A Message from Space

SD3: A noisy gymnasium is packed with visitors wandering up and down rows of science projects.

SD1: Naya stands by an elaborate display titled “The Plight of the Burrowing Owl.” A small group walks up.

Naya (nervously): Hi. So, um, this is my project about burrowing owls. They are not much bigger than my shoe and—

Student: Can you speak up please? We can’t hear you.

Naya (louder ): They’ve lost much of their natural habitat here in Florida. Without safe places to lay eggs and raise their young, they could disappear forever.

Student: Why are they called burrowing owls?

Naya: Because they roost underground in burrows.

SD2: Naya picks up a length of sewer pipe and a large plastic storage box.

Naya: But we can help protect them. With just a few simple things from the hardware store, you can make an artificial burrow on your own land.

Student: I seriously had no idea there were tiny owls in the ground. That’s cool.

Naya: Here, take a flyer. I’m starting an after-school club. We’re going to build burrows all over town.

SD3: The group moves on. Two new visitors arrive.

Parent 1: You’re Naya Diaz, right?

Naya: Yes.

Parent 1: Is Sonia Estrada-Diaz your mom?

SD1: Naya nods.

Parent 1: I knew it! You look just like her.

Parent 2: How did she become an astronaut?

Naya: Uh, well . . . she was an Air Force pilot, and she has degrees in engineering and biomedical science.

Parent 1: My 4-year-old has the Sonia action figure. She takes it everywhere.

SD2: The parent grabs a flyer and writes on it.

Parent 1: Here’s my email. Do you think you could get your mom to write my daughter a note?

SD3: Naya reluctantly takes the paper.

Naya: I guess I can try.

Parent 2: I bet you want to be an astronaut like her.

SD1: Naya shrugs.

Parent 1: Are you going to Kazakhstan for the launch?

Naya: No, the trip is a little too much for my grandpa. We’re watching from home.

Parent 2: You must be excited, though. How thrilling to watch your mom blast into space!

SD2: Naya forces a smile.

Parent 1: Well, good luck with your . . . (glances at Naya’s display) . . . owls.

SD3: The two parents walk away.

Naya (glumly): Thanks.

SD1: Naya sits alone in a classroom. Posted on the board in bright-orange bubble letters is a sign that reads “WELCOME Burrowing Owl Club!”

SD2: Naya gets up and looks through the door into the empty hallway. She sits back down and sighs.

JJ (entering  a few minutes later): Where is everyone?

Naya: You’re it.

JJ: Oh.

Naya: Whatever. Nobody cares about little owls that live underground.

SD3: Naya pulls down the welcome sign.

JJ: Don’t give up, Naya. You’ve got success in your blood. Did you watch your mom’s interview yesterday?

Naya: Yeah, she was amazing.

JJ: I’m always telling people she’s my aunt. It must be great to have a famous mom.

Naya: It’s OK.

SD1: There’s an awkward silence. JJ changes the subject.

JJ: I remember how you liked owls even when you were just a little kid.

Naya: Yeah. I guess it’s kind of babyish that I still do.

JJ: That’s not true. I wish I was as passionate about something as you are.

SD2: JJ notices a stack of maps that Naya has made.

JJ: What are these red X’s?

Naya: Those are potential burrow sites—open spaces away from trees where the owls would be safe from hawks or other predators.

JJ: I’ll help you build some burrows.

Naya: I mean, what am I supposed to say to people? “I hate flying. It makes me throw up.”

JJ: Wait. What? We aren’t talking about owls anymore, are we?

SD3: Naya pauses before answering.

Naya: I just wish everyone would stop expecting me to be like her.

SD1: Naya walks through the front door and drops her backpack on the floor. She dumps her flyers in the trash.

Mom (walking in): How was the club?

Naya: It was—

SD2: Mom’s phone rings.

Mom: Hold on, I’ve got to take this.

SD3: Naya goes into the kitchen and plops down at the table.

Dad: Hi! I’ve made your mother’s favorite for her last night with us—enchiladas. I don’t think she’ll be eating many of those on the International Space Station.

Emilio: Is it true Mom’s going to drink her own pee?

Abuelo: No. It gets recycled and filtered, so it’s just water.

Emilio: So she is going to drink her own pee!

SD1: Abuelo ruffles Emilio’s hair.

SD2: Mom comes into the kitchen. She sees a row of cereal boxes with her face on them.

Mom: How many did you buy?

Dad: What can I say? I’m proud.

Mom: Well, maybe we can keep them in the pantry instead of on the counter.

Dad: So, Naya, how was your day?

SD3: Naya looks up at all the magazine covers featuring her mother that are stuck to the fridge.

Naya (quietly): It was fine.

SD1: In a crowded living room, Naya’s family is talking and laughing. Her younger cousins noisily chase each other through the house.

SD2: Naya stands in a corner, biting her lip.

Dad (shouting ): David, we need more chips!

Tío David (offstage): Coming!

SD3: Tío David enters with a large tray.

Tía Martina: Has anyone seen Marco’s toy rocket ship?

Tío David: Did you check the backseat of the car?

JJ: Can someone turn the volume up?

Tía Martina: Sure.

SD1: Announcers’ voices are heard from the TV.

Announcer 1: You are looking at a live feed of the launchpad in Kazakhstan and the 160-foot rocket that will take three astronauts to the International Space Station.

Announcer 2: This is the first flight for NASA astronaut Sonia Estrada-Diaz.

JJ: Go Tía Sonia!

Announcer 1: For the next six months, Estrada-Diaz will be testing a new food-growing technology aboard the ISS. One day, it could be used on a Mars colony.

Announcer 2: We are at 10 minutes to liftoff.

SD2: Naya slips out of the room.

SD3: Abuelo opens the door. Naya is sitting in front of her laptop.

Abuelo: What’s going on, mi chiquita?

Naya: I’m just working on stuff for school.

Abuelo: Hmmm, really?

SD1: Abuelo sets down a plate of croquetas.

Abuelo: How about eating some real food instead of feeding your worry brain?

Naya: I can’t help it. All I can think about is everything that could go wrong.

Abuelo: Watching those videos only makes it worse.

SD2: Naya looks up at Abuelo.

Naya: Everyone is acting like this is just a big party.

Abuelo: We’re all worried. I was awake for a long time last night. But then I reminded myself that your mother has spent many years training for this.

Naya: That doesn’t mean that it will turn out OK.

Abuelo: True. Life is full of uncertainty. Does that mean you’re never going to take risks?

Naya: Mom is a hero. I’m . . . not like that.

Abuelo: There are all kinds of heroes in the world and a million ways to be brave.

SD3: Naya considers this.

Abuelo: Think of your burrowing owls. They don’t spend their whole lives hiding underground. When the time comes, they step out and fly.

SD1: Naya sits up a little straighter.

Abuelo: Stay in here as long as you need. But I hope you’ll join us for the launch.

SD2: Abuelo leaves. Naya takes a bite of a croqueta.

SD3: Naya returns to the living room.

Tío David: Come sit here. We saved a place for you.

SD1: Naya takes a seat on the couch and focuses her attention on the TV screen.

Announcer 1: Here is a closer view of the capsule where the astronauts are strapped into their seats. They have closed their helmets and are now on suit oxygen.

Announcer 2: Above the capsule is the escape tower that can be used in the event of an emergency.

Announcer 1: All preflight checks are complete. The rocket is fully fueled and ready. We are GO for launch.

SD2: Naya takes a breath.

Announcer 2: Ten . . . nine . . . eight . . . seven . . . six . . .

SD3: Naya and her family join in the countdown.

All: Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . . LIFTOFF!

SD1: They hear the roar of the engines through the TV.

SD2: Bright orange flames shoot out of the boosters.

SD3: The rocket lifts off the ground.

All: Woo-hoo! Hooray!

Abuelo: There she goes! ¡Esa es mi hija!

Announcer 1: Everything is looking good. Soon we will see the rocket separating from the capsule.

SD1: On-screen, the rocket separates and falls back toward the ground.

Announcer 2: Phase one complete.

SD2: The camera inside the capsule shows Naya’s mother giving a thumbs-up sign.

Announcer 1: That’s Sonia Estrada-Diaz letting us know that the crew is doing well.

SD3: A few minutes later, a small stuffed animal is seen floating above the astronauts.

Announcer 2: What is that?

Announcer 1: A teddy bear?

SD1: Everyone in the living room turns to Naya.

Naya (with amazement): It’s a burrowing owl.

Announcer 2: It’s tradition for the astronauts to hang a talisman inside the capsule as a zero-gravity indicator. When it starts to float, you know you’re weightless.

Announcer 1: We just received this statement from NASA. It was written by Sonia Estrada-Diaz.

SD2: The voice changes to Mom’s.

Mom: People call me brave for going to space to explore what’s beyond our planet. But as my daughter taught me, it takes a different kind of courage to devote yourself to the little creatures on Earth, creatures that are vulnerable and often overlooked, like the burrowing owl.

SD3: Naya’s eyes well up.

Mom: To me, that’s the best of humanity and what I hope we’ll carry with us to the stars.

Announcer 2: There you go, folks. The burrowing owl. I’ll need to look that one up.

Abuelo: What are you thinking now, Naya?

SD1: Naya looks across the room at JJ and smiles.

Naya (laughing through tears): I’m thinking I need to make more flyers.