A Planet’s Worth

In the first photograph of Mercury captured by humans, I could see the fear etched on its cracked gray face. The planet's weathered visage held many secrets, its surface marked with millions of deep, enigmatic recesses. Upon closer inspection, a stark white spot emerged—a colossal 50-mile-wide crater the scientists called Debussy. Mercury was peering back at me, an all-seeing eye unveiling its truths. 

 I orbit through the indigo expanse of stars, with only a few planets perceptible to my naked eye. I glimpse Venus, the hottest planet they call my twin, spinning with its golden body of volcanic rock. It is the planet of love, shimmering like a diamond and almost as bright as my Moon. 

Then there's Mars, which has a reddish iron haze and is easy to spot with its distinct color. Jupiter is visible, clad with its rusty bands, furious cyclones, and the great red spot. Looking closely, you see its four largest moons out of ninety-five orbiting. I shudder at the ghostly sight of the gas goliath Saturn in a pale yellow color skirted in the iconic rings. 

Traveling on my gravitational path in the vast cosmos, I remembered the photograph of Mercury, which served as a stark example of our insignificance. In a galaxy loaded with gas and ice giants, I was a mere baseball, and Mercury was a tiny golf ball. I observed us all from the vantage point of my satellites, hoping to detect something in the universe that had yet to be discovered.  

Today, Mercury is near the node of its orbital plane, passing through my part of the solar system. I've heard rumors that the planet has grown way too sensitive to all the heat and radiation put out by the Sun. Mars, the head of the planetary commission, asked that I speak to Mercury when we see each other, so I'm doing my homework.

Gazing at the heavens from Mercury's gray surface, you see that the Sun rises and sets every fifty-nine Earth days, casting long shadows across the barren and rocky landscape. It's a place of extremes, with 800-degree temperature days lasting almost two months. Mercury finishes one orbit in eighty-eight Earth days, racing past me around the Sun at breakneck speed. It's a planet where time moves differently, with four years zipping by, while in my time continuum, there are only three.

Mercury is ideally linked with the human zodiac sign Gemini. Imagine two distinct personalities, like two sides of a coin. They can be playful, curious, and social but moody and unpredictable. This duality is often reflected as they switch between friendly and distant. My old friend Mercury can also bring chaos, confusion, and unexpected changes. Its planetary influence is like an asteroid strike, with moments of clarity and turbulence. 

*********

Mercury: (Sighing) Oh, Earth, your serene blue colors passing through my orbital plane is just what I needed. It gets lonely out here, so close to the Sun.

Earth: (Smiling) Hello, old friend. How have you been since I last saw you?

Mercury: I've been feeling a bit tired lately. If you were the closest rock to the Sun like me, how old would you look?

Earth: Hmm, I doubt I could sustain life forever. But it makes me wonder what's on your mind?"

Mercury: Why does the Sun choose to tango with the Moon and dance to the solar eclipse without me? What makes the Moon so unique? I mean, I don't even have one Moon orbiting me.

Earth: I know it's hard, but you have unique qualities, too. And besides, the solar eclipse wouldn't happen without you. Your gravity makes aligning the Moon and the Sun possible.

Mercury: Wow, I never thought of it that way. But still, I'm constantly being ignored and blamed for everything that goes wrong in the universe.

Earth: Don't worry. We all have challenges to face, but together, we make up this beautiful and complex galaxy. It isn't easy to sustain human life; it takes its toll on me, but I make it work. And I don't complain. 

Mercury: You are the only planet that listens to me. So, I wanted to talk to you about something else that's bothering me.

Earth: Of course, buddy, what's the matter?

Mercury: Recently, the NASA spacecraft took the first-ever photographic images of me. I'm not thrilled to have my pictures taken. I'm concerned about the mission's motives.

Earth: Why is that? They take my picture all the time.

Mercury: They might uncover sensitive data about my geography and terrain that I don't want to be revealed.

Earth: The human mission is to study images so scientists can learn about our composition, geology, and history. It's all for the sake of universal discovery.

Mercury: Well, I'm worried about what humans will think. Millions of craters make my surface old, creviced, and dusty. I'm not beautiful like Saturn with flashy rings or Jupiter with sunset colors. I'm the lonely forgotten planet 60.7 million miles away.

Earth: I'm sorry, my dear friend, but it's too late. The first glimpse of you is on the NASA website, so the earthlings have already seen your face. 

********

Mercury's sentiments were palpable, resonating with the entire solar system. I had heard rumors that the planet was fed up and planning to go on strike and stay retrograde forever. According to Jupiter, Mercury was still angry at the Sun and Moon for planning another solar dance and wanted Earthlings to take notice. Humans throw parties to watch in awe every time a total eclipse of the Sun happens. Meanwhile, poor Mercury gets all the bad press with its retrogrades. The planet is a scapegoat for bad luck and hard times. But what about the positive things that happen during those times? We owe Mercury a debt of gratitude for taking all the planetary heat. I had to talk with Mercury again to see if I could smooth over the solar system's communication issues. 

*********

Earth: (Worried) I know you're upset and plan to launch a retrograde strike, but you can't do it. You have to return to your orbit for the sake of my inhabitants.

Mercury: Oh, Earth, I'm utterly exhausted. I've been revolving around the Sun for thirteen billion years, never once asking for anything in return. But today, I've hit a wall. I'm tired of being taken for granted.

Earth: I beg you, please. You can't stand still forever. What can I do to help?

Mercury: (Frustrated) You can start by giving me some credit. I'm not responsible for communication breakdowns, travel delays, or relationship problems. I'm offering humans a chance for introspection, reflection, and reevaluation.

Earth: We've been unfair to you, Mercury. We should appreciate the positive things that happen during your retrogrades. I promise to do better and convince the other planets to talk to you. 

Mercury: It's not just an optical illusion, you know. My retrograde is real and powerful. If things don't improve, I vow to show my planetary muscle.  

So, Mercury decided to take a stand. It sent a message to all the planets in the solar system, informing them of the strike. Mercury boldly made time stand still so Earthlings and planets alike could appreciate the value of its phases. Days turned into weeks, but Mercury didn't budge. It stayed retrograde, refusing to move forward. The other planets tried to reason with it, but it was adamant. It had had enough. 

As time began to rewind, the world was thrust into disarray. Humans grappled with the upheaval, struggling to find order. The lesson was grave – even the smallest planet in our solar system could wield significant influence, underscoring the necessity of synchronicity. Mercury stood still, stubborn and unyielding.

Mercury: (Groaning) "I won't move forward until my demands are met. I've been taken for granted for too long."

Venus: (Shocked) "What demands are those exactly?"

Mercury: (Frowning) "Don't you all see how tough living in the Sun's inferno is for me? I'm not just a tiny planet that orbits around the Sun. I deserve respect. I feel so undervalued and unappreciated."

Jupiter: "Without you, our orbits are disrupted. We are sorry if we haven't shown you enough appreciation."

Mercury: "I have been feeling lonely and isolated, and it's high time I get the recognition I deserve."

Saturn: "What recommendations do you have for us?"

Mercury: "We all have plenty to offer each other and can achieve much more together."

Uranus: "I agree. Planetary cooperation could benefit us all. It's high time we all put our differences aside and worked together for the collective good of the solar system."

Neptune: "Mercury, you are an essential part of this system, and we can't function without you."

Pluto: "I may not be a planet anymore, but I still support this idea. We're all part of this system and should all have a say in how things are run."

Mercury: (Smiling) "Thank you for finally listening to me. We all want to be heard. I'm ready to move forward now."

The heavens breathed a collective sigh of relief as Mercury emerged from its long retrograde, feeling triumphant. It had shown us that it was not to be taken for granted. From that day forward, people and planets adored Mercury, and it was never again blamed for everything that went wrong during its phases. 

*******

Mercury: (Smiling) Hey, Earth, have you seen those funny satellite photos of us?

Earth: Yeah, I have. What's so funny about them?

Mercury: Well, in those photos, you look like a giant blue ball. It's hilarious!

Earth: (Chuckles) You look like a tiny gray pebble. Not as impressive as me, huh?

Mercury: Hey, don't be too hard on me. I may be small, but I'm like the Sun's favorite pet, you know?

Earth: Yeah, yeah, I know. But at least I have life on me. Can you say the same for yourself?

Mercury: Touché, Earth. But remember, I have craters that are out of this world!

Earth: (Laughs) Okay, you win this one. But let's agree that we're both unique in our own ways. It's all in good fun, right?

Mercury: Agreed. And hey, we can always count on those satellite photos to capture our best angles.

Earth: (Smiling) Absolutely. Hey, have you heard the song Princes Of The Universe by Queen? It's one of my favorite tunes. I'll cue up my satellite radio to play it. Humans have a funny joke about you and the lead singer. "May your Mercury be less retrograde and more Freddie!" 

********

The Cosmic Tango

The Moon: Oh, my dear Sun, let's tango tonight

For the world is waiting for our love to ignite

Our embrace will bring about a sight so rare

A solar eclipse, a beauty beyond compare

The Sun: My beloved Moon, I shall lead this dance

Our cosmic hug is a hypnotic sight

As we move our bodies in the perfect light 

The universe will witness our heavenly flight

The Moon: Your fiery passion shines so radiantly 

The world will gape at our celestial play willingly 

As we block each other, only briefly but brilliantly 

The Sun: My Moon, as the world watches in awe

We'll jig without a single flaw

For we are meant to pirouette

A love story told through our silhouette 

The Moon: Together, we'll dance a timeless embrace

The world will marvel at our celestial face 

We will eclipse each other in a cosmic lace.

The darkness crept upon the universe as the Moon slowly slipped in front of the Sun, casting its shadow over the Solar System. The atmosphere grew dimmer with each passing moment, and the air chilled. As we watched this phenomenon unfold, silent spectators of two celestial bodies engaged in a beautiful dance, moving gracefully in sync. The Sun's corona, a fiery halo, glowed around the Moon, creating a stunning display of light and shadow. The show was over in the blink of an eye and now, wait to see them dance again.