Horus Launch

[Leo Fenrir]

A crowd of scientists gathered around the screens displaying readings of every kind on on the Horus probe that was about to be launched. Flashing bars of red, yellow and green seemed to be transferring some otherworldly data into their minds. Leo however was completely baffled by the whole thing. His courses had only covered the basics of mechanical engineering and most of the pictures and data could have been written in gibberish for all he could decipher.

That was where the little man in the white coat standing beside him came in. "So what does that graph show?"

"That would be the pressure gauges minister. They ensure that the coolant pipes do not reach critical pressure."

"Hmm." Was Leo's only reply. He had found that nodding thoughtfully was the only way to a lecture tracing the instrument's use and origin back ten years. He noticed a particularly flashy screen that was broadcasting the words 'WARNING : Tank 2 leak'. When he inquired about it the man swore and started talking franticly into his phone.

"Don't worry yourself minister the problem should be fixed within the next few minutes. The launch will not be postponed." Leo nodded satisfied.

His first satellite was going to begin the trip to Eos today. A monumental day indeed. He had had a scientist try to explain what it was going to do. Apparently it was a preliminary probe that was going to do some basic calculations on the planet's atmosphere, size, and trajectory.

This was not why he was excited though. Not entirely at least. If this launch was successful then a whole new world of possibilities would open. The Vigilante could be put into production, and maybe, just maybe, he might be able to launch the Ouroboros.

Leo was snapped from his reveries by the mousy man tapping his shoulder. "The shuttle is about to launch minister." He got up from the chair and joined the cluster of scientists at the screens. The central one displayed a counter set at one minute. "If you would be so kind as to initiate the sequence."

He pulled a key from a chain hanging around his neck and stepped forwards to the control board. Regulations stated that three keys would be produced that would allow launches. One went to the Minister of the Exterior, one to the Minister of Military Affairs and one to the Kasier. The key clicked as it twisted in the tumblers and the counter started counting.

The surrounding scientists began babbling about the status of individual systems aboard the Horus, ensuring that all was running properly. Leo however only had eyes for the slowly vanishing time.

0:32... 0:31... 0:30...

The rumble of the distant rockets starting up reverberated through the complex.

0:21... 0:20... 0:19...

"Thrusters ready to fire." "All systems go." "Trajectory calculations initialized."

0:05... 0:04... 0:03... 0:02... 0:01...

"We have lift off. Approaching escape velocity. Hull resisting atmospheric friction. Booster rockets detaching."

Leo watched the whole thing anxiously, rocking on the balls of his feet.

"Horus has escaped the gravitational field! We did it!"

A cheer accompanied this and Leo let out the breath he had been holding. Horus was en route for Eos and Shireroth was right behind it.

This is just the beginning. Leo smiled.