Chapter 2

Upon their arrival at the Kurla suburban railway station, Rahul and Mira proceeded to join the orderly queue at the ticket counter to purchase their tickets. Once they acquired their tickets, they ascended the stairs leading to the platform. Finding an unoccupied bench, they seated themselves, as they still had some time before the train's arrival.

While waiting, Mira took the opportunity to observe her surroundings at the train station. She noticed a cobbler diligently shining a customer's shoes, a vendor selling peanuts, and various stalls offering food and magazines. Finally, their designated train arrived at the platform, prompting Rahul and Mira to board and secure seats by the window. After an hour-long journey, they disembarked at Delhi station, where Uncle Vikrant awaited their arrival.

Filled with excitement, Rahul and Mira declined the option of going to a hotel and instead accompanied Uncle Vikrant directly to the lab. There, Uncle Vikrant disclosed to them the alien's unfortunate tale and emphasized the necessity of their assistance. Eager to help, Mira urged the alien to share the story behind his arrival on Earth.

"Greetings, inhabitants of Earth! My name is Mopo Kafo. I have journeyed from Mars to seek assistance in defeating the formidable warrior known as Kaliponioak Lia. He has usurped control over our planet, imprisoning our king. Through fervent prayers, Kaliponioak Lia has obtained extraordinary powers bestowed upon him by a divine entity," explained the alien.

Grasping the gravity of the situation, Rahul and Mira wholeheartedly agreed to aid Mopo Kafo in combating the malevolent Kaliponioak Lia. Uncle Vikrant also offered his support to the children's noble cause. They collectively resolved to depart for Mars the following morning after obtaining some rest. Mira's anticipation to witness the planet Mars firsthand was palpable, as it held a special place in her heart, particularly from her history lessons. She borrowed her uncle's laptop to conduct further research and gain comprehensive knowledge about Mars.

Mira came across the intriguing fact that numerous renowned scientists had ventured to Mars and made remarkable discoveries, yet failed to provide concrete evidence of extraterrestrial life. This led her to delve deeper into her exploration of Mars.

Mars, often referred to as the Red Planet, is a frigid desert world approximately half the size of Earth. Its reddish hue stems from the presence of oxidized iron in its soil. Like our own planet, Mars experiences distinct seasons, possesses polar ice caps, showcases volcanic activity, displays intricate canyon systems, and undergoes weather changes. Its atmosphere is incredibly thin, consisting mainly of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon. While signs of ancient floods are evident on Mars, the majority of water exists as ice and tenuous clouds. Certain Martian slopes exhibit indications of liquid saline water beneath the surface.

Finally, the anticipated morning arrived, and Rahul and Mira promptly made their way to the lab after enjoying their breakfast.

Accompanied by Mopo Kafo, they embarked on a voyage to the planet Mars. As they approached Mars, a brilliant blue light engulfed their surroundings, obscuring their vision momentarily. However, after a few minutes, a sprawling landmass emerged, teeming with numerous alien beings. The sight was truly awe-inspiring, reminiscent of a celestial realm. However, their amazement turned to shock as they witnessed the aliens toiling arduously, excavating exquisite stones and transporting them away. Alighting from the spaceship, they proceeded to Mopo Kafo's residence, where he provided them with attire resembling that of the aliens.

Curiosity piqued, Rahul inquired about the destination of those aliens and their purpose.

"They are delivering the stones to the malevolent Kaliponioak Lia.

He does not care about our planet's inhabitants and forces them into laborious work to extract these stones. He is driven by selfish motives," revealed Mopo Kafo.

Mira, intrigued by this revelation, sought further clarification regarding why the aliens were handing over the stones to Kaliponioak Lia.

Mopo Kafo explained that when all the stones were combined, they bestowed immense power upon the possessor. These stones had the ability to enhance an alien's abilities or render them powerless. Once Kaliponioak Lia acquired all the stones, he would fuse them together, resulting in two switches—a red switch and a green switch. Activating the green switch would grant the alien tremendous powers, whereas activating the red switch would strip the alien of its abilities.

A silver lining, however, emerged amidst this precarious situation. If a human companion stood alongside an alien within the vicinity of the switches and activated the red switch, it would nullify the alien's powers without affecting the human.

Rahul, Mira, and Uncle Vikrant absorbed this information, understanding the gravity of their mission. They were determined to thwart Kaliponioak Lia's oppressive rule and restore harmony to Mars. Prepared to face the challenges ahead, they embarked on their interplanetary quest, fueled by a shared sense of purpose and a desire to bring justice to the oppressed Martian inhabitants.