Dear Planetarium

Chernobyl

Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 26th April 1986

Alexander Akimov, on Planet Earth
Alex sighed as he entered the plant. He wished he could afford to work elsewhere. The power plant paid good money, and he needed it, but all the radiation made him jumpy. He sighed again. Tonight, he was the chief of the night shift. Another power plant elsewhere had closed unexpectedly, so that the power plant's test, which was supposed to be during the day shift, had to be postponed into his watch. The test had been started when the evening shift left, and left unattended until his shift turned up at midnight. Alex scowled. Something was going to go wrong. He knew it. Quickly, he jogged up to his superior's office, and knocked twice. Dyatlov boomed "Enter!" Alex walked in. "What is it this time? He asked irritatedly.
"We shouldn't do the test like this." He said.
"Nonsense!" Dyatlov boomed. "It will be fine!" Alex shook his head.
"Something is going to go wrong. We should leave the plant be and do it in the morning."
Dyatlov leaned forward across his desk. "Are you neglecting your job, Akimov?"
"No sir." Alex said, knowing full well that it was useless.
"You do your job, Akimov, or you will lose it. What would happen to your family then, I wonder?"
"I will do my job, sir." Alex said miserably.
"Good boy." Dyatlov leaned back in his chair. Alex left the office, fuming. This was horrible! There was going to be an accident, he was sure of it!
"Tomorrow," he decided. "I'm going to find a new job tomorrow."

House of Milky Way, Planetarium
Earth screamed, rods of fire streaming down his back. Mars burst into the room. "Earth, what's wrong?" She gasped.
"Ukraine..." He grunted. Mars ran to the globe in the centre of his house in time to see Belarus burst into flames, accompanied by another of Earth's screams. "What do I do?" Mars panicked.
"Plu...to..." Earth groaned.
"Okay!" Mars stammered and ran out the door.
"Ai ya, Mars. What in the Planetarium is the matter?" Jupiter said, stepping in front of her.
"I have to talk to Pluto! Get out of my way!" She said, pushing at him. Jupiter laughed.
"Not so fast, baby cakes. Why have you got to see Pluto?" He asked, laughing.
"Earth's sick! Now move!" Mars said angrily.
"Ooh! Little Earthy is sick now, is he? It serves him right for populating his planet!" Jupiter laughed.
"I seem to recall you wanting to populate your planet too, Jupiter. What did happen to those Goos?" Saturn said cheekily, coming up behind him. Jupiter blushed.
"A child's fantasy. What would I have done with them?" He muttered, embarrassed, not noticing Mars dash by. She bolted around the corner just as Jupiter let out an angry yell and Saturn started laughing. She skidded to a stop outside Pluto's house, and hammered the door with her fist. "Pluto!" She yelled. "Pluto!" Pluto opened the door quietly.
"Y-y-yes-s, M-Mars?" She asked timidly.
"Earth has radiation poisoning. One of the human power plants blew up. Please help him!" Mars gasped. Pluto trembled. She tried to speak, but found she couldn't. Why had Mars rushed to her to get a cure, rather than someone stronger like Venus? Pluto couldn't think. "Idon'tthinkthereisacure!" She squealed.
"Pardon?" Mars asked, surprised. Pluto took several deep breaths.
"I don't think there is a cure." Pluto said slowly. "Time is the only thing he has." She said. Mars looked distressed. "Thanks anyway Pluto. I just hope he doesn't keep screaming!" Mars smiled awkwardly, trying to make a joke. Pluto giggled. "Indeed. Our ears would fall off just listening to him!" They both laughed. "Tell Earth to take it easy, okay? Those humans of his will fix up the radiation as best as they can, and they don't need an earthquake or a tsunami to infect the rest of his body." Pluto said seriously. Mars nodded. "Take care yourself, too Mars. Okay?" She said to Mars.
"Promise." Mars grinned, then rushed back to Earth's side. Pluto smiled as she went back inside her house. She had made a friend.

Chernobyl, end.

Author's note:
In this story I have used real people's names. Alexander Akimov really was the chief of the night watch during the accident. He died two weeks after Chernobyl due to radiation poisoning. He was one of the people trying to contain the fallout of the radiation directly after the accident.

Dyatlov is also a real person. He was really Akimov's superior that night, and he did threaten to fire Akimov if he didn't run the test. These are more fictional characters than real people, so please don't assume that they are really like the people portrayed in the story.

Hope you enjoyed the story,
StickKid