Fifteen Zorg years (Seven Earth years) later:

"Are we there yet?" Dad asks the umpteenth time since we boarded the spacecraft we're one.

"Ask me that one more time and I'll throw you off this spacecraft irrespective of the fact that you're my spouse!" Mom finally snaps, having tolerated his constant queries for far too long.

Dad immediately shuts up as I stifle my laughter. Mom's usually quite sweet to everyone but when someone annoys her, she becomes possibly the most rude living being in the entire universe. It doesn't help that Dad is really annoying at times, this being one of those times.

"Pet, I'm so-"

"Geez, okay, okay, Mishut, stop! Let me focus!" 

Wow, Mom's really upset! Her calling Dad Mishut is a tell of her impending anger. Dad slightly edges away from her and I lean away from her.

"Dad, stop before she throws you into that black hole we saw earlier," I tell Dad before he can do any further damage.

My voice is unfortunately loud enough for Mom to hear judging by the large smile spreading over her face.

"Pes, you had to say that? Pet, don't tell me you're considering it!" Dad hisses at me.

"Oh, I am, Mishut. Quite seriously," she replies, her stoic expression highlighted by a wicked smile that shows off her dimples.

"Petry..." Dad trails off, probably unsure what to say.

He stays silent for a while and it's like I can hear the cogs turning in his head. He attempts to talk again when he's cut off by Mom rubbing her hands in glee and smiling. His wide eyes frantically gesture to me at her as I chuckle.

"Ooh, we're close!" she says, her voice dripping with joy, "Pes, go tell them!"

"Who?" I ask, my attention still on the terrified look Dad dons.

"Those in the back, and those on Earth as well. We'll be there in a few minutes," the edge of joy in her voice is prominent.

I nod in response, pick up the communicator and walk to the back part of the spacecraft. All along the way, I smile remembering Mom's happiness. When I walk in, everyone looks up.

"Yes, Captain?" someone asks me, their tone polite in spite of their mock salute.

I laugh and reply, "We're almost there. A few minutes, ten at the most to landing."

Everyone immediately sits straighter, their eyes sparkling. Yes, here's the moment we've all been waiting for!

"We'll be there soon," I state and head back to the front, switching on the communicator.

"SC Number Four here. Do you hear me?" I say into the communicator.

A burst of static is followed by a male voice, "Earth to SC Number Four. I can hear you."

"Well, we're nearly there. We'll be there in a couple of minutes. Over," I say.

"We're waiting for you. Out." the communicator goes dead.

"Well?" Mom asks me when I approach her seat.

"They're waiting for us." I reply.

"Great then," Dad replies with a large smile smack dab on his face and leans back in his seat as if to sleep.

Observing this, I manage to push Dad off his seat, a feat I've probably accomplished only as I caught him unaware.

"What?" he whines, his shrill tone grating on my nerves.

"Don't whine like that!" Mom and I snap at the same time. It's so annoying when he whines in that high-pitched voice!

"Seriously, what?" he asks me after he's grown tired of the smug smile settled snugly across his lips.

"Well, seeing as you aren't even interested, I might as well sit here and watch," I settle down on the seat. Dad shrugs and walks off to the back part of the spacecraft, leaving us in peace.

"Oh, where-"

I cut Mom off, "That's the star, Mom."

"Are you sure, Pes?"

"Yes Mom. I communicated with Fila Arduch before we embarked on our journey and she told me this would be like this. And, she told me to go there." I point out the way.

Mom steers in the direction I indicated, a joyous smile traced on her lips. Maybe this'll be a good time to ask her about the renowned Arduch twins.

"Mom, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Pes."

"Did you know her? Fila Arduch?"

She's nothing short of a legend among us Zorgians. She and her brother Zing Arduch were the ones who embarked on a potentially fatal mission to find out if any other planet could host life.

"I did. I still remember the braveheart she was. Almost the entire population of Zorg was against them embarking on the mission. But she was definite in her decision. She didn't look back at all," Mom says, her eyes pooling with tears.

"Mom? What's wrong?" her sudden change of mood worries me.

"Zing said Fila's sick. Very," her trembling voice doesn't mask her anxiety in any way.

"But she spoke to me!"

"You spoke to her quite a while back, Pes," her quiet and resigned voice resounds in my head.

Something clicks in to place as I exclaim, "Is that why we have some people from the emergency cabin here?"

"Kind of. We also wanted to ensure those who came here wouldn't be without their services," Mom replies matter-of-factly.

We travel in silence until we draw close to the star system and see a huge blue planet. Footsteps approach us as Dad's voice rings out, "An ice giant[1]."

"Up ahead, the one with the rings, that's a gas giant[2]," he continues, "And that there is a terra planet [3]. Well, terrestrial, in proper terms, but I like to call it a terra planet. Another only slightly bigger than that and blue [4] should be in the next orbit. Ah, there it is. That's our destination."

"Great monologue, Dad." I say, my tone sincere as I really do appreciate Dad's knowledge.

"Can't blame me for knowing stuff," Dad shrugs, a neutral expression encompassing his facial features.

I have to admit I'm impressed. Dad might be an extremely annoying person, but he knows his stuff. Besides, no one can beat thee great Lina Porret in being annoying.

"I agree," Dad says and Mom nods.

I'm so confused right now.

"You're talking your mind, Peso! That's how we know what you thought," Mom explains.

A mischievous glint in his eyes, Dad smiles at me, "I've always known I am impressive! It's good to hear that you think the same."

Now, that's true lying.

"Hey!" Dad's fake offended expression doesn't draw my attention away from Mom's muted laughter.

Apparently I speak out loud what I think.

"Not saying I don't enjoy this but Ulso, take over?" Mom asks more than says. Mom's good at flying distances while Dad's great at doing the risky business like landing, takeoff and dodging.

Dad takes over and expertly guides the spacecraft down till we reach the designated clearing set for landings. I'm the first to get out, my oxy tank strapped onto my back. We were told there's breathable oxygen here in the air (three and a half fingers nitrogen, one finger oxygen and half a finger of other trace gases being the composition of the air here) but I'm still keeping it at hand just in case.

The first to land here were, of course, the Arduch twins, followed by two three-person-manned spacecrafts (SC One and Two), a craft carrying fifteen people (SC Three) and now us. The entire population of Zorg will be relocated here soon.

Many people stop still in their tracks and look at us. The first to approach me are a guy who looks about twenty three by Zorgian standards and a woman with brown hair and eyes who's maybe in her mid-thirties. His brown eyes look sadly into mine as he brushes a lock of his pitch black hair out of his eyes and extends an arm towards me while the woman gives me a warm reassuring smile.

I shake his hand and nod in response to him asking if I was the one who spoke on the communicator. Why does he seem kind of familiar?

"Zing Arduch," he introduces himself.

"Oh, thee Zing Arduch! Sorry, I'm Peso Mishal," I reply, everyone out of the spacecraft now and looking amazed at the beautiful planet around us.

The woman introduces herself as Roya Lindel. Oh, yes, she came here on SC One along with Anti Grofer.

"Come on in," Zing walks, beckoning us to follow him.

We walk through the tour Zing takes us on completely mesmerised. This planet has much stronger gravity, so we can walk properly without the need for artificial gravity; also, time here goes by slower. Like Dad taught me, gravity and time are inversely dependent: the more the gravity, the slower the time goes.

That explains why Zing is twenty three while if he was living in Zorg, he would be thirty one.

At one point, the entire troupe pauses as Zing explains the mechanics of a creature that they call trees. They are usually tall and have green ends called leaves. These leaves are of varied sizes and shapes and they create oxygen. A bunch of these trees stand in a circle around what they call a river. These are flowing sources of water. This planet is so enchanting and beautiful!

We finally wind up outside the living quarters where everyone peels off to their assigned quarters, that is, everyone but Zing, Mom, Dad and me. It's clear to see how long someone has been living her by their complexion: the whiter-skinned are those who came now or recently.

Zing himself is quite tanned, seeing as he was only the second Zorgian to land here (Fila being the first). He leads us to where Fila is. She's lying down with her head on a thick bunch of those leaves we saw earlier, and immediately sits up when we walk in.

"Fila?!" Mom and Dad exclaim as they engulf her in hugs.

"Petry and Ulso! Wonderful to see you!" she replies in a weak but friendly voice. She turns to me.

"Hello, I'm Peso Mishal," I formally introduce myself.

"Peso Mishal?" she says. "Great choice of naming your daughter, Petry and Ulso!"

"Well, we were clear out of ideas so we just merged our names," Dad states, the blood gushing to his face making him appear pink.

I discreetly shake my head at him, already embarrassed. He doesn't seem to take note and keeps on rambling. Exasperated, I shift my body by a few degrees, and almost collide with someone. Lifting my head, I realize it's Zing, and he's staring at me with an intense expression writ large on his face.

"She's like a replica of you, Fi," Zing says, his voice laced with wonder.

She beckons to me to sit by her side and says, "Aren't we alike?"

(Fila Arduch)

(Peso Mishal (with brown eyes))

"Totally." It's true; many people back in Zorg have told me I look like Fila Arduch. The same dark black hair, the same chocolate brown eyes, the same face shape, everything! I look nothing like my Mom (who has brown hair and mud brown eyes) and my Dad (who has jet black hair and brown eyes) even though we all have the same eyes and my Dad and I have the same hair colour.

We sit back and banter light- heartedly. After everyone's been settled in, some of the emergency cabin workers heal Fila's illness and Zing's joy now knows no bounds!

"Thank you." I tell Fila and Zing.

"What for?" they ask me.

"For risking your lives for all of us. For finding us this Utopia."

"See, Zing, I told you it wouldn't hurt to believe in Utopia!!"

"Yes Fi, you were right!!"

"It was totally worth it." Fila says.

"Yes, it was." agrees Zing.

And thanks to these amazing two people, we got to Utopia!!

A true Utopia, by all means!!

- - - - - - -

[1] Neptune

[2] Saturn

[3] Venus

[4] Earth

Yes, the Utopia here is our Earth!!

Show her some (no, loads!!) love!!

And that is the ending of this tale!!

You can give me feedback whenever you can, and thank you for reading!!

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