Something happened.
It was all over the news & media outlets.
No one knew what it was, or how to properly describe it, and that didn't change until after a while when the phenomenon caught an infamous label on the internet
" The moon is sick! "
Somebody had posted it as a joke on some media platform, and it quickly trended.
Even though it was impossible to tell the nature of the phenomenon, it was a fact that indeed, something did happen. And it was significantly alarming because astrologists & physicists couldn't recognize any cosmic event that would cause the moon to turn so green and dim.
Some people took it as a prank of sorts, claiming that some rich kid probably pulled it off somehow & cursing at them. Other people were demanding answers from the government about the pollution. Some people never even bothered about it and kept to their daily routines nonchalantly. Some communities were worried & seeking answers among themselves for anyone who knew better. Superstitious people.... were going haywire with doomsday proclamations. But the scientists.... the scientists.... they were afraid. They didn't know what could have happened, but using their accumulated knowledge & years of expertise, they could easily tell.... It wasn't a natural phenomenon. Something.... Or someone out there had to have caused it.
Discussions & speculations on the topic were raging back & forth across the globe.
Day 1.... , second day.... , it's been a week.... a whole moon cycle later.... It hadn't disappeared.... The moon was still green and dim.
This wasn't a joke anymore. Real panic was starting to creep in. Someone had better do something about it before the situation truly gets out of hand.
And so, a joint global project was organized for each continent to dispatch some astronauts into space & investigate the situation. The project was made a global & public effort in order to pool funds together & take action as soon as possible.
.
.
....
One month later
More accurately, two months after "Something happened" and the moon fell sick & dim.
The Global Joint Investigation project was completed & ready for launch.
Specially selected astronauts that had undergone a comprehensive training program on how to handle the situation with lectures on the priorities of this mission were confidently displayed to assure success rates to the masses.
Those who could attend at the publications & programs did their best to arrive on time & fought for the special spots that were likely to show on camera.
Some middle-aged people observerd the situation through the monitors available in their offices, cafes, restaurants, clubs and other social gathering spots with news TVs or at least radio playing in the background.
The elderly watched it nervously from their home screens, as some of their kids were out there among the participants.
Many important figures gave a solemn speech during the announcement that the mission.... would launch in three days time. One person could have said it in one sentence....
To the dismay of the masses, it was anything but brief....
They sure milked the event out of every potential highlight & prestige it might have offered them. It was a ridiculous charade.
An unjustifiable assortment of the so-called important figures would go on to talk then brag pompously and talk then brag once again before letting up the stage only for the next individual to do the same.
Often times you'd hear the masses venting out their frustrations among themselves or vainly shouting at their streaming devices in protest.
• "One small step for man, and a big step for humanity.... "
>Yeah, yeah. Step down already!!
• "No matter what comes, we shall stand united and.... "
>We get it already! Move aside! Launch the program!
• "Dear Citizens of Planet Earth! Rest assured, our company has prepared the finest technological.... "
>Boo! None of us average masses can afford that shit !!
They kept at it the whole day....
.
.
....
• "Today I stand before you all, honored to witness this glorious.... "
>I've never seen this guy before, is he even a President?
• "We need to think objectively! This may be the first encounter we have with.... "
>Hm? A Prodigy? What did they achieve?
>They're really smart.
>That's not.... Nevermind.
• "In science, any form of progress is welcome.... "
>I'm betting this month's salary they only picked him for the crazy look....
The second last day too....
.
.
....
• "To be or not to be, we might finally be able to answer this lifelong.... "
>Na-aa, am not touching this. No comment.
• "I'm honored to participate in this important mission, the trust that.... "
>Then freaking go already!! We all have jobs!!
• "So Jimmy, can you tell us your thoughts on this matter? " I'm excited!! I may get new friends and.... ""
>Whose child is this!!
>Dear God.... Not the FREAKING day of the MISSION LAUNCH TOO!!
.
.
....
Hhh~
Oh? Finally!! They are doing the countdown thing!! At least they are cultured on this part!!
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,
3
2
1
Shrr-choOO OoOmm!!!
Successful launch! And so they landed on the moon. Their first order of business was to set up camp and prepare all the necessary equipment for the investigation.
Secured spacesuits, communication devices, vehicle, sample containers,etc
It was eerily casual, as there was nothing out of the ordinary except for the green chunks of the moon plus the fact that it seemed to be losing its luminosity. But knowing that didn't help much, so they started collecting samples from the sickly looking moon rock and some of the still healthy parts too.
Heavy stakes & perhaps the fate of humanity itself were bound to this mission, so the astronauts made sure to work diligently while taking note of every detail and sending regular reports back to earth.
Click.
> "This is the Captain speaking, that's it for today, regroup at base."
About 5 hours later, the Captain of the mission contacted the dispatched crew members & told them to wrap things up and return to main camp.
The investigation effort was set to a daily limit of 6 hours max, then all members were to return to camp. Once everyone was confirmed present, they'd set up security & head inside to begin preliminary examinations of the samples they collected for the next 4 hours. Less than half a day in total. The rest of the time was allocated for sleep & recovery from the physical strain as well as enjoying some recreational activities to keep their mental capacity & fortitude at its peak at all times of working hours.
Inside the labs where the scientists had gathered the samples for examination.
They were waiting for the captain who was in the command room making a live report to Earth headquarters.
The Captain barely took 10 minutes, although it usually required about 30 minutes at least to cover the details in each report, hinting that something was off when the Lab door slid open so early & a shadowy figure of the Captain walked in, stiff like he'd seen a ghost.
• ".... um c-Captain, what's going on, have you concluded the report alrea-"
> "It's Over. Give up whatever you've been doing"
Says the Captain as he walks into the light, revealing a grim face with dead eyes that didn't sparkle in the least.
• ".... "
• ".... "
• ".... "
• ".... "
The crew members were shocked silent.... with one thought circling each of their minds:
•• ' Already!? We haven't even touched the samples at all !! ' ••
And the silent confrontation barely lasted for three more seconds before the crazy looking scientist from the publications about the mission back on earth; drew a baseball bat he had hidden within his lab coat:
• "I told those rigid soldiers that they should have provided us with personal firearms to carry at all times. Tch! Security isn't likely to arrive anytime soon. Not that I care, cause I sure as heck ain't dying in space to some alien shit !! "
Have said his part, the mad looking scientist with crazed eyes & disheveled hair charged at the "Captain" in a valorous display of willpower.
Alas, the difference between his sickly physique & the "Captain's" muscular athletic body alone already determined the result to his advantage even though he was unarmed.
BAM!!
The "Captain" easily knocked the baseball bat away, disarming the feeble man, and proceeded to twist his arm and pin him by the shoulder to the ground.
• ".... "
• ".... "
• ".... "
It was dreadful silence that descended on the Lab room this time, as everyone had lost resolve & were waiting for the bloodbath to commence, hoping they'd somehow be left for last & maybe miraculously survive, their fear made obvious as they all backed up to the furthest corner of the labs while they shoved each other.
> ".... "
•• ".... " .... " .... "••
The "Captain", clearly annoyed by this, silently glares at each of them before speaking.
> ".... What do you think you're doing? "
• ".... Science be damned !! It speaks !? "
• ".... NO! I think it's parasite & has spoken by invading the mind of its victim! "
• ".... Doesn't matter if we can't study it !! "
Even as they whimpered in fear while shoving at each other, their scientific minds still maintained their curiosity, proving that they were indeed the best of the crop in each of their fields of science.
> " Hhh~ It's not that kind of scenario you idiots. Haven't you noticed that the crazed Kenrick is still alive? I just knocked him out for insubordination "
• ".... "
• ".... what? "
• ".... it's true, Kenrick is breathing.... "
• ".... how come?.... "
> "Stop freaking out & listen to the end this time. It's true that I'm upset but my face is not that monstrous!! The reason I ordered you to cancel what you're doing, although I may have phrased it vaguely, is because this mission itself has been terminated. Pack up, we're heading back to Earth. There's no need to do any research up here, the headquarters have already identified the cause of the phenomenon. I inquired for more details about such sudden orders but it wasn't up for negotiation, that's why the latest report I was updating them with didn't last more than a few minutes. Do you understand now? We all knew Kenrick was crazy from the beginning, we just couldn't prove it due to his genius & he was nefariously selected for the mission purely for propaganda purposes as he is widely infamous globally due to his crazy scientist social brand. And no, there's no parasite. You can check in with the headquarters, they'll give you the order directly. We launch in twelve hours. And Kevin, you might as well fix the lab as you clean up the floor. Niraj, carry Kenrick back to his chambers & fill him in when he wakes up. The rest of you are all dismissed, just make sure we leave nothing behind "
•• ".... ".... ".... " ••
Having cleared up the misunderstanding, the Captain didn't wait to hear their pathetic excuses & left to handle his work & prepare the spaceship for launch back into orbit.
.
.
....
Back on Earth
The spaceship landed safely & they received a thunderous welcome by millions of the oblivious masses that thought the mission was a resounding success & hailed the astronauts as heroes.
Although the reality was actually that they hadn't even gotten the chance to perform a proper inspection, having been abruptly summoned back by the headquarters, reasons yet to be disclosed to them.
But oh well, they did their best, so they might as well not just play along to keep up appearances but rather enjoy the thunderous hero welcoming party & glory wholeheartedly because although they never accomplished their mission successfully, one couldn't really say that it had been in vain or that they had failed, considering they did manage to at least bring back samples for examination. That had to count as something significant, right?
So let's ease up and bask in the glorious celebrations.