Journey to a New World

Kazzy floated toward the ceiling. “Why do we have to learn this stuff?” she thought aloud. She was reading a very boring section of her book about the origination of Zenkons and Feroxions. Basically, within 97 pages it said little. Thousands of Earthlings were dying because of all the pollution on the planet, and moved to many planets including Zenkon, and Feroxike. 1

Kazzy finished reading and got started on the questions. “’What is the main pollution the Earthlings were suffering from?’ How should I know? I’m going downstairs.”2

With that she flew downstairs to the living room, sank into one of the floating chairs, and opened the Berofi News. “In all the Andromeda Galaxy,” she swore, “Can’t the government do anything?” 3

The article Kazzy was reading goes as follows:4

Zenkon is in severe danger. It is endangered by Feroxikes attempts to build a new planet. The ‘planet’ is unleashing huge amounts of radon, along with many other dangerous gases including Pythonia, a new gas that kills in just minutes. Within 17 days we shall be in the danger field, so it’s only a matter of time. Feroxike is already suffering, but the government is refusing to let in refugees. THE PLANET MUST BE EVACUATED WITHIN 16 DAYS. Government officials will be around to your house to say more. 5

Just that moment Kazzy’s mother came home from work, looking extremely ashen.  “Mum have you read this article?” Kazzy asked.6

“Yes, oh, yes of course, the government came into work. We all booked our flights out of the planet.  Being a family of 3 grownups, Dad, Me, and Grandma, with 5 kids we could not get a flight very soon, and well, no one would give us a shuttle before the last day. By then we may have entered the danger zone. There is nothing else to be done, and now the flights are all booked up.”7

“Oh, gosh,” Kazzy replied. 8

The next day all the children were excused from school, so Kazzy pondered her problem. She saw a warning article in the newspaper the next day saying the poisonous gases were spreading faster than before thought.  In less than 10 days the planet would be plunged into oblivion.9

“Something has to be done,” Kazzy’s twin sister said.10

Kazzy wandered through the library looking at all the books on space travel she could find. She had all ready expressed her concern to her father who simply gave her a sad look. He told her once again that nothing could be done. Kazzy and her twin were the eldest, and Kazzy was definitely the most ‘technically minded’ of the two. Only interested in looks and boys, like many fourteen-year old girls, Kyna would never be able to piece together anything but lacy funnel cake. Kazzy, however, was interested in books, electronics and engineering more than anything else. 11

Kazzy was looking through ‘Space Travel for the Beginner’ when her friends came along. They showed pity towards her, and all but Kazzy began to cry. They knew their friend could not live through the massive radiation and poisonous gases.12

“Guys, don’t feel sorry for me. I’m going to make my own rocket and fly out to space. Do any of you want to help?”13

All but one of her friends backed of to ‘have lunch’ at that moment. Although Kazzy was their friend not many would risk their life for hers. “Thanks Pliva,” Kazzy said, addressing the only one of her friends who did not back off. Pliva was Kazzy’s best friend, and had many of the same interests as her. Then she told Pliva her plans.14

“OK, it has to be a nine person spacecraft, with provisions that will last for a month. I am going to combine old theories with new ones to a make a craft that starts up with a fuel tank, as we don’t have that many nuclear generators in the house. Then the fuel starts the new power. See, on the Internet I transmitted myself a small bottle of Cydminupythes. This bottle will fly a small craft 10 light years per hour, for, oh, a month. It’s really strong, and it will fly us all the way to the Milky Way. I’ve been looking for a new planet, but I can't find anything.”15

“So how are you going to make the ‘rocket’ anyway. What will you use?” asked Pliva.16

“I found a huge scrap heap of old metal and stuff. And I’m going to work on it as much as possible. The government has workers going day and night, but most people just hope for the government to help, or accept the fact that they are going to dye. No one other than the government is taking any action. 17

By reading all the books she could find Kazzy got the idea of how she was going to build it. She planned it all out well. It was going to have to be the smallest possible, to speed it up, and reduce the flying time. There was going to be one large room, and one small one. The large room had in it an oven, a table, provisions in the side, and beds. The beds were triple-decker bunk beds, and there were three of them. They fitted into three sides of the hexagonal room. On two more sides was their provisions, including food and water. The extra side had a bathroom. In the middle was the stove, and table. Everything in it is powered by the Cydminupythes from the engine room. 18

“So, Kazzy, how are you going to do this?” asked Pliva.19

“Uhhhhhmmmmmm, well, we could ask all the kids from school, who are going to be saved. I think at least some of them will. Oh, I know. We can ask rich Mr. Yelion, our teacher. He has tons of money.20

They started to work on their plan and by the end of the day they had 165 student volunteers. From Mr. Yelion they had all of their bathroom equipment, all the food, and all the water. He also donated them 1000 dollars toward building it. He told them not to worry about him wasting money, because they were all being evacuated and all had to start over anyway. 21

They started to work that day, and ended up with quite a lot done. They had all the triple-bunks made, along with the stove. They had much of the body screwed together as well. By the end of the day they had 65 more student volunteers, all boys there mostly to have fun building. They even had 45 grownups. All the community was realizing there was a way to save themselves.22

The next week they had the shuttle fully done. They decided to build another, bigger this time, to save more people. By this time they had over two thousand volunteers, and even some government money to spend as well. With 2 thousand people they managed to make 2 more 30 person ships.23

The day they were going to fly a huge celebration was thrown in honor of Kazzy, who had taught them all that something could be done. But during the celebration, something terrible happened. A ghastly odor filled the air, and many older people and children dropped to the ground. All the poison sirens began to buzz, and people began to panic. A few ran straight to the ships, although many panicked too hard. Even more people were dropping to the ground.24

Kazzy ran. She crashed into someone, and tripped. Struggling back up off the ground, Kazzy began to feel dizzy. Numbness was filling her brain. As she yet hit another person, going the opposite direction from her, her head seared with pain. She felt like she’d been hit in the head by a bowling ball. She fell over again, and laid down. Right now she just wanted to go to sleep for a long, long time……25

Just then someone tripped over her, sprawling onto the ground. Kazzy suddenly awakened, remembering the rockets. Her only thought was to get to the rockets. Realizing with a start that her eyes were closed, Kazzy opened them to see nothing but a huge blur. Where are the rockets? Where is everyone? Help!!! She stumbled around, only to keep falling over the many dead and dying people. Eventually she gave up hope.26

Kazzy awakened to the concerned face of a boy slightly older than herself, 15 or 16. He had brownish-blond hair, and blue eyes, showing his slightly mischievous side. 27

Kyna would say he’s cute Kazzy thought with a small smile. 28

“You OK?” The boy broke the silence.29

“Yeah, sure. Wh-what happened?”30

“You had fallen to the ground. Everyone was—the gas makes you want to sleep, while another gas comes and kills you. I recognized that you were the one who helped save the planet, so I figured that I—well everyone—we all owed you our lives. So—so I thought I’d save you. I took you to the rocket. You’ve been asleep 3 ½ days you know,” the boy informed her, “Your name’s Kazzy, right?”31

“Oh, yeah, yeah I am. Who are you?” 32

“I’m Crizandex, better known as Crix.” 33

“And I’m Kazanderal.” She gave the Crix a smile, and he returned it. “I’d better get up now.”34

Kazzy looked at her surroundings, and realized that she was one of the two larger shuttles she’d designed. “Who else is here? Where is my family?”35

Crix looked a little uncomfortable. “Your parents died,” Crix said quietly, “And so did your grandmother. I think that your siblings got onto different crafts. Except Jukiz. I found him too late.”36

Kazzy started to cry. “Mum, Dad, Granny, and Jukiz?” she sobbed, thinking of her favorite brother, who had just turned six, “All of them…Oh, god.”37

Suddenly realizing that he was embracing her in his arms Kazzy pulled away and drew back a sob. “Well, who is on this shuttle?” she asked.38

“No-one really, mostly grownups. There are only 3 kids on the shuttle, if you count us, and the other is only five.”39

As Kazzy stood up she realized she was dreadfully hungry. After eating some pre-packaged waffles she could think some more.40

“So, where is our course plotted? Did they find a planet to live on?” Kazzy asked Crix.41

“Well, it’s plotted to the Milky Way, to a planet near the star Polaris. As far as we can tell, it’s uninhabited, and will support life, but that is half a guess. We will get there in 22 ½ days, according to our ‘captain’ who is actually just a grownup on our ship who has flown a lot, Crix informed Kazzy.42

The days Kazzy spent on the ship merged into one. Eat, exercise, free time, eat exercise, free time, eat, free time, sleep. Again and again the cycle repeated. The shuttle had been loaded with 20 of the one-month bottles Kazzy had planned, and it was a good thing too. It took longer to get to the new planet than previously thought, and they were now counting the 40th day on the ship. Her 15th birthday came and went with nothing different in the routine, except a special ice cream cake from pre packages ice cream, and freeze-dried cake. Kazzy kept fit by weight training, and walking in endless cycles around the ship. The people on the ship all had to exercise, so they would still maintain healthiness. 43

One day Crix and Kazzy were bored stiff, and wanted to try something new. But there was nothing to do. 44

“Well,” Kazzy started,” in the ship all we have are necessities. Nothing interesting.”45

“Attention. Attention!” called a voice from the cockpit, “we have reached the solar system of our new planet. We need someone small to crawl into the electric room to take out most of the fuel.”46

The five or six year old boy raised his hand, but it was decided he was too young. As the only others, it was to be decided between Crix, and Kazzy.47

“Crizandex is obviously stronger, and more athletic than her, and also, well, she’s a girl. She can’t do it!” a man called out room the back.48

Kazzy started to protest against this statement, but Crix held her back. This was simply a matter to be talked out by the adults.49

“Kazanderal is a lot smaller than he is, and nimbler. She is one of the best exercisers, and she designed this ship. She should go.” 50

It was finally decided that Kazzy should go, so she stepped into the electric room. To keep the Cydminupythes safe, as it gave off toxins if exposed to air, there was a huge tunnel, with airtight doors all along.  Kazzy had to crawl as fast as she could down there, with an oxygen tank, with the doors opening in front of her and shutting behind her. She was a bit frightened by the thought of more gases, but was ready to try.51

The first door opened. Kazzy was under strict orders to go fast so she scooted as fast as she could down that tunnel. She had done it! It was freezing in the small room, kept that way to keep the Cydminupythes from giving off toxins.  She was down in the room. Kazzy’s nimble fingers opened the bottles and she took all the fuel except for a drop. They could then use it slowly, without going 10 light years an hour. Kazzy pressed the button on her pager, because she was told to press it so that the doors would open again, but heard no beep, that she had added herself, to always warn her that she had paged someone. It’s dead! Kazzy began to panic. She knew that no one could survive in the airtight, ice cold room, with only a small jacket, and limited supply of oxygen. What am I going to do now? She jammed her pager a dozen times, but it was totally dead. 52

Kazzy had an idea. She poured half a drop of the Cydminupythes into her pager. It blew up, and burned her gloved hand. While she nursed her hand Kazzy suddenly realized she smelled smoke. No, no that can’t be right. This room is airtight! A fire needs oxygen to burn. Kazzy suddenly knew. Her oxygen tank. It had to be leaking. She pressed the tank to her face. A slight hiss informed her that she was wearing a faulty pack. And now not only could the spark from her pager burn, but the Cydminupythes could release the fumes. Kazzy began to fall asleep. Her useless oxygen tank fell from her face. All she wanted to do was die.53

Kazzy awoke just seconds later to a searing pain in her foot. The fire was creeping closer. She quickly removed her sneaker, and turned back to view the fire. She suddenly realized that it wasn’t an ordinary fire. Her sneaker wasn’t burning. Her foot was burning. She remembered. A fire made from certain gases only burned living flesh. You could put it out only by using a special gas called Harampilty. 54

Kazzy’s eyes scanned the room. There she saw it. EXTINGUISHER-Harampilty. She hobbled painfully over to the side of the room. As she took it off the wall, she realized something. The fire wasn’t hot. It was as cold in the room as it had been before. No it isn’t. It’s colder. The fire burnt, but it was a freezing kind of burn.55

Kazzy sprayed her foot first, then went to the rest of the room. She had it all out, but began to feel dizzy. 56

Her oxygen was gone now. The gases were out. She would die in minutes. Kazzy knew she should not give up, but it was all too hopeless. She knew that she would die, and almost chose to accept it. She became unconscious. She could see death coming closer. Closer. Closer. And then it went. Is this what it feels like to be dead? Then why am I in so much pain? 57

As her blurred vision cleared she realized that she was not dead. At least, she didn’t think she was. Unless Crix was too.58

Crix was lying in the bed next to her, and as she looked over he opened his eyes. His eyes filled with tears as looked over at her. Tears of joy.59

“Wait, wait, what happened. Where am I?” Kazzy asked. 60

“Well, we are on the planet, thanks to you. We think there are natives, descended, like us from Earth.”61

“Whatever. What happened?”62

Well, as far as I can tell, you went into the room. You took the Cydminupythes out, and when you didn’t page us, we started to worry. We gave you 3 minutes, and you still did not page. So they sent me down. By then something had obviously happened to you because you were unconscious. I—I thought you were dead. I did CPR on you. You coughed, and got a slight heartbeat again, so I managed to pull you through the tunnel. The doctors said you might not survive. What happened down there?”63

Kazzy explained everything, from the pager to the near death. “It was horrible. I was traveling closer and closer to death, and then I either got pulled through to death, or I got pulled back. I assume you did CPR at that moment. But I didn’t know whether I was dead, or alive.”64

Kazzy then tried to stand up. She couldn’t. Her lags could not support her weight. She collapsed back on the bed in the effort. 65

“Lie down, for a second. I’ll get you a wheelchair.”66

“No, I’ll just use my floating harness.” Kazzy got out her special harness, and put it on. 67

“Those are expensive, otherwise I’d have got one,” Crix said.68

Kazzy floated out the door, and gazed at the scenery before her. 69

There were huge mountains, with some strange white on them. Closer was a huge still body of water, reflecting the towering green things all around. The ground was covered with short green stuff. 70

“Ohmigod,” Kazzy murmured. Such a change from the rocky surface, with silver buildings that she grew up in. An even bigger change from the metallic, cramped spaceship she had just exited. 71

“It’s amazing,” Crix commented. “These must be the natives. They are the closest to Earthlings around, because they found such a similar environment to Earth’s.”72

They have very dull eyes. Kazzy saw that they ranged from brown, to light, dull shades of blue and green. Kazzy prized her brilliant violet eyes. Earthlings also seemed to be much shorter than Zenkons. Probably 6 feet at the most, maybe seven. Thought Kazzy. At the age of seven she’d been 5’3. Now she was more than seven and a half feet tall, and still growing like a weed. Now there were many Zenkons standing around Crix and Kazzy.73

The strange race was walking carefully toward them, with strange metal objects in their hands. The people had such a cautious, yet menacing look in their eyes.74

“Hafskljfaslkfdj?” A man with stern eyes in the front of the group stepped forward. Kazzy stepped back, out of instinct. Five people stepped forward, and seized Crix. Another four seized Kazzy. Kazzy squirmed, and kicked the shorter men. They were dragging her to some strange contraption. She and Crix were thrown in, followed by everyone else from there ship. It was very cramped. Kazzy wondered what would happen next. There was a jerk as they started to move. Haven’t they invented the wireless-floating vehicle? Wondered Kazzy. 75

Finally, after many hours of bumpy driving, they reached the destination. As they were all pushed out, one old woman sauntered away. BANG. A man with a metal object had pointed it at the woman and she collapsed to the ground. “Let that be a lesson to you all,” said the man, with a very strong accent.76

“We are going to take you to the showers,” said the man, with a smirk on his face. As the woman entered one room, and the men entered another, Kazzy wondered what was going on. There was no hate, or deliberate killing on Zenkon. Were they going to be killed the way the woman was? Why would anyone do it? “We are turning on your showers,” said the man. None of the women were going to shower. They didn’t trust the man. The water might have acid in.77

Kazzy knew something strange was going on when the man locked the door. Then he pushed the button. Carbon Monoxide spilled out the vents. 78

“Ok, we wash in water. These men must wash in gas.” One woman said sarcastically. They stayed in for half an hour. As the men opened the door they were very surprised at the women who walked out. 79

“Why didn’t you die,” the man who turned on the ‘showers’ asked. 80

“Carbon monoxide isn’t exactly poisonous is it. It’s out principle gas. We can either breath in that, or nitrogen.”81

“Ah, well. We shall burn you alive if we must. Come with me.” The tall man walked out of the shower house. The women met all the men and followed him out, men walking behind and to the sides of them, guns pointed, ready to fire. 82

Kazzy floated, wondering what would happen next. 83

They were all brought into a huge furnace room. The walls were lined with doors, which led to fire. 84

One young women fainted. Although they could survive Carbon monoxide, no Zenkon could last through fire. Then again, no Zenkon would kill, deliberately. 85

A young man was pushed through first. Kazzy recognized him as Pingota, whom she knew well, and had fun with. He did not look scared. In fact he looked vaguely amused. His wife started to sob, and was immediately struck by a firm hand, across her face. Crix was pushed toward the door next. Kazzy couldn’t bear it. 86

“NO,” she screamed. The man let go of Crix. “Why kill us?” she began. “You don’t even know what we are, or what happened to us. We do not even believe in killing. We do not wish to harm anybody. You are just afraid, of us, and of what shall happen to you. You are being selfish, not brave. Killing people with no means to fight back if not brave.” Kazzy walked toward the much shorter man. “You have taken 2 lives already. That is more people than have been killed deliberately on Zenkon for millions of years. We have seen your planet, and wish to be released. We will leave this planet forever. Please just let us live, we are innocent.”87

The man looked into Kazzy’s purple eyes, and she stared right back into his dull gray ones. “Fine, but one condition,” The man began, “We take this little one here.” He pointed at Kazzy.88

“No,” said Crix, “Take me instead.”89

“Oh, how charming, stickin’ up for your girlfriend….. NO, her or all of you,” the man pulled Kazzy by the hair.90

It’s OK Crix, she said softly, before being thrown into the fire.91

Kazzy immediately shoved herself to the side, away from the flames, but the heat was intense. Pingota rushed toward her, took off his shirt, and placed it over Kazzy’s. Immediately she felt a cool relief. “Fire….proof…..shirt……save…..self……..escape-“ He collapsed into a heap, never to speak again.92

Kazzy, usually not an emotional person got down and wept for a while, then realizing she needed to save herself at least opened the door a crack. She saw the others being herded out. As soon as the people left, which felt like an eternity, she floated out, for she was still wearing her floating harness, and flew as fast as she could back to the ship. As she looked behind her she saw a truck gaining on her, with the cold eyes of the killing man staring at her. Kazzy turned up the speed on her harness. 93

This was faster than she had ever gone without a vehicle before. She was going slightly slower than the truck though, and it was gaining on her. When it almost had her she pressed the altitude button and soared high. Looking down through the clouds she tried to find where the ship was, Her eyes scanned the surface. Finally she saw a dot of silver, and as it loomed closer she recognized it as her ship. In a few seconds of flying she neared the ship, and hammered on the shut door. A man called, “Who is it?” gruffly, as if he’d been asking all day.94

“It’s Kazzy, Just let me in. The trucks coming!!” And with that the door opened and Kazzy tumbled through. Although it had seemed like weeks since the engine room incident, Kazzy realized her foot was still sore as ever. With a sigh she lifted herself with the harness once again. One of the doctors on board saw to her burn. There was a hammering on the door. 95

“LET ME IN! I ORDER YOU TO LET ME IN.” the truck had evidently made it to the ship. 96

“Take off, Take off,” cried a man. 97

“WE can’t Crix is in the engine room.”98

“Get him out then, before they break the ship.”99

It seemed the longest 30 seconds ever, before Crix came out of the hole. The engines fired, and they lifted off the ground, much to the surprise of the man, still clinging onto the side of the capsule. Kazzy looked out the window as he fell, down, down, into the lake, and she laughed as she saw him bob to the surface, and swim clumsily back to shore, before they were too far away to see any more. 100

Suddenly Crix ran up to Kazzy, and embraced her in his arms.101

“I was so worried about you,” Crix said, near tears.102

“Crix, chill. I’m OK. Pingota, he was SO brave. He gave me his fire shirt, he said to save myself. He sacrificed himself for me.103

The captain and the people on the ship talked about where to go next. It was Kazzy who suggested the System in which Earth used to be. It was decided that, as they had so much fuel left, that it would be a good idea to start.104

The months of endless cycles continued. It took 24 days to reach the ‘Sun’ as some continued to call it. They passed different planets, and soon saw something different. It was a huge blue and green blob, with white swirling around. They decided to land and have a look. The captain was obviously puzzled. “This isn’t supposed to be here,” he said, “You see, this is Earth. Except different. The pieces must have collected together, and over billions of years joined. Do you want to stay here?”105

They looked around. It was almost as beautiful as the last planet. Kazzy looked in wonder at the landscape. A search expedition sent out, to check for more life. They started to set up ‘camp’. Tarps were laid over huge sticks, and with a lot of work they had 15 two-man tents set up. The search expedition came back. 106

“All the life here is animals. No other human beings. Remember the fantasy’s of growing food, and hunting animals. It’s TRUE. We will not have to eat FendelFist any more!!”107

In Zenkon there were no plants, that were edible in the least. Fendel Fist was a mineral used for food. It was slimy and bland, but you could add flavorings to it also, and it becomes flavored slimy stuff. 108

Kazzy and the other women went to gather plants, while the men hunted for animals. The women didn’t know which plants were good, or poisonous, so, they didn’t have much luck, and the men, with simple rocks, caught a few animals.109

Earthlings started once again from scratch, and within 100,000,000 years had worked up to what it was before the explosion. Zenkon was gradually forgotten. The year was 2000. 110