On the Saturn

Ron entered the majestic museum. He appeared like a minuscule in front of the majestic museum. The vast pillars at the entrance were huge and augmented the vastness of the museum.

Although it was a space and science museum, the infrastructure matched that of the history museum dedicated to some majestic kingdom. 

He watched his steps as he navigated his way through the stairs at the entrance of the museum. He was here to attend the auction of the rock of the Saturn's surface brought by the first astronaut to reach its surface. 

Humankind was worried about their home planet when nature decided to gift humankind another planet to live and prosper.

The universe wracked havoc, although on a minuscule level, with the help of the asteroid shower. Life began to flourish on its own without any external help. The atmosphere became habitable to living organisms. 

Humans were ready to intervene in that natural habitat cycle. After gathering enough proof, three space explorers returned to the Earth. Their research confirmed that life can sustain itself in the atmosphere of Saturn.

They returned to the Earth with two pieces of rock from Saturn's surface. One for the research purpose and the other to sell it to the highest bidder.

One rock was to ensure smooth research, while the other rock would ensure the capital for the continuity of the research and space exploration. The tycoons were there to collect that piece of rock and place it in their private collections. 

The entrance fees were more than usual as the collections that were to be auctioned were more than extra-ordinary.

Two saplings germinated on their own, three amoebae, and a single rock with other materials from Saturn's surface. This substance would sustain research for at least half a decade.

'Sir, your entrance pass, please.' said a guard standing on the stairs near a metal detector gate. He was there to collect the entry pass for the auction event. 

'Oh! one minute please.' said Ron and began searching the pockets of his suit. His search was normal, but after some time he began perspiring. He was not so sure about the location of the entry pass.

After a minute, he stumbled upon something in his pocket. He fetched out that thing and to his surprise, the entry pass was wrapped around that. He showed it to the guard. The guard nodded, and Ron began to walk towards the museum.

That unknown thing was still bothering him, and he was observing it. He pressed the button at the top of that thing, and a flash of light emitted from that. The intensity of the light was so profound that the brightness of the light engulfed everything. He regains his sight after few seconds.

He stood there watching the entrance. Ron was pondering on what just happened as he was quite sure that there was nothing like that device that he purchased or someone gave to him. He was not sure of its origin but right now there was nothing.

He searched his pocket again but he could not locate it. 

'Any problem, Sir?', that same guard asked Ron.

'I am fine. Did you see any blast of light?'

'No, Sir. Everything is okay.'

'Okay, then.' saying that Ron entered the museum as the bidding was about to begin. 

He lost the first two items to a giant space-travel company. Ron was only a little worried about that as his CEO has specifically demanded the rock. That rock would unveil the deepest secret of life. Every major company was in the race to acquire that rock. 

'Next item is the rock collected from the Saturn's surface. The starting bid is of 9 million dollars.' announced the bidder.

The bidding went on for up to 9 billion dollars. The maximum limit that Ron's CEO allowed to bid was 10 billion, and that limit was nearing. 

'Can I have 9.1 billion dollars ?'

'9.15 million.' shouted Mike, the representative of that space-travel company. 

'9.20.' Ron announced softly in the mic.

The bid went to 10 billion dollars, and now Ron could not increase the bid. Mike went on with 10.5 billion dollars. Ron said 11 billion as he was unable to procure the other items. He invested that amount into this.

'11.1 billion.' shouted Mike standing up.

'11.2 billion.' said Ron

'12 billion.' 

The silence that followed that 12 billion was ear piercing. No one wanted to say or think another thing as everyone's gaze was fixed on Ron. They even held their breath to hear Ron.

Ron quit. The rock went to Mike. 

'Are you Nuts? How can you let that happen?' shouted Ron's CEO in his office when Ron broke the news personally. 

'Mike was far beyond our limit.' argued Ron

'You should have called me.'

'I did, but your secretary said that you were in a meeting not to be disturbed.'

'Oh! sorry, I said that. Never mind. There is good news. You will accompany the first settlement on the surface of Saturn. They have offered tickets to the highest three bidders as a complementary gesture. I have chosen you to represent our company.'

'Sir, how can I do that? I am not ready or even capable.'

'Consider this your repentance.' saying that the CEO exited the room leaving no room for Ron to argue.

After a year, they safely landed on the Saturn. The atmosphere changed, and life was thriving. It was like seeing the Earth duplicate. 

After a decade, about 90% of the Earth's population settled on Saturn. Life was thriving on Saturn's surface. The only thing that they missed was the nearness to the Sun.

The season changed at will, but it was habitable. The decade went peacefully, and the people were enjoying it. 

Suddenly, a huge spaceship came and wreck havoc on the surface of Saturn. People were paralyzed and abducted into that spaceship. They were there to fetch them for fertilization.

The Alien planned to allow the humans to thrive on Saturn and abduct them for their benefit. They could have done that on Earth, but their nearness to the Sun was unable for the Aliens to bear. 

Ron managed to capture the entire event in a device and teleport it into the past to his jacket. 

Ron found himself on the bench where the bidding was about to begin. He digested the event and let everyone know about it. Everyone laughed and carried on with the bidding.