Arriving at Gate University

Sitting in the ship as it sailed towards Planet Tyber, Aston couldn't help but feel nervous. "Today is the day I finally take the entrance exam for Gate University." he couldn't help but squeeze his fists tight.

"I can do it; for what other reasons did I listen to my brother's rants about his poor dating life while he trained me in martial arts and weapon techniques he learned in the military."

He had spent many days when his brother came back for vacation learning from his brother how to train one's body to be tougher, stronger, and more durable in hopes of passing and scoring well on the entrance exam.

"I did not slack even when Charles was not around, I can't hope to become a 3-star student, but 2-star is certainly possible."

Aston looked around at the cabin he was in. It was a sleek, off, gray metal material. The room had many groves in the floor and walls, and a slight hum could be constantly heard throughout the ship.

The room had a bed connected to the floor and a desk with a chair that slid along a track underneath it. Everything on the ship was connected directly. This prevented things from flying around when the ship moved suddenly or had to rotate.

No one would want a chair flying suddenly into their face. Looking out the viewport in the room into the vast space, Aston felt a spark of excitement. "One day, I can traverse space without a ship."

This was a goal of Aston's. He had always been interested in traversing space. As he was sitting on his bed, his holowatch popped open, displaying the news on a hologram.

"Today, another attack occurred on a Gate owned by the Star Empire. The Black Martins are prime suspects as they are a known terrorist organization that attack the Gates. Frank, what do you think?" said the news lady on the screen as she turned to look at her co-host.

"Well, Tiffany, I have to say that, more than likely, it was the Black Martins. They believed what they were doing was for the better of all mankind. They truly believe that the Gates release energies from other universes into ours and that these energies are changing our reality and that one day, if enough gates open and leak this energy, our universe as we know it will be destroyed." Frank said as he laughed.

"Well, Frank, as far as the empire knows, no evidence points to such a conclusion. Even before the invention of Gates, nothing has ever come out of a black hole. Why would that change now? We can go back and forth only because of the Gates themselves. All that comes through originated from this universe. So long as the universe doesn't accept it, nothing can come back." said Tiffany as she smiled and looked at the camera.

"In other news, today is the official day for the Star Empire's Gate University entrance exam. Thousands of applicants will arrive today at Planet Tyber for the entrance exam. However, only a select few will pass." Frank said as he made a solemn face.

"I wish everyone taking their exam today, this was Star 1 news, and we will see you next time," Tiffany said as the broadcast cut off.

"The Black Martins, huh? Not long after Mom and Dad died, they appeared out of nowhere, preaching their beliefs and recruiting followers. At first, no one thought anything of them. Just that they might be some kind of weird religious cult.

Now they are the most wanted organization in the empire." Aston said as he frowned before shaking his head. "That is for the government to worry about. Today I have something else I need to focus on." Aston said as he saw a beautiful blue and green planet appearing in the distance. It was a planet of similar size to Earth.

It was once just a barren planet rich with metals but nothing else. After being terraformed now, the entire planet was a replica of Earth. This whole planet was the testing grounds for the Gate University.

The university sat where the moon would have been, which was truly massive. It could hold hundreds of thousands of people, and this is where students and teachers alike would live, learn, and teach for the next 4 years.

The university looked like a giant floating city upon a man-made asteroid. It looked like any city, but if it was in space and on an asteroid.

The city was surrounded by a light blue shield. This shield protected the university from asteroids and attacks. As well as serving as an artificial atmosphere.

The city had many normal-looking buildings seemingly built from concrete and wood but made from super materials designed to look as such but was significantly stronger.

There were also a couple of sleek metal skyscrapers. But these were not indeed skyscrapers but giant laser arrays meant to shoot and would-be attackers.

Inside the barrier, it was a clean and beautiful city with many stores, restaurants, parks, and amenities found in any city. The city was full of trees and plant life wherever they could fit them. This made the air as fresh as in the forest or a mountain full of trees.

Outside the barrier was just gray rock and craters one would expect from an asteroid. In its entirety, the whole city served as an artificial moon to Planet Tyber.

He descended onto the planet through a spaceport in the shield, allowing people to enter and exit the barrier safely. Up close, the city was even more beautiful and was surprisingly full of people.

The city had everything a typical city would have. It had a police department, fire services, banks, etc. Not just students and teachers lived here; that was just one part of the city. The city was called Lunar York and was designed to be an ordinary city hosting the university.

After landing, Aston was driven in a hover taxi to the school. Once he arrived and reported to the front desk, he was given temporary lodging and told to be in the Plaza in front of the school tomorrow morning to start the exam.

The room Aston stayed in was rustic and made entirely from wood. There was a wooden king-size bed, 2 dressers, a writing desk, and a bathroom. The room had a red and white theme, with red drapes and white sheets. On the floor was a red carpet. Not the most attractive design, but it was ok on the eyes.

" I better try and get some sleep. I wouldn't want to oversleep and miss the start of the exam tomorrow." Aston said as he plopped down on the bed and sighed." Mom, Dad, I'm finally here. One day soon, I will see what you saw." Aston said as he fluffed his pillow and wrapped himself in his blankets. Before he knew it, he was snoring away. All of today's excitement had tired him out. Tomorrow would be the start of his university life.