It has been a month since the isolation period. The team is gathered in firing room one at the Kennedy space centre to watch one of three cargo launches. You are impressed at the sheer size of the Starship. Everyone is waiting with bated breath. You get the feeling that it will be worse when your team will be leaving.

"Launch in t-minus ten...nine...eight...five...four...three...two...one," Danny announces as the rocket roars off the pad. You have always been impressed at Elon's devotion to getting people to Mars. A massive ripple of applause flows through the room. You are suddenly hit by a wave of anxiety.

"Excuse me," You remark as you leave. Two painstaking minutes later you have made it to the bathroom. You try to wash the anxiety from your body but it's not working. You hope it won't affect your performance. You feel a comforting hand on your shoulder. It's from Kelsey.

"You know this is the lady's bathroom," Kelsey ignores the statement altogether.

"I don't care. I just need to know that you will be alright," He responds as you turn to face him. You sigh.

"I'm sorry it's just hit me that we will be leaving in three weeks and the pre-flight nerves are going like crazy and the more I think about it the worse it gets," You explain. You feel bad for not telling anyone sooner. You can feel the reassuring glare from Kelsey.

"I know I'm not a psychologist but I know you will be fine," Kelsey is trying his best to cheer you up. He pulls you into an embrace. You are glad that you met someone like Kelsey.

"Besides I have faith in Elon and the rest of the SpaceX team," You let out a half-hearted giggle. Thirty minutes later you have calmed down enough to have your pre quarantine interview. You quickly compose yourself as you get the microphone on. You've never liked the solo interviews.

"Welcome could you state your rank and name for the record?" The interviewer asks.

"I am commander Lilly Moretti-Collins of Nova one," You respond. You get the feeling that it's going to be an interesting interview.

"Let's get the easy question out of the way. Why did you choose to go to Mars with the Nova program?"

"Well, I was heavily involved with the commercial crew program. Then Danny contacted me about Nova and I said yes," you are starting to feel a little more relaxed.

"As a veteran astronaut what are your thoughts on the dangers of Mars?"

"I think it would be more dangerous if we didn't go. I don't mean to be a pessimist but I am convinced that if we don't become a space-faring race soon there will be an extinction-level event," you give the answer that both you and Kelsey agree on. You start to think about what he would say about it. You wish you were doing the interview with him. That would make it easy.

"Interesting. I think this has been asked before but what would be the one thing that you would miss the most when you leave?" The interviewer asks. You settle on the answer immediately.

"Yes that has been asked before but I don't care. There are two things that I will miss. One being my family and the other being a breathable atmosphere," You respond wishfully. You know that your dad will probably be at the mission control watching the starship very closely. After ten minutes of questioning that interviewer looks like he is just about done with the questions.

"I have one last question," the interviewer has decided to wrap up the interview.

"Go for it," You respond.

"I was wondering as the Commander of this mission what would be the hardest part of keeping a team together?" he asks.

"Oh boy...umm I think the biggest problem I face as the Commander is the issue of separation from earth but I do believe that my team will be able to handle the isolation well providing that they are honest about their feelings," You reflect on your two week isolation period.

"And if we do have any arguments I can make their day miserable anyway," You add some humour into the interview. It works. the interviewer joins you with a light chuckle. 

"Thank you for your time commander," You both get up and he offers his hand for a shake. You are hesitant but you take up his offer.

"No worries," You respond. It has been three weeks since the interview and It is the launch day of Nova one. You are talking to your family behind glass. one of the more annoying protocols of being an astronaut. 

"You know Lilly I am proud of you," Your dad is on the verge of crying. You really want to hug him but you know the quarantine rules. Your dad and your siblings but their hands to the glass.

"Good luck Lil," Your sister Ann remarks.

"Thank you," You respond.

"And don't forget I will contact you all at t-plus twenty," You are glad that Danny was able to organise a contact time. Ten minutes later and everyone is suiting up. The suits are a nightmare to get on but they are a vast improvement from the Constellation suits. You get the helmet comfortably around your head. It is a tight fit but you manage. You can feel a panic attack fighting it's way up.

"Hey Commander you're looking good," The chief science officer Dane remarks.

"Thank you, Dane," You respond as you make sure the gloves are tucked in.

"Don't worry about it," He responds. You release a frustrated sigh. You hate having to wait. Unlike the constellation mission, the tension is coming from the fact that you are all embarking on a mission that you may not return from.

"Lilly we are going to be alright," Kelsey tries to reassure you.

"I know," You respond. Your thoughts turn to the task at hand.

"Does anyone need help getting their stuff ready?" They all shake their heads as they make sure they have their personal items. Twenty minutes later you have all made it to the launch pad. You strain to see the top of the rocket.

"She is a beauty," Roman remarks. You are impressed that SpaceX managed to make a bigger variant for the crew.

"Yes she sure is," Ivan responds. Five painstakingly quiet minutes later you have all made it to the crew access arm. It feels like the movies where the astronauts are approaching the rocket in a slow-motion walk. You quickly get everyone's attention.

"I suggest if you are having second thoughts or lingering doubts about the mission you should go now. We will not hold it against you if you choose not to go," You decide to get that speech done as soon as possible. To your surprise, no one leaves. Another long ten minutes later everyone has made it into position.

"I'm starting the pre-flight checklist," Kelsey remarks. You are glad that he came along.

"Nova one this is a comms check," Danny announces.

"This is Commander Collins. I read you loud and clear," You respond. A ripple of affirmation flows through the cockpit. It is a good sign. Kelsey gives you the thumbs up for fuel loading.

"Nova one to ground control we are go for fuel loading. How does the weather look?" You remark. You can feel the pre-flight nerves give way to all-out tension.

"We are go for weather," Danny responds. After a tense hour of waiting and double-checking everything the countdown has begun.

"T minus ten...nine...eight...seven...six...five...four...three...two...one," You can feel the raptor engines surge to life as the rocket leaves the pad. You can hear the cheers of the ground team. You are glad that Danny left the comms line open.

"Godspeed Nova one," Elon has taken over the comms from Danny.

"Thank you Elon," Ivan responds. You are finally on your way to Mars and you are overcome with a mixture of joy and worry at the fact. The crew get to work on the super-heavy booster separation. Two minutes later you can feel the spaceship getting lighter.

"I'm going to check on the others," You respond. You know you will have some downtime before the family contact time. You unclip yourself from the chair. You push yourself towards the ladder. You accidentally hit Kelsey's legs on the way.

"I'm so sorry," You giggle.

"Don't worry about it," Kelsey responds. At least you've had practice on the ISS. A minute later you have made it to the passenger area. The others are getting checked by Ivan.

"How are they doing?" You ask. You decide to make sure that the health of your crew is good before you get changed.

"Well, I think they will be fine. how about you? Are you coping with your anxiety?" He responds. You are glad that you were able to confine your problems to him.

"I think now that we are on our way to Mars I will feel much better," You give the optimistic answer because there isn't much point in pessimism. Benji drifts up to you. He has already started the process of getting changed.

"Hey Lilly I was thinking maybe when the family time is done we could use the free spaces for some Zero-G games. Would you be on board?" Benji asks with cheerful attention. Before you can answer you are joined by Jay and Kelsey.

"Lilly the solar panels have deployed and we are going to get changed and Benji you are not going to have your Zero-G games," Jay remarks. You decide to annoy Jay.

"Benji you can do some of your games providing you can find a space big enough," You respond. Twenty minutes later you have found a relatively private space and you are talking to your dad.

"Hey, dad how are you doing?" You are cheerful at the sight of your dad.

"I'm fine. What's Starship like?" He asks.

"It has got a lot of room. In fact, I've given Benji permission to find some room to play Zero-G games. I wish you could be here," You respond. You glance at Kelsey who has just joined you. He is talking to his mum, dad, his sister and her kids.

"Hello Lil," You are greeted by your sister Ann. She is cheerful as well. You feel guilty that you are leaving them behind but you understand that the mission is for the greater good.

"Hello, Ann how are you doing?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. The launch was impressive," She responds.

"Tell me about it," you respond. You let out a light-hearted chuckle. It's going to be moments like this that you are going to miss when you have made it to Mars.

"Anyway we can't keep you long so goodbye till the next message," Your dad responds.

"Goodbye dad," You respond. You hang up and you pull yourself towards Kelsey. The kids start bouncing at the sight of you on the tablet.

"Hello, aunty Lilly," The youngest pipes up. You've always liked younger kids. It's a pity you may not have any due to the mission.

"Hello, Jenna how are you doing?" You ask. She throws her thumbs up and it makes you smile.

"Wie geht es meiner Schwiegertochter? (How is my daughter in law?)" Kelsey's dad asks in German

"mir geht es gut, Danke, (I am good thank you)" You respond. It's a good thing that Kelsey has been teaching you, German. Five minutes later You and Kelsey have done talking to his family and you feel better for it. You still wish your dad could join you on Mars.