The story ‘An Alien hand’ is written by Jayant Narlikar who presents us a view in which life in earth is extinct. People live beneath the surface of a planet under artificial conditions. The story also highlights the Viking mission to mars. The mission comprised of 2 space crafts. The main mission was to look for possible of life.
The 1st to 9th Para:
The 1st to 9th Para of the story “Tilloo, how often ……………… them & to service them” describe a couple who stay with their son in the beneath of the surface of mars. Tilloo’s mother asked him why did he always went to that way even after asking not to do that. Tilloo argued that his father also went there every day. The way was an underground passage through which Tilloo’s father went for work. Not only Tilloo but a majority of people wanted to know what was there at the end of the route there. Tilloo father was at home that day & was enjoying a nap. Tilloo managed to get hold of his father’s security card & evading his mother’s eyes he made his way stopped the entry. Tilloo slipped in the card as he had seen his father do it. The door opened & there a well lit passage before him. He marched along a upward slope to go towards the underground habitat. Tilloo underestimated the mechanical devices & had already sent his picture to the central Burrow. It was not to paces he moved he was suddenly stopped by a strong mechanical hand that fell on his shoulder strongly & escorted him back home to his angry mother. His father very politely explained him that he worked on a surface which could not be survived by an ordinary person, because the air is too thin to breathe & the temperature is very low that may freeze anyone to death. Tilloo questioned his father how did he manage to survive there. Tilloo’s father answered that he went there will equipped in a special suit with a reservoir of oxygen. He even has been trained to survive & work three. He further continued that there was a time when his fore father lived on the surface freely & naturally. But suddenly the balance of nature was lost & everything got extinct. People were forced to move underground & survive on technology & artificial conditions. His duty was to look after the machines & if they are servicing properly.
The 10th to 19th Para:
The 10th to 19th Para “Daddy can I ……….. Describe the discovery of the two space crafts which filled the people with fear & anguish. Tilloo asked his father if he could join his father when he would be a grown up. Tilloo’s father mentioned he could surely. The next day when Tilloo’s father went to work he found the control room crowded with people who were watching a dot in the television screen. They all were in a doubt if it was a star or a space craft. All were shocked because their was no life outside & to send a space craft there has to be a well memorized space program which was impossible. The conference room was filled with silence. The president finally made an announcement two space crafts were approaching. One was orbiting their planet, mars & the other one was far away. He suspected the space crafts were being sent from the neighbouring planet. He asked the views of other. The person in charge of defence who was well known for his courage & wisdom then said we can destroy the space crafts but that would not make them wiser. So he advised that they should allow the space crafts to land. He also confirmed that the space crafts only contained instruments & no living things. The president asked the opinion of the 2nd scientist. The 2nd scientist told that they should not reveal their existence of life on the planet. The president asked for the opinion of number 3 scientist. He opined that the surface activity should be minimalized so that the impressions of life would be minimal for the external affairs.
The 20 to 23rd Para:
The 20 to 23th Para “Before the president could ………. Space craft ceased to work”. The president received a phone call & announced the landing of the 1st aircraft. It was a very important day in Tilloo’s life as he was taken to the control room by his dad where he could see the alien space-craft. In the screen Tilloo asked of what the space craft contained. Tilloo father shook his head & said he was not sure about that but they had strong control over the space craft & will show their power if the space craft did any mischief. Tilloo looked wistfully at the colourful buttons. Tilloo suddenly noticed at the movement of the space craft others also glued their eyes on the screen. A mechanical hand approached from the space craft to the surface of the planet to touch the soil. People looked in anguish what was it up to. Tilloo eyes were fixed to a control panel he could not resist & pressed a red button. There was a shrill whistle & Tilloo was the centre of attraction. His father roughly putted him down & restored the red button. But the damage was already done.
There was a press conference held by NASA which briefed the malfunctioning of the mechanical hand which was about to examine the soil. Shortly afterwards another press release was made where it was confirmed that the mechanical hand was working again & soil samples have been collected examined. The mission was hope full of existence of life on Mars. But then it was later announced that the soil had no signs of life on Mars.