Chapter I – Discovery
One day, I was assigned to observe abnormalities near the International Space Station at my job at NASA. As usual, there were none. So, I took my lunch break and started messing around with other telescopes floating around in outer space. As I was zooming in with the telescope software, I saw a blue planet beyond the Asteroid Belt. Unlike others, it didn’t have a ring around it and seemed solid—something never seen before. I reported this to upper management, and they all laughed at me until they sarcastically checked for anything unusual themselves. That’s when they saw a purple-blue dot. A space probe and telescope were sent to investigate. To everyone’s shock, my eyes were telling the truth! There really was a planet there, but there were other things I didn’t expect. All the employees assigned to the observation were frightened when they detected signs of life on the planet. Whenever we sent a camera, it was physically destroyed in no time.
Chapter II – The Journey
It couldn’t be true! Not only was there proof of alien existence, but they also had their own planet—one that humans could possibly live on. NASA announced they would send four space shuttles and called for volunteers to join Operation Aether. I immediately signed up, along with 15 other astronauts from around the world. I was in the first shuttle to take off, Starbound, while the other three were Galactic Blazer, Cosmo, and Nova. The planet was 3 billion kilometers away, with an estimated arrival time of 9 years and 45 days, but with support from other rockets, it was reduced to 43 days. I sat in the back seat of Starbound, shivering as the T-minus countdown began. I closed my eyes, and off we went!
As I thought about how to survive in the spaceship, I remembered we had enough food and water to last us six months (or even longer, depending on the planet’s time system). We even had books to pass the time. I don’t know how long I slept, but when I opened my eyes, I was already in outer space. I met the other voyagers of Starbound: Lawrence, Kian, and John. Details aside, we were headed to planet Aether—if it existed. I put on my Spotify playlist, read Unknown Planet Survival 101, and did my best not to die of boredom.
Forty-two days later, we saw it. What was named Planet Aether was right in front of my eyes. Upon closer inspection, we saw many islands made of ice, but there were patches of green, too. Maybe those were alien trees or just regular grass. Who knows? We were about to become the first humans to step onto a remote planet! We played Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide who would be the first to step onto the planet. Lawrence won.
Chapter III – The Exploration
The moment Lawrence stepped off the shuttle, he fell into an ice lake. We laughed so hard, we didn’t even notice the small cruise ship behind us. I was terrified, and John suggested we run. As I sprinted, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Aether and Earth. First, the gravity was exactly the same—no moonwalking or anything. Second, the climate resembled Antarctica, which is why we all struggled to run on the ice. The ship eventually lost track of us, but then we saw a bigger threat: a city loomed before us. Exhausted, we were caught by the city checkpoint guards.
The police dragged us into the city, which they called “Pongograd.” We thought about escaping, but when we reached the city center, there were no aliens. Everyone was a penguin, living in a civilization of their own! We were in the capital city, and the police asked us some questions on the way. John, Lawrence, and I couldn’t understand the penguin language, but Kian, who had a special bond with birds, managed to communicate. The penguins welcomed us, and we began exploring their country. There were other cities too: the biggest was Gengustat, the richest was Himmburg, and there was a mostly empty province called Peruburg. We asked to meet the “clan leader” of the country, but the receptionists laughed. There was no clan leader—the penguins had a functioning democracy. The president, Genguvich, was intrigued by our mission and offered us resources to help us build a settlement in Peruburg. I informed the other shuttles, and they all agreed to the plan.
Chapter IV – Settlers
We began construction in Peruburg, right next to the Mivland River. Fortunately, we discovered there was oxygen on the planet, so we didn’t need to wear those heavy, uncomfortable suits. The crew started building the town center, and we contacted NASA about our progress. NASA was impressed and sent a 100-man crew to join us in what we named Kian State—Kian’s idea, of course. The town center was completed just in time for the new settlers to arrive. They were amazed! We even built a 42-story hotel where everyone could stay. I frequently checked the balcony because you could see the vastness of outer space from the building! I lived there for a year and slowly adapted everything to resemble home back in America. Then, NASA announced that Aether would become a fully accessible resort city in outer space. We eagerly awaited new visitors.
Chapter V – The City
Six months have passed since the announcement, and Peruburg is now home to thirty thousand people from all over Earth. I’ve decided to make Aether my permanent home. Even though the rest of the crew has returned, I know this was the best decision I’ve ever made. The countryside is peaceful, and the locals are friendly. I believe everyone should visit Aether, as there’s so much to do here. In winter, Mt. Fiona is perfect for skiing, and Lake Lawrence is great for swimming and exploring the unique fish of Pongostan. After living here for so long, Peruburg has become more than just a place—it’s home, and it always will be.