Despite the blazing star, this world was known as the "Poor Planet." It was a barren, tragic place. Thousands of years ago, the inhabitants had discovered a rare mineral unique to this part of the universe. It had made them slightly wealthy for a time, yet strangely, the condition of the planet never improved. It remained a dust bowl of poverty.
The scene shifted as the spaceship, , touched down at a refueling station far from the main city. The distance made Dr. K suspicious immediately.
"Listen closely," Dr. K said, addressing the students. He gestured to the landscape. "The native species here are called Matrus. They have four legs, two arms, and a tail. Their bodies have adapted to the drought that plagues this world."
He checked his watch. "We have some time while the ship refuels. You may go outside to observe, but stay close."
Some students hesitated, staying aboard, but a curious group led by Krishna stepped onto the dusty surface. The heat was immediate. They saw a landscape of cracked earth and dry wind. In the distance, a group of aliens was crossing the wasteland.
Overcome with curiosity, Krishna called out, "Hey! Where are you going?"
The group of students froze, stunned that Krishna had dared to make contact. The aliens stopped. They turned, equally curious, having never seen humans before. They crept forward cautiously.
"Hello, buddy," Krishna said warmly. "How are you?"
One of the Matrus replied, but the sound was a series of clicks and hums unintelligible to the humans. Suddenly, a deep bell tolled from the mountains. The sound was ominous. Pure terror washed over the Matrus faces. Without a second glance, they turned and fled into the dust.
"Why did they run?" Krishna asked, confused. "And how can we understand them?"
They returned to the ship, buzzing with questions.
"Dr. K, how do we talk to them?" Krishna asked.
"Ah," Dr. K rummaged through a crate. "We use these translation devices. You wear them around your neck; they translate their language to yours and vice versa. Here, distribute them."
Krishna handed the devices to his friends—Siddharth, Shiva, Karan, and Devraj. He was desperate to speak to the Matrus again. The sound of the bell still echoed in his mind, and he convinced his friends to investigate its source.
Just then, Dr. K announced, "Aditya and I must go to the city for urgent business. Do not go anywhere. We will be back soon."
As soon as the adults left, Krishna looked at his friends. "Let's go to the town."
They sneaked out, heading toward the sound of the bell. Riya saw them leaving and decided to follow, trailing a few steps behind. However, the terrain was confusing. Riya took a wrong turn at a fork in the road and found herself wandering into a restricted military zone.
Soldiers, clad in dark armor that looked too expensive for such a poor planet, surrounded her. She trembled, realizing these weren't friendly locals. They captured her instantly.
Meanwhile, Krishna and the boys reached the city limits and gasped. It was a shocking contrast to the wasteland. A massive, beautiful metropolis sprawled before them, centered around a colossal mansion that gleamed in the sunlight.
"Who wants to see the city?" Krishna shouted, running forward, blinded by the adventure. Siddharth, Shiva, Devraj and Karan are also go with him.
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Back on the , Som realized the group was gone. He searched the quarters, panic rising in his chest. "Krishna? Riya? Damn it! Where are you all?"
In the city, the boys stood out like sore thumbs. The Matrus citizens stared at them with a mixture of curiosity and dread. In this era, inter-planetary travel was common, but strictly regulated.
A squad of soldiers, their armor scuffed and imposing, intercepted them. They didn't ask questions; they simply leveled their weapons at the boys' chests.
"Halt! Identify yourselves!" the squad leader barked, his finger hovering over the trigger. "Where are your permits?"
Krishna and his friends froze, their hearts hammering against their ribs. They had no idea about the laws here, and the weapons hummed with a lethal, high-pitched whine.
"Uh... we... ah..." Krishna stammered, raising his hands.
The soldiers’ eyes narrowed. The leader signaled his men. "No permit. Spies. Eliminate them."
Just as the soldiers tightened their grip, a voice cracked like a whip through the crowd.
" Stand Down"
Dr. K burst through the line of citizens, breathless and pale. He threw himself between the weapons and the students, flashing a holographic badge with a frantic motion. "Stop! They are under my jurisdiction. Look at the clearance!"
The squad leader hesitated. He scanned the badge, his expression souring as the device beeped a high-security clearance code. He grunted, lowering his weapon slowly. "Keep your 'specimens' on a leash, Doctor. Next time, we shoot first."
As the soldiers marched away, the adrenaline drained from Krishna’s legs. He looked up, expecting Dr. K to scold them.
Dr. K turned to the boys. His face wasn't just red; it was white with fear. He grabbed Krishna by the collar—not roughly, but with desperate intensity.
"Do you have a death wish?" Dr. K hissed, his voice trembling. "This isn't a field trip. These people kill for sport. You didn't just break a rule—you almost got yourselves executed."
Suddenly, the ominous bell rang again.
The atmosphere in the city shifted instantly from bustling to terrified silence. Every citizen rushed to the side of the road and bowed their heads low.
"Commander Katalus is arriving!" a herald announced.
Dr. K grabbed the boys. "Bow your heads. Do exactly as they do."
Krishna bowed, but he peeked through his eyelashes, thinking,
Commander Katalus marched down the road, surrounded by a heavily armed private army. The silence was thick with fear. Suddenly, a citizen accidentally scuffed their foot, making a small noise. Katalus stopped. Without a word, he raised a weapon and incinerated the citizen.
The students gasped, horrified. Krishna felt sick to his stomach.
Katalus sat on a mobile throne in the town square. "Give me the tax," he demanded coldly.
A representative named Karak stepped forward, trembling. "Sir, this is the payment for the year."
Katalus sneered. "This is too little. The taxes are doubled, effective immediately. Pay me double."
"But Lord," Karak pleaded, tears in his eyes. "We have given everything. We need food for our people. We will starve."
"Insubordination!" Katalus roared. "Your mouth moves too fast." He struck Karak down, killing him instantly in front of the crowd. He turned to the city elders. "I want double tax now. Arrange it, or the city burns."
Krishna couldn't control himself. The injustice burned inside him. He stepped forward to intervene, but Dr. K grabbed his shoulder with an iron grip. "No. We go. Now."
They rushed back to the ship, the image of the murder haunting them.
Meanwhile, in the Commander's fortress, a soldier entered Katalus's chambers. "Sir, we found a stray in the restricted zone. A gift for you."
They dragged Riya in. She was terrified, tears streaming down her face.
Katalus looked at her with interest. "What species is this?"
"Unknown, Sir. We cannot find a match in the database."
Katalus laughed, a cruel, cold sound. "Excellent. A rare specimen. My Master will be pleased. Load it onto the transport ship immediately."
Back on the , the group reunited. Som ran up to them. "Thank goodness you are fine! I was so worried. But... where is Riya?"
Blood drained from everyone's faces. They looked around. Riya was not there.
Dr. K turned on the news feed. A holographic reporter appeared, looking grim.
Krishna stared at the screen, guilt and horror crashing over him. They had left her behind.