It has been a week since training started and Danny has you gathered in the classroom where it all began. There is an impatient murmur about what is going to happen. He has what appears to be blueprints for something. You get the feeling that this might be the Constellation equivalent of the Gemini capsule. It wouldn't surprise you because everyone in the team needs actual space flight experience before going to the moon.  

"I'm guessing you want to know what I have in my hand," He remarks. He starts to unravel the blueprints. You are right about it being the Constellation equivalent of the Gemini capsule.

"It's called the Kennedy capsule. It will test your skills as a pilot. Any questions before I delegate the crew?" It's odd how they named it after the president that ordered people to the moon but the capsules themselves aren't going to the moon.

"I have a question," Jay calls out. Everyone's heads turn towards him.

"How long will we be in orbit?"

"Depends on the mission goals," Danny responds. Everyone's heads turn back to Danny. It's like a tennis game. 

"Any more questions?" You can't think of anything so you stay silent like the others. Danny gets to work writing the crew assignments. Five minutes later he has finished. You are not surprised that the first two are unmanned. What surprises you is the face you are on back up for the first manned mission and prime with Kelsey on the third. You are also with Jay on the eighth mission. It will be interesting. 

"Congratulations Jay for being the guinea pig and Jess good luck," Kelsey remarks as Danny leaves. Jay lets out a vengeful laugh. Ten minutes later you are watching Jess and Jay work on the simulator. It is an interesting process.  

"I knew I'd find you here," Neil remarks as he leans next to you.

"I remember doing something similar," He smilies. He is talking about the Gemini missions. They are something you will have to talk to Neil and your dad about. 

"Oh we got the assignments for the Kennedy capsule," you decide to tell him. At least he knows what you will go through in some way. You feel like you should ask your dad what he went through with the Gemini mission. You know that he was the third person to ever do a spacewalk.

"What did you end up with?" Neil responds. You can tell he is hoping that you didn't get the eighth mission.

"Backup on three and prime on four and eight," you reply. You haven't taken your eyes off the simulator. You notice that Jay is trying to correct a mistake. It makes you giggle. Seven minutes later it's your turn with Pierre. You have the added pressure of Neil who has decided to watch.

"Startup sequence initiated," the controller announces. You get to work. A minute later you are thinking about the obstacle that is coming. A warning signal flashes. It's the master caution. You can feel the axis of the simulator change.

"Pierre make sure that the thrusters are shut off," you instruct. He does as you say. Nothing happens.

"Maybe we should fire one of the RCS thrusters to see if that will get us back on course," Pierre suggests. You nod. At least you are able to work together as a team, unlike Jess and Jay. 

"Left or right?" You ask to confirm.

"Right because we are rolling to the left," Pierre responds. He gives you quick detail. You get the feeling they are trying to replicate the conditions of Gemini 8. You'll ask Neil when you are done. Pierre ignites one of the RCS thrusters. You then use it to roll the spacecraft back. It works. The screens go blank signalling the simulation has ended. You both disembark. You wonder where Jay went wrong. But you get the feeling you know the answer. Jay approaches you. Jess has stormed off.

"How did you find the workaround that quickly?" Jay demands to know. You can tell he is frustrated that you solved the problem before him. 

"Jay you didn't really work together," you respond. Hopefully, his anger will fizzle away. It does. He goes looking for Jess, presumably so that he can apologise. At least you won't have any teamwork issues with Pierre.

"Neil, can you explain to me what the mistake was?" You ask because you were not sure if your feeling was right. You are glad that you know someone who went through a similar process.

"It was a simulation of what happened on Gemini 8," Neil responds. Dang, you are suddenly worried that something will happen to you on the eighth mission. You giggle at the fact.

"Come with me," Neill walks off. You follow him to the NASA archive. He starts looking for something. You are a little confused because you had never thought about looking through the archives. It doesn't take him long to find what he is looking for.

"Make sure you and the rest of the cadets read this," He passes you the report on Gemini 8. It is big. You are glad for the help but it will take you a while to read it. You decide then and there that for your research you will have to talk to Neil in-depth about the Apollo missions. Three hours later and you have finished up at the training centre and you are about to enter your house. Someone is in the study. You dump your bag in the hallway and you go check.

"Hello, dad," You remark. You are not surprised that he is here.

"Hello, Lilly. I thought it would be alright if I did some work here," Michael remarks. You feel bad for him because you have some reading to do.

"Dad, can I talk to you about Gemini?" You decide to talk to him about his tries at Gemini.

"Well, what is there to tell except it allowed me and others in the program to test the equipment and our skills," He responds. He is right Gemini 8 was the only mission to encounter any serious issues.

"Well, then dad you can help me with the report on Gemini 8," You suggest. You duck out to get your bag. You grab the report out and you bring it to the study. Michael looks at you as if he is questioning your decision.

"Neil made it required reading," You quickly explain. 

"Let's go through it together then," Michael responds. You are glad you have access to People who went through a similar process. You feel like it is cheating but it will work. You both start reading. You get caught up in the reading to the point of falling asleep at your desk. It is the day after and you are working with Pierre on taking notes on the Gemini 8 report.

"Careful," You shake him awake. You know how he is feeling because you fell asleep when you were reading it with your dad.

"Sorry, I'm not used to so much reading," Ten minutes later you have finished. You join Jay and Jess at the simulator.

"Jay when we are done here I have something for you and Jess to read," You decide to warn them about the Gemini 8 report. He nods. Danny calls them to the simulator. They get to work. This time they are working better as a team. They soon finish. You feel like there will be another challenge. You are right because you can see Jess tapping away at the controls. Jay is doing the same. You start to think they are doing the abort sequence.

"You are thinking that they are doing the abort sequence aren't you?" Pierre asks. You are glad you are thinking the same thing.

"Yes, I am," You respond. You notice your dad who is with Neil. He breaks away from Neil. Great, the pressure is now even worse than yesterdays.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my girl at work and I wanted to talk to Neil about Gemini 8," Michael responds. Jay and Jess leave the simulator.

"Hey Jess, did you do the in-flight abort?" Pierre asks for you. Worry starts to boil in your stomach. She nods and you start thinking about the in-flight abort checklist. Thirty seconds later you have made it into the simulator. You are watching Pierre as he flicks some switches. The master caution chimes again. Two minutes later you and Pierre have done all you can. it's a pity that they can't simulate the Gs on the simulator.  

"Pierre I'm going to try the in-flight abort," You announce.

"Roger that," He responds. You both open a switch guard. You flick the switch.

"Taking manual control," You adjust the trajectory with the control stick. You battle with the simulator to get it under control. Pierre is making sure you are making the right imputes.

"Two seconds to the right," Pierre calls out. You do as he says. You can feel the axis change. After five minutes of fighting you and Pierre have completed the task. You both are relieved to have finished with one of the more stressful parts of the training processes.

"I'm going to get some food, do you want to come?" Pierre offers.

"Not yet," You decline his offer because you want to talk to your dad. He leaves.

"Good job Lilly," Your dad remarks. You are glad he approves but he has always approved of your dreams to become an astronaut which is good. 

"thank you dad," You are happy that he approves.