DESTINATION MOONBASE TANGO

The Lottery offers the first large-scale civilian trips to the Moon. Almost a mass-exodus. Public-private parnership by the government and Hallidyne Corp (a wholly owned subsidiary of Cyberdyne LLC).

The travel price is expensive, but not so much that midclass can't afford by cashin 701Ks and mortleases. Secured loans ONLY. Military listment assures free Lunar citizenship, after retirement.

Space travellers pass BG checks by Homeland Security of United States of North America. Most are members of Liberal Democrat Socialist Republic Party. Must be their superiority in free thought, members joke. Space sex... gonna be great!

1,000s of spaceships prepare for launch on the 50th, uh, 100th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Entire families prepare for relocate. Ship names for scifi heros -- Serentiy 11, Jupiter 22, Valley Forge 33, Enterpise 44.

Time on Moon before return is 3 years. Contract for govt employ is mandatory. Reads like miltrac. Nobody reads United States of Earth Code. News reports Lunar travs are auto citizens of the State of Luna. Shiny.

Living quarters and workstations underground, so not visible from Earth-based scopes. UNESCO Biosphere Reserve bans surface development of Earth Side. Live I-net video of public areas, though email and phone traf must get OK by Skynet, with strict time limit. Redactions and deletions are common. Like prison, some say. Price of freedom.

In-flight phones a No-Go. Cellphones won't work in outer space, ya know.

The president-general declares Moon Exodus Day is Summer Solstice, from his vacation retreat at Camp Bohemian Grove.

Families I-viewed at launch sites across the world. All excited by pending venture. Giddy. High on life. None discuss sciengeering -- that's not a requirement on the migrant test. Boring.

Launches begin. Several countdowns abort, to be expected. Few disasters visi