CHAPTER 1: A Ghost Ship Amongst The Stars

"In the black sea which is space, only the bravest of men stare into its depths;not knowing how deep it is nor what may lay deep within it. And still brave that sea.."

-Maksim Surgei Commander of the Inertia-Alliance's 1st Fleet in 2037

Deep in Sector 9E-1794 of the Andromeda Galaxy….

The Carrier Starship Promethea-A was a massive hunk of metal drifting through space to war. Its size could not be understated, taking up 2,800 m of space; it was almost three naval battleships in length. Though it was also a pathetic excuse for a starship, one stray bullet from falling apart. A ship one bad day away from being another hunk of metal destined to roam the galaxy until the last sun burned out. The ship wasn't fancy, nor overly dressed. It did its job and it did it well: Transport soldiers from point A to point B.

The ship's cargo hull opened, the automatic gate protected by an air proof membrane similar to that of an egg, opened up allowing for a fleet of transport shuttles to land. Their engines bright blue with exhaust and flame, slowly simmered out, and guided by traffic control officers the ships landed on its strip. After the ship's landing gear had settled and locked, the ship's metal stairs slowly folded outwards.

Inside the shuttle blue cryopods hung from the ceiling, each housing a young man or woman barely in their twenties, some late teens called Gear Pilots. A beep rang and the doors to the pods and the shuttle opened up.

Air escaped as the automatic doors to the shuttle ships slid open and a flood of young cadets straight from their training at the KOT Academy marched out. Their faces and eyes hardened and sharpened by their training, they were the best of the best or soon to be. The perfect mass produced weapon.

Gear Pilot 0-ZE or Zero, a private mercenary pilot, fresh off the ship, stared out from the cargo hull's holo-window taking in the view. He could see the cruiser ships in the far off distance, small specks of gray above the planet below. Andromedea-5R, with its swirling stormy clouds, hurricanes of snow and ash, and a reddish spot near its pole. It was similar to the planet Zero had heard existed in the Homeworld solar system: Jupiter he was sure it was called. Said to be a beautiful planet but just like Jupiter–

–'This planet holds many dangers. Just below its clouds a war is being waged, a war I will have to fight in. Question is will I survive this battle? Or even the next?'

"Beautiful ain't she?" A voice said from behind him

Without thinking Zero responded absently, "It is"

Zero turned, the voice had come from a middle aged man wearing the black uniform of a Handler and its coned white cap. Zero's eyes traveled to the insignia on his chest: Second Lieutenant, multiple ranks above his Corporal rank.

Zero ran through the list of Second Lieutenants onboard trying to find one which matched this man. And only one did Second Lieutenant Ethan Richards. The 49th fleet's leader, the leader of the unit he was commissioned under.

"Live to serve. " Zero saluted "Sorry Second Lieutenant Richard hadn't realized it was you" Zero bowed his head slightly showing his respects

"At ease. Don't worry about it, you're one of the new recruits right? Your still green makes sense you wouldn't know me" Second Lieutenant Richard said, smiling at him, "Fresh from the academy, huh?"

"No sir…I graduated from the Academy two years ago. And was commissioned in sector 5B-1796 as a private pilot." Zero had been fresh from the Academy when he had been deployed straight off the bat into a warzone due to his aptitude as a pilot. An aptitude which had far outshone any before and after him.

"That hellhole?" The Lieutenant visibly flinched at the reminder of that sector's continued existence but then laughed in realization, "Ah, you must be unit 0-ZE then? That Academy genius."

Academy genius. That title had followed Zero since his graduation from the KOT Academy as top of his class. Perfect scores in both physical, written, and practical aptitude tests had earned him the title of Academy Genius. But the root cause of this name was in the fact that he was the first to ever get a perfect synchronization rate with a Gear. Something which had been seen as impossible until he entered the Academy.

"Yes" Zero said plainly

"Well it's nice to meet you, Academy Genius Zero…I'm glad to have you in the fight…" Lieutenant Richard hesitated before continuing " We'll be needing all the fighters we can get. And with you on our side maybe we can sway the tides."

Lieutenant Richard's stared down at Andromedea-51R2, his eyes boiling with some murky emotion Zero couldn't pinpoint.

'Rage?

Anger?

Fear?'

He couldn't tell.

Lieutenant Richards walked away leaving that ominous warning with Zero. Zero gave one last glance to Andromedea and then walked to the Cryo Chamber bay, his luggage bag rolling behind him. Looking at his watch it said 1600.

He had 2 hours to spare before the war ceremony would commence,he'd have to do his required maintenance before the ceremony.

***

"We'll everything is looking fine. Other than the usual hormone inflections. You're in tip top shape, 0-ZE looks to me like you're combat ready." Medic Officer Emily Snow, Promethea's onboard unit engineering medic said turning to him. Her computer screen showed numbers and measurements of his body:hormone levels, blood pressure. All information he didn't care to know so long as he was healthy.

Zero got up from the medical bed Emily had laid him on, putting back on his uniform's white button up top. If he was all good it was time to leave. The door to the room slid open and he left, walking back into the Medical/SU maintenance bay.

After his maintenance Zero headed back to his cabin. And got dressed forgoing unpacking. He put on his black military jacket over a white button up shirt. Placed his pins signifying his rank and a black pin showing his affiliation as a private mercenary on the breast pocket of his jacket . Looking into his bathroom mirror he put on his black beret, adjusting it in the mirror and combing his black hair out of the way. Now he was ready to go.

The halls were filled with crew members as they congregated to the ballroom for the ceremony. Zero slipped into the crowd allowing it to lead him to the ballroom.

The doors to the ballroom opened wide as Zero approached them, as if welcoming him to the crew. Entering the room he was met by blinding white lights. Men and women some he recognized from when he had been at the Academy were sitting at circular tables around a metal stage. Each buzzing with both excitement and a sense of comradery. For every man and woman here had suffered through the same hellish training back at the academy. He could hear slight bits and pieces of conversation as he seated himself in the far back corner.

'The first to die in any conflict are those who doubt their cause and those who doubt themselves.'

That had been one of the first teachings he learned at the Academy. One he was quick to forget. Zero had to learn that lesson the hard way when he was first commissioned and from the bits he'd heard from some soldiers' conversation they were soon to learn that same lesson or die never knowing it.

A man stepped onto the stage, his presence stifling the crowd into silence.

"Stand!" yelled the man, and Zero and the other crew member stood.

"Salute!"

"Live to Serve!" The Zero and the crew saluted

"At ease"And the crew sat back down.

"I'm Captain Brent Weathers, leader of this fleet and handler for you new Synchronized Units. To quickly start, I would like for the Gear pilots new to the crew to come up."

Zero stood up and got in line with the other gear pilots on stage.

"These are your new crew members get along, you'll be seeing each other often. Remember to fight well and live another day. Enjoy tonight. That's it." Captain Weathers quickly began to move off stage when he was stopped by the Vice Captain. Zero watched the exchange, the VA whispered something into Captain Weathers ear causing him to sigh. Something about the length of his speech. The Captain got back onto the stage sighing.

"For the War Ceremony I'd like for Corporal SU 0-ZE to take the stage and give you the speech in my place."

"Happy?" Zero could hear the captain whisper to the Vice Captain, "These war ceremonies are a waste of time. We should be just putting them on the field and be done with it"

Zero didn't get to hear the rest of the conversation since he had to take the stage. Zero thought for a second compiling a quick speech. He chose to appeal to his fellow Gear Pilots greenness.

"I'm Corporal ZERO. I myself am not one for speeches or talking so I'll give you one piece of advice. On the subject of war."

The crowd's eyes turned to recognition at the mention of his name.

"The first to die in any conflict are those who doubt their cause and those who doubt themselves. Doubt leads to death, wavering to despair, and despair once more to doubt. Thus the Ouroboros of war. We wage war here. Do not waver. Do not doubt. Do not fear. Fight..fight so you can live another day. Live to serve. Die for LIGHT."

The rest of the ceremony passed in stifling heavy silence. The festive mood having left the ball room.