Mission Control

Mission Control serves as one of the central present-day settings during the accident on the Navigator, symbolizing institutional authority, precision, and constraint. It is a space governed by protocol, where emotion must be suppressed in favor of clear communication and decisive action. For Joan, it becomes both a command center and a cage: she is physically grounded while the person she loves is in danger above. The sterile, high-stakes environment of Mission Control contrasts with the emotional intensity of Joan’s inner world, highlighting the tension between professional duty and personal anguish as she is forced to maintain composure on open comms.

Navigator

The Navigator—the spacecraft where the present-day crisis unfolds—is a setting defined by isolation, fragility, and immense pressure. Suspended above Earth, it represents both the height of human achievement and the peril that comes with it. For Vanessa, it becomes the stage for...