A Story a Day Challenge 2025 – A Leap Backwards Part 12

Like identical poles of a magnet, the ship lifted, pushed away from the planet. Numbers and scan results scrolled across the screens.

They took it all in. Lifting off was simple for them now, but they still maintained vigilance. Too often the end of a promising pilot came due to a lackadaisical attitude. Thankfully, they were good enough to get careless.

As the ship left the planet’s atmosphere, Richard switched to thrusters, balancing their power with the decreasing gravity well from the planet.

“How do you think our recordings will go over?” Robert asked. “See any hope?”

“Not for us.”