines with a sincerity that was almost painful. Luca swore, the guy could sell ice to an Eskimo. He spoke about collaboration, transcending national boundaries, and their shared responsibility. He also emphasized his contribution to the recording's visual aspect, which, to be fair, was pretty good. Karen's team would be pleased. Muscles and morals, that's Chris.

Zoe shared her hopes for discovering new life, her words painting a vivid picture of the wonders that might await them. She paced back and forth in front of the camera, her skirt swirling around her legs. Distracting, to say the least.

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She talked about charting unknown territories, navigating a new star system, and the possibilities that awaited them. Luca found himself getting caught up in her enthusiasm for a moment. Maybe this won't be so bad after all. Even if the message was a bit cheesy, she delivered it well.

As she nervously stepped up to the camera, Ryan and Danny called out to her in a playful voice, "Zoe... Zoe... Zoe!" She rolled her eyes and smiled, shaking her head at their antics as she returned to her seat, her tone teasing.

"Think we'll find any hot aliens? Our pickings here on this ship aren't exactly top quality," she said, turning to Emily with a grin. Emily just laughed, shaking her head. "One can only hope," she replied.

Emily, caught Luca's eye and gave him a reassuring smile before stepping forward. Even reading a script probably written by some marketing intern, she managed to sound genuine. Her voice was filled with that quiet strength that always captivated him.

She spoke about the human spirit, their need to explore, and understanding the universe. She talked about the courage it took to leave everything behind and the importance of holding onto their humanity. Okay, maybe Karen's team earned their pay on that one. It almost made him feel better about this whole thing.

Finally, it was Luca's turn. He stepped before the camera, feeling the weight of the moment, the eyes of his crew upon him. And the camera, recording everything for posterity, or at least until the probe crashed into something.

"Don't mess this up," he muttered under his breath, earning a chuckle from Ryan.

"Just read the damn teleprompter," he whispered back.

Luca took a deep breath and stuck to the script, talking about the challenges they had faced, the uncertainties ahead, and the belief that had brought them this far. He mentioned their hopes for the future, the discoveries they might make, and the legacy they hoped to leave behind, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt.

He talked about the incredible team he was leading, their dedication, resilience, and shared dream of exploring the stars, and for a moment, he almost believed he was the right person for this job. Maybe this whole captain thing wouldn't be so bad. And he'd get to make one of those grandiose speeches for real someday without a teleprompter.

When the last message was recorded, Chris ended the session. The red light on the camera blinked off. A collective sigh seemed to ripple through the crew, a release of tension, and maybe a little bit of embarrassment. They had done it. They had created a record of their journey, a message in a bottle cast into the vastness of space, full of words written by someone else. Now, hopefully, they could find something out here that makes all this worthwhile.

After the official recording wrapped, the atmosphere relaxed slightly. The communication probe was prepped for launch, its storage packed with the mission's early findings, the official recording, and personal video messages from each crew member. Luca leaned against the console, watching as Ryan and Zoe finalized the probe's trajectory.

They were sending a piece of themselves back to Earth, he guessed. Or at least, that's what he told himself. He hoped they edited the fuck out of this video before it went live across the UER. Now, if only they could find a planet made of solid gold, they'd be set.

As they uploaded their data, Luca glanced toward Emily, who was reviewing her own message one last time.

She stared at the screen a little longer, her fingers hovering near the send button. He didn't ask who the message was for; he already knew there wasn't really anyone waiting to read it.

"Think this thing will beat us back to Earth?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope and nervous energy. And that cute little furrow in her brow.

"If we stick to the schedule, we'll beat it by weeks," Luca said. Honestly, though, the timing felt secondary to everything else they still had to do.

The probe's smaller, faster-than-light engine meant it would take twenty to thirty weeks to reach Sol, and if all went well, the crew of the Triumph of Darron would already be back, delivering their findings firsthand before it even arrived. That was the plan, anyway. They only had three of the things; each outfitted with a compact, low-yield FTL drive, salvaged from a high-tier portal discovered beneath Europa's ice crust.

It was too small and unstable for real starships, but good enough to fling a datacore across the stars. Assuming the thing didn't disintegrate mid-jump.

Luca stood beside Emily, the hum of the ship a faint backdrop to their moment of quiet. He rested a hand on her shoulder, his thumb absently brushing the fabric of her uniform. The weight of the speech, the data, the mission ahead, all of it lingered in his mind, fueling his excitement. And all he wanted was to stay like this, close to her, just a little longer

"Do you ever think about where we'll be in four years?" Luca asked, his voice low, filled with a sense of wistfulness. The four-year mark. It seemed so arbitrary, and yet, it held so much weight. It was when everything had changed, when the 'system' had arrived and turned them all into something... different. They were just kids, 16 years old. And now here they were. On the edge of a new star system.

Emily glanced up at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Her eyes held a hint of hope, and also, something that felt like longing. The kind that came from having no one to miss you. No one to write home to.

"I'm hoping I'll be with you, Luca," she whispered, almost to herself. "Wherever 'it' happens to be."

Luca's breath caught, but he forced himself to remain calm. He hoped that, too. More than anything. He couldn't imagine his life without her in it. He couldn't imagine his life at all in four years without her, and the thought of being alone in this vast nothing was terrifying.

Her green eyes sparkled as she met his, and he knew they were thinking the same thing: that there was something deeper connecting them, something that transcended the mission, the ship, and everything else.

But then her gaze dropped, and he saw it: the shift in her posture, the faint tension in her shoulders. He knew what it was. The silence waiting back on Earth. No one to read her messages.

"Nope," Luca said suddenly, stepping closer. "Not happening."

"What!?" Emily blinked as he scooped her up, one arm under her knees, the other around her back, a startled laugh escaping her lips. "Luca! Put me down!"

"Negative," he muttered, already heading toward the stairs. "Mission-critical morale adjustment in progress. Captain's authority."

"You're abusing your rank," she protested, but she wasn't really fighting him. Her arm was already wrapped around his shoulder, breath warm against his neck.

"Good. Means it's working."

She rolled her eyes, but he caught the corner of her mouth twitching. "If you drop me, I swear!"

"Then I'll have to carry you all the way to the lounge." He grinned. "And make you eat pizza. Like a savage."

The doors slid open, and her delighted laughter echoed down the corridor as she gave a playful wriggle in his arms, forcing Luca to readjust his hold.