The Year 392 of the 6th Age (Earth Year 1816)
Nlia
Western Land
The Space Exploration Center

Both Jornella Nemon's pace and heartbeat quickened. Today was the achievement of a lifetime's dream.

Her home city of Camere was located in the middle of the Great Dune Sea, the harshest and driest region
on Nlia, but it was often said that it was there the stars shone brightest. And it was from there, from her
earliest childhood that she gazed upward at and dreamed of those shining lights that had lit the way for
countless travelers across the endless deserts of her world.

More than anything else she had wanted to find a way to travel to them and to that end she had dedicated
herself to the study of rocketry, which many believed was the key to such travel. At the House of Learning
she had proven herself a gifted student, excelling in the studies of both engineering and propulsion.

And now. Now weeks after graduating from the House of Learning and taking Adult Passage, she was
beginning work at the Space Exploration Center. It was run by Directors Humel Panak and Etan Kruzon,
both of whom she was on her way to meet now.

Panak was a man she had never met in person but whom she knew a great deal about. Nlians had used
rockets for centuries as fireworks and incendiary devices, but about sixty five years ago they had begun
to speculate that they could be used as a means of space travel. Over the next several decades, various
independent rocketry and space advocacy associations had been founded.

Panak, born about a decade or so after the first associations had been founded, had grown up enamored
with rocketry. He had become a noted aerospace engineer and sixteen years ago had been part of the team
that had launched the Nonbur Rocket, which had successfully reached a height of 100 km into the atmosphere.

In addition to working on developing more advanced rockets, he had also spoken passionately in many political
circles, insisting that such research was vital to the future of Nlia. Eventually he had convinced enough backers
in the World Senate and four years ago the Space Exploration Center, had been built not far from the capital.

It was a massive center housing the largest combined organization of scientists and engineers
in the world. Half of it was dedicated to the study of space, and contained Nlia's largest and most advanced
observatory. The other half focused on the development and operation of spacecraft. Panak had been appointed
its first Director/Administrator.


Later

"I trust you'll be comfortable here, Nemon," Kruzon said. He was a long time associate of Panak
and headed the astronomical program, while Panak focused on the research and development
of spacecraft. He was in his early sixties and his pale skin marked him as one from the Northern Land.
"An upcoming young scientist like yourself can make quite a name for herself in rocketry."

Panak nodded. He was a tall distinguished man in his early fifties with dark skin and hair and grey eyes.
"Kruzon is right. Our work here is new and there are countless discoveries to be made just waiting
for someone to make them."

Nemon nodded eagerly. "In fact, Director, I was hoping to be assigned to the development of rocket
propulsion. I've been studying the schematics and…"

Kruzon chuckled. "I knew it! Put two engineers together and the talk immediately turns technical!
I'll leave the two of you to your discussion!"

As Kruzon walked away, Panak led Nemon to a large window. It showed a large field where there
were several launch-pads and rockets.

"As you know space travel is an infant science," Panak continued. "People began theorizing, decades ago,
as to the possibility of rockets as a method of space flight. Not everyone took the idea seriously at first;
some of the early space flight associations, such as the Rocketry Alliance and the Society of Spaceflight,
were treated like novelties or amusements. And even after more people began to take them seriously,
the associations were still small and privately funded.

"After the Star Reach Institute successfully launched the Nonbur Rocket, more and more people began
to take notice. And finally after years of discussion and political debates, the Senate agreed to
began an official department."

"I'm impressed, Director. You've built so much in only five years!"

"It wasn't just me. I couldn't have done this without Kruzon; he was one of our world's foremost astronomers
and had argued for years about the importance of the study of space. He was well known and had many
backers. And it wasn't just him either, it was every other person who shared the same dreams.
Every member of the caravan is vital."

His gaze returned to the view outside. "I'm proud of our work here. But I'm afraid that not everyone
on the Senate has the same enthusiasm. Every Nlian knows that resources are never to be wasted
and some on the Senate feel that our resources could be better spent on issues right
here on our world, such as the Himye outbreak in the Green Spear Region and the extended drought
in the Dune Sea."

He sighed. "Many feel that we should focus on problems here on our world, instead of trying to find ways
to leave it. Our supporters have kept us adequately funded so far, but the coming election could change
that."

"But the work being done here is vital, Director," Nemon said urgently. "Our people need to reach out
and become part of the universe, not turn inward and ignore it. And as for resources, someday our
world may run out for whatever reason. If that happens we may have no choice but to seek new
resources on other worlds."

Panak smiled. "I wish everyone in the Senate felt like you. Hopefully our next major project will increase
support."

Nemon nodded. Since its founding, the Space Center has successfully launched several sounding
and sub-orbital rockets. But the Center was hoping to soon launch a rocket that could reach low orbit.

He heart quickened at the thought. If they could send a rocket into orbit, even place some type of satellite…

Maybe someday Nlia would launch rockets that would leave the planet's orbit altogether.