While Tilloo’s father was enjoying an afternoon nap at home, Tilloo quietly stole his father’s security card and decided to escape his mother’s watchful eye and go ‘that way.’ He had observed his father using the security card to open the metal door.
In the same way as his father did, he slipped the card in one slot and waited for it to come out from the other. As the door opened, Tilloo started his march along a gently upward slope. The passage led from the underground habitat to the surface of the planet. Tilloo was eager to see the Sun or the stars, depending if it was day or night.
‘That way’ was an underground passage, along which Tilloo’s father went everyday for work. Tilloo was very curious to go ‘That way’ and find out what lay at the end of the forbidden route. Tilloo’s father was among the selected few who had the permission to go ‘that way’.
The Security Mechanism and the Secret Passage
However, the security mechanism was not as simple as Tillooo had thought it to be. Invisible mechanical devices had detected the presence of an intruder and his picture was sent to the Central Bureau. And before Tilloo could advance any further, he was escorted by the security staff back home. While Tilloo’s mother scolded him for his disobedience, his father tried to explain him the gravity of the matter.
Tilloo’s father tried to explain him that the secret passage/ surface where he worked was not meant for ordinary people because they would not be able to survive because of the low temperature and thin air. Tilloo’s father managed to survive because he went accordingly equipped, in a special suit and a reservoir of oxygen. His father also told him that he was trained for this purpose.
The Hostile Environment
Tilloo’s father, further informed him, that their forefathers had lived in such conditions for millions of year. But, now the times had changed. The Sun had changed and with it the balance of nature got changed too. This affected the birds, the animals and the fish, all of whom became gradually extinct. Their team is, however, managing to survive through superior technology. At the same time, they are forced to live underground under artificial conditions. Tilloo’s father tells him the importance of solar energy and about his job,that is to make sure that machines that generate solar power function properly.
The Alien Spacecraft and the Discussion
The next day when Tilloo’s father went for work, his entire team was full of excitement. They were observing a big dot on the big TV screen. It was surely not a star and Tilloo’s father and others believed it to be a spacecraft, as it was constantly changing position. They were, however, rather astonished because the solar system did not have life anywhere except on their planet. The big question then was the source or point of origin of the spacecraft, ‘where from?’
Tilloo’s father, recalled that according to the ancient archives recorded at the Central Bureau, it was possible for their ancestors to find out the manned and unmanned spacecrafts through a well-developed space programme. However, in the current scenario of energy shortage and life underground, it was impossible to visualise any such programme. They had no option, but to passively watch these spacecraft’s. Nobody had an answer to supply. Nobody knew who these strangers were.
The President addressed the issue with facts and details that he had. He told everyone that there were two spacecraft’s that were moving towards us. One was orbiting our planet while the other was a little far away. It was guessed that these spacecraft’s came from the neighbouring planet.
Tilloo Witnessed the Dealings of the Mysterious Activities
The President seemed the suggestions of the members regarding these mysterious activities. Number one suggested that they could render these spacecraft’s ineffective once they land. Number two suggested passive observance.. Since the power of the sender of these spacecraft’s was not known, it was wise to not reveal their presence. Number Three agreed to Number Two’s suggestion and went on to say that their surface activities should be kept to bare minimum. Before President could suggest anything, he got a call and got the news of the first spacecraft’s landing.
It was a very important day in Tilloo’s life as his father had taken him to the Control Room. From here he could see the alien spacecraft on the TV screen. Tilloo found the spacecraft quite funny. His father showed him the panel through which the spacecraft could be controlled in case it was up to any mischief. The colourful buttons on the panel caught Tilloo’s attention.
Tilloo observed some movement in the spacecraft. Immediately all eyes in the room turned to the screen. They saw a mechanical hand that emerged from the spacecraft. It reached the surface of the planet, bent down and touched the soil. The telescopic lens of the TV camera was zoomed on get a better view of the mechanical hand. It was difficult to understand what was it up to.
The Red Button
Tilloo’s eyes were fixed on the control. He could resist his desire no more and pressed a red button. There was a shrill whistle and everybody turned to Tilloo. Tilloo’s father pulled him away and restored the red button to its neutral position. But, the mechanical hand ceased to work.
The Press Conference
At a press conference held by NASA, a scientist talked about the Viking Mission, that was going on smoothly till the mechanical hand stopped working and could not dig out the Martian soil for examination. The scientist, however, failed to understand the nature of the malfunction.
A little later, there was another press release from NASA, informing the restoration of the mechanical hand. Soil samples were collected from the planet surface for examination. Out of all the physical conditions to the Earth. Therefore, scientists were hopeful to find some signs of life on Mars. However, the Viking Mission found no signs of life on Mars.