Mars: The Red Planet

On 6th July 2020 the space-craft MARS-1 sat on the main launch-pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Its crew, made up of Commander Caspian Jones, Captain Peter Smith and Lieutenant Andy Williams were raring to set off on their journey towards Mars.

About 300 days later they landed on the rim of the Martian crater they called Endeavor. They had chosen this crater because this is where scientists had detected evidence of water. They thought these parts of the Red Planet could support life. “Well, we landed safe and sound”, said Caspian, “but now the most difficult part of our mission begins!”

Over the next few Martian days, the crew unloaded the parts to build the MARS-ROVER-1 and the MARS-LIFE-QUARTERS. Caspian and Peter helped each other in assembling the MARS-LIFE-QUARTERS. Soon after they helped Andy apply the finishing touches to the rover. As soon as they were done, the crew members drove the Rover around the crater to ensure that it worked well. But on Caspian’s mind there was only one thing and he could not resist anymore. “I am going to switch on the LIFE-SCANNER” he told the others.

As Caspian was scanning the area, he noticed a green spot on the screen which could only have meant one thing. They had found life!

Caspian ordered Andy to stop the rover and they all ventured out on foot to the exact spot indicated by the Life Scanner. What they saw was extraordinary!

A creature was moving on all fours around the perimeter of the crater. The creature was red and was surprisingly lion shaped but with a larger mane (later they discovered that it was called a Martiotent).

All three members of the crew could not believe what they were witnessing! They were the first humans to observe alien life.

They rushed to the rover and followed the Martian creature in its footsteps. As they were chasing the Martian creature they saw something which caught Peter’s attention. “Look over there” he shouted as he pointed towards what lay before them. “It looks like a city!”, he said.

Making their way into the city, the crew members noticed what looked like a humanoid. This Martian being walked on two feet. It had red skin and normal sized eyes but quite long legs. The Martian’s mouth looked a bit strange but to the crew’s surprise, he spoke English (later they found out that the Martias had translators atached to their mouths).

Caspian communicated with the Martian being and informed him that he and his crew were humans. The Martian politely let them through and took them to a castle-shaped building situated in the middle of the city.

There they talked to the Emperor of Mars, Emperor Martus III. He granted them a tract of Martian land where they could build a base. He also offered to help humans in their bid to reach Mars. The first inter-planetary twinning agreement was signed and Andy sent a message to Earth informing all humans about it.

Soon humans travelled to Mars, encountered Martians and learned about their culture. They invited Martians to Earth and exchanged ideas. Humans and Martians were to learn from each other and shared each other’s planets for the benefit of both as products of the same solar system. And they remained friends forever (till the end of the Solar System!).
Jacques Xuereb (11 years)