The Mission

In year 2550 on date 5 may a spaceship was launched to CAP115 on a mission. The aim of the mission was to set up a colony of human race on CAP115. Due to increasing pressure of ever growing population on the available resources on the Earth, violence, terrorism, wars and pollution, it became necessary to find out an another safe planet where human race can survive. After studying hundreds of planet, it was found that the CAP115 was the most suitable planet for human race. The planet was the earth like and earth size planet.

 The Spaceship was carrying the frozen embryos of human being and several species of animals and seeds of various species of plants. It was a mission for searching another home for human race.

This was a long voyage to deeper space. It will take several years to find out a planet suitable for supporting life. It is one way and very long journey having no chance to come back to the Earth, having minimum chances of success. There were a few dozen scientists, engineers and crew along with all the required machines, equipments, food and water were onboard the spaceship.

Closing his eyes Ravindra was trying to meditate himself. His mind was wandering in the memories of his childhood, adulthood and his friends on the Earth. He was trying to forget his life on the Earth. It was his third year in the Spaceship. Ravindra along with his team was on mission to the CAP115 planet. The aim of mission was to spread the human race to other planets. Planet CAP115 was found to be the most suitable planet for human race. The presence of water and the climate of the planet made the planet most suitable for flourishing the human race.

Ravindra was a young pilot from India. He was the only child of his parents. After death of his parents he was alone. Those days, the space agency was searching the suitable candidates for the mission. And the mission was one way journey to the deeper space having maximum chance of failure. There was no way to come back. A few people took interest in this mission and the Captain Ravindra was one of them. He still did not know why he took interest in this mission. In spite of having many difficulties during training and during the mission, He never regret for his decision of making a part of the mission. He was a man of strong personality and determination.

Finding it unable to meditate, Ravindra opened his eyes and began to stare at the display unit which was displaying the scenes of space. The space seemed to him more still than other days. That stillness deepened his unhappiness. He began to think what would happened if he had not come to this mission. Certainly he would have been in much more pleasant place but in that case he would not be a part of this great mission. Being a part of this mission was more important than any other thing in his life and this fact always gave a consolidation to him in contrary situations. Soon he came out of his thoughts.

“It is a time for watching whether everything is going on properly or not.”

He stood up from the chair and went out of his compartment and went to the compartment of Captain Ivan who was in charge of generating and maintaining the magnetic field around the spaceship. This magnetic field acted like a shield against the harmful radiations.

“We have already covered the distance of two light years”, Captain Ravindra told to Ivan who was absorbed in adjusting the magnetic field around the spaceship.

 Hearing the words of Ravindra he raised his head and looked at him and said “That’s good but there is a bad news. We will have to face a strong storm of radiation within a few hours. Our radiation sensing devises say so. We will have to increase the magnetic force in order to cope with this solar storm.”

Hearing this, Captain remained silent for a few moments. “Are you ready for that storm?” he asked to him.

“I am adjusting magnetic field according to intensity of the storm. It is the first time we are facing the solar storm.”

Both of them were nervous at this storm.  

After thinking for some time Ravindra went to the compartment of Simon who was a doctor and was an expert embryologist having speciality in and preserving the frozen embryos and seeds. He was from Russia. He along with his assistants was deputed the task of preserving the embryos and seed in space. Reaching his compartment Ravindra enquired, “Do you come to know about solar storm approaching us. What do you do to protect that stuff from the radiation?”

“Ivan informed me about that and I have already sealed all the seeds and embryos in a Magcapsules. These Capsules will protect them well from any contamination or radiation.” Simon replied with calmness.

“Well done,” captain applauded him.

All of a sudden a voice of Richard sounded on communication device, “Be alert, we are going to put the spaceship in emergency mode due to approaching radiation storm.”

Hearing this Captain rushed to the cockpit where cap. Richard along with other crew members was in charge of spaceship. When Captain entered the cockpit Richard was staring at the display units. Captain reached near him and put his arm on his shoulders. Richard turned his head to him and said, “Captain, according to rules of mission we are bound to take minimum risk so I decided to put the spaceship in emergency mode. The process of emergency mode has been begun and within a few minutes we will be in emergency mode.”

Ravindra said, “We have to cover a long distance and we should not take any risk about safty of spaceship.” He turned to Vikas who was working on a corner of the cockpit and asked him, “Make communication link to Headquarter on the earth and transmit a message about what is being happened here.” 

Vikas gave very short reply, “yes” and immediately started transmitting the message.

After a few minutes Richard declared on communication device, “Within a few seconds we will enter in emergency mode.” And after some moments the entire spaceship went into emergency mode. Energy supply reached to minimum level. Many systems of the Spaceship were shut down. There was darkness in the spaceship.

Someone put his arm on Captain’s shoulder. Captain turned his neck toward him and found it was Vikas. Captain asked him, “What is matter?”

He replied, “The message has been transmitted to the Earth.” Both of them remained silent for a long time. They had nothing to do except waiting for coming out of emergency mode.

Vikas was his friend since the college days. He and Vikas both were interested in becoming pilot. Both of them took admission in the same institute for training. Both of them were interested in took part in mission to CAP115. Fortunately both of them were selected for this mission.

That time was very difficult for them. They had nothing to do except close watching of the functioning of important systems of the ship, measuring the levels of radiations in and out of the spaceship, taking food and maintained the high level of their spirits. They were waiting eagerly for the end of the storm.

 On fifth day of the emergency mode when Captain was busy in analysing the data collected by 11radiation detection device, Richard and Ivan came in his compartment.

Ivan said, “Captain, we can now resume the spaceship in general mode. Have you analysed the data from radiation detection device?”

Captain replied, “Yes we can.” After a pause he said, “You may now reduce the magnetic field.”

Richard said, “And I am about to begin the process of bringing the spaceship into general mode.”

And within a few minutes the spaceship was in general mode.

Ravindra, vikas and Ivan spent next many hours in finding and repairing the machinery of spaceship damaged by solar storm. After completing repairing they went for sleep.

At the end of the day Ravindra said to them, “If we did not increase the magnetic field and put the spaceship in emergency mode the damaged caused by the solar storm would be much more and might be fatal to spacecraft.”

They had to face several problems in next several months. They had to deviate from their predefined path due to asteroids. They had to face many solar storms and at last they reached the point from where they can see the destination with their own eyes. They slowed down the speed of the space ship. The destination; the planet CAP115 was situated at the distance of some thousands miles. A few days’ journey will reach them on the planet.

They began their preparation for landing on the land of CAP115. Soon the Spaceship was hovering just a few kilometres above the planet. All the members of the mission were watching out the surface of the planet which was like the Earth. Vikas was transmitting the photographs of the planet to the Earth. Captain Ravinder was watching out the scenes of the planet. No sign of developed civilization fond there. That was the planet without life.

Ravindra said to all the staff members, “All of us about to land on the destination; The Planet CAP115. After a very long journey in the deeper space we reached where no one could reach till now. And we are going to do what had never done in the history of human race. We are going to try to initiate the life on this planet. If we get success in initiate life in this planet we would be known as the creator. In case if we fail, our works, attempts and findings would work as a guide to other attempts.” He paused for a while and looked at the faces of his companions. He again began “As all of you know it is a one way journey. We will have to die here. It is matter of pride for me and you that we shall die for a great cause.”

All the members of the mission applauded his speech. There was emotion in anybody’s face. All were emotionless. The death in various ways was waiting for all of them; ready to grab each and every member of the mission sooner or later.

Sooner they came nearer to the surface of the planet. They can see the mountain ranges, valleys, plains and other geographic structures. Soon they found out a place suitable for landing. The atmosphere and climate of the planet was about similar to those of the Earth.

 And the moments came when they landed on the planet. All of them were very happy on landing successfully on the land. Getting out of a congested and closed Spaceship which had a little space for their free movements, they felt relieved although outside of the spaceship there might be several dangers. Finding a vast plain laid before them they began to walk and run with the emotion of setting free from a cage. It was as if they were coming out of the cage after a long period.

Soon they began their work. They found out the chemical structures of the rocks, soil and air. To their surprise they found various types of micro organisms in the soil and the air. In beginning they hesitated to go far away from the place where they had landed. Their activities were confined to the area of only one or two kilometres around the Spaceship. They were spending their nights inside the Spaceship. A day on the planet was about sixteen hours and a night were about fourteen hours long. Scenes of evening and dawn were about similar to those of the Earth. One day Ravindra decided to travel further. He along with Ivan, Vikas and two other members started early in the morning. They covered the distance of fifteen kilometres by the noon and reached on a hilly area. They did not found any sign of developed life there. Ravindra had the hope to find any developed creature. He came to the conclusion that life only in its primitive form exist on the planet. They began to climb a hill which was about a thousand feet in height. Having reached on the top of the hill they stayed to take a rest. Vikas began to watch the scenes with his binoculars. All of sudden he shouted, “water!” He turned to Ravindra and handed binoculars to him and pointed his hands towards the direction where he saw the water and said, “At that side.”With some attempted Ravindra watched a little pond like structure filled with water. “Let me see that thing”, Ivan said eagerly. Ravindra gave him binoculars. He too observed the pond.

Vikas suggested, “We must go there. The pond is not far away from here. Within an hour we would reach there.”

So the moved ahead towards the water body. After walking for about an hour they reached the water body. The water body was extended to an area of about a half kilometres.

Seeing the water Ravindra, “Now we got the most precious thing required for our survival and for our mission.”

Ivan jumped into the water and began to swim. He cried with joy,” Water, the cool water.”

Seeing him swimming without any trouble, all of them jumped into water. They were seeing water in such a large quantity for the first time after leaving the Earth.

They reached the camp in the late evening with the samples of water to test in the laboratory. When Simon tested these samples, he found algae like organism in the water. He found that the water cold be drink after filter it with micro-filters.

Discovery of water encouraged them to explore more the planet. Now they could think of survive some months more than that was predicted. The atmosphere was suitable for spreading life on the planet. Within a few days they found out some more water bodies in area of fifty kilometres around their camp. Finding suitable conditions for life they began the most important task of spreading the spores and seeds of various species of plants. They chose the banks of the water bodies for that purpose. They prepared the soil and sowed the seeds of grasses, vegetables and grains. Soon spores and seeds germinated and within a few days, sprouts came out of the soil. In this way the farming began in the planet. This was the greatest movement for them because the mission was going to be successful.

They were living in very poor conditions. Food supply was dwindling day by day. They had very short storage of necessary medicines and other stuffs. They were awaiting the harvest from their fields. Only water was available to them in sufficient quantity up till now. The growth of crops was satisfactory and they had the hope to yield grains and veggies in sufficient quantity.

Simon began to thaw the frozen embryos. The yield expected and the available water was sufficient to support the beginning of life from the Earth to the new planet. If everything happened as had been expected and calculated and no calamity occurred, the mission would be successful.

One day Vikas got acute pain in all his body. He took medicines to get rid of pain. Medicines did not reduce his pain. Within a few hours his body began to shiver. When the condition grew serious, Simon had to scan his body. Simon detected a bacterium like organism in his blood sample. Simon decided to put Vikas in isolation so that the organism could not infect others.  Simon tried different combinations of medicines but Vikas’ condition grew serious with time. All the crew members were afraid of that organism. The organism was native to the planet. Now the human body was its host. The interaction between human and the organism proved to be fatal. Vikas’ body got paralysed and he died. His dead body was burned in ash. Now the mission was in danger, there was something unseen and powerful that might spoil the mission.

The next victim to this organism was Alex who was a crew staff member.

That day the weather suddenly changed and with a strong wind and dark black clouds the rain came. It was the first rain since their arrival on the planet. Everybody was happy with this rain. They stopped their works and gathered in the spaceship and began to enjoy the rain. The rainfall caused them to feel as if they were on the Earth. The rainfall lasted for hours and after this heavy fall the temperature fall down.

After rainfall Ravindra, Ivan and Simon went out toward their fields to observe the crops. Leaves of plants were shining in the sunlight. All the rainwater was absorbed b the thirsty soil of the fields.  

Looking at the crops Simon said to Ravindra, “Here the crops are growing and there on my side embryos of cows, horse and dogs are developing in artificial medium.”

Ivan said, “may god, bless us with good harvest and give growth to those embryos life.”

When they were returning from the fields, Simon asked to Ravindra, “Do you Nikeeta, one of my assistants.”

“Yes I know her very well. She was one of your assistants.” Ravindra replied curiously.

Simon remained silent for a moment and then said with hesitation, “Actually I am in love with her.”

“From when?” asked Ivan who was listening their conversation.

Simon replied, “She and I have been in love for last three years.”

Ravindra looked at him with curiosity.

Simon said, “Actually she was going to be a mother.”

Both of them looked at Simon with surprise.

Ivan said with smile, “Congratulate on being a father of a child.”

They walked silently for a few minutes saying nothing to one another.

“You should take care of her.” Ravindra advised him. At this Simon nodded his head and remained silent. He was nervous over the pregnancy of Nikeeta.

Nikeeta was an intelligent, young and adventurous girl having degree in cytology and molecular biology. Her adventurous nature forced her to take part in this one way mission to CAP115. She met with Simon for the first time during the training for the mission. She was impressed with the intelligence of Simon. After first a few meeting they fall in love with each other.

And the time came when fields began to give yields. Fruits, vegetables and grains were collected. They taste the fresh and natural fruits and food for the first time since they had began their journey. The first harvest was the symbol of their success on spreading the life from the Earth to the new planet.

The hard working of Simon and his team began to give results; the human embryos and embryos of different species began to grown into babies. Population was increasing with slow but steady rate. All the members of the mission had to spend their most of the time in caring and feeding of these babies. And then first human baby take birth on the CAP115. Nikeeta gave birth to a child. Everybody was delighted at the birth of a child. In this way within some months a human settlement came to the existence. The members of the settlement were free to make their own laws, develop their own culture and custom. The Spaceship was still there and was in working condition. Using the transmission system of the spaceship, Ravindra sent messages to the Earth giving information about the success of mission. Here on the Earth, being motivated by the success of the mission, some more spaceships were launched to the CAP115.