Back To Earth

Chapter No. 1

This was the end. The control room was flooding with people coming in and out. We had just gotten the results back: a natural catastrophy was coming our way, something bad, something big, we would all die. It has been exaclty 158 years since we have been settled here, on Mars. Poof, all gone, in a couple of hours? A solution had to be found. But what could we do. Let it be? No way, we have to do something about it. Hide? Impossible. Stop the phenomenon? How would we do that we've never seen anything like it before.
Until someone came up with the best solution possible...

Gabriel was 122 years old, he's been on many missions making him one of the best Guardians. He came up with the staggering idea of trying to go back to Earth. He was also the first to volunteer for the expedition to see if our old planet was still livable. His idea didn't please everyone, but a majority of the Circle decided to make the trip happen. After a few weeks of hard work, it was time. The ship was ready, an Eagle 3000, the crew was ready, five of the best Guardians.

Operation initiated.

The five Guardians were all aboard the ship. It was one of the biggest still in use. Mechanics have been working on it day and night to add all the needed features and to repair potential failures. It was equipped with a weapon room containing everything from poison arrows to rockets, which are rarely used of course. There was also a massive control room which wasn't necessary at all. A smaller ship, Eagle 200, was stored in the lower floors of the ship for navigation purposes. Even though these lower floors were taken the members of the Crew had a lot of space left, 3 floors for five people.

- We are ready for take off Jimmy.
Gabriel confirms.
- Alright mate, permission to launch in 30 seconds, launch in 30 seconds.
- Copy that.

Gabriel was accompanied by two other guys, Noah, which he had never worked with, and Jordan, with whom he had done may missions. Two girls were also part of the crew Hannah and Katie. They were both quite experienced and had worked together before. Noah was the newbie of the crew, he is quite courageous being the youngest and less experienced Guardian of the five.
None of them had ever been to Earth, it was unknown territory. Since humans have left the planet, only one person had gone back and was never found again.
- 5...4...3...2...1... On you mate !
- Here we go!
- Come back in when you are approaching Earth.
- Copy that.
Just like that, they were on their way to Earth. They were all a bit scared and stressed out but mostly excited to see where their grandparents were born. Noah felt uncomfortable and therefor decided to break the ice.
- I guess we're off to a long journey, so i might as well introduce myself, im Noah and im 91 years old and i hope we can all get along.
He smiles. Noah was a handsome young man, he had short black hair with brown eyes, he was 5'10 with a quite muscular body.
- Katie, call me Kate, im 112 years old.
- My name is Hannah, 98, nice to meet you, I've read your mother's work, I'm quite a fan.
She smiles back, letting her long light brown hair breath.
- Gabriel, you probably already know me, you can call me Gabe.
- I'm Joe, and i am also 112.
Joseph said with his deep voice, he was a bit intimidating standing at 6'2.
- Nice to meet you all we're going to have a great time! I hope we get to use the big guns I've never tried them before. But then i dont because it means something bad is down there.
Noah replied quickly.
- i like this guy.
Kate said looking back at Hannah as she started to smile.
While Joe and Gabriel were talking, Noah took his mother's journal to read a page out of it.

"May 20th, 2386

After years of research, we have done it, the cure to the virus was a success. People aren't going to die from colds anymore. Me and my team have conceived the Cold 3.1 in liquid form. At the age of 5 years old, every person will have to be injected with it. The cure increases the human lifespan by about 200 years. It slows down the growing process by quite a lot. Childhood will last around 70 to 80 years, adulthood will begin near 85-95 years old. The expected natural death will be near 220 years old on Mars. It could be from 20 to 50 years more on Earth. The cure will be available for use in about 2 years. No one will suffer like my father did anymore... "
He read as Gabriel interrupted him.
- Come and see Mars this is the last time you'll see it this well in very long.
Noah and the girls joined them to find an astonishing view of Mars.
- I've never seen Mars from the outside before.
Said noah.
- But you'll be the first to see Earth.
Replied Gabriel firmly as Noah chuckled.
- True.
They all left the room, after taking a last glimpse of the planet, except Hannah and Noah.
- It's beautiful isnt it?
She asked.
- Indeed it is.
He sighed.
- Why did you volunteer?
- My sister is sick, the only remedy is a specific plant, that we'll find on Earth. What about you?
Noah said sadly keeping his head up and turning it to look at Hannah.
- I wanted to experience something new, this was a life changing opportunity, i took it.
She smiled and looked at him as she added:
- Your sister's going to be fine, she has the best brother in the world, what could go wrong!
He smiled back and thanked her for the support.
- I'll stay here for a bit.
- Alright I'll see you later then!
Hannah left the room and Noah sat down against the wall. Her last words kept reverberating in his mind. His sister, Lexi, was very young and suffering from a bad influenza. She didn't know it yet because it hadn't fully developed so the main symptoms weren't showing yet, but Noah knew. Even the view couldn't get her out of his head. And he stayed there for hours, sitting, looking at Mars as the ship drifted away from it. And hours. Until he fell asleep.