I wonder if they'll figure things out this time

Iz could hear boots pounding along the metal path that led to his quarters. It was almost the beginning of the cycle and Iz was trying to squeeze in as much sleep as possible. He longed to be back home, at his farm, sipping a hot drink while he watched the suns rise, but he was stuck here instead, for another year, or maybe two depending on what the earthlings would be able to achieve.

A knock came at his door. He knew who it was, and this made him even more angry. It was stupid Ray, the new kid. Despite having told him multiple times both implicitly and outright, that the empire had no eyes here, and they didn't need to follow protocol all the damn time, Ray had insisted. Iz had even pointed out his seniority and the fact that this was his second tour, but Ray still insisted.

"Ray! I swear this is the last time you disobey my orders...", Iz began, with a pillow over his head. Ray, only heard muffled sounds. And so he persisted.

"Sir, I know you told me not to wake you, but this is important. You need to come see this.", Ray continued knocking on his captain's door, until finally the door swooshed open. Iz was still half naked and rubbing his eyes. He greeted Ray with a yawn.

"What, is it this time kid?".

"Our radio monitor antennas picked up something, and I was able to decode it to binary and further to something our computers understand" Ray started explaining excitedly.

"What's your point kid?"

"Well, after doing all that, I was able to extract some data, which says they'll be launching another one like the ones they called Apollo in your last tour, in a couple of days... and according to our directive we are required to move closer to their moon for observation."

"What's this one called?", Iz replied, fully awake now, and heading for the bridge, barefoot and without a shirt. Ray was so excited he didn't have the time to protest Iz's behaviour this time so he went along, while he continued explaining.

"This one's called Artemis, it's named after a goddess from one of their many mythologies, a goddess of hunting, their moon and wilderness. It will be making orbit 3 of their cycles from now, enough time for us to get closer to their moon. We could even make contact with the crew while they're behind it...", Ray said the last part as a joke, he knew his captain hated mentions of contact.

They were now at the bridge and from here you could see through the massive displays hung on the walls, meant to act as windows to the vastness and darkness of space against which a giant ringed planet dominated the view. Iz slowed down his pace and turned with his back against the holo table. Arms folded, he waited for Ray to finish his briefing.

"We are currently about 4.2 local solar units away from their moon, and the journey should take about 2 cycles, we should be there in time for Artemis making orbit." Ray finished, looking up from his computer. Iz turned back to the holo table to map out a course for their journey. He still felt Ray's presence behind him.

"What is it, Ray?".

"Sir..., uh, since you were here the first time they began extra planet exploration, I wanted to ask you something?", Ray stammered, still formulating the question.

"Do you think, anything's changed?", Ray finished.

"I don't know, I mean probably. The last time I was here they had just discovered how to split atoms, and were grappling with the consequences of being able to do that, and the fact that the different factions could end up destroying their planet. In fact they began extra planet exploration specifically to show to themselves there was something greater to believe in or to compete in other than killing each other. Seeing as their planet is still livable, I think it worked out.I wonder what they're grappling with this time." Iz said while he plotted course for the far side of the moon.

Ray jumped in, "from the data i've collected, they seem to have figured out how to make intelligent machines that can talk back to them, and there's also some conflict happening between some factions. I wonder if they'll figure things out this time."