Dusty

The brown powder lay like a fine film on everything one could lay eyes on. It clung to the edges, spread on the surfaces, and piled deep in the crevices. The little brown rat was adept at lightly running across the floor of the valley and diving into the holes. The fox had been lying in wait, for its next sojourn. The poor thing hadn’t had a morsel in ages. His whiskers had become heavy with the pile of dust accumulated, and exhaustion prevented him from shaking them off.

The brightness of the golden orb, whose heat was trapped by every particle of dust, hanging midair, just to traumatize those who lived, was unbearable. Of life there was barely any trace. The rocks and boulders lay sunning themselves; did they have a choice? The heat emanating lay shimmering, hovering like a pall, ready to ensnare those who dared to cut through.

The sprightly brown rat twitched its nose, shook its whiskers, and quickly slid into its hole, before the fox could land its paw. Ha! It had already seen the sly, slow, senile one approaching like a lurching truck. “Am I to become one with this dust, O Creator of the Universe?” Deep in the belly of the earth arose a rumble, as the family of rats laughed. That fox would soon lose its battle and be rich fodder for them. “O Creator of the Universe, you are kind, merciful and generous!” they prayed as they sat around their meal, a wild dog, that had gone without water for days.

The men had been training in the desert for days now. They were fed up with the dust which found its way everywhere. They accepted its presence on their clothes, their vehicles, their equipment and even their food. Acceptance was the only way out. Their dugouts were fire in the day and ice at night, such was the duality of the environment. Once the young 19-year-old even dared to ask his Commandant, “Are we here to be easily buried?” The old man stared at him with his dark brooding eyes, and nodded slowly, to indicate he was not worthy of an answer.

Their work was tedious and the furnace like place was making things worse. They had to finish all the trials within the next 48 hours. There was no room for error. The burning heat, which was killing them was the single factor which would make their work successful.

Centuries ago, the earth teemed with people, till the reactor had exploded. Cities had vanished in thin air. For days, for weeks, perhaps for months, everything was on fire. The very surface of the earth was raked, rough and deep, flinging boulders, rocks, pebbles along with mountains of mud up to high Heavens. And once the inferno settled, the dust lingered on. Life seemed to have disappeared, along with life sustaining water.

The handful of people who survived, in deep dark crevices or snowy peaks, finally got together, united in their common goal to survive. The last message they had received from Mercury, a few months back, had only confirmed their fears. The rogue, interstellar pirates were headed to earth, to plunder all that remained. Meaning, the mountains of mica, thrown up in the debacle. The exposure to the nuclear blast had rendered them stronger and finer, helping them to trap more of the solar energy which made them the lightest and most efficient fuel.

It was up to these handful of men, to stop the rogues and turn the tables on them.

They prepared to snuggle into their burrows as the sentries moved out to keep guard. Old habits die hard. Who were they protecting themselves from? Well!

“Come here, young man!”

“Good morning, Sir!”

“ We have our hopes pinned on you… how is your flying coming along?”

“ As per plan and the training manuals, Sir! But I think I am soon going to achieve higher speed, and also my spiral technique is easily going to overcome the g- factor.”

“That’s what I hoped for, son! We will soon come to know the truth! Be prepared!”

That night the sky was an opaque sheet of purple, pink and green. It was raining dust and snow in the valley. Stunned, the guards were caught off guard, when the Spaceship landed at the edge of the flat ground.

The old Commandant had been restless all evening. He had watched the old fox, slowly breathe its last, a ghost of its former self. The rats had gathered all around. The few that were there. The fragility of life, the certainty of death and the moments that hung between birth and eternal rest, haunted him. They had to give it their best shot, for later, there would be no second chance.

His mind churned up doubts, thoughts, and questions. There seemed no respite. For a long time, he stared at the changing colours, wondering what it signified. He had wanted to double the guards, but then a sense of being sneered at, stopped him. Oh, those niggling doubts!

Khat-a- khat- khat! Khat- a- khat- khat!

All hell broke loose!

There was heavy firing and thumping of heavy boots running amok. Smoke of gunfire, effortlessly mingled with the falling hail and churning dust.

“Everyone to your post! This is 24 hours earlier than intimated. Do your best!”

“Yes Sir!” they shouted in unison, and all disappeared.

He personally went from pillar to post, checking, motivating, and firing! They were sitting ducks! But their training and their secret weapon would swing the battle.

The superior weapons and aircraft of the pirates gave them an upper edge. But the wise old man could feel a plan brewing in the depth of his brains. He led the men silently around, keeping well hidden from the enemy. The success lay in each of them making their way out together, without being seen or heard.

The alert soldiers moved silently, as directed, melting into the shadows of boulders and crags, the ground their destination. Turning around once in a while they could see the huge pirates, their radars looking puny in their hands as they searched for their booty.

Zing! Zing! Zing!

The sky lit up with the flares they shot to illuminate the place. They too were aware of a certain uneasiness, of the slim window of opportunity they had. However, they would not hesitate to terminate any earthling, if they spotted one.

Now they stood brutally exposed. Sitting ducks!

“Down! On the ground!” shouted the Commandant! “To the spaceship, as quickly as you can!” The puny little men rushed. And of course, they were spotted from afar! At the sound of a loud whistling swoosh which closely brushed past his ear, the young man turned to have a look. Fear froze his eyes, but his legs kept pounding forward! Zig- zag, zig- zag, as trained!

The pirates were firing at them.

“Ahhhhh, I have been hit. Go on guys, I have this!” shouted their Second in command! He fished out his grenade and lobbed it at the pursuers.

“Boom!”

“Boom! Boom!”

It was like, there was no tomorrow! The fireworks were for real!

By now, they had reached the spaceship and with a last surge they clambered up. Reaching down to pull up the stragglers, some shooting in the blinding light, in the general direction of the pursuers.

The air was filled with screams of fear and those evoking fear! Shouts of pain and triumph. The hereto, silent, and seemingly lifeless valley shook with trepidation.

“Quick sonny, fly this bird up and out!”

Without a word, the doors were shut, the indestructible fortress would now protect them from the attackers, the intruders!

Whoosh, the powerful machine effortlessly took flight!

A port was opened, and a suitcase sized object was nonchalantly tossed out. The brilliance of that bang lasted for minutes as the sound echoed for quite some time.

“Hurrah!” went round and round the cockpit.

“You are a crafty old fox, Sir! Where to now?” laughed the young man.

“Turning the tables, it’s called, son. Seizing the opportunity! Lets see those fancy spiralling of yours. Yes, head to Mars, will you?”

The dust filled planet, soon disappeared from the view of the smartly whirling Spaceship.