The Fall

The iPod playing Symphony No.40 and the sound of it fills every corner of the small spaceship room. Cory Grieves, the First Lieutenant of Galacticum Federation Junior Troop (GmFJT) is sitting in his pilot seat.

It was a good deal. He got the antique music player for only three G-Credits. A lot of music he never heard was listed inside the memory. Since then he always brings it with him on every mission.

"Cory, this is Anselt." Across the Radio, someone is speaking on a private channel.

"Yes An, I can hear you. Loud and clear."

"Cory, I had proposed to the girl I loved."

Cory still felt the music in the air until he heard that.

"What? Who?"

"Ciery, the administrator of E-Ship 0056." Anselt giggling. "She said yes bro, a yes answer!"

"Congratulations."

Suddenly a lot of voices appeared over the communication. Male and Female.

"Congrats Bro."

"Congrats."

"Congratulation Anselt."

"Wha?" Anselt flabbergasted.

Cory just laughed it off. "I switched it to the Group Channel. This need to be announced."

This is their last mission in GmJFT after three years. It is just a patrol mission over the edge of the territory, a bit far from the mother ship, but considered safe.

Everybody just laughing, talking about the future when the mission is over.

Some want to continue and advanced to the real Galacticum Federation Troop (GFT) the real army. Some want to change careers. Some want to quit and opened a shop.

"What is your plan, Cory?" A Female voice asked over the channel.

Cory pondered a moment. "Nothing comes to my mind."

"Maybe you need someone by your side, life in the military is boring," Anselt suggested, proud of himself. "How about Captain Cecil?"

"You f*cking crazy?!" Someone interjected.

"Why, she is just three years older than us." Anselt defended his opinion.

Hearing that statement, Cory imagining himself marrying his captain. He just smiled over that scene in his head. An Onee-san as his wife spoiling him in his house, two kids perhaps, and a small flat in the upper secondary level of the mother ship.

"Cory? Hey, Cory?" Anselt Asked "Did you just imagine it?"

Cory dispersed his thought. "What? No?"

"My God, you are brave."

The channel becomes so noisy. Cory turned up the volume button on the iPod and Mozart's Symphony could be heard filling the Group Channel.

***** ***** *****

On the main mission ship, inside the navigating room, laughter and a Mozart symphony could be heard. A young woman sitting there while viewing the scattered stars in the dark galaxy.

Laughter, Mozart's symphony, the unknown sky, and the secret mission she got. She got a bit melancholy.

"This is Command Center, Colonel Brigsatt Shey. Captain Cecil Andares, please report." The main communication channel opened up.

"This is Captain Cecil, Reporting in. Nothing to spot. Over."

"Mothership got attacked, proceed to the mission. Over."

Captain Cecil has no words for the situation, she already knows what will happen. They are just waiting for the time for the guillotine to fall.

"Bug on N20-29.1-F32.4-11. They are gaining on your course." A hint of dilemma. "Be strong Captain. Over."

"Positive. Take care, Colonel. Galacticum Federation will prevail. Over and Out." Cecil closed the center channel button.

Her eyes get hot while tears begin to drip from her eyes.

In a navigation room, she set an order command on every ship in her squad. Cecil turned over the ship 180 degrees to the left and prepared the Proton collider gun.

The spaceship window in front of her, glints like stars glittering on and off, mirrored in her eyes.

Cecil opens her mouth on the group channel.

***** ***** *****

In the group channel, everyone is confused, including Cory. The captain's ship just turned over 180 degrees to the opposite side.

"What happened?" Anselt Asks.

"No Idea." The other answered.

Cory keeps his silence, he just realized that the Captain is actually in the group channel communication and actively heard every word they spilled.

[This is Captain Cecil Anders speaking]

Suddenly, all of the commotions in the channel died down.

[We are on the edge of the Galacticum Federation Territory of Observation. All of you are the hope of the Federation. My mission is to ensure the safety of all of you] even just one.

Nobody can't hear the last sentence, except Cory. A feeling of disturbance swept all over his body, there is something wrong.

[Let me tell you, our real mission is to sa-]

BOOM!

A Proton Beam Cut through the wings of the Captain's ship.

The scenery from the spaceship window is enough to make everyone silent for the first three seconds, and then chaos ensued.

"We are being attacked!"

"Fire back!"

BOOM! BOOOM!

Cory takes a deep breath while grasping the ship's rudder. The temperature regulator is working normally inside the ship but his sweat dripping crazily. His Iris widened, mirroring the great explosion on the front of his ship.

His comrade's ship was shot one by one. Screams of agony filled the channel, asking for help. However, to his dismay, the ship does not move. Jerking the control does not do anything, Cory's hands shake uncontrollably.

Come on! Come on! Move!

"Cory!" Anselt spoke over the radio "My ship does not move!"

"You too?!"

"It said rebooting 15 seconds before auto warp!"

What! Cory checked the system monitor. The screen shows 12 seconds and it keeps counting down. It was Captain Cecil's absolute command program, all of the ships were given the same command except Captain Cecil's ship itself.

"Captain." Suddenly Cory understands the situation.

"Bro, if you make it home, please tell Ciery I love her." Anselt coughing.

"We are warping away together Anselt."

"No." Anselt grieved "it is too late. My lower half is done for."

"What? No. Don't do this to me Anselt." Cory languishing.

"Captain. Captain! Cecil!" A sudden outburst came from Cory's mouth.

[Retreat everyone, Run.]

"Noo!"

Anselt ship exploded beside him. Some of his comrade's ships were blown into smithereens while Captain Cecil's ship was still counter-firing with the Proton Cannon. The countdown on the screen clicked to zero and the warping gate appeared. It was so majestic yet held a scary future.

The warp sucked his ship. Cory jerked away from his pilot seat, his head hit the ship wall before he blacked out.

He hoped that it was a bad dream.