Story

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A hush falls over the children as the quietest shuffles up to the front of the room.  Each child has brought in their father to speak to the class.  Every dad sits beside their child’s desk, but this girl walks to the front, alone.  No one holds her hand as she walks or even follows closely behind her.  Her father is nowhere to be seen, but in her hand she holds an old piece of paper.  She looks down at the worn paper in her hand and begins to speak.  In the beginning her voice quivers, but soon she stands up tall and her voice carries across the room.

 

 

June 24, 2123

Hey little Bean:

 

You aren’t even born yet and I already love you more than words can describe.  I know you’ll grow up and do great things and I’m so sad I won’t be able to watch you become a beautiful young lady.  You’ll have good times and tough ones, find love and get your heart broken and I wish more than anything I could be there for it all, but if I never left there wouldn’t be a world for you to grow up in.  A year ago NASA discovered a meteor heading towards Earth, destined to collide with the surface with the energy equivalent to 4,000 megatons of TNT.  The force would be equal to 400 hydrogen bombs going off all at once.  Earth is a 5,973,600,000,000,000,000,000 ton ball of iron, it takes a lot to destroy it, but this meteor had enough force to do it.  The human race would be killed off and our planet obliterated.  There wasn’t enough time to shuttle people off the planet or find a new one to colonize, we had no other choice, but to destroy the meteor.  I’ll be launched into it and when the rocket I am in collides with the surface it will create enough energy to break it apart.  You’ll know I succeeded if you are reading this letter.

NASA created the rocket I am in with pieces from other projects they had been working on, it took them just under 300 days to make and stock it with the few supplies we needed.  This was always only a one way mission.  The rocket weighs 310,000 kg, has a 5 person crew and needs to be launched at a speed of 11.2 m/s to make it into orbit.  It was fittingly named the USS Pedicabo Eam and was your and everyone else's last hope for survival.  I took the lead on the project, doing calculations and learning everything there was to know about it.  When the time came for the launch into space there was no one else capable enough to Captain the mission.  I’m so sorry I had to leave you, but if I hadn’t there would be no you.  

As I look out into space I can’t help but think of the amazing things you’ll do and floating in the zero gravity I see the infinite stars and I know none of them shine as bright as you will or will ever be able to match your beauty.  I want you to make good use of this life I have given you and change the world for the better.  I’m so proud of you.  You will always be my greatest success, but now I must go.  

The alarms are sounding, signaling we are close to impact.  If you are reading this the plan must have worked.  I know you’ll do great things with the life you have and I know you’ll be angry with me for leaving you, but I hope someday you will realize I did this just for you.  Please take good care of your mother and remember I’ll always love you.

 

Forever and always,

Dad

 

 

She looked up from the page, her eyes sparkled with tears and with everyone's eyes fixed on her she said, “My name is Ava and for Bring Your Dad to School Day I brought in the letter my dad wrote to me before saving the planet.  I never got to talk to him or even meet him, but through this letter I got to know him.”

Now it became very clear, written on the back of the paper in red ink was Alexander Miles, deceased June 24, 2123.  He was a hero.  NASA and the world thanks you and your family for your sacrifice.