[ WP ] The cure for death is found . But die to the fear of overpopulation on earth , people are given a choice . Stay on earth and be mortal , or be cured and go on a deep space mission .

The year had been colder than previous years, which is probably why Barbara had been cursing so heavily under her breath. She was clearly miffed about forgetting her jacket at home, and therefore regretting the fact that she was turning back toward her house to go and get it. She was always forgetting things; that was just part of Barbara's nature. Ever since her dad had passed away when she was a young girl, she had forced herself to forget many things. 
 
 After a while, forgetting and forgetfulness just blended into her natural habits. Little had been known about her father's sudden death besides old age and stress but she often found herself wishing she had never known him. He had been great. He was everything that a father should've been, kind, calm, full of sacrifice and great pride for his daughter. 
 
 Barbara felt warm just thinking about her father. She stepped into the street, naively closing her eyes - trying anything to forget. A driver in the distance honked furiously; but it was too late. 
 
 Black. Cold. Empty. 
 
 `` Barbara Brand, Barbara Brand?'' 
 
 Barbara awoke, attached to dozens of machines - a stab under her skin still burning. `` Barbara Brand, you are in the Grave Space Revival Program's intensive cure unit. You're being asked to read these forms as soon as possible, you do n't have much time - have you heard about the GSRP?'' 
 
 The nurse rambling on seemed incredibly hurried and Barbara let out a soft moan. Her thinking was surprisingly clear. ``.. So you see, by signing this waiver, you agree that to be given the injections you will be accepting immortality essentially - and you will be agreeing to sign aboard mission 776. You must sign now, the dosage you've been given will only keep you awake for so long.'' 
 
 Barbara was in shock. She was too young to die. Most people, when they found themselves close to death - they did n't hesitate; they did anything to crawl back to the other side. Barbara was no different. 
 
 -- 
 
 It was day one aboard the ship and Barbara stared around like a deer in headlights. She had heard whispers of this project for years now, and for the'antidote for death'. She would've never believed it to be real; but here she was - suited up after months of vigorous training and hovering lightyears away from planet Earth. 
 
 Why her? Why was she selected for this mission? 
 
 Barbara was still wondering this constantly; sometimes even aloud - under her breath to which her fellow astronauts would shift uncomfortably and then exchange nervous glances. She never noticed. 
 
 It just did n't add up. She had been a good student; but not great. She had stayed in shape, and she had been relatively healthy - before the accident, of course. But space training? God, that had never seemed like a possibility. Immortality? She was n't rich; and she was n't special. 
 
 Barbara had no idea why she had been selected to work under a group of intelligent, iron-willed project leaders that were concentrating on making one of the monumental space stations more livable for mankind. All of the technology was new; all of it was state of the art. Barbara was tasked with just the basics; just making repairs and learning the ins and the outs of space living. It was n't hard; but it was n't fun. Maybe they needed stupid people; she reasoned. Maybe they needed stupid people to do all of the mundane work nobody else wanted to do. 
 
 As Barbara prepared for bed on the fourth night, she crawled into her pod and longed for that cold air that had touched her cheeks on that fateful day. That, she knew, was when she had last truly been alive. The cold had bothered her then; but now she would relish the wind, the breeze, and the fresh earthy air from home. She knew from the moment she had laid down that it would n't be easy to sleep. 
 
 But she was about to find out just how uneasy it would be. A voice boomed through her pod; making her jump. `` Greetings crew, passengers, and all others onboard our craft. We apologize for this interruption; but we are testing our emergency system. In the event that our craft is compromised, this could result in all doses of your daily cure not being able to be delivered if all standard procedures are not followed. Please meet immediately in the J Hall, and know that all doors will seal in twelve minutes. Thank you, it has been a pleasure commanding you.'' 
 
 You had to be kidding. As far as Barbara had knew; she had signed for a sure thing. Apparently, not however. Rising from her bed, she collected her shoes and slid her feet into them mechanically. Every day since she had signed her soul away had been the same; at least this was different. She dressed and followed the announcement's instructions. Just eight minutes into the announcement, she was in the J Hall - shoulder to shoulder with around thirty others. 
 
 Their chief commander saluted them. `` We will be transferring to the nearest station. We are sorry to interrupt your evenings, but you all must understand that this is a necessary evil.'' A few low grumbles and moans were heard; but the nursing staff carried large, cold boxes of emergency doses of their livelihood - labeled and packed tightly. 
 
 The transfer went with out note. It was a long two and a half hours; and Barbara was almost beginning to suspect that there was more to this than a practice emergency test. She found herself slumped against a wall; the doors closing one last time behind all of them. A man in the distance had been giving direction; but he had just turned over his microphone to another. 
 
 `` When I first came aboard my first station, I did n't know what to expect. A dream of a cure for death and a cleaner way of living was what brought me here, but like a lot of you - I had struggled with my new reality, but I was determined to make this an option. I was determined to survive, despite the fact that I left behind a family...'' 
 
 Barbara did n't have to hear more. Her head shot up and she scanned the room; heart beating as fast as she could ever remember. 
 
 ``... I lied. I faked my death on earth, I left behind everything I had ever known. I left everything to help most of you. To help people like you. To make this great, great, galaxy something beyond our wildest dreams...'' 
 
 Barbara could feel herself shake. Her hands were fists. She felt tricked. She felt angry. She felt resentful. 
 
 `` Dad, how could you?'' She screamed, and one could've sworn that all eyes from many near-by vessels that had boarded together found their way to her.
