Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 51: First Satellite Launch

Chapter 51: First Satellite Launch

Fiona, Adrian, Selene, Eleanor, and Freya sat in hushed anticipation in the cozy movie room of the Raynor Estate. The lights were dimmed, casting a soft golden hue across the room. All eyes turned to the massive projector screen stretching across the front wall. With a gentle flicker, the screen came to life.

It was split into two segments.

On the left was a live feed from the command center... a room buzzing with tension and brilliance. Scientists and engineers, dressed in lab coats and headsets, gathered around glowing monitors. Their faces were tight with concentration, their fingers flying over keyboards.

On the right, the launchpad glowed under the cover of night. There stood the rocket... tall, imposing, and proud. A metallic tower of ambition. The satellite, settled deep within the payload fairing, was hidden from view... but its presence was undeniable.

Freya broke the silence with wide, curious eyes. "Mommy, what are they all doing there?"

Eleanor smiled, brushing a hand through her daughter’s hair. "Can you see the rocket on the right side of the screen? They’re about to launch that rocket."

Freya’s eyes lit up with wonder. "Is it your rocket?"

Eleanor chuckled. "Not just mine. I worked really hard to make this happen, but your Great Grandma provided all the funding. So, let’s say... it’s ours."

Freya gasped. "Is it super expensive?"

"Super costly," Eleanor confirmed with a nod.

"Then is my Great Grandma... super rich?"

"Yes," Eleanor laughed. "Super-duper rich."

Fiona, who had quietly been sipping tea and minding her business, groaned as the conversation turned to her. "Why are you two bickering about money right now? Watch the launch... it’s starting soon!"

Freya leaned toward her with a playful grin. "Great Grandma, you’re rich. I want more presents."

Fiona huffed in fake annoyance. "Okay, okay. We’ll talk presents later."

Suddenly, a crisp voice crackled through the surround speakers, pulling everyone’s attention back to the screen:

"T-minus ten minutes and counting. All systems are go."

Eleanor leaned forward in her seat, gripping the edge of her chair without even realizing it. Around her, the others shifted slightly... alert now. Sensing the change in atmosphere, Freya too went quiet, her little hands tucked into her lap.

On the right screen, the camera panned slowly along the base of the rocket. Wisps of vapor curled from its sides, white and spectral against the cold lighting of the launch tower. The rocket was still, unmoving, yet thrumming with potential.

Inside the command center, engineers adjusted their headsets. Numbers streamed across their screens, data flashing like constellations in motion. Every second mattered.

The mission director’s voice came next... calm and authoritative, like a man balancing fire on his palm.

"Payload secured. Communications link green. Final telemetry checks underway."

Another voice followed, equally professional.

"Weather is nominal. Wind shear levels within acceptable range."

A second video feed flickered on, showing a birds-eye view from above. From this distance, the rocket looked even more enormous... dwarfing the steel framework like a sleeping titan.

Eleanor sucked in a sharp breath. Her chest felt tight, and her palms were clammy.

"Five minutes," another voice sounded.

The room fell into absolute silence.

No one spoke. No one moved. It was as though time itself paused for this moment of suspended possibility.

"Final countdown initiated. All personnel, switch to launch protocol."

The right screen panned back for a full view of the launchpad. Steam began to pour out from beneath the rocket, clouds swelling at its base. Lights along the pad changed... from red to orange. Orange to blinding white.

Inside the command center, a red indicator blinked on the master console.

"T-minus sixty seconds."

Eleanor’s pulse thudded in her ears. She could feel it... pounding like war drums. Everyone else sat frozen in the same trance.

"Guidance is internal. Auto-sequence start."

"Fuel pressure stable. LOX levels green."

"Twenty seconds."

The camera zoomed out. The rocket stood alone now. The arms of the launch tower retracted with the grace of a parent letting go of their child.

"Ten... nine... eight..."

"Seven... six..."

The engines flared red... then blazed white-hot.

"Five... four... three..."

A deep rumble began, even before ignition. A low, thunderous sound that seemed to rise from the earth itself.

"Two... one..."

A blinding light erupted from the engines, illuminating the sky like a second sun.

"Zero."

The rocket lifted off the ground.

It rose slowly at first, then surged upward with raw power. Flames and smoke risen beneath it as it pierced through the night sky. Even though they were thousands of miles away, watching it on a screen, the room seemed to tremble with the force of it.

The satellite... silent and still just moments ago... now soared through fire and air.

Inside the command center, chaos turned into symphony.

Eyes darted across screens. Fingers typed furiously. Voices rang out...

"Altitude nominal. Thrust stable."

"Max Q in five seconds."

"Trajectory locked. Stage separation go for green."

The rocket continued to ascend. The camera shook slightly as shockwaves rippled through the air. Eleanor watched with unblinking eyes as it pierced layer after layer of the atmosphere.

Then, a flicker. A flash. A burst of light.

The first stage detached in a flawless semicircle, falling back to Earth as the second stage ignited.

Applause broke out in the command center. It started soft... cautious. But then cheers erupted. Not wild or chaotic... just honest and relieved joy.

"Second stage burn holding. Satellite systems are green. We are in the ascent phase two."

Eleanor felt something wet trickle down her cheek. She wiped it quickly, hoping no one noticed.

"Mission control confirms: satellite trajectory is optimal. We have a successful launch."

The rocket was now a flickering flame in the distance, shrinking against the vast expanse of the sky.

The camera feed followed for a few more seconds, then slowly faded to black.

In the Raynor Estate movie room, silence reigned.

Then, Fiona’s voice broke the stillness.

"Congratulations, Eleanor. The first satellite of the Raynor Clan has been launched... because of you."

Eleanor turned, blinking away another tear. "Thank you, Grandma. But it wouldn’t have been possible without your support. I may have designed the satellite and led the mission, but without your influence and funding, I couldn’t have secured the licenses or built the infrastructure."

Fiona waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t be modest. I’ve lived over four hundred years. I’ve seen countless Raynors rise to greatness. The first satellite launched by humans? That was so long ago, most have forgotten it. But this? This is the first satellite for our clan. For any of the werewolves. No other clan has achieved this. You’ve made history tonight."

Adrian clapped his hands, smiling proudly. "We should celebrate this. It’s a momentous occasion."

Fiona nodded firmly. "Yes. Adrian, call all the clan members nearby. Ask them to come to our Sky View restaurant within the hour. They have a helipad... those who want to fly in can use it. Post the invitation in our clan chat. Don’t mention the reason. Let it be a surprise."

Eleanor stood abruptly, her voice firm. "No, Grandma. Please don’t. I appreciate the thought, but this isn’t the time to celebrate. For you, this may be a landmark achievement. But for me, it’s just the beginning."

Fiona looked at her curiously. "The beginning?"

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