Hello Fam :)
I am so so sorry, I have been caught up with the Nerd and the brat book. I have been busy with my project and college stuff that I am unable to find time for writing this one. This needs some research about Mars, that's what I had planned initially and if you are reading the other book, that is about to complete. That's easier to write because it's just the story and plot but I don't want to give false information here. Hence, the delay.
I know it's not an excuse but give me some time. Let me complete that one, I will take a break of a week or something and I will completely concentrate on this book. We can have regular updates then. I am really sorry for keeping you hanging in here. :(
Happy Reading...
"Abhimanyu"
Nandu was the first to come out of her shock as she gapes at the guy standing in front of her.
Nandu: Abhimanyu?
The guy confusedly looks at her before giving her an uncomfortable smile.
Guy: Bonjour. Enchanté
Cabir: What? Abhimanyu pagal ho gaya?
Aryaman: Guys, let me clear the confusion. He isn't Abhimanyu. He is, well, you can call him Zain. And he looks like Abhimanyu, I agree. But, if you clearly notice the color of his eyes they are blue. The bluest of blue and Abhi doesn't have such blue eyes.
They look at his eyes and found them blue. They also found a few changes which they have failed to notice initially like the color of his hair which was brown and Abhi was more muscular, Zain was rather lean.
Arya: Zain, I have already told you about them. That's Nandini, Manik, and Cabir.
Zain: Hey. Hello. Arya, I will just go and check the fuel.
He leaves to escape the awkwardness.
Arya: Guys, just like I was in Mumbai for my research, Zain was in France and had learned French. He inserts a bit here and there whenever he meets people from Earth for the first time. You needn't worry about it. Otherwise, you can communicate in English.
Nandu: Sorry but did I scare him off?
Arya: Oh please. Nothing can scare him. He will be back and you will see. Come, there's someone else you would love to meet.
They follow him and find themselves inside the pilot's arena. Arya points a silvery rectangular box.
Arya: Hello there, Carl.
Carl: Hello Captain Armentano. All fine there.
The box uttered in what sounded like a robotic voice.
Arya(mutters): I asked Zain to program it to Aryaman since these three are here. This guy can never listen to an instruction properly.
Aryaman punches some buttons and powers on the 'machine'.
Carl: Armentano has been modified into Aryaman. Hello Captain Aryaman. All fine there.
Arya: Better. Guys, this is Carl. This is what you people call as robot but is a bit advanced version. You can actually replace it with a human minus the emotions and affection. Carl, you know them already. Their information has been saved into you.
Nandu: Wow. This is so cool.
Cabir: What does this run on?
Arya: Why are you always bothered about food, Cabir?
Nandu: Aryaman, that's his only motivation in life.
Arya: True. (chuckles) Well, electricity. But as opposed to the charging cables on Earth, they have these batteries. Chargeable and minute. They are charged on Mars and we use them whenever we are traveling. Manik, you okay. You aren't speaking much.
Manik: Just trying to wrap my head around all these. This is all new, right.
Arya: Well, I understand. Take your time. It will be fin--
CRACK
Arya: Guess it's too soon to say that because we have Zain here. The guy can be too clumsy. Just stay here. Carl will help you for a few minutes.
He flies off to what appeared to be the next room. A few minutes later Aryaman brought back Zain with him and he looked shaken.
Manik: Is everything alright?
Zain: I am sorry for scaring you all but I tried to take a photograph of the passing comet.
Arya: Even when you know the comet has a tail and it emits fire.
Zain: That looked beautiful. It almost lured me to capture it.
Arya: Glad you didn't capture it with your bare hands.
Arya glares making Zain shift uncomfortably.
Arya: Right. So, there's another robot Max which is in hibernation for now and in case of emergency, Carl will get him into function.
Cabir: Emergency means when we are close to death.
Zain: Are we dying? You didn't tell me that's in today's itinerary.
Arya: You aren't helping them, stupid. Cabir, no we aren't dying today. It's just a backup and we haven't used it till now. Carl just knows how to keep us safe.
Cabir: Have you been to other places in these 4 years?
Arya: Yeah. Getting out of the solar system was a bit risky but inside the Kuiper belt, we had a couple of trips and I almost always end up with this guy. I don't know how.
[A/N - Kuiper Belt is the region after Pluto.]
Zain: Because I am your meilleur ami.
Arya(chuckles): Yeah. True.
Zain floats to check their trajectory when Nandu pokes Aryaman.
Arya: What?
Nandu: Why didn't you tell us about him when you met Abhimanyu?
Arya: Because I was confused too. Initially, when I met Abhi, I thought it was Zain under some pretense name but if there's someone who is worse than me in the language, it's him. Hence, I was sure it wasn't him.
Zain: Hey I mastered French. You can't say that about me.
Arya: Right. Talk to us in French for 5 minutes without taking a break.
Zain: I don't talk to people who wouldn't understand the words I speak.
Arya: Because accept it, you know French enough to survive a day in France and nothing more.
Zain: I disagree.
Arya: I ignore.
While they are arguing, Manik, Nandini, and Cabir ignored them and stared outside. They couldn't seem to get enough of the outer space. Almost what felt like an hour or two later, the voice of Carl brought them out of their heaven.
Captain Aryaman. Code check. Captain Aryaman.
Arya: Guys, I will be right back. Just need to check the code. I guess we are entering Mars's region.
Zain: So, would you like to have some ancient French wine?
Cabir: Do you have wine? Wine in outer space sounds so cool.
Zain: Actually no. But I thought it's a formality to ask for some drinks.
Nandu: We will get along just fine, Zain.
She flashes him a grin. Zain gets the meaning a minute later and he reciprocates it with an even larger one. While they try to engage themselves in a conversation, Aryaman returns back and opened his mouth to say something when everything goes blank followed by a CRASH.
I love Comets. :P