By: Ramprasath

“Walter!”

Suzi almost yelled.

Walter who was digging soil using a shovel now turned to Suzi.

“What!”

“It is going to be night soon” Suzi said.

Walter looked up at the sky. The night was indeed falling. It was a wonderful sight to see the bright star EH2020 hiding behind the mountains.

“What would ‘good-night’ mean here in this new-found planet?” Walter asked.

Suzi thought for a second with one of her eye-brow shrunk a bit.

“A hostile planet showing its back to its host star!!” Suzi said.

“Poetic!!” Walter responded immediately.

The sun was seen slowly disappearing at the horizon. It was time for them to return to the habitation module and allow it to hibernate till next day morning.

In a few minutes the shovels were locked at its holders and astronauts Suzi and Walter were swallowed into the Habitation module. The Hab cleared any possible contamination and stabilized pressure before they could get themselves freed from the suits that they wore.

Walter turned the solar cells module on just so that the cells began to harness power from EH2020.

“I am tired” Suzi said.

“Me too. But do not forget to update your journals” Walter said before leaving to the cafeteria.

Suzi and Walter emptied another set of canned beef tongue, Riga bread and beet soup for dinner before going to bed.

“Do we have a plan for tomorrow?” Suzi asked.

“Well, I think we can kick off the soil test. We already have enough samples” Walter said.

“Poor planet”

“What!!”

“I am wondering what awaits for this planet in the future?”

That left Walter thinking for a few seconds.

“Considering the fact that there is no birth without a death, I think our encroachment on this big floating rock will be justified”

Suzi stared at Walter wondering what to make out of it.

“Good night Suzi”

“Good night Walter”

And the Hab’s light dimmed.

---

When the alarm woke up Suzi, she had a severe headache. The first thing that she noticed was the temperature of the Hab. The clock showed 6AM but through the window, she could make out that it was still dark outside.

Walter woke up being bothered by the unusual drop in temperature.

“What is it?” Suzi asked.

Walter looked around and checked the computer on the Hab metrics.

“We are losing power” Walter shouted.

“It should be morning by this time. Why is it still night?” Suzi asked thoroughly confused.

Walter looked at the computer and through the window alternatively.

As per the metrics, the temperature was constantly dropping. The Hab was struggling to maintain the temperature and pressure inside without much power left in the batteries. The solar cells were not deriving agitation as it was dark outside.

“It must be morning as per the clock and the cells must have begun to energize themselves by now but there is no sun out there?”

Walter nodded his head in agreement.

“What is happening? Where is EH2020? Have we lost the sun? Or Are our clocks wrong?” she asked.

“There can be only one possible explanation to this” Walter said.

“And that is?” Suzi asked impatiently.

Walter took a deep breath.

“The planet has been compromised. That’s all” Walter said as he looked out at the dark sky through the window.