The Endeavour space shuttle accident
Should we rescue the space shuttle that has lost power?
How could that be! Not going up to set off fireworks is already the greatest demonstration of conscience.
Henry would only go out of his way to show off if that thing didn't come and burn the plane.
Reassured, Henry returned to his seat and continued flipping through the literary masterpiece in his hands.
The other passengers on the plane, after seeing the same view repeatedly, just got used to it. Those with cameras would take a few pictures, and then everyone else went about their business.
The plane landed smoothly at Geneva International Airport in Switzerland, and the driver of the pre-booked airport transfer service was already waiting in the exit hall with a sign.
The two returned to Ms. Hepburn's home in Trochene, Switzerland, without any disturbance. It was an 18th-century farmhouse, two stories high with a small attic, a very simple old house.
It includes an orchard, a vegetable garden, and a lush green lawn, all of which were personally tended by Ms. Hepburn. However, in recent years, she has been busy with United Nations activities and has therefore neglected its care.
Although Robert Wolders also lived here, he didn't take as much care of the yard as Hepburn. He preferred walking the dogs, taking his five Jack Russell Terrier out for a run, making quite a spectacle of it.
Missy, Toby, Penny, Picceri, Jackie —this was a fiftieth birthday gift from Ms. Hepburn to Robert.
Besides these two people living here, a maid comes to clean the house regularly every day. Hepburn's children are all adults and only occasionally come back to this house to see their mother.
Henry was the third semi-permanent resident of the house, occupying a guest room. He had originally planned to rent a house in town, but the lady's farm was large enough that she simply gave him a room.
Anyway, Henry's work involved following the lady around, so living closer made it easier to stay in touch and to call on her for any odd jobs. It was quite like the long-term servants of wealthy families in the past.
There was no iron gate blocking the entrance to the farm; only a hedge and stone arch separated the inside from the outside. So the driver could easily drive the car in.
The familiar barking of dogs made Audrey Hepburn seem less like someone who had just finished a long flight, and her mood improved.
Henry got out of the car first, opened the car door for the lady, helped her out of the car, and then took her luggage. At this moment, five white dogs with brown stripes and wildly wagging tails came running over, jostling and almost drowning out Ms. Hepburn's thin body.
Knowing her dogs' habits well in advance, Audrey Hepburn prepared in advance to deal with their enthusiastic welcome. She would pet them on the left and right, making sure to give them all the attention without favoritism.
"You're back." Robert Wolders came out from the front door and gave Hepburn a big hug to welcome him home.
The abandoned dogs lined up pitifully in front of Henry, sticking out their tongues and wagging their tails.
Henry, who wasn't particularly fond of animals, casually stroked the dog's head a couple of times as a greeting before carrying his luggage inside. The Jack Russell Terrier, clearly not satisfied, wagged its tail and kept darting between Henry's legs.
They tried to prevent him from entering the house.
Ms. Hepburn, who entered a little later, was telling Robert about the amazing sights she had seen from the plane. "You know, we saw some very strange balls of fire on the plane, higher than the clouds."
"It's very beautiful, but I also find it a little eerie. We took some photos, though I don't know how well they turned out. You'll see them once Henry develops them."
"Ah, I know what you're talking about," Robert said. "It was on the news last night. The report said that United States announced that the fire in the sky was Sun Pharma flare approaching Earth."
"Unfortunately, the Endeavour space shuttle was severely damaged during its maiden Sun Pharma -49 mission. We don't know what happened afterward, or if any rescue efforts were launched."
Upon hearing this, Audrey Hepburn looked slightly nervous and said, "Really? I hope they are all safe and sound and rescued safely."
Robert reassured his close partner, saying, "Don't worry, even if United States can't solve it on its own..."
There's also the X-Men, right? Mutants have many strange and varied abilities; there's bound to be something that comes in handy.
Robert Wolders ' remarks were one of the reasons why Henry felt he couldn't adapt to this world. Everyone seemed to take Mutants for granted, both wary and quick to throw problems at them.
It's different from relying on superheroes. It's the kind of situation where when trouble comes, Mutants are left to handle it; or when the source of the trouble is investigated, it's always the Mutants ' fault.
Henry's appearance allowed him to easily blend into the crowd, and he certainly didn't intend to cause trouble for himself.
Furthermore, that thing in the sky was actually called a Sun Pharma flare? And not a single astrophysicist came forward to refute it! It's obvious there's something fishy going on behind the scenes.
Even if a cloud of gas carrying a flash of light were to approach Earth, the coronal ejection phenomenon that occurs on the surface of the Sun Pharma could not linger or persist for a long time.
Furthermore, a flash of that magnitude approaching Earth would generate enough Electromagnetic Waves and ion storms to cause damage to the surface. It would only harm a passing space shuttle.
Forget it. It's none of my business. Henry went about his own business with a clear conscience; he still had luggage to pack and clothes to do.
When it was time for the evening news, Robert was sitting in the living room, petting the dog and watching the news. Henry, on the other hand, was in the kitchen with Mrs. Hepburn, preparing dinner.
This isn't about Henry being a sycophant or Robert being a chauvinist. It's about the fact that when it was just the two of them...
Ms. Hepburn could prepare dinner very quickly by herself.
But Henry could eat enough for three or four people, which meant that Mrs. Hepburn had to prepare everything by herself, like preparing a grand feast every night, and she probably had to start preparing it from noon.
So Henry decided to help out. Both Audrey and Robert were happy to order more dishes and try different flavors. Even if Henry only took one bite of a dish, he would finish the rest.
As long as there's no waste, no one will object to how much food is prepared.
However, Robert, who was watching the news, suddenly exclaimed, "Ha, just as I thought!"
"What's wrong?" Audrey asked from the kitchen.
Robert, still sitting in the living room, said loudly, "Last night, during the Endeavour space shuttle malfunction, the President of the United States dispatched the X-Men, who successfully rescued all the astronauts. Professor X was also commended and awarded a medal afterward."
It's being reported on the news.
"Oh, is everyone alright?" Audrey asked from the kitchen.
"It wasn't mentioned in the news, so they're probably still investigating or it's not serious. If there were any casualties, they would have announced it already. But they did say that the Sun Pharma flare crisis has been averted."
Henry remained silent throughout, lost in thought about the familiarity he felt. Sun Pharma flares, X- X-Men... Could it be Dark Phoenix? That movie that was neither truly a hero nor a wise man, neither truly an alien nor a hero, and was criticized for having an entirely insane cast.