Butterfly |JHS|✔️

1~Terminated For Interfering

A solution suddenly runs through my head: 'smoke over fire'

I drop the transmission recorder and sit on a nearby computer. I get to work. I break through the fire walls of the space shuttles' navigating system and I see that indeed someone is intercepting. It's big, and looks dangerous. What lives beyond our solar system often baffle me.

If we can't hear them, shouldn't they be able to hear us? The gamma radiation coming from the void seems to be the most electrifying. If they don't get out of there while still possible, they may loose their lives.

I pick up the transmitter. "Abort Mission."

Immediately I say this, the head of scientist gives me a death look that I roll my eyes ignoring. "I repeat 'Abort Mission'."

There seems to not be any change in the navigating systems router. Guess I'll just have to autopilot it from here. I tap in the intercepting code and change the course of direction— something that I may regret soon enough.

"What in tarnation do you think you did?"

"With all due respect sir, if we don't get them out of there now, they might be fried to a crisp and I won't sit back and watch my family crumble because of a silly discovery."

He doesn't question me.

A loud thud echoes beneath my feet as I do this.

The researchers and scientist all stop their work as they look at my doing on the huge tele-screen on the wall. A lot of them will definitely judge me because eight years of restless nights just went to waste.

The doors burst open to reveal the general accompanied by his people. Everyone stands up in respect.

"Miss Lee Nari," the general growls, "do you know what you've done?"

"Yes! Yes, I do."

"And you know that this could get your license terminated for interfering with an on-going mission?"

"Terminated for what. I saw that the gamma radiation in there was enough to burn them into a crisp. Is this stupid research that important than the lives of your astronauts!" I yell.

He comes closer to me and reaches down till we are on eye level. "Don't ever yell at me again. Just because your parents and I are friends doesn't mean you can," he says only for me to hear.

He turns on his heel and leaves but not before saying, "You are on a suspension. When you come back will be communicated to you."

I sigh and sit down, burying my face in my palm.

I take my last piece of dignity and walk out of the large building. Maybe if this old man stop being a clout chaser, he'd have a sense of understanding.

A sting of breeze hits my eyes as I unlock my black range rover that was sitting at the other end of the parking lot. Immediately I get in, I dump my bag on the passengers seat and place my head on the steering wheel.

I let the tears I don't know I'd been holding fall. I let it all out but stop when I hear a knock on my car window. A person just can't cry in peace.

I hurriedly wipe my tears as I am now grateful that the windows were tinted. Upon rolling down the windows, I see that it's Mr Choi.

"I owe you an apology," he says.

I furrow my brows in confusion. "For what exactly?"

"For not saying anything when the general was speaking to you like that. I should have cleared your name and defended—"

"And if you had done that, wouldn't you have gotten my same punishment, only worse. Look, we all know how that old guy can be that not even the color pink can change his mind."

He chuckles. "I get that."

"Good. Now let's stop playing the 'I'm sorry' puzzle. I deserve the rest anyways."

"That you do. I bid you farewell for the moment of time."

I smile. "Thank you! And say hello to the kids for me."

"Will do." He flashes me his signature toothy smile and I smile back before driving out of the stupid astronaut place. Mr Choi I've known since the beginning of my journey with NASA.

He even was my mentor when I was still in training. The gut wrenching and brain causing havoc this job can do to one is beyond the rumors of it.

I shift in my seat which is surprisingly very hard.

He surprisingly encouraged me through it even though I wanted to give up countless number of times. "Why the hell didn't I study anatomy instead?" I ask myself in a trance.

I shift again.

Of course it has always been about what my parents wanted rather than what I wanted. I had to follow the footsteps of theirs.

I am snapped back to reality at my car seats' failed attempt at stifling a groan.

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[A/N]
Unedited