by Kaylee Kane
To be fair, who wouldn’t want to get on the Intergalactic Service? It was a once in a lifetime special program for single, preferably virgin females at the age of twenty. I know it sounded absurd but it’s to make sure that the candidates did not have any sort of attachments during the program. The Intergalactic Service Council would handpick ten females from all around the world for each quarter.
The chosen ones would get a one-way ticket on a first class flight around the galaxy. Yes, one-way. Your whole life would be waited on ready hands and feet by the crew who would treat you like queens.
During this lifelong program, you would be visiting different planets and learn about their cultures which would be reported back to the council. So, it was sort of like a student exchange program. Except it was for life.
This was the final quarter for my age group to get picked. In four months’ time, we would pass the age limit and deem too old. The truth was everybody wanted to get out of this polluted planet. Especially myself.
I reckoned that was the reason why they picked the good looking ones. You know, good genes. My bet was they wanted to build a space nation with this group of candidates.
“We are not gonna get picked,” I said sadly.
“Gotta have some faith, sis.”
“Don’t forget me when you get picked.” I passed my bowl to her and got up to get to my room. While keeping my hopes high, I had to be realistic.
This was the final quarter and there were more qualified chicks than me. Ayesha slacked because she put all her hopes on this final chance. I’d rather put my bets on finishing my degree and get a job on this dying planet.
I got changed and got down from my apartment when I realized that I had forgotten my face mask. Lazy to get back up to get it, I skipped the facemask and covered my mouth with my hand. The university was five minutes’ walk away. I
I was never so wrong.
The smog was thick and scorched my throat like acid with every breath. Robot’s fart, we called it. This kind of shit we thanked the robot revolution and automation for.
People lost their jobs to robots and the machines gave us toxic farts. This was why the elite aliens didn’t want to visit us. The United Anova didn’t give a fuck. They were too busy dealing with their intergalactic debt.
“Good morning, Casdy. Where is Ayesha?” asked Dr. Jude, the thirty-eight years old TA and our instructor when I arrived at the practical lab.
“Uh, morning, Dr. Jude. Ayesha isn’t feeling well,” I lied.
Dr. Jude gave me a side glance. Then, I remembered you couldn’t lie to Dr. Jude because she had a degree in psychology too. You wanted to get a job? Better have three degrees on your back. “She must be waiting to watch the live broadcast of the announcement for the space program. She has been doing that for the past few semesters.”
I let out a sigh. “Yes, Dr. Jude. As always.”
“I don’t blame her.” Dr. Jude shrugged. “A girl gotta have dreams. I remember checking for my name on the website every single day!”
“It’s our last chance,” I said sadly.
Dr. Jude gave me a sympathetic look and pulled me into her embrace. She was like a motherly figure to me more than a professor. “I wish for you the best, Casdy. I was dying to get on that program. I was devastated when I found out they only pick the good looking girls. Not sure if it was a pageant or a space program.”
Dr. Jude rolled her eyes.
My eyes brightened up. Dr. Jude always spoke my mind. “I thought the same! Three out of the ten girls from the last batch were lingerie models! I mean, what do they do out of the program? And they don’t even look single or virgin!”
Dr. Jude nodded. “You got a point there.” More people poured into the practical lab and took their seats at the bench where the naked dummies were displayed in front of them. I always thought they looked like some adult toys.
“We good to go?”
I wanted to say ‘yes’ when my phone buzzed against my thigh. “Sorry.”
Dr. Jude rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
I pulled out my phone. My nerves rose when I saw Ayesha’s name. Ayesha had an anti-calling rule unless it was an emergency. Like the house caught on fire or something. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Holy fucking shit, Casdy!” Ayesha screamed through the phone I was sure the whole class could hear her. “You fucking got picked! You fucking lucky gal! I am going to miss the fuck out of you!”
I stared at Dr. Jude as I tried to digest what I just learned. She mouthed ‘congratulations’. My mind spun with excitement and apprehension. The volume Ayesha spoke in rendered me temporarily deaf.
For a few minutes, I froze, unable to find a word. I was chosen for the Intergalactic Service. Out of billions of females out there.
I was the chosen one. I was going to leave Earth. Forever.
That part I really wasn’t ready for it.
When I walked out of the university building, I forgot I needed the facemask. The air was bearably clean. I didn’t race home like I used to. I stood there at the foyer and looked at the gardens.
The trees and grass beneath my space boots looked greener than I remembered. I wondered if the other planets had beautiful landscapes like Earth. It’s funny when you were about to leave the planet for good, everything looked better than usual.
Nostalgia was heavy in my heart.
Before this, I didn’t think I had many things that I wanted to do. But suddenly, I recalled so many things on my bucket list that I couldn’t complete anymore.
You couldn’t escape from the Intergalactic Service. Though I doubted anyone would want to miss this chance.
You couldn’t give lame ass excuses such as your medical conditions because United Anova would have every single information about you and they would have gone through the screening to make sure that you were physically and mentally fit for the program.
Once I got home, I received the email from the secretary of the Intergalactic Service Council. I did what every candidate would do: give away my possessions and destroy all traces of my cyber history.
Within five hours, a private jet would be sent to pick us up. Being the one living nearest to Ironforge next to the military base, I was the last to be picked up, sparing me to have my final meal with Ayesha. Ironforge was only fifty miles north to Corn City.
“I am so jealous of you, Casdy,” said Ayesha through her facemask. She held my hands tightly. I didn’t want to let her go.
I didn’t put on my facemask. It would be the last time I could smell the essence of Earth, so be it.
I had no idea Ayesha would become an important part of my life. I met her during the orientation day and we had lived together for three years in the same apartment since. She was like a sister I never had.
I didn’t have many friends and you could guess she was the only one here to send me off. Suddenly, I felt like a part of me was missing. “Don’t forget me when you’re out there. Let me know if you see any handsome aliens.”
I nudged her elbow. “Don’t be silly. We’re not there to fuck around. It’s a space program.”
“I hope so. You should look at your batchmates. You guys looking like the next top models.” She laughed. I laughed too. I would miss her laugh and our jokes so much!
A sigh escaped from my chest. “I wish you were coming with me.”
“Me too.”
“It’s time, Miss Casdy,” said Janifa, the facilitator of the program. She looked like a plump, thirty-something woman with a bright wild curly red bob and excessive lipstick on her pouty lips. She wore a tight purple blouse and a black pencil dress that hugged tightly onto her curves.
Behind her was the glistening white private jet waiting for me to board. I nodded to her and turned to Ayesha, “So long, sis. Take care.”
Ayesha’s pink eyes looked glassy when she blew me a kiss. “I will find you among the stars.” We hugged for one last time before I followed Janifa int
o the private jet.
“Could I get you anything, Miss Casdy?” asked Janifa. I turned away from the small window I was looking into.
“No, thank you, Miss Janifa.”
“You don’t have to address me by ‘Miss’. I am here to make sure your every need is fulfilled. If you have no requests at the moment, I will leave you at your own company.” She bowed at me and disappeared to the back of the jet.
I felt strangely uncomfortable being treated like a VIP. Maybe I was too used to the AI customer service. You can’t blame the AI for acting the way they were programmed. They were set to answer back standard questions in a certain way. If they didn’t, that was when we should start worrying.
The engine of the private jet revved to life. Once Janifa was out of sight, I sank into the leather seat. I rolled my shoulders and stretched my arms. I hadn’t done a lot but it felt like a long day. The urge to unhook my bra and throw it across the room was strong.
Inside the carpeted cabin were two beige lounges that stretched along the two sides of the jet. There was a glass coffee table with a basket of a selection of tropical fruits.
Bored, I picked an apple and chomped it.
“We are here, Miss Casdy,” Janifa reappeared from the back of the cabin after god knew how long.
Taking a deep breath, I tossed the apple stem on the coffee table and followed Janifa out of the jet. A gust of strong wind brushed across my face and blustered my hair.
I squinted my eyes and peered at the looming gray shard-shaped building with no windows in front of us. A barbed wire fence surrounded the building and armed soldiers patrolled around it.
“Let’s go, Miss Casdy. We need to get you through the security clearance,” said Janifa as she descended the jetway.
I took her rear. I gazed up at the brooding gray slab. Lightning struck the earth. The dark stormy sky looming over it gave it a dramatic, dark aura.
Excitement sizzled through me. I smiled to myself.
This was going to be fun.
2
I was the last to board the spacejet and walk into the boardroom due to their schedule. Before this, Janifa gave me a set of spacesuit, which was a full skintight jumpsuit. It stuck to my body like a second skin and left nothing to the imagination.
When I entered the spartan minimalistic room, all eyes turned to me. Some girls were sitting on beanbags, others on the floor with their long, lean legs crossed.
“Welcome aboard to the Intergalactic Service, ladies,” said Janifa. “Your last crew member, Casdy, is here. We will commence the program briefing now.” She gestured towards an unoccupied beanbag where I went to sit in.
“We are so excited to have all of you here.” Janifa squeezed her hands together.
None of the girls seemed to know one another or try to make friends. I had no idea why. I thought it might be a female thing to act cool. I tried not to be smart and followed the norm.
Once seated, we were given a handbook on the Intergalactic Service.
The fifteen-minute briefing included the introduction and history of the space program and testimonials from previous candidates. Later, we had a live video call with the candidates and they told us how they enjoyed the program.
After the briefing, we were ushered to our dorm. The five-minute walk was in silence. No one said a word. Loneliness already started creeping in and we hadn’t even left the atmosphere yet.
This journey already sucked. Imagine going far away from home to a foreign planet where no one wanted to be your friend. I suddenly missed Ayesha and wished she was here. I scanned the faces to see if I knew anyone.
No luck.
The dorm setting looked like that of a military dorm, which was no surprise to me when Janifa explained that this building, the Slab, was an extension of the military base.
Anyway, the dorm didn’t look half bad. When the wooden door opened, amber light awashed the ten double beds. I sighed in relief when I saw there were no bunk beds!
In the middle of the air-conditioned room was a crystal chandelier. The floor was carpeted and the walls were wallpapered. Other than the setting, it had a hotel room vibe.
Janifa cleared her throat when the girls were getting all excited about their new beds. “Alright, girls. The spacejet will be launching in five minutes. See you girls tomorrow when we arrive at our destination.”
I had so many questions. When Janifa blew us a goodnight kiss, I changed my mind. Too tired. Too many things were whirling in my head.
“I am going to sleep in this one,” said the girl who broke the long silence. I turned around and realized most of them had picked their own beds.
I shrugged. I went to the unoccupied bed in the middle of the dorm and sat in the sink into comfort embrace of the bed.
The girl with long blonde ponytail next to me began to undress. She peeled off her spacesuit, revealing her full sleeve of tribal tattoo. She was in her pink bra and thongs when she turned around and caught me frowning at her.
“Nice tattoo,” I quicked an excuse.
“Thanks. Got them for my eighteenth birthday.”
I nodded. “So…what’s your usual job?”
She rolled her eyes. “I was a lingerie model.” I tried not to look surprised. Why would the Intergalactic Service Council pick a lingerie model for a space program?
She waved her hand dismissively. “This space program just fucked up my whole life. Fancy saying it’s a privilege few could enjoy. What about you?”
“Uh, me? I was still studying actually. Physiology.”
She nodded matter-of-factly. “Cool.”
The blonde girl reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. Her gigantic breasts spilled out. She bent over to peel off her thongs.
My eyes flew open in shock before I turned away. She must have seen the horrified look in my face.
“Don’t mind me. I’m going to get some sleep.” She put on her headphones and sank into the sheets.
Holy fucking shit. Did this blonde girl just strip in front of me, a stranger? I was used to seeing braless Ayesha with her big breasts poking through the thin material of her pajamas.
For fucksake, Ayesha was like my sister from another mother. I did the same in front of her too. But not with someone I just met. I scanned the room.
The girls were minding their own business. Some listened to music, others read.
My eyes were getting heavier. I yawned and quickly covered my mouth with my hand. I sank under the blanket and closed my eyes. Sleep came to me soon.
I had no idea how long I dozed off. I got up by the racket in the dorm and we were all ushered to the lounge room for breakfast. It was a buffet style banquet. I wasn’t very hungry but I got some fresh salmon and orange juice.
Once finished, I wandered around the spacious hall and took the other girls to closer study, now that I had rested.
They weren’t really space program quality. They were fit for fashion runways and magazine covers. Not this Intergalactic Service space program our bankrupt government splurged so much on. Why did they even bust their budget on this program when they were in debt?
I looked around at the interior of the lounge, soaking in the luxury it exuded. It reminded me that one time I went on a cruise trip with Ayesha. This looked exactly like it.
Sparkling crystal chandeliers glimmered in the middle of the carpeted hall. I wished we were in long dresses instead rather than this silvery spacesuit. The other girls didn’t seem to have a problem with it. Some had made friends and they chatted and laughed happily. Their voices reverberated through the immaculate glossy white walls.
The blonde girl from last night breezed in my direction and clinked her cocktail glass with my orange juice glass.
“You look like your husband just died. Cheer up.” She sipped her glass. It looked like a margarita. She looked around at the other happy girls and smiled to herself.
“I feel worse than that. I can’t share their joy
.” I glanced around and lowered my voice. “None of these make any sense. This is a space program, right? It looks more like a billionaire party to me. We haven’t got any briefing on our duties yet.”
“Calm your tits, Casdy. You will get to work soon. We’re just forty hours in the outer space.”
Forty hours? Did I sleep for that long?
“You don’t see the problem. This is a space program. You would think they would pick people who are better than this!”
A displeased look flitted on the blonde girl’s face. Then, I realized I went too far. I’d rather not have friends than make enemies here.