6 Liftoff

*poke* ...

*poke poke*

"Ugh.." Azamir grumbled as if waking up after a night on the town drinking to oblivion. He opened his eyes as the black spots faded from his vision to be confronted with the magrail car operator and a telescoping cane that was currently prodding him.

"Get up you good for nothing! The train car is leaving and you had a one-way ticket!"

Azamir blinked and sat up as the operator grumbled to himself and started back towards the cabin. He looked around to find the compartment empty beside him except for his luggage and quickly glanced at his wrist comlink. It was flashing half-past at 5 pm. He jumped up immediately remembering his contract stated he must arrive at the terminal by 5:45!

Quickly grabbing his pack and luggage he rushed out of the railcar yelling thanks at the operator and cursing his decision. Azamir needed to exercise more caution than he thought with upgrades! The whole process seemed to take up to two hours where he was in a vulnerable state! HE approached the security check and quickly patted himself down to check on his possessions.

Thankfully nothing was missing from his person and sighed in relief. He could not afford to miss the window for the terminal as it held financial penalties when he was already behind!

Passing the arching hallway for security and into the crowd of bustling travelers to the various terminals Azamir quickly pushed his way through on the way to the appropriate dock.

He entered the open landing zone inside what was the massive intake and exit of ships carrying passengers and goods in and out of the spaceport. Various ships dotted the many landing pads with crew servicing their own ships and attending to passengers arriving and getting ready to set off on their respective journeys.

Close to the wire, Azamir managed to locate the vessel he would be spending the next few weeks aboard his travel to the MRB inducting station. Beyond that, he was not sure of what his itinerary entailed but his blood was pumping with excitement to begin his adventure!

The ship in question was none other than the mercenary carrier for Wayland's Raiders. It was a midsize vessel meant to carry up to four active squads into the fight at the drop of a hat.

Azamir weaved and cut through the crowds easily as he approached the ship. He noticed it had a tri-engine setup and was covered from nose to end in medium armor plating. The Prowling wolf livery was pasted across the bow of the ship with the company name proudly displayed for all to see.

He approached the docking bay seeing crew load up the ship through the boarding ramp and a man with a datapad checking every item coming on board. The man seemed in his late 20's, with short-cropped brown hair, a dark complexion, and a look of extreme concentration as he tapped away at his datapad and directed the crew to place the onboarded cargo.

Azamir made his way to board the ship, passing the man when suddenly he was hastily getting grabbed by the collar and being pulled aside!

"Oi! not anyone can just board this ship. We're not in the habit of entertaining lousy tourists! Ye have five seconds to explain why ye are on my landing bay deck before this boot is up yer ass!"

Azamir threw up his hands and immediately displayed the contract information on his wrist comlink display. "Woah there, I am authorized! I was told to report to the docking bay!"

Brown eyes criticized Azamir's facial features before eyeing the contract details and marching orders displayed at the forefront before cracking a smile. "Aye, I am just messing with you kid. The Cap'n told me ye would be joining us among the other recruits and I was to be looking out for ya. Good thing too! Ye was about to miss your deadline and I would have really had to boot your ass off of me landing bay!"

The man held out a hand, grasping Azamir's own while introducing himself, "The names McGregor kid. I be the quartermaster of this here ship and I sign off on both the cargo and the souls coming on and off-board." Mcgregor let go and pointed back to himself "ye come to see me if ye need anything. Now get a move on! The Cap'n is waiting for ye and ye be the last one to arrive!"

Azamir nodded and took notice at the pinging on his comlink with the directions to the bridge after McGregor sent them over. He lightly chuckled to himself at the quartermaster's demeanor and made his way to the bridge and command deck of the ship.

The internal cargo bay was below the main deck and housed various crates of munitions and other much-needed supplies. There was a catwalk with two opposing stairways on either side of the back wall leading up to the main deck. Azamir made his way towards the staircase on the starboard end passing many different compartments and some of the docking crews living quarters.

The main deck housed the primary common rooms and living quarters for most of the flight crew and other mercenaries on board. Past the escape pods and a meter thick blast door laid the bridge where there seemed to be three other trainees lined up before Capitan Dawson. Azamir stepped into line at the same moment the Capitan checked his wrist comlink. The other trainees, one woman, and two men looked over and assessed the newcomer.

"There is a fine line between punctual and late trainee Ternum. One more minute and you would have crossed it." Capitan Dawson flashed the display towards Azamir and the image made him gulp, it showed exactly 5:45! He had barely made it!

Capitan Dawson motioned for Azamir to fall in line as he addressed the trainees together. "Now that the last of you are here, I am pleased to induct the latest candidates for a recommendation from Waylands Raiders!"

The trainees stood at attention a little firmer at the announcement, even Azamir felt a bit of pride at being accepted.

"From here on you will be assigned your quarters and duties during your stay aboard our vessel. If there are any disputes you will settle those assignments with me or my second, Adept Mercy."

Mercy turned around from the pilot's console behind Dawson and nodded at the trainees before moving to stand behind him with a datapad in hand.

"You will take your assignments from her for now and I expect every order given to be taken as if I gave it myself. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir!" The trainees answered in chorus.

"Good, aboard my ship every crewmember is treated with respect. I will not tolerate insubordination or mistreatment among my crew which includes you for the time being. As long as that is abundantly clear I will leave Mercy to dole out your assignments."

Mercy stepped forward and swiped up on her datapad sending the various room assignments and orders to each trainee comlink. "These are your orders and assignments, I expect you to look over them and be situated before the ship leaves the system. If there are any questions you can direct them to me on the bridge or find me during off duty times for minor issues."

Dismissed, the trainees with Azamir in tow all followed directions to their own living quarters on the main deck.

The trainees were quiet as they shouldered their way past the different crewmen buzzing around the ship prepping it for launch. Marveling at the inside of a ship Azamir was awed by the sheer amount of equipment stuffed into every nook and cranny of the company vessel that made it spaceworthy. Eventually one of the men and the one woman trainee veered to the port side of the ship and Azamir and the other male trainee went to starboard.

The door opened into a dense room with a bunk on either side of the cabin with stow racks for the luggage and a closet with two fully equipped emergency vac-suits on the far end of the cabin. The two walk inside with the male trainee wordlessly claiming the left bunk and Azamir shrugging and taking the right.

The gear was stowed and the two broached the awkward silence with a greeting from the male trainee. He waved awkwardly at Azamir and introduced himself.

"Uhh hey there, since were bunkmates it's only proper we should know each others name. My names Theodore Hawkins but most people just call me Theo or hawk. What about you?"

Azamir looked up and nodded in greeting "Mine is Azamir Ternum, I don't think I ever had any nickname that stuck for me."

Upon getting a response Theo brightened and visibly relaxed. He was happy that he seemed to have met someone that is easily approachable instead of stuck up. The two exchanged pleasantries before hearing an announcement over the ship intercom.

"Alert, the Prowler has been given clearance from the control tower and will be undocking soon. All hands, stow your gear and prepare for liftoff procedures."

Both trainees shared a look of excitement. Their adventure begins!