Chapter One

“Attention!!” A loud booming voice bellowed through the small barracks. You slowly blink your eyes open and groan like a muffed zombie, slowly waking from your deep and already missed slumber.

“Ugh! Does that old man have anything better to do than yell all the time! Ugh!” Exasperated, you cover your face with your pillow.

“Attention, we will be making landfall soon, prepare your equipment and meet in the loading bay. I repeat, prep and meet in the loading bay!” The loud speakers made a scratchy sound as the disconnected. The Captain may be loud but he’s not one to keep waiting, his bite is worse than his bark. Which is saying something since everyone skates around him, afraid to disrupt his unusual calmness. You’ve heard plenty of tales regaling your dear Captain, however you choose not to listen to rumors. You do believe there is some merit to the stories, for example; In Prantexian Territory, during the Battle of, Sauve Gevara, He supposedly rode a Sand Serpent into battle. Those creatures were practically told to be untrainable, and just pure killers. He single handedly won the battle and with his feats some say he’s a Hero of the old war. One your father was part of.

Movement on the bunk across from yours shifted and your best friend and partner in crime popped her head out from beneath the comforter. “Mmmmmmming.”

Helena mumbled groggily as she blinked the last vestiges of sleep away.

“Morning, Lena. How come you’re so tired? Usually you’re the chipper one in the mornings.” Lena and you were almost inseparable during the Academy. You never went to the Academy looking for a friend. Your eyes were always set on something higher, something you’ve always wanted to be. A small smile teases the corner of your lips. You’ve strove to be as good as your Father was. With his sudden disappearance it became even more apparent how deep the gap is between you. So, you’ve fought tooth and nail to be able to become something. To take that one step forward to becoming worthy of my Father’s praise. Sure, it seems like a silly thing when you know full well he’s already proud of you. Problem isn’t that, it’s with yourself. It’s something you have to prove to yourself and only you can make that happen and determine when you have. Until then, you’ll keep fighting and moving forward. And lena, has been by your side since day one in the academy and so she understands your need to become something more.

Helena shoots you a scowl, obviously not ready to venture down memory lane about yesterday’s shenanigans. You bent down to shove your boots on your feet and that’s when you noticed the extra pair of boots. Raising your eyes to Helena’s questioningly,

grabbing the large boots on the floor by your own pair, you take hold and dangle them in front of Helena, “These don’t look like your boots, much too small to fit your large boats.”

“Hey! My feet are not too big! They are cute! I even just had them done!” She raises her dainty foot to be level with your chest, she points at them and wiggles her toes to emphasize. “See!? Cute!”

“Haha, ok, but seriously who do these belong too?” I asked again.

“Just a radar guy. Tim, Tom...Ted? Whatever, I don’t remember his name. Anyways, we need to get going!” Helena jumped from her bed and went to toss her jumpsuit on. Our issued uniforms were skin tight jumpsuits, but with the nano fabric threaded through it, the tech keeps it cool and light, and very breathable. If you get too warm, it helps cool you off, and the opposite, too cold, it warms. It won’t protect bullets, but does allow for mobility. Our small vest with our tactical gear will be our bulk, but never enough to slow us down. Our specialty is speed and precision.

Before you drop the boots, a hand slips out from beneath helena’s covers and snatches the boots from you. You’re about to say something but the captain broke the silence with his static entrance on the loud-speakers.

“Listen up folks! We’re in Antarian Space now and are heading toward Planet Cada, and right now they are at War with the sandarians.”

“Sandarians!?” Helena said with surprise.

Sandarians are a destructive race that attacks without reason. Their main and sole goal is to eradicate any and all Life Forms. They can’t be reasoned with, they attack without provocation. Earth has been part of a universal collective of Planets that have grouped theri Leaders together to keep the peace in the Galaxy. Sandarians however, don’t care for peace.

“That’s not good. I thought we were heading to bring assistance to a downed Cruiser?”

“Well we were. Seems like the mission has changed.” Helena slides a knife in the scabbard on her boot, and slides another knife in a hip sheath. You’ve known Helena since the Academy, she’s always had an odd fascination for knives or anything sharp for that matter. You give her outfit an approving appraisal.

“You always make that Jumpsuit look sexy. Hey, can you toss me my holster?” Helena turns and grabs your holster housing your blaster pistol. It’s a pistol from your, Father, who was a Squad Leader. He claimed that the pistol has seen him through the worst and it’ll do the same for you.

Least that’s what he said as he gave it to me and led his Team on one last mission. A mission he never came back from, they labeled and categorized him and his unit as dead. You still hold out hope that he’s alive out there, somewhere, but alive. The coalition never sent any investigation into the matter. It was a failed mission and so they moved their assets elsewhere. Like it never happened, My Father and his men, never existed. Even now, there are barely any mentions of him or his men. Only thing you’ve got left is the pistol he handed to you.

You belt the holster, tugging on the straps, making sure it’s snug before leaving the barracks with Helena stepping in line next to you. “So, what happened with that girl from the bar yesterday?”

The massive ship, Titanus Support Ship Class2, the very one you’re cruising on towards your mission is a large vessel that holds thousands. Inside the ship has everything from military installations to pedestrian quarters, with shopping outlets, bars, even movie theatres. One could even mistake it for a vacation. That’s the ruse though, despite having these amenities, lying underneath it’s facade is a brilliant fighting force with some of the greatest minds. It’s a hornets nest of one of the strongest fighting forces in the entire Galaxian Star System.

Yesterday you and Helena were at a bar in one of the C-Sectors, she suggested meeting up for drinks. You’ve just finished recalibrating the Ion Engine absorptions, that it was a much needed and very welcome escape.

“Oh, well, that was never going to work out.”

“Why? I thought you two would hit it off.” You pass the mess hall and medic bays. “The problem is, she’s a clean freak, like super clean neat!” You say with a whine.

“The problem lies...where?” You give her a deadpan look. “ I’m an Engineer, Helena. I’m always covered in grease and grime. I smell most of the time because of the Ion end Engines I spend all day tinkering on. How do you think a relationship would last between me and her?” Helena mulls it over then nods in understanding.

“Ya, that might not be a good combination. You need someone who’s just as...dirty as you are.” She winks at you, your lips twist into a smile as you chuckle.

“LADIES!” The Captain stood before us with his arms crossed. He’s a big guy and always has a scowl on his face, maybe it’s because of the nasty scar riding down his brown and cheek that makes him scowl. His hard steely eyes assess you and Helena.

“I almost sent another rescue to find you two.” His voice is loud and booming like a cannon. You and Helena shrink back and cast your eyes to the floor, and find it very interesting suddenly.

“I’m glad you two could make it, I’ll be needing your skill set for this.”