Saturn has a minion!

Hyperion the Celestial Mare

It was the biggest day of his life, and he knew it was going to be amazing. How could it not be? His desire was just within his grasp; he could almost feel the accomplishment of attaining his biggest goal. It was his turn to head up to see the counselor before he knew it. He tried not to rush through the halls, and politely knocked on her door.

"Come in Saturn. Please, sit." The counselor waited patiently while he picked a chair and sat. "Now, you know how important today is. You are a Creator, and like the millions of Creators before you and the millions yet to come, what you choose to Create today is to be taken very seriously. It is very important to choose something you love, because love is the heart of all Creations. We are only to bring peace, harmony and beauty to the Universe. Now please, take a look through the Great Book of Creations, and choose wisely."

Saturn took the book and flipped right to P. He knew exactly what he was after. PLANE. PLANT. PLATEAU. He looked again. It wasn't there.

"Ms. Ocean? I don't see my choice."
"What do you mean? All the available choices are there."
"But, I don't see planet."
She chuckled. "Planets are not available for Creation anymore."
His heart dropped. "What? Why?"
"Well, the easiest answer is we don't know how to anymore. Millions of years ago, the original Creators decided that there were enough planets, and ordered a full stop on their Creation. The art of Creating a planet has just been lost after all this time because the knowledge wasn't passed on."

His head was spinning. This couldn't be. This was his dream. This was supposed to be the best day of his life. He got up and slowly started towards the door.

"Where are you going Saturn? You haven't chosen your Creation yet."
"I'm not choosing anything from that list."
"But you're a Creator. You have to choose something."
"No, I don't. I'm not going to choose something I don't love." She looked after Saturn, curious if he could do such a thing as he walked out.

"Oh my god Saturn! Isn't today just amazing? What did you choose? I chose flowers for all the planets in system M-185. I'm hoping I can create a new one. I just love flowers, don't you? Hey! Did you pick flowers too! Maybe we can be in the same classes and-"
"Daffodil, please. Not now, okay? I have to go." He turned and started to walk away.
"But, the day is only half over! You can't leave yet! Saturn? Hey!"

He ignored her shouts and walked home. He didn't care anymore. Why bother with school at all if he couldn't do what he loved?

~ ~ ~

"Saturn! You startled me! What are you doing home already?"
"Mom, not now. Today was horrible and I don't want to talk about it. Come on Hyperion, lets go to my room."

He scooped up his faithful little friend and trudged off to his room. Saturn set her down on his desk, slammed the door shut, and flopped down on his bed to stare at his collection of The First Planets. What a letdown, he thought, and seriously considered throwing it all away. About tearing down all the star charts and trashing his telescope, but he didn't. He knew he could never let go of any of it. Hyperion galloped through the air, gave a small whinny, and snuggled up to him. She always knew how to make him feel better.

"Knock knock. I'm coming in."
"Mom, I said not now."
"Too bad. Besides, I have brownies." She plopped down next to him and handed him one. "Now. Tell me what happened."
He took a bite, stalling for a bit while Hyperion was flitting all over looking for crumbs. "I can't Create a planet."
She talked around the bite of brownie in her own mouth. "Why can't you? Are the classes full?"
"No. We don't Create planets anymore."
"What? Since when?"
"Millions of years ago I guess. The First Creators said to stop and then everyone just forgot how or something."
The sadness on her sons face made her heart squeeze. "Oh Saturn, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
"I know, Mom."
"What did you choose then?"
"Nothing."
"How come?"
"Because the Counselor said we could only create something we love, and I don't love anything else. Well, except you Mom, but you're already here. So I can't create anything else."
She smiled. "Well then, how about if I take you to the Great Hall? You could look through the ancient scrolls and books and see if there is anything there. All you need is a little love to guide you."

Saturn smiled, glad his Mom always knew how to cheer him up.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

BANG!

"Mom! Come quick!"

She ran up the stairs as fast as she could and flung the door open. The charts, telescopes, star readers and stacks upon stacks of books and scrolls were all in their place. She let out a breath, relieved that she didn't have to help clean them all up again.

"Mom, look!"
"What in the Universe..." He held up a rock, staring as it levitated in his hand. "Saturn...what exactly am I looking at?"
His eyes were wide, fixed on his hand. "A Planet, Mom."
She let out a small laugh. "Sweetie, I hate to tell you this, but you can't hold a planet in your hand."
Saturn gave her a very pointed look. "Oh come on! I Created it! If I can Create this, then I can Create a planet! I gotta go to The Great Hall! They have to let me Create now!"

Before she could even say a word, he was out the door.

"Great Chancellor Andromeda, I have come here to seek permission to Create a planet."
She looked down upon him from where she was seated. Someone leaned over to whisper in her ear, causing her to raise an eyebrow. "Young man, I've been informed that you are already well aware that there is no longer a way to Create planets. Permission deni-"
"No, wait! Please don't deny me again before hearing what I have to say, Great Chancellor. When I was twelve, I was sent to the Counselors office, just like you were. I had my heart set on being a Creator of planets, and you know why I couldn't. So I have spent the last seven years reading and studying on my own. I have so much love for the planets that I did it. I let my heart guide me, and it told me exactly how to do it. Look."

He held out his hand to reveal the small, spinning orb he had created.

"Is... is that what I think it is?"
Saturn's eyes shone with pride. "Yes."
"My stars. Do you think you can make it again? Only, you know, larger?"
A wide smile beamed across his face. "Absolutely."
"Well then, Chancellor Dune, what say you?"
"Aye."
"Chancellor Cloud?"
"Aye."
"Chancellor Python?"
The last Chancellor wasn't so quick to give his blessing. Saturn knew it needed to be unanimous, and he held his breath as the large man narrowed his eyes and stared at him.
"Aye"
"Well then, I think I can safely say permission granted. I hope you have an area chosen for this planet of yours, because you will depart immediately. Please give the list of the items and the quantities needed to the clerk on your way out."
"Yes Chancellor Andromeda."
"Oh, and Saturn?"
"Yes Chancellor?"
She tipped her head at him. "Very well done."

He gave a low bow to them all and raced out as fast as he could, almost forgetting to give the clerk the list. He didn't stop running until he made it home.

"Mom! I did it!"
"Oh, honey. I always knew you would. I am so proud of you! When do you leave?"
"They said immediately." He could tell she was a little upset at how sudden everything was happening.
"Oh," she said, wringing her hands. "Well when do you think you'll be back?"
"Mom. It took me 7 years to figure out a small rock." He gave her a big grin. She grabbed him and squeezed so tight he thought he might pop. "Mom!"
"I know I'm sorry. I'm just going to miss you."
"I'll call you every single night, I promise." She started to tear up. "Please don't cry, Mom. This is a happy occasion."
She waved her hand at him. "I know, I know."
"Good. Then I'm going to go gather my things, and then we can have dinner."

When he walked into his room, it hit him: it was probably the last time he was ever going to be there. He looked through his telescope at the spot he chose, and wrote down the coordinates even though he knew them by heart. He gathered some books and a pile of notes he made, and took one last look at his collection of The First Planets. Hyperion's gold glitter remains caught his eye in the jar right next to them. "Come on girl. You're coming with me."

After dinner, they stood in the doorway together. "Well, Mom, this is it. I'm really doing it."
They watched each other for just a moment, the both of them with tears in their eyes. "I love you."
"I love you too, Saturn."

He turned to walk out the door, then stopped, dashing into the other room to grab something before dashing back out. "What did you do?"
"Oh, nothing Mom." He gave her a big fat kiss on the cheek, and whispered in her ear, "I'll always be with you." He left her standing there in the doorway, happiness on her face.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Well girl, we did it." Saturn stared at the glittering jar of gold dust. He opened it up, grabbed a large pinch, and tossed it into the chute. It funneled out into the vacuum of space, glowing more intensely than he had ever seen as it began to swirl around and around with the rest of the materials.

"Is that it, Sir?"
Saturn turned to look at the engineer who was waiting for his answer. "Yes, Steel."

The loudspeaker crackled then: Commencing Planetary completion in 10...9...8...

Saturn looked around to make sure nobody was watching. He wasn't sure what effect this would have, but he knew he had to do it. He reached into his pocket and grabbed what he had ran back to get in the house all those years ago. He tossed the handful of rings into the chute and watched them swirl off into space.

3...2...1

It all happened so fast: bright blinding light, matter swirling faster and faster. First the rock formed, then he could see all the dust collecting, Hyperion glowing throughout. Then it started expanding, bigger and bigger.

"My stars," someone gasped. Saturn took a step back, watching the Planet expand further than he had anticipated. Was it because of the rings? He started to panic, until the dust started to shrink back down, covering the rock, swirling all around. He stepped forward, pressing his face to the glass, amazed at what he was seeing.

Small particles were starting to form around his planet. Icy, glittery ones and small rocky ones. One by one they began to circle around. Were they forming... rings? Saturn smiled.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Ring? Ring! Ring are you home?? Ring hurry up and answer this door!"
She raced to the door, the frantic knocking startling her. "Yes I'm home Scorpion! What in the Universe is so important?"
She pointed up. "Look."

Ring squinted. She could see what Scorpion was pointing to, but she couldn't quite make it out. Then the phone rang, and it hit her. She ran, half upset at herself for not realizing what time it was.

"Hello?"
"Hi, Mom."
"Oh Saturn! I think I can see it! What does it look like? I can't quite make it out."
"Turn on the TV. They're getting ready to show the first images now. But I gotta go. They're doing a live interview right after. I'll call you again later after all this is over. I love you."
"I love you too."

She quickly flipped her TV on to see Storm, the man who always reported important news segments.

"Thank you for joining us for this momentous occasion, Ladies and Gentlemen. Okay, they're telling me we are ready for the first images of the first planet created in a million years. And make sure you stay tuned afterwards, because we are going to have an exclusive interview with the Creator of that planet." He held his hand to his ear, and nodded. "Ok folks, here it is."

She couldn't believe her own eyes. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen -the golden swirls, the alternating bands color- and her Son, her Saturn, had created it. Her heart swelled with so much pride, until the camera panned out and her pride turned into a panicked jolt.

"And there you have it! You've just seen the first look at the first planet Created in a million years, and now here we are with it's Creator. Tell me son, what is your new planet called?"
"Well, Saturn of course!" he said, a wide smile on his face. "And it turns out it wasn't just a planet, but there were many moons created, too."
"And did you name these moons as well?" the reporter asked.
"Oh there are too many to do that now, but I have named two. One is Hyperion, after a beloved pet, and another is named Prometheus, after my Father. We will be taking public opinion on what to name the rest of them though, so be sure to send your suggestions into the Great Hall."
"And what of your Mother? Does she not have a Moon too?"
"Well Sir, no. I gave her something much more important."
Storm raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Care to share with us what that is?"
He smiled as he looked right into the camera. "I gave her the rings."

His Mother smiled as Scorpion put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll always be with you," she muttered. "My clever little boy."

Overlay by Necolasa
Profile by soren
Saturn image courtesy of here.