Mission status, Despoina module at 'T' plus seventy-three hours, thirty-seven minutes, Captain Samuel Lee Duke commanding.

Most systems remain inoperative at this time. Navigation manual controls are still responsive and I have maintained return trajectory to the best of my abilities. I only hope that, upon exiting Lunar occultation, I can reconnect with mission control to facilitate a reentry flight path. If not, I do not believe I can effect reentry and will find myself lost beyond reach.

With every sensor and data gathering equipment unavailable, I cannot give an effective description of the anomaly that this mission was sent to observe. As expected, the anomaly showed no physical presence, yet, passing through the space calculated to hold the anomaly caused catastrophic damage to almost every piece of technology within the orbiter.

I will attempt to reestablish contact with mission control at the earliest opportunity.

In the event that I fail, I'd like to leave some words for my family, should this vehicle be recovered in the future.

Hey, Mom, everyone thought I was foolish bringing Dad's old tape dictaphone with me. Who's looking foolish now, huh?

I chose this, Mom. I wanted to live up to the name that you and Dad gave me. To live up to that pioneering soul, Samuel Lee Garvey, the first black man to command a US Navy vessel, who went on to become the first black fleet commander and Admiral.

Only twenty-four people have been where I am now. Twenty-four people to see the far side of the moon and, I have to tell you, it's beautiful. Beautiful and silent and so dark you wouldn't believe. Due to the nature of my mission, I've become the first human to travel so far from our precious planet. The first black man and that makes me so proud of the opportunities that you and Dad gave me. The encouragement you both gave and the sacrifices you made. You and Dad made this possible and I will always be grateful for everything you did.

I'm looking out of the observation window, right now, and I can see the Moon in all its glory and, soon, I'll see that pale blue dot once again. God's most wonderful creation and I feel blessed to see it from here, with my own two eyes. Only five more minutes and I'll know whether I'll be making it back home. Or not.

Someone had to do it, Mom, and I was the best qualified. I don't want you to blame NASA, or our great nation if I don't make it. Please, don't blame anyone. This is the price we pay for our curiosity and its a price I would never turn away from.

The universe holds so much that we still don't understand. So much left to experience and to explore. We are but a minute speck in the whole of God's creation and learning even a little more can only bring us closer to Him.

The anomaly, that I came out here to observe? It promised answers. Answers that could, one day, take us out into the greater universe. Answers to that greatest of questions; "Are we alone?" I truly believe that, somewhere, out there, there are others like us. God wouldn't leave such an immense playground without any way of appreciating its majesty.

I find myself reflecting on the past, as well as looking to the future and I can see that everything that has happened on the Earth has prepared us for this. Every trial and tribulation the peoples of Earth have suffered, every great leap forward, every terrible step backward and every hope for a better future has made this mission, and every mission that follows, possible and worthwhile.

I'll pass out of the radio dead-zone soon and then I'll know. I'll know if I'm coming back to you or not. I hope this message reaches you, somehow, either from my own hands, or from someone else's. I just want you to know, Mom, that I love you. More than words could ever describe. I'm going to continue recording as I come into radio range.

Mission control, this is Despoina module. Do you read?

Despoina module to mission control, can you read?

There's some kind of interference, I ... wait ...

"Despoina module, this is the Earth Alliance Ship Saratoga. It's been a while, Captain, and we've been expecting you."

Dear God! It's ... it's like nothing I've ever seen. It's big, really big. Like a super-sized Shuttle.

Earth Alliance Ship Saratoga, how in God's name was something like this built? When was it built?

"It'll all be in the debriefing, Captain. For now, welcome to the future. Welcome home."

-+-

(If you enjoyed this Sci-Fi story, why not check out my full, novel-length Sci-Fi stories over on my main profile (Kymeraent ).
"They Don't Care About Robots, Do They?" - https://www.wattpad.com/story/305931584-they-don%27t-care-about-robots-do-they

"Anna In The Garden" - https://www.wattpad.com/story/252848426-anna-in-the-garden

And my Wattys2021winning story, "Foston Slacks - Time's Flies" - https://www.wattpad.com/story/238646728-foston-slacks-time%27s-flies )