Section 2: Progress – Chapter 4

An orange flame of sunlight burst from above the low sliver of deep purple cloud line, its scorching fingers piercing through the small window and straight into Sally Fisher’s eyes. Sally pulled the blind down, waited for her eyes to readjust, and repositioned herself in her seat so her head was resting up against the small jet’s leather-trimmed fuselage.

It had only been the evening before, at around 9pm, when Sally had received the call from NASA. A call from NASA wasn’t unusual, because the...