In the wooden crate labeled JOANIE ROSE there were several old toys: a Mr. Potato Head (with all his random plastic body parts), a dozen brightly colored Matchbox cars, a one-armed G.I. Joe in a yellow helicopter, a Barbie doll in a sparkly pink gown, a second Barbie with long black hair and a Hawaiian print dress, a Rubik’s Cube, a Magic 8 Ball, several beat-up-looking board games, two yo-yos, half of a walkie-talkie set, a Luke Skywalker action figure with a broken lightsaber, and a plastic Princess Leia all in white.

Nova smiled. She was not a Star Wars fan, but Princess Leia could easily play a payload specialist. Luke Skywalker, the Barbies, and G.I. Joe could be other astronauts. The walkie-talkie would be a perfect tool for communicating with NASA Bear, who always played Ground Control when they didn’t have enough kids.

Nova stuffed Luke and Leia inside the chopper. It was too small to fit the other astronauts so the Barbies and G.I. Joe watched from on top of the toy box.

Nova began a countdown in her head.

Ten, nine, eight, seven…

Ground Control, thought Nova, pressing the walkie-talkie to her lips. Come in, Ground Control. We’re ready for lift-off. Over.

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on, answered Ground Control NASA Bear.

Nova moved Princess Leia so it looked like she was nodding.

…six, five, four…

It would be easier with music, Nova decided. Less lonely. She scurried over to the bedside table and pulled Bridget’s Walkman from the drawer. She slipped the headphones over her ears and pressed Play.

David Bowie filled her head. The song was half over, but she didn’t bother to rewind.

…three, two, one, lift-off!

Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker rocketed into space on G.I. Joe’s yellow helicopter/space shuttle. On the floor, Ground Control watched and waited, his furry fingers crossed.

Nova held her breath…just a little farther…

Soaring “past one hundred thousand miles…”

Yes!

She made it! She made it into outer space!

Nova stood, holding the helicopter/space shuttle high, zooming it around the room past furniture and stars. Back on Earth, NASA Bear and G.I. Joe and the Barbies applauded.

Success!

“…floating ’round my tin can, far above the moon…”

Fast approaching, ready to land! It would need to be a soft landing. A hard landing on the moon could damage the craft and injure the astronauts. It had to be perfect. No room for error.

Nova scrambled up onto the bed, reaching the helicopter/space shuttle toward the hanging white globe that covered the light in the center of the room. She stretched her arm, stretched her spine. She could almost reach it. She could almost reach the moon. Just a little closer…