Star Runners (20 page)

"What? The ascent?"Nubern shook his head. "No, you're in an artificial atmo now. Have been since you tubed in here. No worries about that."

"This might sound stupid," Skylar said, "but why Earth? If all the game is real, why bother with Earth?"

"Because Earth lies in Legion space in Quadrant Eight. Always has. While it's still a dark world, or 'anchored' as some say, its people are still protected by the Legion and therefore owe it to the rest of the citizens to help keep our space safe from beyond. It's the same for every other planet."

"Dark world?" Austin asked.

"No intergalactic space travel. Earth will get there someday, I'm sure. But the problems of the galaxy cannot wait."

"So you've been recruiting from Earth for a while then?"

"Personally? Eight of your years since they took me away from action, but Legion recruiters have been coming here for thousands of years."

"Really?"

"Sure. Your people were primitive at first, so much so that we parked our Atlantis directly on the water. As your people progressed, we realized the need to take Atlantis out of sight."

"If you recruited us through the video game," Skylar said, "how did you recruit back in those days? You certainly weren't recruiting pilots. I don't get it."

"Wars are helpful means for recruiting. So are myths. The greatest warriors would travel to trade with Atlantis and prove their worth. Earth warriors have always been known throughout the Legion and beyond for their toughness since our earliest recruitment days. Contests, gladiatorial events and tournaments all aid us in recruiting Earth's finest warriors. As your planet progressed, we were able to move beyond recruiting solely warriors. We have recruited scientists, engineers, pilots like you and many more."

Bear sat forward. "So Atlantis was real?"

"It is real," Nubern said. "You just left it."

"Why the secrets?" Skylar asked.

"It is our law that planets must advance naturally. We do not interfere. Not all nations or people share in that philosophy. Earth is fortunate for the protection of the Legion."

Austin frowned. "So everyone at Tizona is from another planet?"

"No. We recruit teachers and staff just like any other college."

"Unbelievable."

It took an hour before the water cleared from the window and the ocean surface stretched to infinity. Bubbles formed up and bounced off the windows. The passengers in the cabin talked quietly. Some craned their necks for a better view of the Pacific as the moonlight sprinkled across the calm surface as the freighter bobbed in the water.

Skylar turned around and stared at the rows of passengers. "Who are all these people?"

"Don't know," Austin said with a shrug.

Nubern leaned forward, wiping at his eyes. "Many people have business on Earth. I'd say most are going home."

"How many planets are in the Legion?" Austin asked.

"Several hundred. It changes often especially closer to the wilder areas of space with Tyral pirates, warlords and even the Zahl Empire." He grinned. "All hot spots you will undoubtedly be seeing if you complete your training."

"Is that where we are really going?"

"Yes. You will spend two years in a trainer X4 Trident before you get your wings. Then, if you are still with us, you will become a Star Runner and be assigned where the Legion needs you most."

"X4?" Austin sat up. "We get to fly a Trident?"

"Of course. Why else would we bring you up here? You could be flying in one by the end of the month."

Austin thought of Josh. If only his best friend could be here to see this.

“So if we had decided to go home for Christmas, what would have happened to us?” Austin asked.

Nubern shrugged. “You mean the other students who didn’t show up this morning? They will be transferred to another school and never see any of this. Some people are not ready for the truth. Others don’t have a sense of adventure in them. They take the safe road, the sure path. Those are certainly not the people who will later become
Star Runners
. Of course, some students could be recruited in other ways, but Tizona is primarily for the recruitment of pilots.”

The freighter tilted back and lurched as the water drifted away from them. Gravity pressed him back into his seat. The ocean disappeared from view. Wisps of cloud streaked by the window as the stars appeared. The engines roared to life and a rushing sound filled the cabin. His seat rattled and the overhead compartments shook. He gripped the armrests again and closed his eyes. The roaring filled his ears. His head shook.

"We really can't be picked up by radar?" Austin asked.

"The shroud blocks out any sensors your planet could use to detect us," Nubern said, leaning back in his seat. "At most, we will show up as space debris or small asteroids. On descent, we are most often seen as meteors or shooting stars. Believe me, hundreds of ships arrive and depart from Earth every day."

Skylar tugged at his arm. "Look!"

He opened his eyes. The bluish hue of the night sky transitioned to an empty, dark black. He glanced back at Nubern; his eyes closed and his mouth open as if he slept through the takeoff.

As the sky outside faded from dark blue to black, Skylar's hair came alive, moving away from her head like a spider. She laughed.

"I can't believe this!"

Austin shook his head. "Me, neither. Did we join space camp?"

Gravity slipped away as the star freighter drove hard for the moon. As the three recruits giggled, the rest of the passengers sat in silence or spoke quietly.

"So if this is really like the game, the ship will have to go through a curve on the far side of the moon," Austin said, leaning over Bear to make sure Nubern was awake.

"Yes, in a couple hours," Nubern said as he wiped at his eyes.

"Okay, well, what does a curve, you know, actually do?"

Bear cleared his throat. "A curve bends space to allow a space craft to momentarily be in two places at once. Once the curve is closed, space goes back to normal."

Austin stared at Bear. "How do you know all of that?"

Bear looked hurt. "I've been reading the strategy guide since the game came out. That's how the curve is explained there."

Austin never cared what the curve actually did since it usually only meant the beginning of a load screen either back to the main menu or into the game. "What is that like, though?"

Nubern offered a crooked grin. "Recruit Keller is essentially correct in theory. Straight out of the text book. You'll get to experience it for real in a few hours. It is similar to the transport tubes on Earth, but require significantly more power since it is using all of space instead of a localized tube."

Austin thought of the ship and his body passing through a curve in space only to appear light years away. "But what does it feel like?"

"A curve? Well, it's strange the first time. You feel like your stomach is turning over. Some people get a headache. Some vomit. Others can sleep through it. It's different for everyone."

Austin leaned back in his seat and pulled the pen from his uniform's chest pocket. He flicked it with his finger and watched it twirl across his seat, hanging in midair like it was on strings. Zero gravity.

“I'm not believing this."

"I know," Skylar said. "I keep thinking I'm sleeping."

"I wish I was sleeping," Nubern said, his eyes still closed.

"Sorry, sir."

The engines droned. Austin’s eyelids grew heavy. He looked at the back of Skylar's head as she pressed against the glass. Next to him, Bear surveyed the cabin and steepled his fingers. The weariness of the past two days fell over him like a fog and he allowed his eyes to close.

Images filled Austin’s mind of when his father would sing that old song, "Fly Me to the Moon" and carry him all around the house. The song buzzed around his head.

You wouldn't believe this, Dad. I wish you could see this.

"Look." The voice sounded far away. "Hey, Austin, look!"

Austin peeled open his eyes. His mouth was dry, his jaw hurt. He blinked twice and looked at Skylar. It took a moment for him to recognize his surroundings and he wondered if it had all been a dream.

Skylar smiled and pointed out her window. The craters pockmarked the gray, lifeless surface like the site of an intense artillery barrage. The moon rotated by the window as the freighter moved into orbit.

"There's Armstrong's flag," she said pointing.

"Where?"

She giggled. "So gullible!"

Austin scowled and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Do you think this is strange?"

"Understatement of the year," she said, turning around. "Of course this is strange. That word doesn't even do it justice."

"We worked so hard for a scholarship, we get it, and it turns out to be in outer space. More than that, it's a game we both have been playing for years." He gestured to the window. "And now we're orbiting the moon. This doesn't concern you at all?"

She stared at him. "You're in a spaceship. Enjoy this."

Austin looked back at Bear who shrugged and tightened his harness. Skylar gazed at the moon as it passed by the window.

The ship's cabin rattled.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be passing through the curve in two minutes," the captain said over the intercom. "Crew, be sure all passengers are secure in their seats. Thank you."

The interior lights of the cabin flickered and dimmed. Blue track lighting illuminated the floorboard between the seats, preventing total darkness. Austin inhaled and bit down on his bottom lip. Power increased and the engines rumbled. Another sound like water gushing from a hose mixed with the constant growing hum of the engines. He pressed his head back into the soft chair. He smelled hot electronics like when he had his computer on too long.

The dark side of the moon glowed a deep green before transitioning to red. The glow must be coming off the ship. The cabin air felt very hot. Skylar turned away from the window, her grin vanishing. He grabbed her hand tight and felt sweat on her palms.

A ringing filled his ears as a crimson glow filled the cabin and flashed. Austin winced. As fast as they began, the sounds ceased, and the light in the cabin came back on line. Conversations resumed. 

"Wow," Skylar whispered.

Beside her, the moon was no longer outside the window. He nodded toward the blackness of space. She pressed against the window and he leaned on her shoulder to get a better view. Stars shined outside and a cloud of blues, reds and whites glowed in the distance.

"What's that?" she asked.

"A nebulae." Austin shook his head. "Amazing."

"It's dark," Bear mumbled. "Space is so dark."

"Wow, good point," Austin said with a smirk. "I never would have thought space would be dark."

"Shut up."

The intercom crackled. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have successfully passed through the curve and are now resuming normal operations. We should be arriving at Tarton's Junction shortly. Those of you departing here will be asked to promptly debark. All other passengers bound for Ria and Molan, this freighter will be departing once we have refueled. Thank you."

Nubern leaned forward. "When we arrive, I have to head directly to my office. You will be heading to orientation."

"How long will we be here?" Skylar asked.

"No more questions," Nubern snapped, his face rigid. "Remember you are recruits. Show discipline and follow orders. It is time to begin the next phase of your training. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." Austin crossed his arms over his chest and looked out at the vastness of space.

One star blinked. He thought he was seeing things until another star blinked, this time the star was blue. Another red blinking star winked in the darkness. "What is that?"

Skylar followed his gaze. She tensed in her seat. "I don't know."

The blinking stars moved in close, and then the light from the nearest stars illuminated the scene. The shape and design of the other seat was unmistakable. Lights blinked on the tail and wings lowered. Moving into escort formation, just off the wing of the freighter, was an X4 Trident fighter.

The wings had been moved down in its ready position, missiles bristling underneath. The pilot edged up next to the freighter and flew alongside. Another Trident moved over the freighter and out of sight.

Skylar's mouth dropped open. "It's a Trident."

"I know."

"Trident?" Bear asked.

"Yes. It's a Trident."

Skylar nodded. "The Trident is outside my window."

"I know."

"The Trident is right there ... outside my window."

"I know. I see it. It's really there."

"Would you guys shut up?" Nubern asked. "You sound like lunatics. Is that how you'll act when we walk through the hangar? Or when flight training starts? You are going to embarrass yourselves right out of flight school."

Something hissed from the front of the cabin. The Trident remained close for two more minutes before it backed off. A monstrous space station came into view with four other star freighters docked on different sides. The station itself reminded Austin of the building sets he had as a child. Metal pieces linked circular pods together and surrounded a larger section of the station in the center. Tridents buzzed around the station like flies on a trash can. Other than the nearby nebulae, the station provided the only light moving against the blackness of space. Austin found it hard to sit still as the freighter orbited the station and moved closer.

The steel of the station soon blocked the view outside the window. A chorus of hissing gases and screeching metal filled the cabin. The freighter jolted.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now docked at Tarton's Junction. The safety restraint light will stay on for another two minutes as gravity normalizes."

A soft force pressed down on Austin. Skylar's hair fell back to her shoulders and Austin's pen fell to his lap. The main cabin lights came on.

"Alright, let's go!" Nubern yanked off his straps and stood.

Six other passengers stood and collected their belongings while the rest remained in their seats. Nubern urged them out into the isle. Austin stretched and followed Bear into the elevator. As the elevator moved down, Skylar glanced at Austin, her eyebrows raised in a question. Austin smiled as the elevator droned on. No one spoke.

The door opened with the release of gasses and Nubern bolted through before the door had stopped moving.

"Where are we going, sir?" Skylar asked.

"From here on, my rank is captain."

Austin sighed. "Where are we going, captain?"

"Like I said, orientation."

A blue cylindrical hallway awaited them outside the elevator. Austin allowed his eyes to adjust to the low lighting of the new, tube-like hallway. Their footsteps echoed on the steel floor. The air tasted metallic and cool. At the end of the hallway, a woman stood next to a black box the size of a golf bag. She wore a one piece black uniform with her dark brown hair tucked in a tight bun. She smiled as they approached. Austin noticed she had a blue tooth sticking out of her ear and he wondered what sort of cell phone reception she would receive in the middle of space.

The woman nodded as Nubern halted in front of her. He paused to slip a blue tooth into his ear. "Good morning."

"Sveiki," she said.

Austin frowned.
What did she say?

"Right," Nubern said. "Here we are."

The women pulled a black case from the box and touched the surface. The box cover slid out of place. Dozens of similar blue tooth devices sat in a straight line on top of the dark foam.

"Take one," Nubern ordered.

"But I don't have-"

"Just take it."

The three of them each grabbed a wireless device. It felt softer and lighter than the one he used in his car back home. He slipped it into his left ear. The speaker pinged and he flinched at the ringing.

"English," a female, robotic voice said.

"Welcome to Tarton's Junction," the woman said.

Austin blinked and stared at the woman's lips. Her voice did not match her lip movements. It was like watching a foreign film dubbed in English on late night TV.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"You required the translator before going into orientation," she said, her lips still not matching what she spoke. "Seven different countries and four languages from your planet will be represented here today. All of them are new recruits like you." She outstretched her hand. "Please enter."

Austin touched his ear piece. A translator. He didn't know such a technology existed. And now he had one, tucked into his ear.

They walked down a tight hallway wide enough for two people. Lights beamed from beyond. A dull drone of voices emitted like the sound of a full auditorium. When they reached the end of the hall, Nubern turned and stepped to the side, revealing the room beyond.

Several dozen seats circled the room and sloped downward in a three-hundred-sixty-degree auditorium. The center of the room glowed a pure white light. Dozens of other recruits, all wearing similar uniforms in style but differing in color, conversed around the room. Some glanced in their direction when they entered.

"Find a seat," Nubern said. "I'll find you after."

And with that, he scurried down the stairs, motioning to another officer.

Skylar brushed against Austin's shoulder. "Are all these people pilots?"

Austin looked at the different recruits. While they all had one piece uniforms like Tizona, they did have different colors. Of course, that might mean they were from a different school.

The lights dimmed.

A hush fell over the crowd.

"Please be seated," a voice called over the speakers. "The Galactic Transition Orientation will begin in a moment."

Those who remained standing hurried to find a seat. The hum of electricity filled the air. The room darkened to the point Austin just saw the details on the other side of the auditorium. The circular stage in the center illuminated the first rows in a bright white light.

Footsteps echoed in the room before a man entered to his left. The middle aged dark skinned man strolled to the stage, looking around as if he took in every detail. His large, brown eyes met Austin's for a brief moment. Unlike the rest of the staff on board this space station, this man wore a loose fitting powder blue tunic. He surveyed the crowd, a pleasant expression on his face.

He paused in the center of the circle and placed a black device into his ear. As he spoke, his words did not match the movements of his mouth just like the woman at the auditorium's entrance.

"Welcome to Tarton's Junction," he said in a deep voice. "I am Admiral Tolan Gist. I am in charge of this station and the surrounding Quadrant Eight." He gazed around the room. "It is a great pleasure to see you all here today. You are the brightest candidates in your respective fields and will serve the Legion well. All of the recruits in this room hail from different planets. Some of you will remain here to train as pilots. Others will take their skills far from here to aid the Legion where it needs you."

He paused on the center of the stage. "All of you have questions, I know. Your mentors have been assigned to you to answer these questions. Most of you have met your designated mentors as they have recruited you."

Austin grinned.
Nubern
.

"However, you should know the basic information to help ease the transition. Your respective planets are just worlds in a vast field of stars. Your planets lie in Legion space, and, therefore, you were recruited into our services."

Recruits around the room glanced at one another, some whispering in lifted tones.

"In the known galaxy, there are countless factions and governments. Most of the galaxy's inhabitants live under the jurisdiction of one of two factions: The Galactic Legion and the Zahl Empire. The two have been at war in the past, but now exist under a fragile peace. The greatest threat to our civilization is the lawless piracy harassing our space lanes."

He interlocked his fingers and paused again. "You have completed your basic training, but you still have a great deal to do before you are enrolled as an officer in the Legion Navy. I wish you all good fortune."

The lights came back as Gist walked off the stage.

"Pilots will remain in their seats for another presentation," the voice announced on the speakers. "The rest of you may exit and return to your freighters for immediate departure to your intended destinations."

The majority of the recruits in the room stood and filed toward the exits.

"What do all these people do?" Austin asked to no one in particular.

"Who knows," Bear grumbled.

"Probably scientists or maybe engineers," Skylar said. "You know, people recruited for a better reason than playing a video game."

Austin heard the unease in her voice. "What's up? Thought you were excited."