As part of the Spaceday 2004 Space Trek Challenge, students write three stories. One about discovery, another about survival, and the last one would be one of our choice.

Our stories are set on the spaceship Argos, which we named after Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology.

Prologue

"Taking off in 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1!” my headset crackled with static. I waited, nervously, for my big moment to come. I, Captain George Benstoner VI, was going to go into space! My crew and I were going to set the record for farthest space travel in history!

Silence. More silence. Why was nothing happening? In all the movies and shows and computer games there was a roar, lots of smoke, and fire. The ship shot into the air and set off for some mysterious destination. Now, finally, the moment I have dreamed of since boyhood has come- bringing with it complete silence.

I heard the weirdest noise behind me. It sounded like a dying car. Reminded me of my old Volkswagen, the way it started up every morning. Coughing and wheezing it never failed. Halfway down the highway on I-270, it would stop stuttering and give me a smooth ride.

Suddenly, the whole ship gave a great lurch; my head snapped forward, the bulk of my (just slightly) pudgy body straining against the seatbelt.

"Don’t panic. I’m sure there’s a reason for this!”

To tell the truth I wasn’t sure at all. I just didn’t want any disturbances on my ship. The headsets crackled again, "Don’t worry, we’re having some minor technical difficulties. Stay in your seats!” Minor? The whole crew was in an uproar. First we didn’t launch when we were supposed to. Then the ship just about falls apart, and now they’re telling us to be calm? My son, Jason, looked, as he would say, totally freaked out. That was understandable since he was only 13.

STUT-TUTTER-CH-CH-CH- VROOOM-KAPOW!!!!!!!! Argos finally launched. At last, we were off to Pluto!