It is the year 3079 and NASA and privately founded companies want a mission sent to find the solar systems 10^th planet. Planet X. My name is Parker but you can call me Parkman. Luckily all my friends are kids whose parents are scientist too. So they will all be going too. First is Sara Cammie her mom is the computer science teacher. Then, you have Austin; his dad will be running power and testing out new ideas. Then, Treva's parents are nuclear physicists. Tara, whom we all call Strawberry her dad will be in charge of business and management. Cheryl, her mom is an English teacher. Finally, Ashlie, Her mom is in business too.

It would be four months before our flight to the space station, which would carry us to Planet X. The space station was named Courage to show that the people aboard this station were courageous. This would be the first manned mission to go through the asteroid belt. It was scary but it was exciting at the same time.

It was the first day of training to launch the "plane". It was a shuttle named Triumph that would stay with us after all the people was aboard. The only special thing about it is that it was a shuttle but they made it to accommodate people in the cargo bay. It would carry fifty people and three would return to Earth each trip. After all the people are aboard it will attach to the station and ride with us to Mars and then drop off. Now I have to go to start training.

It has been a hard day. They first made us start exercising telling us that we have to exercise everyday so our bones don't weaken. Then we had to study the map of Courage. We had to find all emergency exits, meteor shelters, and solar flare rooms. For those of you who don't know a meteor shelter is a room that is under the floors that would have its own air systems incase of a meteor or asteroid attack. A solar flare room is a room that is in the middle of the station with no windows. It has radios and computers that can't be affected like the other computers. This was the safest place to be.

They showed us what the schools would be like, what the houses would be like. So really today they gave us a tour of the space station. The plans were so big and amazing. It would hold 500 people but it had so much space. Most of the room was for laboratories and then you had houses, the restaurant, the school, and some fun places to go.

The next day it got harder. They showed us how to get off the station during an emergency. They showed us all the emergency plans again to be safe. Then they showed us how to put out a fire in 0-Gravity. The training was fun especially since we got out of school to do it. They let us go early that day and me and the gang met up and went to the park. We talked a while about the trip and how much fun we would have. Then Ashlie said that she had an announcement to tell us. We all got quiet.

She told us that during the training today her dad pulled her out. The crew for the space station got cut down to 450 and that her family got dropped. They wouldn't be able to fly with us. This made her so upset that she ran off. The rest of the gang stayed but I went after her.

I finally caught up with her and she was crying. I told her not to be upset because she could still see us. She understood that but thought it was so unfair that they got dropped. I told her that we would all miss her but that maybe it was better that she did not go on the trip. She didn't like to hear that and neither did I. I finally got her calmed down and I walked her home.

When I got home I told my parents and they were upset for her family too. I asked my dad if he could try to get them back on the trip. He told me that all things were final and that there was nothing he could do if he was commander of the station. I knew that he was telling me the truth but I just didn't want to believe it. I was just too mad and went to my room and stayed there all night.

It was now the fourth month and we had finished packing. I helped my dad load up the van and then we drove to the base and dropped off our stuff. They tagged it and gave us a number. This was the number that we would give the people on the space station. I saw the shuttle standing on the launch pad and they were doing pre engine burns. I couldn't wait.

We went home and then we decided to go out for dinner. This would be our last meal on Earth. It was hard to know that tomorrow we would be living up in space. I could not wait. I thought that if I went home and started to go to sleep that tomorrow would come even faster.

We woke up at 5:00 a.m. and started to get ready. We left the house at 6:00 and then headed for the base. We got there at 6:45 and then we had to get check ups, run through flight plans, and emergency procedures. They showed us to a room where we would wait until the time of the launch. It seemed like we waited so long but we actually waited 45 minutes.

They told us that we would start boarding the shuttle now. The way you got to your seat on the shuttle was very interesting. The floor was actually a ladder that you climb down until you get to your seat. Then there are people waiting for you so they can strap you into your seat. We had to wait there for about 30 minutes.

Then the time was here. It was now time to launch. Things were running through our heads. What if we die, what if we make it, what will happen? Then we felt the engines start. Then we heard pounding, and then pressure was pushing against our chest. It hurt at first but you got use to it. Then we felt a huge shake. The external tank fell off. Every thing was going according to plan. Then five minutes later we made it.

They opened windows for us to look out. Then they turned on the artificial gravity. Then they let us unbuckle. It was amazing the view was incredible. Then I saw it. I was like a little kid. I was so excited to see it. It was taller than a New York City building. After about 20 minutes they told us to buckle back up. We were ready to dock.

It took about 15 minutes to dock. Then they pressurized the chamber and started to let us off. We all stayed with our families until they got us to our rooms. We got to our "house" and then I went off and found the gang. We all were staying in the same sector. That was good. Then we couldn't find Austin. We found out that he missed the flight but was getting another one later today.

We talked for a while then we went back to our places and started unpacking. The houses were fairly big. We weren't getting our furniture until tomorrow so we didn't have much to do. We got on a tour bus and went all over the place. We found our where my mom and dad would work. Then we found the school. It was nice. We found the cafeteria and decided to get something to eat. We ate and then we went home.

I met up with the gang and we started talking. I heard that Austin's flight was about to come in so we all went to the docking bay. The place was huge. We almost got lost but some one pointed us into the right place. We got there right as the shuttle docking and it took them longer to get the people out. Then they finally started letting people off. As always, Austin was the last person off. He was so glad to be off the shuttle.

He found his house and he was staying in the same sector. We decided to take him and show him around the place. It was so big and amazing. Then they told us to get back to our houses now before we got into trouble. I didn't like that man. We all decided to go back to our house.

We woke up the next morning and all met up at the cafeteria. We heard that the last two shuttles were coming in today. We then all decided to go to my place and hang out. We were there for about an hour and then my furniture came. They decided that if mine was here then theirs was here. They were right.

We were unpacking for hours and then we all went out for dinner. Then we had to go to the main room for the flight plans. This was just the last chance for people to back out. No one did. They told us what we would be doing and all. They told us that at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning the engines were thrusting. We were leaving. It would take around 2 years to get there with the new engines upon the space station. The entire trip was set for 5 years. This would make my friends and me around 20 by the time we got home.

We all went home and then I fell asleep as soon as we got there. I was sleeping fine until the entire place started shaking. I fell out of my bed and then ran out of my room. Then I remembered that it was just the engines going. It was quiet just very movey.

I got dressed and then went to the cafeteria. I stopped by the lab to get some money from dad. I started walking around the halls and found the arcade. There were tons of games and stuff. When I went up to the counter I saw the sign. "School starts tomorrow, July 16, 3079. This was horrible. It would be the last day of freedom for us. Austin showed up and we started talking for a while. I challenged him to a couple of games to see who was the best. I was of course.

I walked home and got some money from mom to buy some school supplies. I walked back to the store and saw Cheryl; she was buying a few things too. She was so mad that school was starting this early. I thought that it might be better going to school in space. The good part was that the days were shorter. I walked her home and then went home myself.

It was early the next morning when I got up. We had to be at school by 7:30 and then school ended at 1:00. It wasn't that long of a day. I could not wait to get there. I missed being around a lot of people. The group was ok, but they could get annoying.

School was fun that day. We didn't do much of anything. We talked about the rules for the station and the school. After school the gang met up and we walked to the arcade for lunch. I started to notice Sara. She would look at me when I was looking at her. She was so pretty. This was something that I hadn't noticed before. After we got done eating the gang left but Sara and I stayed back.

We talked for the longest time and then I asked her. Would you like to see a movie with me? To my surprise she answered quickly. Yes. This was so good and I was so glad. I walked her home and told her that I would pick her up tomorrow for the movie. Then I went home.

The next day school went by so slow. After it was over Sara and I took off. We went to the "theater" and picked the movie. We watched the movie and then we went by the arcade to get lunch.

It has been 2 months now and we have stopped outside of Mars. They needed to get some things from the Mars Base. They started taking small shuttles to and from the base to get to the lab. We stayed there a day and then we headed off. They got mostly food and weapons. Who knows why the weapons?

We have now reached the asteroid belt. We all got together in the halls while the station was going to push through the asteroid belt. It seemed like forever and the noise was horrible but we got through. There were only minor damages done to the station. All of which could have been fixed quickly. We had now done it. We had gone farther than any manned station has gone. While shuttles have gone farther no station ever has.

It has been two years now. We were about to come up on our destination point. If nothing was there then we would head back. If something was then we would stay. It was the breaking point. We came up and then we noticed something. It was small and round, it was another planet. Our trip was a success we had found Planet X. Now the other breaking point was here.

We radioed messages to the planet sending sound vibrations and all other forms of communications. There was no reply. We were going to send a satellite into the planet to see temperatures, weather, and look for forms of life. The satellite took a day to launch and then a week to get all the information.

School was getting better with this because we got to watch the videos of what the satellite found. Then we noticed something in the video. There was building of some type. The teacher called down to the main office and told them. They had not seen it. We have possible found life.

It has now been a week and they have found more buildings and what look like roads. They were picking out a team of people to go down there in a mini shuttle. They were equipped with food, radios, blankets, and weapons. They were prepared for anything.

As the shuttle started broke off we all got quiet. Thoughts were running through our heads. Would they make it? Is there life down there? These were just things worrying us. The team Dominion had landed. They were now assembling a vehicle to ride.

They rode throughout the land and then came to a building. They went to it and tried getting in. They broke a window to open the door. They walked through the building and found bodies scattered across the floor. They looked all around and no living life. They left that building and went to a small building that looked odd.

This building had a hatch on it and the walls were probably three feet thick. They beat on the hatch and then something hit back. They looked amazed and then the hatch started opening. A person walked out and was scared by the team. They convinced the team that they were friendly and that was all they needed.

All the shuttles started taking off and people were leaving the station. They were setting up out post and tents for research. All the kids and teachers stayed on the ship for safety. They were running soil sample test, checking out the dead bodies, and much more. What startled us is that the people looked identical to us. They were friendly, caring, and had human characteristics.

After a month they let us off the station and walk around the planet. It was amazing to be able to walk on soil again. It felt so good under our feet. We got to go inside some buildings and look around at their style. They also had a major space agency. They had used it before the accident.

The people would not tell us what the accident was. We all tried to ask but no one would tell us. Then one day somebody came over to the commander and told him. They were living their normal life on a normal day. Then a series of asteroids came crashing to their planet. It covered up the sky for years and destroyed most of the planet, life included.

This was amazing. It was sad but scary. They said that they had been in the shelter for up to ten years now. They kept look outs for weather clearance but there machines were not accurate with oxygen. They were glad to see us and that we came to help.

The year has flown by and the people on Planet X have started to rebuild their lives. They promise to keep in contact with us until we come again. We decided to trade some men. We left twenty of our men and brought back twenty of their men. People will never know the difference.

The day has come that we must take off. We will all meet in the main room and check out before we leave. They had to run the health checks. Every body was cleared and then we went back to our rooms. We heard the engines blow. It was time to leave.

The two years home flew by and we have made it back to Earth. They have planned more missions to Planet X and hope to help them rebuild their lives. The trip was a success and it was amazing. I plan on maybe going back someday.