Arith : The Undiscovered Planet
Chapter 1

Kelvin, Miranda and Josh got in the spacecraft about two and a half hours before launch, with their helmets and full gear. Kelvin was their commander. The ground crew strapped them in and performed a series of pre-flight checks on all the spaceship systems. When the checks were finished, the crew (Kelvin, Miranda and Josh) waited, while workers on the launch pad did the final rocket preparations.

Shortly before the time of launch, they heard different noises below them and prepared themselves for the things about to come. The engine of the system rumbled, this made the crew members shake strongly; visibly and within. Although this is the second time they’ve been sent on a mission to explore space , there was still a moment of fear associated with the take-off of a spacecraft in to space.

Nonetheless, Josh, Miranda and Kelvin were very excited. They felt honoured to be chosen for space travel. Thanks to their ‘head’ , he chose them because, well… according to him, he wanted to… what’s the right word to use … yeah ... compensate them for being his best students . Miranda recalled how she caught a glimpse of what looked like the silhouette of an astronaunt trying to do something like, steal an element recently discovered in space , ‘siredanium’ ; the most expensive element in the universe, through the satellites, while she was in their headquarters. Collecting, Handling and picking up of anything in space was outlawed .

Their headquarters I.S.E.A (International Space Exploration Agency) America, had a general ‘head’ , Mr Kennedy. Hence, Miranda having spotted this strange occurrence , decided to keep this discovery to herself . Afterall, she could be wrong, just wanted to make sure. She didn’t report to Mr Kennedy. She patiently waited to be sent on another mission, so as to be sure if someone was actually stealing this element or not . She only told Derek her husband, Kelvin and one other person, about her replaceings.

Miranda was very enthusiastic, when their ‘head’ called her, Kelvin and Josh (the son of Mr Kennedy) and announced that they were going on a mission to explore space. She felt so lucky. She would really explore her replaceings, so fast? This is great! The three of them had to train for this mission. It took about a month to prepare. Having gone on space travel a year before, this wasn’t frightening.

Had they known the real intent, would not have ventured into this so called mission. Now, as they ascended into the atmosphere, they felt as if a heavy weight was placed on them and at the same time, crushing them. They already knew about this; gravity had increased to 3g. The noise from the system was so much as the last part of the rock was chucked off from the space craft. Their weights then felt so much lighter ; gravity had reduced to one g and they smiled at one another because they just arrived .

They were in space. They appeared to be lurching forward for some moments and finally stopped as the engines cut. Thanks to the rocketeer, Dylan . They looked out through the windows to see the darkness of space, the shapes of planets and satellites, boomerang nebula and so much more. It felt a lifetime since they visited here. Everything still felt new , strange . They nodded at one another as the door of the space craft opened, so Miranda and Kelvin floated out to view the surroundings , in search of the element, ‘siredanium’. They were so engrossed in their view of space, they didn’t see that Josh was still in the space shuttle.

Miranda and Kelvin floated slowly, their movement controlled by the safety tethers, with their tools fastened to their space suit for precautionary and preventive measures. Viewing and taking pictures as they drifted for their extravehicular activity. Miranda turned, hoping to tease Josh but couldn’t replace him. She started looking around for him. She turned to Kelvin and together, they looked around for Josh. They turned back to the spacecraft and …. What?! Miranda and Kelvin couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

The spacecraft door was closed and behind the window inside the shuttle, stood Josh. Josh had an evil smile, waving at them. They couldn’t understand what was going on .

What was Josh up to? Maybe pranking them, just like he always did!

Miranda and Kelvin waved at Josh to join them but instead, he indicated the points at which they were attached to the branded steel tether. They discovered that they were untethered. How did this happen? They had been securely tied to the spacecraft, as they went to explore . So why were they now unfastened? Or maybe the tethers failed. But this was unlikely.

That was when it dawned on them that they were spinning away, without direction, out of control. Josh would have undertaken a rescue effort but he just stood there, staring and smirking at them. Miranda and Kelvin realised that Josh would not be of help. So on the spur of the moment, they used their ‘safer’ with their joysticks with the intent of propelling themselves back to the spacecraft. But to their utmost dismay, the air lock of their jet pack (safer) was irreversibly damaged.

They were even more dismayed when the spacecraft started, in readiness to take off , back to where? They suspected earth. So they were really going to die here? Oh what a way to die. Josh had betrayed them. But why? They had always been close to him. After all, he was their Captain’s son . Why would he do this to them?

All along, they floated and floated away into oblivion…

***********

Kelvin felt a bang in his chest and managed to cough. His eyes felt so heavy, infact the whole of his face felt heavy and swollen. Well this was normal, after all he was in space, he thought. He tried smiling but it was a very difficult task. Then … wait…he was supposed to be floating, right? So where was Miranda and Josh- the betrayer ? He felt furious. He tried to open his eyes again and this time, it was successful. He opened his eyes slowly and everything seemed blurred. He saw a hazy image of a man, squatting beside him. He tried to focus more. He saw that the man was around thirty years of age in a strange environment with him. So he (Kelvin) was in a strange environment? Where the hell was he? He looked around for an answer, replaceing non, he looked back at the man.

The man was looking at him and to his dread, with surprise and concern. Then it dawned on him that this man had saved him from death. As his focus became clearer, he saw that there were at least thirty people with this man. The people included; men, women , children and youths. They were all looking at him with the same expression; concern. The man appeared to be their leader.

Kelvin’s mind was filled with questions but the first question he could muster was:

“Who are you”? He said hoarsely.

The man looked up at his people while squatting, with surprise. Maybe wondering why someone he saved could ask him a question like that. The man turned back to Kelvin, held his hands and carefully helped him sit up. Kelvin felt his bones were broken as he sat up and winced from the pain. He coughed hoarsely, the man made some sort of signal and a young man of about Kelvin’s age, brought water to him. The young man looked at Kelvin and helped him to drink . Kelvin managed to drink from the cup, and handed the cup back to the young man. After taking the cup from Kelvin, the young man patted his back while the leader said :

“My name is John, the young man is Bryann, you are welcome to our planet, ‘Arith’ and who are you”?