put on - to switch on or activate a device (e.g. electrical)
sign up - to join or become a member of a club etc.
show up - arrive somewhere unexpectedly
deal with - try to resolve a problem
take up - begin a new activity: sport or hobby
carry on - continue, often when things seem difficult.
'Entry into Earth's atmosphere in ten minutes and counting….'
Martin had put on the ship's computer so that he would know exactly when the spaceship would drop into the Earth's atmosphere. The voice sounded as though it really had no interest in what this event actually meant to the only human on board.
Martin Davros sat in the large, comfortable captain's seat and watched the familiar bright blue and white planet through the ship's windscreen. Planet Earth. Home! he thought. At last. After ten long, long years in space!
However, his arrival back was very different compared to the departure all those years ago. Over two hundred crew members on board. The excitement of the coming journey into deep space to bravely go where no man or woman had been before…
'Entry into Earth's atmosphere in eight minutes and counting….'
Martin had felt that by signing up for this trip into the furthest areas of the solar system, he had reached the very top of his career as spaceship chief engineer. Young and full of ambition, Martin had been the happiest man on board.
They had travelled to all the planets farther from the sun than Earth: Mars, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, even tiny Pluto, which was no longer called a planet due to its small size.
Then they had entered what is called the Kuiper Belt - a huge area of comets and rocks so far from our sun that it appeared as just a bright dot in the black space.
There, they unfortunately met the Comet Riders. Strange, giant creatures that managed to live in those frozen parts. They rode the comets like pirates on the sea, attacking other comets and killing those that lived there. They lived by war and death.
'Entry into Earth's atmosphere in six minutes and counting….'
What a prize was Martin's spaceship, which they chased across the Kuiper Belt. The ship's crew had to find a way of escape. This was a problem, as the ship had no guns. Yet, their ship was fast and powerful, and the aliens could not reach them. However, just when Martin's crew thought they were safe, the riders suddenly showed up in front of them and managed to get on board. They killed everybody except Martin, who was able to hide.
Martin had to deal with the aliens somehow. While hidden in the engine room, he turned up the ship's heating, which led to the death of all the riders on the ship as they could not stand warm temperatures. Martin heard their screams as they roasted in the heat, and felt pleasure. After all, these aliens had murdered his complete crew.
'Entry into Earth's atmosphere in four minutes and counting….'
The five year journey back home had been long and painful without his colleagues and friends. Somehow, he had to carry on - to keep his mind active. Being alone for long periods of time was dangerous - Martin could go mad.
He made a friend - the ship's android, Andrew, who provided Martin with intelligent conversation. Andrew was actually just a robot, but he looked human. He had made Martin's meals, which they shared together. He taught Martin board games and different sports to do on the ship, which Martin had never done before, but he took them up for the first time. Without this close, almost human contact, Martin would have lost his mind, but he remained healthy and positive.
Then, the final sad event. Andrew had to die.
'Entry into Earth's atmosphere in two minutes and counting….'
The door of the captain's room opened, and Andrew walked in dressed as a waiter - a short jacket with matching trousers and a white shirt. He was carrying a tray with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
'Congratulations, sir! You've made it home. Shall we celebrate with a small glass of champagne?'
'Andrew!' said Martin with tears in his eyes. 'Is there no other way?'
'I'm afraid not, sir. As you know, the heat protectors on part of the ship were damaged during the attack by the Comet Riders. Only I can cover that part of the ship with my body during entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Of course, I will be completely destroyed. The good news is you will live, sir! Let's drink to that!'
They touched glasses and drank. Then Andrew left to do his duty as the ship's android. His duty to lose his life to save a human's life.
Martin was alone with his glass of champagne. Had Andrew provided a celebration drink at the very last moment on purpose? It certainly made a point. How could Martin return to Earth a hero after having lost so many close friends? There was nothing to celebrate. The ship would be safe. The mission was a success with all the rocks and items they had collected from their visits to the planets and their moons. All the research documents were safe on board the ship which would land by itself perfectly safely, but Martin could not carry on.
'Entry into Earth's atmosphere, one minute and counting….'
Martin pushed the button that opened the inside exit door. It opened without a sound. Martin stepped inside the small room and closed the door behind him. He then pushed the button to open the door that led to deep space. He did not listen to the warning message to put on his spacesuit, but pushed the button again.
Martin then saw what probably no one had seen before, which was the beauty of the planet Earth with no thick glass window in between. But the sight lasted only a brief moment as Martin's champagne and the eyes in his head froze immediately.
'The spaceship has now entered Earth's atmosphere. The ship will land in twenty-three minutes.'
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