Centauri

In 1968, in the days when the space race was reaching a fevered pitch and Apollo 11 was preparing for its fateful journey, there emerged in France a young variant code-named Centauri. His powers were based on the metabolizing of cosmic rays and allowed him flight through and survival in the harsh vacuum of space.
    He came to media attention for doing fly-bys on US and USSR missions at the edge of the atmosphere and beyond. He had a handsome face and sardonic grin that played well on the cameras, and he was very, very loyal to France. On March 14th he declared that for the glory of France and the world, he would be the first man to set foot on the moon.
    While the French cheered their new hero, American diplomats made every effort, both with Centauri personally and with the French government to stop this mission (as the French called it, "stunt" was the word the Americans used). They cordially but firmly asked that he not do this. It would drive a wedge between human and variant relations; it would make a mockery of human effort; it would steal the dreams and accomplishments of all mankind and replace it with the actions of one gifted (read: inhuman) variant.
    Centauri and the French government scoffed at them. His quote, caught on television and in print [translated from the French, of course] was, "It is not that they want the first feet on Luna to be wholly human. It is that they want the first feet on Luna to be wholly American." He left for space the next day. By his calculations, his travel time was to be eighteen hours to the moon, less if his powers continued to increase the longer he was exposed to the full cosmic rays of space, rather than his meager diet of them within Earth's atmosphere.
    Radio contact was lost after 6 hours. He was never seen again.
    Rumors abound as to the cause of his disappearance: murder by US telepaths; sudden failure of powers overtaxed by the trip; disorientation following the failure of his radio gear; killing or abduction by aliens such as the Pellambrans or the Galactic Council (who were not contacted until late 1969). Records stolen from the KGB indicate that they had a plan in motion to eliminate the young variant, but claim to have been unable to implement it before his flight. The possibility exists that they either lied in their records or switched to a more subtle plan, such as poison that killed him midflight. If anyone does know what happened, they're not talking.
    As proof of many theories, his last radio recordings have been analyzed over and over again by international conspiracy buffs. They are incoherent ramblings, whose meaning and message are unclear. The official explanation, while the case is still open, is that his powers overloaded due to the much higher dose of cosmic rays in space than on earth, eventually more than he could handle. There is no more proof for this than any other theory, but it is the simplest, favored by both Occam's razor and the general public.
    Centauri's powers were based on cosmic ray metabolism. While in Earth's atmosphere, they freed him from the need for food and air, provided him flight, enhanced durability and low end variant strength. Out of atmosphere these powers increased at least fivefold, perhaps more if the amount of cosmic energy was increased by solar flares and the like. He was classified as a high Beta variant, but is often considered a mid Gamma by European scholars.
    Centauri is still seen as a hero by the French, their golden child cut down too soon. Officially, the case concerning his disappearance is still open, pending further evidence. There are rumors, many believed by the French, that Centauri made a secret test run to the moon before declaring his intentions to do it publicly. There is a period of 72 hours where he was out of contact with his friends and family that it could have happened (but it could have also been a secret tryst with one of the many women who caught his eye after his rise to fame). Those close to him say that this would have been very much in keeping with his personality, and if true, not only make him the first man on the moon, but means that his disappearance must be the result of foul play; the first trip would have been mad with radio silence (disproving the disorientation theory) and shown the viability of his powers (disproving the overload theory). Alas, there is only one thing missing. Proof.
    Decades later Centauri and his quest are still causing questions about the nature of variant interaction with humans and government control of variants. There are no easy answers.

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