Darkness once again overshadowed everything. All he could make out was the stairway. Ice cold steps that led in one direction: upwards. Once more, he felt a peculiar determination surge up inside him, a need to press onwards. It was as if invisible arms were pushing him upwards, almost against his will. He climbed and climbed until he started to glimpse a light at the very top. Quickening his pace, he finally reached the top of the staircase to find the narrow corridor leading to the large metal door. He headed towards it and seized the handle, forcing it open and slipping inside.
This time everything was different; there was no vast, luminous cavern like the one that had appeared in his previous dream. Uneasy, he slowly looked around. He was in a small, cave-like room. A strange-looking stone throne sat in the centre, gently glowing in the darkness. This was the light that had guided him upwards through the shadows. There was no other way out. Confused, and with no other choice apparent, he apprehensively edged closer to the throne. He brushed it with his fingertips; a pleasant, gentle tingling sensation spread through his hand.
He slowly lowered himself down into the seat. The tingling feeling ran up and down his spine. When it reached the nape of his neck, he felt a stab of intense pain. He tried to pull away and stand up, his eyes wild with shock, but realised he was trapped. It was as if he were stuck to the shining surface of the seat. In horror, he watched as the ground started to crack beneath him. Suddenly, both he and the throne tumbled into the void with a never-ending scream.
Eventually, he forced his eyes open, still in a daze. He gradually became aware that he was lying on a shore of reddish sand and that his clothes were somehow drenched. Struggling to his feet, he realised he had been lying in a pool of blood. Was it his? What on earth was happening? A powerful, all-pervading light hurt his eyes. Once he was accustomed to the glare, he recognised his surroundings. He was by the same lake he had seen in the last dream. As before, the gigantic tree rose up out of the centre of the water, towering over everything. All of a sudden, out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a swiftly moving shadow. He watched it until it came to rest on a branch of the giant tree. It was a type of enormous black crow with shining, silver eyes. It paid him no attention. He was surprised and also relieved; he had no desire to repeat his experience with the wolf. Just then, there was another movement to his left. He spied another crow, this time grey, swoop down to land on the shore just a few feet away from him.
Now he shivered. The animal emitted a powerful energy that seemed to paralyse him. He stared at it, dumbfounded. The creature slowly turned towards him and gave a loud caw. A fluttering movement caught his eye and he sensed, rather than saw, that the second crow had flown over to join the first. Fear began to take hold of him. The silver crow started to hop closer, incessantly uttering harsh, grating caws. He desperately wanted to flee but his legs were frozen, useless. Without warning, something unexpectedly stabbed him in the face and tugged hard, releasing him with a whiplash effect.
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
Two ear-splitting voices began to boom inside his head. Struggling to see, he just caught sight of the black crow flying away with his right eye dangling from its claws. Blood began to pour from his empty eye-socket. In total shock, he was unable to react.
He felt another blow to his face; this time the pain penetrated the very depths of his being.
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
He collapsed on the ground, deafened by the voices in his head and ravaged by suffering. He was completely blind; sightless to all but the red torment inside his skull. The second loathsome bird had torn out his other eye. Abruptly, the ground beneath him began to tremble. Everything started to crumble: the titanic tree, the lake, the shore, himself… He covered his eye-sockets with his hands, trying in vain to stem the gushing flow of blood. The monstrous voices in his head continued to torture him. He attempted to stand but was violently knocked off his feet. With unmistakable clarity, he felt the two crows sink their claws into his skin and begin to peck at him ferociously, tearing at his flesh as he twisted in agony.
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
All at once, in the midst of his anguish, he unexpectedly regained his sight. But seeing was far worse than the pain of losing his eyes. Impossible though it seemed, he was able to see out of his eyes as they hung from a branch of the giant tree, which was steadily sinking into the centre of the lake. He had a horrifying vision of his body being torn apart by the two giant birds. Suddenly, the ground around him started to shift and change shape. The two birds flew away, cawing angrily. A colossal metal hand materialised beneath him, trapping his body between its fingers. His heart stopped.
WAKE UP! WAKE UP!
Luis woke with a start, speechless with horror and breathless with panic. A pain stabbed in his chest. His heart was racing ten to the dozen and his head throbbed as though it were about to explode. Just like last time, his body prickled all over, inside and out. The sensation was particularly intense at the back of his neck. He checked the time on his mobile phone. Six in the morning. Yet another deeply disturbing dream… Was he ever going to get a decent night’s sleep? He was bewildered. Should he talk to someone about this? The dreams could actually mean something… But what if people thought he was crazy and dismissed his fears as nonsense? Well, just as they started, he told himself, they’d probably stop sooner or later. On the positive side, at least he didn’t have to feel guilty about waking anyone else up this time. He was alone in his flat. Now that he was awake, he decided to make the most of the unplanned early start and go for a swim to clear his mind.
Eva was driving to the Faculty of Engineering, negotiating her way through Seville’s noisy morning rush hour. She felt on top of the world. Last week had been charged with emotion. This, she thought to herself, was a truly special moment in her life. She had worked long and hard to get to where she was now. It certainly hadn’t been easy, but she was tenacious with strong willpower. Moreover, she had been blessed with steadfast support from her mother. In fact, Eva would be the first to admit that she owed her much of her success. When Eva’s father had died in a car accident six years ago, she and her mother had sustained one another through the dark days that followed. They had helped each other to overcome the tragedy and fight off the black clouds of depression that threatened to engulf them. Eva had wanted to leave school and start working but her mother wouldn’t hear a word of it. Instead, she had given a moving speech, describing how Eva’s father had always dreamed of seeing Eva do something special with her life. She would never forget it. Her mother had refused to let Eva give up and watch that future slip away. With that in mind, she had decided that it would be best for both of them if they moved to Seville and left behind the little village near Cordoba where they had lived up until then.
Eva finally reached the university campus. She was impatient to see Luis and the others. Were they as nervous as she was? She kept remembering the moment when Luis had clumsily kissed her before realising his awkward mistake. The thought of it brought a smile to her face. Since then, Luis had continued to give her the same shy look, one she wasn’t familiar with. She had made light of the incident, after all, it was just a silly moment between two good friends, wasn’t it? She had to admit, she had enjoyed the feel of his lips on hers; that was certainly something new. Anyway, there was no way she was going to let things get complicated. Especially not now, when all their time and energy ought to be focused on the Hermes Project. They couldn’t disappoint Dr Galiano; it was vital they proved that they deserved their places.
Luis’s morning flew by. Preoccupied with his own thoughts, the day’s university lectures passed right over his head. It had been an extremely long week since Dr Galiano had announced that he would be part of the Hermes work group. The first thing Luis did was head straight to his parent’s house. He wanted to give them the good news in person. His parents and younger brother lived just outside Seville, between Bormujos and Tomares, in a spacious house surrounded by gardens with a swimming pool. His father was Guillermo Odén. A career officer in the Spanish Air Force, he had retired just two years earlier with full military honours and the rank of colonel. Luis’s mother, Isabel, still taught English at the University of Seville. His little brother, Tristan, was fifteen; he had always looked up to and admired Luis. Sadly, he had taken it very hard when Luis started to spend most of his time in the Triana flat instead of living at the family home.
When Luis rushed through the door to his parent’s house and excitedly shared his good news, it was his mother who was the most delighted of all. It was to be expected, after all, his father had always wanted both Luis and Tristan to follow in his footsteps and pursue a military career. His mother had strongly opposed her boys joining the armed forces; she was convinced that they should go to university and aspire to being something more than just professional soldiers. Obviously, this had set the scene for parental conflict practically since the day Luis was born. His mother had emerged victorious, persuading her eldest son to choose an academic path. Nevertheless, Guillermo had succeeded in instilling a great respect for the army in Luis and had encouraged him to develop his mental and physical strength. He had frequently taken Luis with him to the air base and let him sit in the cockpits of air force fighter jets. On more than one occasion, he had even let him use a military flight simulator. What was more, he had been the one who encouraged Luis to take up parachute jumping and who had pulled strings so that his son could progress at a faster rate than usual. For instance, he had obtained permission for Luis to do jumps that were normally limited to soldiers with military training. Luis had proven to be both mentally and physically strong; he was comfortable in both his parent’s worlds and could draw from each of them to enrich his own. Naturally, this training (or favouritism, according to some), had inspired a fair amount of jealousy among other skydivers.
Luis’s parents and Tristan were overjoyed by his news; they hugged and warmly congratulated him. They all knew how hard Luis had worked to achieve the internship. The family spent the next few hours happily eating and relaxing together. Luis was grateful for these moments; he needed his loved ones around him right now.
During the rest of the week, he spent every morning in class and every afternoon training with his skydiving team. He was fortunate enough to be involved in the parachute display that would close the forthcoming Día de la Hispanidad military parade. This year, the celebrations would be held in Seville in front of the king of Spain and the president. Luis’s busy schedule meant that he barely had time to see Marta, despite her insistent phone calls and indignant accusations that he was ignoring her. He felt guilty about being so unavailable but, put simply, he didn’t have a minute to waste on her. Right now, he had to focus on his skydiving training and the Hermes Project. The project was the opportunity of a lifetime and he wasn’t going to let it go to waste. Besides, he was still having nightmares. He could do without Marta complaining whenever he woke her in the night. Luis wasn’t proud of his behaviour; it was selfish. But at this moment in time all that counted was focusing his iron will on the things that really mattered to him.
Before he knew it, the morning was over and the students who had been selected for the Hermes Project had finished their lunch. It was time to head over to the EAC. Eva suggested that Luis drive to the centre with her. Sandra and Clara decided to share a car with Lucas, while Roberto, Santiago and Jorge joined Dr Galiano. Luis sat down in the passenger seat of Eva’s old runaround and waited for her to get in.
“Luisito, it’s nearly time. In just a few moments we’re going to walk through the doors of the EAC and our new lives will begin.” Eva's eyes were shining.
“I know. But I can’t help wishing we were in my car. Yours doesn’t give quite the impression I’d hoped for on the first day,” Luis replied in a joking tone, looking around the interior of the vehicle.
“Hey! Don’t you dare start on my baby. I love it, it gets me everywhere I need to go.” She gave him a gentle slap on the shoulder.
“I’m sure it does. It’s just a bit, how shall I put it…? Old? Could be time for a change.”
“Yeah, right. ‘Old’ he says, the boy who drives a brand-new hybrid car. We’re not all rolling in cash to splash on fancy cars,” She shook her head.
“OK, you got me. I didn’t mean to insult you or your car. But just so you know, I actually got mine because hybrids are more environmentally-friendly. And because I love technology. I didn’t want to show off, honest…” He couldn't help but laugh again.
“You’re a lost cause. Come on, let’s go,” Eva sighed, trying to forget the affront to her stroller.
She started the engine and pulled out of the car park as they chatted and laughed together. They joined the other two cars in the mini-convoy of excited students driving to the EAC. They soon took the Ronda Norte and left La Cartuja behind them. The EAC was in the east of Seville, just past San Pablo Airport and to the north of the A-4, commonly known as the Autovía del Sur. The complex occupied a vast site that was practically half the size of Seville. Where once there had been nothing but ploughed fields and olive groves, now the land was home to the most advanced research and development facilities in the world. The location, next to the airport, had been vital for logistics and transport during its initial construction phase. Now that it was open, the EAC had use of its own independent runway. Even so, it remained connected to the airport via an enormous underground tunnel that ran underneath the A-4, originally built to transport materials. Eva and Luis listened to music as they battled through the heavy lunchtime traffic.
“You’re an idiot, Luis. You should’ve come with us. Why didn’t you call me? We had such a great time, I know you’d have had fun,” Eva scolded him.
“Look, don’t think I’m not up for going out and having a good time. I just feel a bit out of sorts lately. I really need to concentrate on the parachute display and the Hermes Project.” He was lost in his thoughts.
“What do you mean, out of sorts? Aren’t things going well with that girl you’re seeing, Marta?”
“It’s nothing to do with her. Although I’m not really sure that’s going anywhere.”
“So, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. You’re going to laugh, but I’ve been sleeping really badly for a while now. I wake up in the middle of the night because of these dreams I’ve been having.”
“Dreams? What sort of dreams? You haven’t been dreaming about me, have you⁈” Eva joked, pinching his arm.
“What⁈ No, I haven’t been dreaming about you,” Luis replied, blushing. “Honestly, I wish it had been you in my dreams. I wouldn’t wake up in such a state,” he added with a wink.
“I was just kidding, you know that. But seriously, if you want to talk, you’ve always got me. You can tell me anything, I’m always here for you if you need it, Luisito,” she told him as she reached over to caress the back of his neck.
Luis winced at her touch. He raised his hand to the back of his neck to explore the area where Eva had merely brushed against him. The pain was focused right in the centre of his nape. It had been stinging since he woke up, but there was no visible sign of anything unusual. Eva glanced at him with concern as she drove along the motorway.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing. I don’t know. I’ve had this weird burning feeling in my neck since this morning. I don’t know what it is. Eva, in all seriousness, I really appreciate what you said. But I don’t want to do your head in with my dreams. Believe me, they’re really weird.”
“OK, I won’t twist your arm. But now I’m really curious. Anyway, about your neck, if it doesn’t go away maybe you should see a dermatologist or something. The skin could be irritated. Or perhaps you have an allergy.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. I expect it’ll go away soon. Don’t you worry, it’ll take more than a pain in the neck to finish me off. And I know I can count on you for whatever I need. You’re an angel,” Luis winked at her without stopping smiling.
“Look, we’re here. There’s the main entrance and the first security check,” Eva was excited.
The EAC was one of the most advanced research and development centres ever built. As a result, the work carried out inside was guarded by some of the tightest security in the world. The public was not even fully aware of the real purpose of the centre, only that it was developing next generation space shuttles. It had been declared a category one strategic site and was therefore protected by NATO instead of a private security firm or the Spanish police.
Luis and his classmates were ready for the security checks, having submitted all the necessary paperwork and photographs the week before. They had even been fingerprinted and had their retinas scanned for their new access cards. EAC access cards had five security levels. Each authorization level gave access to different areas of the complex and the database. As was to be expected, the students had been granted Level 1 authorisation, the lowest level. Despite his senior position at the EAC, even Dr Galiano only had Level 3 authorisation with limited access to the centre.
They advanced smoothly through the three security controls, leaving the soldiers behind, and drove through the impressive reinforced concrete entrance to the EAC. Although it had been opened two years earlier, the complex was still in a constant process of change and growth. Scaffolding and cranes were visible between the vast industrial-sized warehouses that towered over the site. Many of these warehouses were connected by passage-ways and bridges. The students gazed around in amazement as the three vehicles drove to the car park nearest to the main building. So, this was where the next stage in their lives would begin, where they would master new techniques and make their own small contribution to space exploration.
They parked and got out. Dr Galiano led them to the main entrance. They passed through yet another security check and then, finally, they were officially inside the most important research and development complex in the world. A woman in her late forties was waiting for them. She was smartly dressed in a business dress suit.
“Good afternoon. I’m Lara Sánchez, public relations coordinator at the EAC. I’m responsible for showing you around today. This afternoon we’ll visit your access areas, your departments and run through your duties. Now, if you’ll please follow me,” she began to walk, guiding them.
She led them to a meeting room set up with a long table surrounded by chairs and a large high-definition fabric screen at the far end. There were eight blue files on the table and eight remarkable electronic devices with flat graphene screens that were rolled up like paper.
“Please give me your names and take a seat,” Sánchez requested.
The students said their names in turn and sat down. As they did so, Sánchez handed each of them one of the blue files and a device. Every blue file had a label on the front stating the student’s name and contained several sheets of paper. When everyone was ready, Sánchez gestured to Dr Galiano to take a seat before settling down in the chair closest to the big screen.
“Right, before we get started, please open your blue files. Inside you’ll find your personalised work programmes. We’ve studied your profiles and decided to split you into four pairs. Each pair will be assigned to a different department where you’ll work on specific aspects of the Hermes Project.”
They all opened their blue files and swiftly started to scan the documents to find out where they had been assigned. Luis saw that he had been selected for the Flight Interface Department. He turned to Eva; she grinned back. They would be working together. They looked around at the others: Lucas and Santiago would be in Ion Propulsion; Clara and Sandra in Operations; Roberto and Jorge in Modular Assembly. The students exchanged excited and surprised glances when they learned who they would be working with and where.
“Please, save the chat till later. We’re on a tight schedule. You’ll soon find out that from now on, every second counts,” Dr Galiano warned his students.
“Thanks, Alfonso. Right. As Dr Galiano said, time is golden here at the EAC and we’re in a bit of hurry. The devices you’re so thrilled about will be your main work tool. Under no circumstances may you remove them from the centre. They’ll be your means of communicating with our network and the systems you’ll be using. As you can see, they’re operated by fingerprint sensor and are programmed so that only you can access them.”
“Can’t we take them home to carry on working in the evenings?” Lucas seemed overwhelmed.
“I’m afraid that’s out of the question, for obvious security reasons. I don’t doubt your good intentions, but we cannot allow any data leakage, even if it’s unintentional. The best way to avoid any problems is to make sure your work devices never leave the EAC. This is non-negotiable,” Sánchez explained. “Good. Now that that’s been cleared up, please switch them on.” Luis placed his index finger on the fingerprint sensor on the device. He felt a slight tingling feeling. The device instantly switched itself on; it unfurled and the screen lit up. Eva and the other students did the same.
“I imagine there’s no need for me to explain the basics of how this type of device works or the operating system. This version was designed especially for us, but it’s essentially the same as any ordinary touch-screen tablet,” Sánchez continued.
She picked up a flat-screen control and switched on the big fabric screen. It displayed the same desktop that Luis and the others could see on their devices.
“OK, you’ll see that on the main desktop there’s a highlighted document called ‘EAC Emergency Protocol’. Good. It’s very important that you read it carefully before you leave today. You can go through it after the presentation and the visit to your departments. It’s essential that you memorise the emergency protocol if you’re going to work at this centre. You’ll already be aware that we’re developing the next generation of space vehicles. That means running high-risk tests. Also, these facilities are considered a strategic target. You’ll have noticed the tight security measures and our NATO protection. That’s because the centre is potentially a priority target for international terrorist groups,” Sánchez continued.
They all listened closely while they skimmed through the document on their devices.
“Don’t worry about reading it now. You’ll have time to take a closer look later. Now I’d like to show you a presentation of the EAC facilities so that you can familiarise yourselves with the centre.”
Sánchez used her control to start playing a video presentation on the large screen. She explained that what they had seen as they entered the centre was only the first phase of what would eventually be the finished complex. The EAC was going to expand outwards, upwards and even downwards. In fact, the most important laboratories were located underground, as the students discovered when a 3D image of the centre was recreated on the screen. As he studied the image, something caught Luis’s eye.
“Excuse me, Ms Sánchez, what’s that long structure on the far side of the complex?” He pointed with his finger, surprised.
“Now you’re part of the Hermes Project and the EAC, I can share information with you that is not yet public knowledge. Things that will be kept from the public for some time. That’s our very own launch platform,” Sánchez revealed with her face full of satisfaction.
The student stirred in their seats, murmuring in disbelief. They looked at Dr Galiano. He finally smiled, confirming what they had just heard.
Luis interrupted again. “How is that possible? We thought that the EAC was being used to develop new space prototypes that would potentially be launched from French Guiana.”
“That’s true. That was the original idea and what the public has been told from the beginning. But the truth is, recent advances have let us, how shall I put it…? Broaden our horizons. They have made it viable to launch our prototypes from here, saving vast amounts of money,” Sánchez smiled, proud.
“Recent advances? What do you mean? How can you launch so close to a city? And so far from the Equator?” Santiago, Roberto and Jorge excitedly fired off questions all at once.
Sánchez gestured for the students to be quiet. “Gentlemen, please calm down. I’m not the best person to explain it to you in detail. Let’s just say we’ve managed to perfect a new type of high-performance, low-cost launch technology.”
“Do you mean an electromagnetic catapult?” Luis asked. “Surely that sort of system would kill the crew?”
Dr Galiano cut him off. “As Ms Sánchez has already explained, we’ve succeeded in perfecting the technology thanks to recent discoveries. Don’t worry, when the time comes, you’ll find out more about it. After all, you’re going to help build these new space vehicles. So, please be patient. We really should finish the presentation.”
After this exchange, Sánchez restarted the video. It explained that much of the centre was still under construction. The main building had only been completed two years ago and it was now connected to various annexes and the vast industrial warehouses by underground passageways and bridges. The mysterious launch platform was set some distance away on one side. It was also located underground and connected to the other structures by oversized tunnels. Now the students were intrigued by an area in the north sector. Sánchez explained that the EAC was in the first phase of building a hydrogen fusion reactor on this northern site. A small version of the famous ITER tokamak in France. When she saw their astonished faces, she paused the video.
“I know what you’re thinking: why are they constructing a new fusion reactor if the ITER tokamak isn’t even fully functional yet? Well, as you know, projects like the ITER are planned decades in advance. A long time passes between coming up with the idea and actually starting construction. Obviously, new advances and technical improvements can be discovered during this time. So, although the ITER hasn’t been finished yet, theoretical and practical tests validate its viability. Current technology has given us the chance to envisage the next generation of reactors that will follow the ITER. In our particular case, in a few years’ time we’ll have our own reactor that will generate enough energy to meet the pressing needs of this centre. And believe me when I say they’ll be substantial.”
Although the students looked sceptical, Sánchez considered the matter closed and continued the presentation. It moved on to the various departments at the EAC. Each department specialised in a key aspect of space vehicle development such as theoretical details, development, manufacture and testing. Eva was exhilarated. The more she saw about the EAC, the more delighted she was to have won her place. She was determined to prove her worth. And she was particularly pleased that Luis was going to be her work partner.
Luis continued studying everything he had seen and heard from Sánchez about the launch platform. He was fascinated by the launch system; progress of this type could be the key to revolutionising new space vehicles, which currently depended on heavy and dangerous fossil fuels. He gave Eva a quick glance; she smiled back at him. She’s really something, he thought. I bet she knows exactly what I’m thinking. He didn’t know how she did it, but she always seemed to know what was going through his mind. Sometimes he felt almost naked in front of her. The feeling attracted and scared him at the same time. Either way, he felt really comfortable in her company and working together was always a joy. They barely needed words; each one knew what to expect from the other and what they required. They normally worked in silence, simply exchanging knowing smiles and glances yet always obtaining the best results in the least amount of time. Sánchez’s voice snapped him out of his daydream.
“Good. That brings the presentation to an end. Now we’re going to take you to your respective departments and you’ll be introduced to your supervisors and your new duties. Then we’ll return to this room and you’ll have two hours to study the emergency protocol. Please follow me.”
They all stood up and Sánchez led them out of the room. She headed to the lifts by the entrance and swiped her access card. When the lift arrived, the doors opened and they all entered together; there was space for up to twenty people. Sánchez pressed the button for lower-level three. They travelled in silence, mulling over the information they had just received. When they reached their destination, they exited the lift and Sánchez signalled to a man waiting outside. He was sitting behind the steering wheel of an electric vehicle that looked like a quadracycle and towed several passenger cabins behind it.
“Please, take a seat. This is our unique internal transport system,” Sánchez pointed.
Each cabin had four seats, two in front and two behind. Dr Galiano sat in the first cabin next to Sánchez. Eva and Luis sat behind them. Clara, Sandra, Lucas and Santiago sat in the second cabin; Roberto and Jorge climbed into the third. The vehicle pulled away and they were borne along the subterranean corridors that connected the different areas of the EAC. The plan was to make stops along their route and leave each pair of students at their respective department. All the departments were located at different points underground.
The first stop was the Modular Assembly Laboratory. Roberto and Jorge climbed out and headed towards the entrance. The enormous high security door protecting the laboratory created a big impression on the students. A soldier requested Roberto and Jorge’s identification again and instructed them to use the retina scanner. Their identities were approved. Once they had obtained access to the laboratory, they waved goodbye to their classmates before disappearing inside.
The vehicle started up again. Luis and Eva could hear Dr Galiano commenting to Sánchez that their two classmates would be supervised by US aerospace engineer Jonas Lander. They had heard of Lander and were disconcerted to learn that he was here at the EAC. Didn’t he work at the US Army Research Laboratory? How come they hadn’t heard that he was in Spain? Jonas Lander was something of a Hollywood star in the aerospace engineering world.
Their next stop was the Magallanes Operations Centre where it was Clara and Sandra’s turn to start their internship at the EAC. It was also protected by a reinforced door and two soldiers. Sánchez explained that Magallanes was the second flight operations room at the EAC and at present was exclusively used for mission simulations. Clara and Sandra followed the access procedure and said goodbye to their classmates before entering Magallanes. The vehicle set off rather more sharply than its passengers expected. Eva lost her balance and would have fallen out had Luis not grabbed her hand just in time.
“Are you OK?” Luis looked at her, worried.
“Yes, thanks to you. God knows where that guy learned to drive,” she said, glaring murderously at the driver.
Dr Galiano twisted around in his seat. “Everything OK back there?”
“Yes, Dr Galiano, we’re fine,” Luis answered.
“Erm, Luis…” Eva began.
“Yes?”
“Don’t take it personally, but you really don’t have to hold my hand for the whole ride,” she teased him.
Only then did Luis realise he was still clasping Eva’s hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice,” he said, instantly releasing it.
Eva played it down. “It’s fine. You’re such a gent, always keeping an eye on me. Anyway, I kind of like how your hand feels, strong and soft at the same time.” She stroked it slowly.
He wasn’t sure why, but Eva’s words completely flustered him. He quickly looked away, avoiding her eyes.
“Hey look, I’ve finally made Luis blush! Mr Iceman, the guy who never gets rattled,” she said, poking fun at him.
“We’re now at the Ion Propulsion Laboratory,” Sánchez interrupted.
The vehicle stopped. Saved by the bell, thought Luis, who had no ready response to Eva’s joke. The worst thing was, he couldn’t understand why something so silly suddenly affected him so much. He had to focus. Now wasn’t the time for distractions. Lucas and Santiago were already passing through the security control when Luis finally pulled himself together.
“They’re going to be knocked for six when they find out they’ll be working with Albert Heissenberg,” Eva and Luis overheard Dr Galiano comment to Sánchez.
“Albert Heissenberg? Luis, is that who I think it is?” Eva's voice trembled with emotion.
“It must be. As impossible as it seems, I’m beginning to think this place is even more surprising than I thought it would be,” Luis replied, grateful for the change of subject.
German physicist Albert Heissenberg was one of the driving forces behind modern physics. He had revolutionised the world with his new theories on propulsion systems. Heissenberg was rumoured to be extremely shy, never giving interviews. He didn’t even appear to collect the Nobel Prize for Physics when it was awarded to him in 2006. They said he barely left his house. To find him working at the EAC was another huge shock. Eva and Luis fell silent, pondering the implications of what they had just heard until they finally reached their destination: the Flight Interface Department.
“Very well, Ms Gálvez, Mr Odén. It’s your turn. We’ll pick you up in an hour,” Dr Galiano told them.
“Understood,” Luis nodded.
“See you later,” Eva waved goodbye.
They climbed out of the vehicle and headed towards the entrance. It was guarded by two burly soldiers armed with P90 submachine guns. Eva and Luis swiped their access cards and stared at the retina scanner. Once their identities were confirmed, the door opened. Their faces, names and security level were displayed on a screen as they passed through the entrance into a corridor that led to another door. It automatically slid open when they approached it. Once through the second door, they found themselves in a well-lit, thirty-foot-long rectangular hall with white walls. At the far end, they saw a woman sitting at a reception desk. She was approximately thirty years old and was working at a computer. Behind her was a frosted glass door; it was hard to make out what was on the other side. Luis and Eva walked towards the woman. When they were about halfway to her desk, the woman raised her eyes from her computer and peered at them. She was dark-skinned and was wearing thin rimmed glasses. Although she was sitting down, she was obviously rather short and out of shape.
“Oh, you must be the two new interns? Let me see…” the woman began, checking something on her computer. “Yes. Eva Gálvez and Luis Oden, is that right?”
“Yes,” they replied in unison.
“Good. I’m Ángela Vidal. I’m the Flight Interface department coordinator. I’m in charge of making sure the department runs smoothly and that we meet all our deadlines. Pleased to meet you. Come with me, I’ll show you the facilities and introduce you to the team.”
Vidal stood up and greeted Eva and Luis, kissing them each on both cheeks. She gestured for them to follow her. The door opened at her approach and they walked through into a long corridor with various rooms set off it on either side.
“As you’ll have guessed, we’re responsible for developing the software and hardware we need for the new flight interface,” she started to explain. “Our work processes are completely independent so everything is done inhouse: code programming, device assembly and testing in our special simulator. Actually, I’ll show you that first, seeing as the whole team is there right now.”
Vidal led them along the corridor to the security door at the far end. She placed the palm of her right hand over a fingerprint sensor and the door instantly opened. Luis and Eva followed her into a large, circular room. There was a type of large, metal dome in the centre and an adjacent rectangular control room to one side. They walked over to the control room and climbed up some steps that led inside. Three men in their thirties were sitting at the controls. The engineers didn’t even blink when the visitors appeared. They were concentrating on the huge window in front of their equipment; it looked out onto the inside of the dome. Luis and Eva quickly glanced over at it and noticed that the dome was hollow inside. It had a kind of seat or cockpit at the centre that was connected to the dome via a robotic arm and a young man was sitting in the cockpit. Luis instantly recognised it as a kind of flight simulator.
“Please be quiet. They’re in the middle of a test,” Vidal whispered.
They silently approached the three observers and stood behind them to watch what they were doing. Inside the simulator, the pilot was handling the controls. Suddenly, his cockpit flew upwards and then instantly jerked down again, catching everyone by surprise. Several red lights and warning alarms flashed across the screens.
“Not like that! You have to activate the acceleration security subroutine! We won’t get anywhere today if we carry on like this,” a young German man with long, blonde hair called out over the intercom. “Are you OK?”
“Yes. A bit bruised but I’m fine. And it’s not my fault. The sensors don’t follow my commands properly. They’re not calibrated properly,” the simulator pilot called back.
“The sensors were calibrated and checked five times before we started. It must be something else,” said the other observer with a French accent without taking his eyes off his tablet.
“We’ll have to inspect the cockpit and arm. They were under a lot of strain,” the third reported, looking at the pilot.
“Whatever, we’ll have to check it all over again. There’s a fault somewhere and I know it’s not my code. Rubén, come on out, let’s analyse the data from the millionth failed test of the day,” the German said, irritated.
Rubén, the simulator pilot, switched off the cabin controls and climbed out. He came over to the control room.
“Excuse me for interrupting, I know you’re busy. Alabaster, the two interns are here,” Vidal began.
“Interns? What interns? I haven’t got time for beginners!” His bad mood was more than evident.
“Well, you’ll have to find time. Take a break. The sooner we get the introductions over with, the sooner we can all get back to work,” Vidal did not let herself be intimidated and glared at him
“Fine. Excuse my manners. Sometimes I get carried away when we do these tests,” the man apologised to Eva and Luis. “I’m Alabaster Steinwall, head of the Flight Interface Department and your supervisor too, I suppose. Call me Alabaster, I hate formalities. You are…?”
“I’m Luis Odén.”
“And I’m Eva Gálvez. Project head? I thought Ms Vidal was in charge here.”
“I’m in charge of the administrative side of the department. Alabaster runs development and operations,” Vidal clarified.
Next the Frenchman introduced himself. “I’m Jean-Luc Verheide. I run the biomechanics side of things. How the pilots will interact with the vehicles.”
“And I’m David Rojas, flight engineer. That guy coming in now is Rubén Costa, IT engineer and part-time guinea pig.”
Rubén entered the control room. He was perspiring slightly and looked tired. He greeted Luis and Eva and then walked over to the others to check their screens.
“Let’s take a break. We can get some perspective and meet our new team members at the same time,” Steinwall gave up, knowing that he had no choice but to get through the process.
Vidal led the group out of the simulator control room and they returned to the main department facilities. They trooped into a room used as a cafeteria and rest area, helping themselves to tea and coffee and sitting down on the two sofas. Luis couldn’t help staring at Steinwall as the department head drank his tea. Where had he seen his face before?
Now Steinwall met his gaze. “Yes? Is there a problem?”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” Luis quickly replied, embarrassed. “It’s just that you look really familiar and I can’t figure out why.”
Vidal interrupted. “Don’t you know who this is? Alabaster Steinwall was the youngest person in the European Union to graduate in it engineering. He’s a programming genius. All the biggest software companies fought to hire him.”
“Hang on, you’re not the same Steinwall who invented the Sharefilia app? You know, the one you can use to send and share files, and even large documents, for free? It caused a real stir among all the big corporations,” Eva couldn't believe it.
“The very same. But listen, I never wanted to be famous. I just like creating things that are useful. And yes, it’s true, I received lots of offers after Sharefilia. But that’s why I chose this one. An invitation to head up a work team that will help bring space closer to mankind,” he explained, smiling and relaxed for the first time.
“I think I can speak for both myself and Eva when I say it’s an honour to be working with people of this level. We hope we’re up to scratch,” Luis said.
“That’s good to hear. So, I won’t beat about the bush. To be completely honest, I’m not very keen on having two interns on the team. I’m worried you’re going to slow us down. But I’m happy to be proven wrong,” Steinwall said politely but firmly. “We’re developing the new flight interface for the first space shuttle that will be built as part of the Hermes Project.”
Verheide interrupted. “We’re combining computing and biomechanics to create the most user-friendly, straightforward system possible. Having said that, users will still need to understand numerous complex procedures, just like those needed to control a spaceship.”
“Thanks, Jean-Luc. As I was saying, your role will be to contribute your aerospace engineering knowledge. We’ll use it to refine our flight interface prototype. At first your responsibilities will obviously be nominal but, if you prove that you really deserve to be part of my team, I’ll let you get involved properly. And finally, I want to make it clear that when it comes to work, I won’t tolerate any lies, excuses or sloppy mistakes. Understood?”
Luis and Eva nodded with conviction.
“Excellent. I hope you’re as determined as you look. Now it’s time to get back to work. End of introductions for today. I’ll expect you here tomorrow, ready to give a hundred percent.”
With these words, he stood up to bid Luis and Eva farewell before he and his team headed to a computer room to begin analysing the data from the simulator test. Vidal gestured for Luis and Eva to follow her to the exit while she tapped on her work device.
“I’ve just sent our specific department protocols to your personal devices, along with all the documents you’ll need to fit in with our work procedures as fast as possible,” Vidal explained.
“But we can’t take the devices home or extract any data from them. When are we supposed to read all these documents?” Eva felt overwhelmed for a moment.
“If I’m not mistaken you have two hours right now. Your first chance to show us how efficient you are,” Vidal replied, amused.
She accompanied Luis and Eva back to the reception. After checking her computer, she told them that the transport vehicle was waiting outside. Luis and Eva thanked her for showing them around and told her that they looked forward to seeing her tomorrow. Then they left the department and climbed into the electric vehicle waiting outside. Their classmates, Dr Galiano and Sánchez were already inside. Eva had imagined that everyone would be fired up, anxious to share what they had seen with the others. Instead, they travelled in silence, serious and focused. To be honest, she felt much the same. Memorising the whole emergency protocol and all the Flight Interface Department documents would be a real challenge. Especially as they weren’t permitted to take any of it home. They were clearly going to have to stay a lot longer than the two hours stated in the schedule.
They quickly reached the main lifts. Sharing one lift again, the students quickly ascended to the ground floor and were soon back by the entrance and meeting room where they had been shown the presentation.
“Well, it’s time to say goodbye. I hope your first day made a big impression. I expect it’ll stay with you for a long time. I know you’ve got a lot to think about right now, so I urge you to knuckle down,” Dr Galiano felt sorry for them, knowing the task they had ahead of them.
“Dr Galiano, earlier you said we’d have two hours to study the emergency protocol, but I’m not sure that’s enough if we have to memorise our department documents too,” Eva felt the pressure creeping up on her again.
“Well, I doubt it matters if you stay on a little longer. Would that be alright?” Dr Galiano looked at Sánchez.
“I expect that’ll be fine. But your movement will be restricted to this room and the toilets out there. We don’t want you getting lost in the centre on your first day. There’s a coffee and drinks machine in the corridor. It has food too if you get hungry. When you’ve finished, leave your devices in this locker. No exceptions. You can collect them tomorrow and from then on, you’ll keep them in your personal lockers in your work departments. I’ll leave you to it. You’ve got a lot to get through. If you need anything else, I’ll be in the office next door until eight.”
With that, Sánchez and Dr Galiano withdrew from the room and the students were left alone. Each pair sat together. They were clearly dying to share everything they had seen with their classmates. But it was as though they had made a silent pact to hold it in until they were at the Faculty of Engineering the following day. Nevertheless, Luis whispered in Eva’s ear.
“So, what did you think?”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s even better than I imagined. It’s scarier too. Being in these facilities, with some of the most famous scientists in the world… It’s going to be a challenge. I’m excited, but I feel like there’s a lot of pressure.”
“Yes, I know. Same here. But, you know what? I feel pretty confident. We’re going to be just fine. We’re going to learn a lot and play our small part in the Hermes Project.”
“I love your self-confidence. That’s fighting talk. Come on, let’s get cracking with this protocol or we’ll never get to bed tonight,” Eva put her hand to her forehead.
Luis started to read the lengthy emergency protocol. His mind raced through everything that had happened since they entered the EAC. He knew the Hermes Project was hugely important. It was the chance of a lifetime. What he had seen so far exceeded his wildest dreams. And although today’s visit had been truly remarkable, he was convinced that it would be nothing compared to what was waiting for them over the next few months. Interesting times lay ahead, he thought, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.