Entry 3

Space debris

Entry 3: Rex’s Contribution – Powering Up the Moon

I rolled out of bed with the sun rise, excitement bubbling inside me like lunar lava. Today was the day. The day I’d finally take my brand-new, silver rocket - out for its first flight. I poured myself a strong pot of coffee, trying to savor the moment, but after only two sips, I had my answer. The rocket’s name would be Quicksilver - a powerful, sleek machine that would take me wherever I needed to go.

After a quick breakfast, I threw on my suit, grabbed my helmet, and stepped out into the cold lunar morning. There, gleaming under the Sun’s soft glow, was my rocket. Its sleek, metallic body looked ready to take on the stars, and I felt a rush of pride and excitement.

I climbed in, fired up the rocket booster, and with a low hum, lifted off. The feeling of weightlessness filled me with joy as the lunar surface spread out beneath me. It was time to fly.

My first stop? The moon’s mall, a place I’ve always loved. But as I approached, something gnawed at me. The parking lots were empty. The lights in the shops barely flickered. As I touched down and walked inside, the silence echoed against the futuristic, flowing architecture. I could feel the weight of it - the once - bustling hub of activity had been reduced to an empty shell.

The mall was fading

I made my rounds, stopping first at Game Galaxy. Max Starling, the arcade’s owner, looked up from behind the counter with a tired smile.

"Hey, Rex," Max said, “your high score on Aster Blaster 3 still stands. But... no new kids have come in to challenge it.” He shrugged, a hint of sadness in his voice. I felt it too - the mall felt empty, but more than that, it felt like it was fading.

At Vinyl Vortex, Juno “Spin” Vega was turning up the music. "Hey Rex," she greeted me with a half-hearted wave. “I just got a shipment of limited edition heavy vinyl! And you know what was in the mix! That’s Right, The Dark Side of the Moon, I know you’ve been waiting for it, you might want to add it to your collection! You know, lately I’ve been playing the music a bit louder, just to make the place feel alive again.”

I nodded, sharing her unspoken sentiment. The mall wasn’t just a place for me - it was a part of my childhood, and the thought of it fading away hurt more than I expected.

Finally, I stopped in at Cosmic Slice, where Mario Bellini was stretching dough behind the counter.

"Hey, Mario," I greeted him, "have you visited back home lately?"

Mario gave a small, tired laugh. “No, Rex. I really want to get back to Earth, but with all the trouble going on right now, I think it’s the wrong time for a visit.” Mario sighed. The staff was short, the power problems weren’t helping, and the mall was suffering.

So, I decided to leave the mall, feeling a heavy responsibility settling on my shoulders. This wasn’t just about my high score or adding to my vinyl collection this was about the moon’s future. I couldn’t stand by while everything crumbled.

Determined, I fired up my rocket and flew over to the power station’s construction site. The damage, from the space debris was worse than I expected, and the repairs were crawling. The tools needed more power, and the entire project was running out of financing.

But I knew exactly what I had to do.

Landing near the construction site, I approached the crew. I pulled out the credits I’d been hoarding for years - 5 million Moon Credits to be exact - and donated them to the underground power storage project. It wasn’t just money I was offering - I also had a stash of solar panels from an old mission. I stepped in, getting my hands dirty alongside the other workers. The Cosmic Slice, Vinyl Vortex, and Game Galaxy vendors had all chipped in too, helping to dig out the underground storage caves we needed to move them underground so we could be sure that they would be safe from any other debris.

The caves would offer protection

Together, we rebuilt. Slowly, the new infrastructure took shape.

And finally, after what felt like weeks of hard work, the team stepped back to admire what we had accomplished. Dust-covered but smiling, the vendors and workers all gathered around the newly restored power station. We all put a hand in on the main breaker switch as we felt united in our efforts and flipped it. Everything powered up flawlessly and at that moment, we realized we built something real, something that would help sustain the moon for years to come.

The new power facility

I grinned and waved over to my friends. "Hop in! Let’s take the rocket for a spin and see what we’ve done."

So Max, Juno, and Mario climbed aboard, and as we lifted off, we flew over the moon’s surface. Below, the communities glowed brightly, the lights of each settlement twinkling like stars. The power grid was fully active, and the moon was coming back to life.

As we soared back toward the mall, Juno turned to me with a playful grin. "Hey, Rex, does this thing have a stereo system? Crank it up!"

I chuckled and flipped a switch. Moments later, smooth Synthwave beats filled the cabin, blending perfectly with the view of the glowing moon beneath us.

“Now this,” I said, leaning back with a smile, “is how you celebrate.”

My friends nodded in agreement, the bright lights of the moon reflecting in their eyes. The future looked brighter than ever, and the music carried us back toward the mall, feeling accomplished and ready for whatever came next.