Silence washed over the room. “Good luck. We’ll see you in six months. Remember, humanity is counting on you.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sophie replied.

The words had hardly left her mouth when she realized what it was that had been troubling her. Dr. Hoffman was a businessman, short on words but big on details. His presentation had seemed rushed, as if he had been preoccupied with something more important. What could be more important than their mission? Was there something he hadn’t told her?

The questions retreated as the glass doors to the first chamber opened. She moved inside and removed the suit marked Dr. Sophie Winston off a hanger. The set of clothes were a bit tight around her waist, but would suffice.

When the green light blinked she moved anxiously into the next chamber. The doors closed behind her and the hissing of jets broke the silence, spraying a cloud of mist into the decontamination chamber. Sophie closed her eyes, trying to drown out the noise from her throbbing ears.

The process of decontamination took about five minutes, and before she knew it, the hiss of the cleansing jets faded and the doors shuddered and began to open.

Sophie squeezed through the parting glass doors as soon as the gap was wide enough, and stepped into Biome 1. She took in her first breath of 100 percent filtered air, her eyes scanning the massive white dome rising above her. A warm glow radiated from the circular lights dangling from the top of the chamber.

Seconds later, Emanuel rushed out of the decontamination room and onto the metal platform extending around the habitat, a grin on his face. “Those are the grow lights,” he said, pointing to the ceiling. “They mimic sunlight with ninety-nine percent accuracy. During spaceflight these lights will sustain all organic life.”

One by one the other team members emerged and joined Sophie and Emanuel. They stood in silence, admiring the space that dwarfed them. There was something serene about the chamber—something peaceful. The space was so clean, Sophie felt like she was standing inside a massive operating room that had just been sanitized. The walls were a clear white; void of any of the signs or warning labels that would be present in a government facility. The only markings were the simple red lettering above the entrance that read Biome 1. The space felt so pristine. Even the dirt was perfectly level.

She took in another breath. The atmosphere didn’t taste like the smog she was used to. It wasn’t filled with the scent of chemicals or fertilizer, either. It was pure—the purest air she had breathed in as long as she could remember.

Emanuel was the first to step out onto the ground of the chamber. He landed on the dirt with a soft thud. Carefully, he trekked across the football-field-sized garden.

He paused to pick up a handful of the black soil before turning to look at the team. He let the soft dirt filter between his fingers. “This is some of the best topsoil left on the planet, imported from the largest industrial farm in Iowa.”