He was surrounded by darkness, the ground beneath his feet barely visible amid the gloom. Groping his way forwards, he felt completely disorientated. This time it seemed more real, more coherent. Finally, he found the steps and started to climb. It was almost certainly hopeless. Every previous attempt to reach the top had been defeated by the never-ending staircase. But there was no other way forwards and he was determined to find out what was up there.
A faint glow appeared. At first weak, then brightening in the distance. Something was happening. He quickened his pace. He had to reach that light. With each footstep, his surroundings began to stabilize, the steps taking on an ivory hue. His footfall now echoed in a blackness that was slowly but surely fading as the strange warmth of the light grew closer.
He remained doubtful. Surely everything would melt away again as soon as he reached the top. But this time it did not happen. Instead, he found himself in a narrow corridor paved with grey stone. It ended in an imposing steel door; the light was shining around it from the other side. He strode up to the door and firmly seized its handle. At first it resisted, but he was resolute. He had to know what lay on the other side. This time he would not give up. Heaving with all his might, the door gradually started to move with a resounding creak. Finally, he pulled it open wide enough to be able to squeeze through to the other side.
Once through, the light temporarily blinded him. A dazzling brightness shimmered all around, dazing him. His eyes needed a moment to adjust; it was a sudden change from the gloom of the stairs to such a brightly lit space. Once he was accustomed to the light, he realized he was inside a vast cavern. Its walls soared hundreds of feet upwards towards a seemingly endless sky. This distant space above was emitting the glow that illuminated his surroundings. His head was spinning. What was this place? He spotted a winding path that led inwards into the cavern and decided to follow it. It led him to a stream that unnervingly flowed with water as red as blood.
As he stared down at the aberrant waters, a great wave suddenly surged through the cavern and he was picked up and helplessly dragged along by the torrent. He flailed around, fighting to keep his head above the water as his body was dashed against the rocks. Suddenly, as abruptly as it had started, the great flood of water subsided.
He had been washed up on the shore of a lake. Pulling his battered, blood-stained body to his feet, he glanced around. A shadow lay across the entire shore. He instantly saw what was causing it; a tree of titanic proportions towered over everything from the centre of the lake. He had never seen anything like it before. And yet, it inexplicably seemed somehow familiar. Roots protruded from the water and reached out across the length of the shore. Its powerful, dense branches were covered with long, narrow leaves and red fruit. The entire tree radiated an indescribable strength, an energy. A sound startled him and he turned to his right, to find the source of the noise. That was when he saw it. A vast mass of silvery fur and muscular legs ending in terrible claws. A powerful head armed with sharp fangs and set with flashing, sharp eyes. It was a type of giant wolf. It was greedily drinking water from the lake without paying him any attention. He stared at the beast, frozen, unable to move or speak. All he could do was watch as it lapped up water from the lake. Then it stopped. Slowly, it turned its huge head towards him. Its burning eyes pierced right through him. His body started to convulse and his head raged as if he were burning in the flames of a thousand fires.
WAKEUP!
He heard a low voice inside his head as he fought off bouts of convulsions, his skull in danger of bursting. An indescribable pain wracked his entire body. The cavern suddenly fell into darkness, the ground started to crack open and the gigantic tree began to crumble. Heavy branches were hurled down all around, crashing to the ground with the boom of heavy artillery. His bloodshot eyes oozed blood but he couldn’t take his eyes off the huge wolf. It stared back at him unwaveringly with its fiery gaze.
WAKE UP!
The whole cave had collapsed. The vast tree had disappeared. He and the silver wolf were all that remained. Everything around him had been lost to the shadows. He fell to his knees, his hands clutching his head, ravaged with pain. The beast leapt forwards and trotted over to him with its jaws open.
WAKE UP!
He wanted to move. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. But he was powerless. The wolf was on top of him, the wolf was going to destroy him. Then its features split into two and a giant, metal face appeared, expanding to fill all the space before him…
WAKE UP!
“Aaarrggghhh!” Luis screamed, thrashing around and rocking the bed in fright.
Marta woke with a start next to him and, grumbling, groped around to switch on the bedside lamp. She was dark-skinned and slim with a petite, slender body and curly, dyed-blonde hair.
“Another nightmare? It’s barely six in the morning. You’re unbelievable! Luis, neither of us are getting any sleep like this… You’ve got to sort this out. Find out what’s causing them,” she complained, irritated.
Luis was now awake, his body drenched in sweat. The back of his neck was stinging and his temples ached with a dull throb. He glanced at Marta, feeling vulnerable. He knew she was right. Nevertheless, he would have appreciated a little more patience and understanding. After all, whenever she had a problem, she always demanded his full attention, whereas when something was the matter with him…
“I’m sorry… This time the nightmare was different. It seemed so real. I got to the top of the stairs. They led to a corridor with a door at the end, and behind it—”
Marta cut him off. “Luis, I’m sorry, but seriously, now’s not the time… Let me sleep, the alarm doesn’t go off for another two hours. Tell me about it tomorrow,” she interrupted him before burying her head underneath the pillow.
Luis gave her a resigned look and got out of bed. He headed towards the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror. His face was soaked with sweat. The young man looking back at him was handsome with chestnut, almost blonde, hair and startling blue eyes. He was six feet tall with the athletic build of a natural sportsman. He splashed his face with water and dried his damp body with a towel. The throbbing pain in his head was fading, but the back of his neck still stung. It felt as though he had been burnt. Probing with his fingers, he examined it in the mirror as best he could but there wasn’t much to see. The skin just looked slightly red.
He knew he would never get back to sleep now so he decided to go for a swim; it would help him clear his mind. Besides, he didn’t want to bother Marta again, particularly after the mood she had just woken up in. Not that he could blame her. To be honest, he increasingly found himself wondering about their relationship. She was certainly very attractive, occasionally even interesting. But the truth was, he wasn’t quite sure why he was still seeing her. Technically, they weren’t even officially a couple… It was just supposed to be a casual fling. But she was getting possessive and took every chance she had to stake her claim when they were around other people, particularly other girls.
All in all, it’d be better if he finished it, he thought. He gathered up his clothes: jeans and a t-shirt. He dressed and left Marta’s flat, trying not to make any noise as he closed the door. She lived in the heart of Seville, close to Plaza Nueva, whereas his flat was in Triana, on the other side of the river. He hesitated for a moment, considering whether to walk back. In the end he decided to use a bicycle from the public bicycle hire scheme introduced by the Town Hall just a couple of years earlier. At that hour it was practically still night time. Barely any traffic was moving around the city, except for the occasional taxi and the street sweepers whose labours left the roads looking decent before the busy morning rush hour.
He crossed San Telmo Bridge, leaving the Torre del Oro behind him, and turned right at Plaza de Cuba onto Calle Betis where he lived in an attic flat. He left the bicycle in the doorway and briefly went up to collect his things. His flat was small but cosy. Its best feature was the terrace with impressive river views, the great envy of all his friends. He returned downstairs and got back on the bicycle, now heading to the gym where he went swimming most mornings. He arrived in a flash and before the sun was up, he was already doing lengths in the Olympic-sized pool. The gym was housed in an old industrial warehouse that, years earlier, had been used to manufacture light aircraft.
He enjoyed the sensation of his body cutting through the water with each stroke. Swimming brought him inner peace; it was a chance to let his mind run free, to detach from his responsibilities and find a sense of perspective. In fact, whenever he felt low, he always went swimming to reconnect with himself and gather his thoughts. Today was one of those days. He had been having the same dream for several nights now. But this time it had been different. He had no idea what it meant, but something told him it was important. Of course, it could all just be nonsense, he reminded himself. Maybe the dreams had simply been inspired by something he had read, a film, or maybe a videogame he had played recently.
If he thought about it carefully, what were a few troublesome dreams in the great scheme of things? He couldn’t really complain about how life had treated him up until now. He came from a wealthy family who had always shown him love and given him the freedom to do what he enjoyed. He had several close friends and was on friendly terms with plenty more. Studying and sports came easily to him and attracting girls had never been a problem either thanks to his easy-going nature and good looks. In fact, if he had one complaint it was that he could put people’s backs up before they got to know him properly; they seemed to expect him to be insufferably smug. And yet, despite his accomplishments, he always tried to be humble. Which didn’t mean he would keep his mouth shut if someone enviously tried to belittle his achievements. It wasn’t his fault if he could easily turn his hand to any task required of him. Things just came to him more naturally than they did to others, perhaps because he threw the full force of his willpower and strength of ambition at any challenge he faced.
Once he was satisfied with his swim, he showered and left the gym. He decided to cycle straight on to university instead of driving. The University of Seville Faculty of Engineering was right next to Triana neighbourhood in La Cartuja, the site of Expo ’92. It was the middle of September 2012. Luis had been studying Aerospace Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering for over four years. He had always been a highly dedicated student, excelling in his studies ever since he was small. During his time at university, he had been studying and working on various practical projects, progressing much further than any of his classmates. The rapid headway he had made had convinced him that he would be one of the chosen few selected for the new work group that was being put together. This work group would take part in the Hermes Project run by the EAC, the European Aerospace Centre. The EAC had opened just two years earlier, the grand wager by the Spanish government and European Union. Both hoped these new facilities would give European research and development into space exploration the boost it needed.
Luis soon arrived at the faculty building, dropping off the bicycle at the docking station and heading towards the cafeteria. There was still half an hour before classes started, just enough time for a reviving orange juice and some toast and ham. He needed to charge his batteries and after such a disturbing start to the morning it was time to get his day back on a more even keel. As soon as he walked through the door he spotted Eva sitting at a table and he went straight over to say hello. Eva was slightly shorter than Luis and slim with long, chestnut hair. He had always thought that she had a particularly sweet face. They’d been classmates since the first year of university and right now he thought he probably shared more in common with her than anyone else he knew.
“Morning, Eva. Have you ordered yet?”
“Hi Luis! No, not yet, I was just looking over this… Could you order me a white coffee and some toast with tomato?”
“Yes, sure. Be right back.”
He headed over to the bar and ordered while Eva continued to glance over several pages of notes. She was nervous, like Luis. She hoped to be accepted for the Hermes Project too. In fact, all their classmates shared the same dream. Perhaps Eva didn’t stand out in quite the same way as Luis, but she was extremely hard-working and systematic and had succeeded in catching her lecturers’ eye. However, there were other highly qualified classmates in their year who also stood a good chance of being picked. And the group of successful candidates would be undoubtedly be very small. They were still unsure exactly how many places would be available but their tutor, Dr Alfonso Galiano, was due to announce the final list that very morning.
“Your coffee and toast. Enjoy,” Luis put a tray with everything on the table.
“Thanks, you’re a star,” Eva sketched a smile.
“I guess you’re nervous too, right?”
“Yes, I’m not even going to pretend otherwise… Being part of something as big as the Hermes Project would be a dream come true for me. Well, I guess it would for you too, I know what you’re like.”
“Yes, it would… But I’m sure we’re both going to get in. Just you wait and see… I can’t wait to see who else they choose. I really hope Clara, Sandra and Lucas make it.”
“It’s so exciting… I mean, it’s not every day you get picked to work on building a space shuttle! And especially right next to your house, can you believe it⁈” Eva said, laughing.
“No, I can’t… But I don’t just want to help build it, I want to travel into space on it too. Can you imagine?”
“Come on, Earth to Luis, I think your dreams are getting a bit out of hand again. Flying into space isn’t the same as doing one of your parachute jumps.”
“Yeah, you’re right. But dreaming’s free, so I don’t plan to stop any time soon!”
They finished breakfast and stood up to pay. Luis insisted on treating Eva and she thanked him; she never could persuade him to let her pay. When they left the cafeteria they ran into their classmates Clara, Sandra and Lucas, their closest friends. Together they climbed the stairs to the first floor and headed towards the lecture hall where they had their first class. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t see their tutor until the end of the morning. Only then would he finally reveal the list of students selected for the Hermes Project.
The morning dragged on. Today they had two classes before Astronautics and Space Vehicles with Dr Galiano. Luis always sat with Eva in every class. They were signed up for the same subjects and had been inseparable since they met in the first year. She listened closely as the Calculus for Aviation lecturer gave his lesson on the importance of default settings for wing loading and the thrust to weight ratio. Luis glanced at her and smiled to himself; she was always so serious in class and then so cheerful out of it. He would never forget their accidental meeting back in the first year…
Back then he always used to take the bus to university and although he didn’t yet know it, Eva also caught the same one. One day, one of their lecturers invited the group to a talk about ion thrusters that was being given in a hotel in the city centre. When they left, Eva approached him, as cheerful as always, and explained that they were both students at the Faculty of Engineering and that she had seen him on the same bus as her from time to time. And as it turned out, she wasn’t sure how to get home from the hotel. She was new to the city, she was from a town in Cordoba province, and she still did not know her way around.
Luis liked her from the very first moment. He agreed to help her if they went for a drink first, she seconded the idea, and before they knew it four hours had flown by without a break in the conversation. It was the start of a friendship that would only grow stronger over the next four years, each becoming a constant support for the other. It was obvious that they had great chemistry, not just as friends but as work colleagues too. It was the reason they always tried to be together in all their work placements and university projects. They’d often been asked why they weren’t a couple, but the truth was they had never seen each other in that way. Each had had their own separate relationships and they had never considered forming a bond beyond that of their close friendship.
Before they knew it, Calculus for Aviation had finished and there were ten minutes left before the next class, Flight Mechanics II, began. Luis followed his classmates out into the corridor; everyone needed some fresh air between lectures. Some students seized their chance to dash outside for a cigarette, some rushed to the cafeteria for a caffeine hit, while others simply stayed behind chatting. Luis and Eva caught up with Sandra, Clara and Lucas. Inseparable friends, the two girls were average height, one was dark-haired and the other blonde, and Sandra had a slightly fuller figure. In contrast, Lucas was short, with black hair and glasses. He had always been rather shy, but once he found his confidence there was no way of shutting him up, especially when aeroplane design or space vehicles were up for discussion.
“Well, not long to go now. Soon we’ll find out who the nominees for ‘Big Brother in Space’ are!” Lucas let out an impatient laugh.
“Yeah, and I don't think I’ll be one of them, I get too nervous in the work placements,” Sandra looked at them, rueful.
“Oh, don’t say that! You’re good enough, you’ll see. All you need is a bit more practice at controlling your nerves. Either that or we’ll de-stress you with heaps of herbal tea!” Clara burst out laughing.
“What about you, Luis? You’re being very quiet… Do you think you’ve got in?” Lucas focused his attention on him.
“To be honest, I thought I’d be more nervous than I am… I think I’m actually getting calmer… And more optimistic. We’re all going to get in, you’ll see. Don’t ask me how, but I’m sure of it,” He smiled at everyone.
Now Robert, Santiago and Jorge approached them, chatting among themselves animatedly.
“Look who we’ve got here, the other group of geniuses in the class. Other than us three, of course!” Roberto joked with laughter.
Eva rolled her eyes. “Here we go, just what was missing, the guys with egos as big as the Moon.”
“Hey, listen, no egos here… If we say that we mean it. You should be flattered,” Jorge stuck his tongue out at her, making a mocking face.
“Chill out everyone. We’re all in the same boat here. Are you guys nervous about being selected?” Lucas said to calm the waters.
“Nervous? Why would we be? We’re in for sure. You only have to look at our grades and practical experience to see we’re the best in the year,” Santiago said patronisingly.
“Come on, enough banter, let’s wait and see what happens. Anyway, it’s time for Flight Mechanics,” Clara pointed to her watch.
The students trooped off back to the classroom and sat down to wait for their lecturer. Despite appearances, Roberto, Santiago and Jorge weren’t bad types. They were arrogant, but it was no wonder. They’d been the typical class swots their entire lives and were burning with ambition. The problem was that their social skills lacked finesse and sometimes it was hard to find common ground. They were good guys deep down, just very competitive. Roberto was average height and slightly chubby; his hair had started to thin two years ago and showed no sign of stopping. In contrast, Santiago was tall and gangly, his glasses and pointed nose giving him a hawk-like appearance. Jorge had a normal build but always felt insecure about his acne-prone complexion.
Since the first year, the three students had been determined to be top of the class. This had led to the occasional conflict with Luis; they couldn’t help but feel jealous because not only had he outdone them on numerous occasions, he was also really popular. Especially with girls, who still remained unexplored territory for Roberto and Jorge. Santiago had had a girlfriend since school, Elena, a medical student they saw from time to time when she came to visit him at the faculty.
The next two hours were spent in an unbroken stream of diatribes on aeroplane assembly, certification and endless equations applicable to the movement of aerial vehicles. Unusually for him, Luis only made two comments in class; most of the time he was lost in thought. His mind will still full of his nightmare, but also his conversation with Eva about how he would love to travel in space. Why did it have to be an impossible dream? The world was taking giant steps forwards and he was working hard to put himself in a unique position for the future. A position in which it was no mere pipe dream to hope he might one day be chosen for the glory of space travel.
Since the old American space shuttles had been retired, Russia had held a monopoly on manned launches from Earth. The United States and NASA had failed to develop an effective, functional replacement to their space shuttles following the failure of their vast and extortionately expensive ARES rockets. This was why NASA had finally opted in favour of forming an alliance with Europe to develop a new generation of space shuttles in a joint project between the powers that would apply new approaches and technology. This was the story behind the Hermes Project. Everyone who took part in it would enter the aeronautics history books. They would be remembered as one of the pioneers who made a difference and helped take space travel into the future.
After all, a long time had passed since mankind had set its sights on the Moon and Mars. Various studies and tests had already been carried out on the Earth’s satellite. Water and other raw materials had been discovered. Designs had been produced for a future lunar space station that, if all went well, would be built over the next ten years, partly through the Hermes Project. The spacecraft they developed would be capable of escaping the Earth’s gravitational pull with sufficient storage space for materials plus a human team at a fraction of the current cost. In fact, this had been one of the main electoral promises made by the new President of Spain following the political debacle of 2008 that forced a complete overhaul of the Spanish political system and the entire reorganisation of all its political parties.
At the end of 2007, shortly before the Spanish general election in 2008, Spanish society was patently dissatisfied with the political class. When the severest international economic crisis since the famous Crash of ’29 started to bite, Spain was one of the countries that suffered the most. All the government and opposition parties did in response was toss accusations back and forth without offering any solutions for the future. The Spanish people completely lost faith in its leaders and expressed its contempt at the ballot box, spoiling ballots en masse. This was unheard of in the history of modern democracy.
The political parties had to acknowledge their fault and accept that this time, there was no going back. A meeting was held in Cadiz, birthplace of the 1812 Spanish constitution, between all the political parties where it was agreed that new elections would be held in six months’ time according to the ‘Treaty of Cadiz’. The people were not satisfied with this response. They wanted real change, not merely a repeat of the same election that would produce the same results. Demonstrations were widespread, not just in the streets but in the very governing bodies of each political party. The country’s leading political strengths sank into a profound crisis that lead to splits at the core of their being. New politicians and technocrats with innovative ideas and fresh energy emerged into the public eye and created new alliances.
Among these new public figures, Manuel Alonso came to stand out in particular. He was a young businessman who, at just 40 years of age, had succeeded in positioning his research and development company as one of the best-known businesses in the world. Deeply affected by the dire economic situation, he recognised that Spain needed profound structural changes to force a return to competitiveness and solve its current problems. His speeches touched the hearts of people in virtually every section of society and he drew to his cause emerging stars from all the traditional factions on both the left and the right, creating a new political movement called the Union Party (UP).
Consequently, in the general election held on 29 June 2008, the UP, founded just months earlier, succeeded in rising to power after winning over 60% of votes from Spanish citizens. It had one of the best voting turnouts in the history of Spain, since the end of the Franco era and the Transition. Manuel Alonso was declared President of Spain and, when giving his inaugural speech, he didn’t just promise to solve the serious crisis affecting the country. His principal aims focused on restructuring Spain’s production industry. Up to this point, Spanish production had primarily depended on construction, but now he intended to focus on strengthening the tourism industry and, above all, turning the country into a model of how research and development could be applied to new technology and products. His dream was to create a solid Spain based on the services industry; he also envisaged a country that led the world in innovation and played a key role in international relations.
Two years had passed since its electoral victory, and it was fair to say that the new government had not limited itself to mere words, but instead had worked hard to make the dream a reality. It enhanced Spain’s image to boost international tourism; it invested in new infrastructures and service quality. The first fruits of its labour were noted in 2010 when record numbers of tourists visited the country. In turn, at the end of 2009, a far-reaching agreement determined that the new European Aerospace Centre (EAC) would be built in Spain with support from the United States. The centre would be established in Seville and operate as a general European headquarters. Its first project was to develop the next generation of space vehicles and launch them into orbit. Construction work started in October 2009 on one of the most revolutionary engineering projects of recent decades.
Just six months later, in April 2010, the first phase of the complex had been completed and the EAC opened in style. Now that it had these two successes flying the flag, Spain earned the credibility of international investors and billions started to flow into the country as investment marked for development. Money that was a boon for both state and private institutions, with the added requirement that ordinary people also benefited. Specialised work positions were created to ensure a change of career for countless workers whose industries had become obsolete after the economic crisis.
A special university programme was created to motivate final year students who were top of their class, offering them the chance to complete internships in leading companies and projects. This step was required to complete their studies and help ease their integration into the workplace. The work group so anxiously sought after by Luis, Eva and their classmates formed part of this programme. It had been created thanks to the persistence and dedication of Dr Alonso Galiano, who had moved heaven and earth to see that some of his students could take part in the Hermes Project and the EAC from the beginning.
The Flight Mechanics class finally ended and, after the obligatory ten minute break, the next class began. Dr Alfonso Galiano, punctual as always, entered the room with his briefcase and a folder stuffed with papers. Now forty-six, he had been a tenured professor at the Faculty of Engineering for ten years. He combined teaching with consultancy work in aerospace engineering at the large European consortium behind the EAC.
Dr Galiano had two great passions: teaching gifted young minds and space travel. He juggled both with the responsible life of a married man, of fifteen years now, and as father to two children, a seven year-old and a twelve year-old. He was essentially someone who made the most of every minute of every day and usually had no time for distractions. Which was why his students knew that the moment he entered the classroom they had to keep quiet, because he loathed interruptions and time-wasting. As a teacher, he placed great value on respect, enthusiasm and dedication when studying and working. While maintaining this air of strictness, he was good-natured and approachable in his interactions with the students, always happy to clear up their doubts after class.
It was just before the summer when he was able to give them the good news. After six months of putting on pressure and pulling strings, he had managed to get the Board of Directors at EAC to accept a group of his students to work directly on the Hermes Project. Obviously, they would be supervised by him and the professionals working on the project and, of course, would only be involved in supporting tasks. But it was a great achievement and Dr Galiano remembered with great satisfaction the excited faces of his students when he gave them the news. He remained serious as always, but inside he could not stop beaming with pride.
The professor sat down in his seat. He took out a small laptop from his briefcase and plugged it into the classroom projector. He searched for a file on the desktop and opened it to launch the presentation he had prepared for today’s class. He planned to start by going over the history of space missions up to the present day.
“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today we’re going to cover the various space missions carried out by NASA and Russia to compare the means, technology and resources they used and determine how aerospace engineering has evolved, in technical terms, since the first space launch…”
Álvaro, one of the students, jumped in. “Excuse me, Dr Galiano, aren’t you going to give us the list of students selected for…”
Dr Galiano stopped, irritated; he hated this kind of interruption. He gave the student who had cut him off a sharp look.
“It's López, isn't it? Álvaro López?”
“Yes, sir,” Álvaro replied shyly.
“Well, this is Aeronautics and Space Vehicles, not the Big Brother nomination show. So first we're going to do what we’ve all come here to do. When we finish, fear not, I’ll let you know who has been selected. Now, I want you to focus all your attention on my class, otherwise there’ll be no list and no successful candidates. Understood?” Galiano smiled inside as he saw their frightened faces.
Álvaro nodded nervously, looking at the ground. The rest of the class remained silent. It was clear from their expressions that no one dared make the slightest noise. They weren’t going to miss out on discovering who had been picked. The lecturer immediately continued with his speech as he progressed through the slides in the presentation. He ran through the first launches by NASA and the USSR, describing the positive effects generated by their competition on technological development during the Cold War. Then he moved on to the most recent phase, the International Space Station, or ISS, the first flights with space tourists and the rise of the Chinese space agency as it attempted to earn a place for itself in the space exploration industry.
Luis and his classmates listened closely and, from time to time, when Dr Galiano permitted, they asked him questions. In fact, despite having been rather severe, their teacher ensured his students were so absorbed by his explanations that they momentarily forgot about Hermes Project. He was someone who knew just how to share all his knowledge, this talent was the reason Dr Galiano had decided to combine his professional career with teaching. It was a passion and a gift.
“That’s all for today. I want you all to come next week having taken a good look over Kepler’s laws and his equation, Lambert’s theorem and perturbation theory. We’re going to cover mechanical orbit in depth,” Dr Galiano remained silent and looked at them.
No one in the classroom made any sign of standing up and leaving. No matter that it was now three in the afternoon and more than one student had a rumbling stomach.
“Oh, that's right, you wanted to know who’s been picked for the work group,” Dr Galiano said, amused. “Very well. I’m now going to name the eight students who have been chosen for the Hermes Project work group…”
A wave of murmurs spread through the lecture hall among the hundred or so students, many protesting because they had hoped there would be more than eight places in the group.
“Silence! I said, silence!” Dr Galiano raised his voice to impose himself.
Everyone instantly fell silent.
“Now, as I was saying, eight students have been chosen. I’m going to read out their names and surnames. These students should remain in the hall while the rest of you leave.”
The teacher took a sheet of paper out of his briefcase with a list of eight names. Holding the sheet in one hand, he started to read.
“Jorge Fernández, Eva Gálvez, Clara García, Roberto Guzmán, Luis Odén, Santiago Peñas, Sandra Ramírez and Lucas Valle will join the EAC and take part in the Hermes Project work group. Congratulations! You were selected because you are the most highly qualified and hard-working students in your year. Could the rest of the class please leave the hall now.”
The students stood up amid sounds of congratulation and disapproval. Some classmates seized the moment to hug the winners with delight while others rapidly slipped away with long faces. Luis was overwhelmed. Despite feeling confident that he would be picked, it was like taking a heavy load off his shoulders to hear it finally confirmed. He felt euphoric, just like the other seven students. They all headed down to the lecture hall platform, shaking hands and hugging. Eva was beside herself with joy. When it was her turn to congratulate Luis, they were both overcome with emotion. Luis pulled her towards him and hugged her. Her eyes shone intensely in a way he had never seen before. He moved to kiss her cheek, but before he knew it his lips were brushing against hers in a kiss. They both froze.
“Mr Odén, it's one thing to be happy about being picked, it’s quite another to make a public scene and forget all decorum. We're not out in the street!” Dr Galiano admonished, annoyed.
In a daze, Luis quickly separated himself from Eva while she stared at him with amusement, smiling. The others looked on in surprise.
“Don’t worry about it, Luisito,” Eva said, using her nickname for him, “it’s no big deal. Just let me know in advance next time. You almost gave me a heart attack!” She burst out laughing.
“I’m sorry, I don't know what happened. I didn't mean to…” Luis stammered.
“Have you quite finished? Maybe now you’ll let me tell you about your new duties,” Dr Galiano interrupted them, impatiently.
“Yes, Dr Galiano,” Eva and Luis answered in unison.
Dr Galiano took several sheets of paper out of a folder and started to hand them out to his students.
“Good. These sheets include a form you have to fill in with your details. Take it to the EAC security office tomorrow morning so that they can take your fingerprints and some photos. Don’t look so worried, it’s for your access cards. I don’t need to remind you how important the Hermes Project is. Naturally, security measures in a centre like the EAC are as strict as possible.”
“But we’re not criminals, Dr Galiano, we’re just engineering students,” Jorge shook his head, indignant.
“We live in a dangerous world and you can’t be too careful. Besides, I think it’s a minor inconvenience in comparison to the great opportunity you’re being offered,” Dr Galiano looked at him, arching an eyebrow.
“So, when do we start?” Roberto was impatient.
“If you look at the next sheet you’ll see you start next week. Monday at 4 pm. I’ve already thought about the arrangements… As you have a class with me beforehand, we’ll have lunch together at the faculty and then head over to the EAC together. As it’s the first day I want to supervise your arrival and make sure they show you the facilities and explain your duties properly. I hope none of you are going to show me up… I’ve worked very hard to get you this opportunity.”
“We won’t let you down,” Santiago nodded, seriously.
“I hope not. Make the most of the time you have left this week. From next Monday onwards you’ll be studying in the morning and working in the afternoon… You won’t have a minute’s rest,” Dr Galiano smiled suspiciously.
And with that, Dr Galiano gathered up his things and bid them farewell as he walked out of the door. The eight students hung around a while longer, excitedly discussing their good fortune. Finally, Eva and Luis left the lecture hall and headed outside into the street. Before cycling back to his house, Luis walked Eva to her car first. They found it parked under the protective shade of a tree, which was a relief considering the fierce heat at that time of day.
“Oh Luis, you were right, they did pick us all!” Eva said happily. “This week is going to drag on forever. I can’t wait to get started! What do you think lies in wait for us next week?” Eva felt really happy.
“The future, Eva, a brilliant future,” He replied with a wide smile.
They said goodbye, kissing once on each cheek. Luis walked over to the bicycle docking station and hired a bicycle, setting off on his journey home. There was so much to do, so much to prepare. And he hadn’t even told his family yet. They would be ecstatic. He pedalled along; his mind immersed in an endless stream of thought. High above, the blazing sun majestically surveyed him from a cloudless sky, heralding the start of a new chapter in his life. A chapter that would take him one step closer to achieving his dreams.