The first press conference was held on December 19, one week before launch. The main conference room had been converted for the event, complete with batteries of microphones and cameras. At the center of it all, beneath the blinding floodlights, were Director Nasuda, Yukari, and Matsuri.
Yukari and Matsuri wore pink pantsuits, purchased by the public relations officer himself on a trip to Sydney for that purpose. Even Director Nasuda was dressed to kill in a crisp three-piece suit. The air conditioning worked overtime to battle the equatorial heat, but the room remained uncomfortably warm.
Director Nasuda began the press conference with a short address extolling the virtues of manned spaceflight, the advantages of launch systems that handled humans and cargo separately, and the cost-effectiveness of the new hybrid engine. However, the journalists were clearly much more interested in hearing what the girls had to say.
“I have a question for Yukari,” said one of the reporters. He had shown remarkable restraint by waiting a full two seconds after the end of Director Nasuda’s opening remarks. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
So this was how it was going to be. It didn’t seem like an appropriate question for an astronaut, but the journalist looked dead serious. Ridiculous as it may have been, Yukari was willing to go along with it if it meant getting this over and done with.
“No,” said Yukari.
“Who’s your favorite musician?”
“ZIMA, stuff like that.”
“Favorite food?”
“The shrimp dumplings at Tianjin Restaurant.”
“Extracurricular activities?”
“Track and field.”
“Blood type?”
“A.”
“Any brothers or sisters?”
Yukari froze. “Uh, I think the press kit covered that.”
“I’d like to hear it in your own words.”
“No, no brothers or sisters.”
“What do you do if you get your period in space?” asked a female reporter.
At this point, Yukari decided to tell it like it was. “The urine collector in the suit can handle it, but the launch schedule also takes that into account.”
“And if the launch is delayed?”
“In a worst-case scenario, they can always use the backup crew.”
“Would you categorize your menstrual pain as severe?”
“I’m not going to dignify that with a response,” Yukari snapped. A barrage of strobe lights flashed. Yukari had no doubt those pictures would find their way to magazine covers around the globe.
Next her family life came under the microscope.
“What do you think of your father?”
“I think he’s a deadbeat.”
The directness of her response elicited a number of surprised gasps.
“So you aren’t going to forgive him?” purred a female reporter.
“That’s up to him.”
“How do you mean?”
“If he makes a fresh start in Japan, I’m willing to consider it.”
“What are your plans once you and your father go home? There are rumors you’re considering an acting career.”
“I intend to go back to being an ordinary teenager.”
The journalists laughed.
Yukari didn’t see what was so funny.
“Any idea why your father disappeared on his honeymoon?”
“Not really.” Yukari had expected the question, but she had never got around to deciding how she would answer it. She certainly didn’t believe that nonsense story about shamans and spirits. Had the Taliho kidnapped him? Had he run off after a fight with her mother? She couldn’t answer because she had no answer.
“Is it possible your father has some sort of mental disorder?”
It was possible. Why should she deny it?
“Yes.”
Another journalist broke in. “So Matsuri is your half sister and your backup, is that right?”
“That’s right.”
“Was there any rivalry between the two of you over who would be the first to fly?”
“None at all.”
The journalist eyed Yukari doubtfully. “But if something were to happen to you—an injury or an illness—Matsuri would move into the first slot.” There was a time when nothing would have pleased Yukari more, but now she was prepared to do whatever she needed to do to get her father home free and clear. “If that happened, you’re telling me there wouldn’t be any animosity between the two of you?”
“We’re not concerned with who goes first.”
“Maybe Matsuri sees things differently.”
“I’m not in any hurry,” said Matsuri. There was no guile in her words.
“I couldn’t help but notice you used the word ‘first,’ Yukari. So there will be additional launches?”
“Sure, why wouldn’t there be?”
“Of course there will,” said Director Nasuda. “Once our technology matures, we may be looking at launches every week.”
The journalists all but ignored Director Nasuda.
“Yukari, you gave the ship its name, Tampopo. How did you decide on that?”
“I wanted to name it after a flower, and ‘Peach,’ ‘Sakura,’ and ‘Sunflower’ were already taken.”
“You’ll be flying alone. Are you scared?”
“The rocket is put together well and I’ll be in radio contact with the ground, so I’m not really worried.”
“What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you reach orbit?”
“If there’s time, I’d like to just stare at Earth.”
“Is that why you wanted to become an astronaut?”
“Well…”
Director Nasuda looked at Yukari imploringly.
“Yes, that’s the reason,” she said.
“When did you first realize this was what you wanted to do?”
“Elementary school probably.”
“What prompted this realization?”
“Uh…” Yukari hadn’t thought that far ahead. She racked her brain, trying to remember the details of the first Japanese to ride the space shuttle. “I saw an eclipse.”
“That must have been the total eclipse in Okinawa.” This reporter knew his astronomy.
Sweat beaded on Yukari’s forehead. “I’m not sure. I saw it on TV.”
“Ah, of course.” That seemed to satisfy him. “Do you plan to continue pursuing your career as an astronaut?”
“Yes. Well, sort of. I still need to finish high school.”
“What sort of timescale are we talking about?”
“I need to get back before the next semester starts.”
“That can’t be easy, leaving all this.”
“I want as many people as possible to have the chance I have.”
Murmurs of approval rolled through the audience.
Yukari’s first foray into public deception was a success. And she was just getting started.