by Harp Truman
Fern couldn’t help herself. She ran and jumped on the bed with a loud squeal.
“This place is amazing,” she said.
Huck was happy she was happy. He hadn’t been sure how she was going to react to their new life, so it was nice to see her like this.
He continued exploring. There was a closet filled with clothes for him to wear.
“I didn’t want to tell you, but there’s something you need to see,” Fern said, pointing to a machine in the corner.
Huck’s eyes lit up. He was too shocked for words. It was a generator. They could eat anything they wanted, any time they wanted.
They had some of those back on Io Station but they were reserved only for the earthborn personnel. Huck turned to Fern, his face covered with a look of mischief.
“Should we do it?” he said.
Fern jumped off the bed and raced over to him.
“Hell yes,” she exclaimed.
Huck pressed a few buttons. A display came on and he pressed what looked like the tastiest ice cream sundae of his life. It only took a few seconds for the sundae to come out of the machine. It looked every bit as perfect as the picture. He took two spoons from the drawer next to the machine and gave one to Fern. She looked like a little child on Christmas day.
“You first” Huck said.
“No. Let’s do it together,” she said.
Together they linked arms and awkwardly tried to feed ice cream to each other. Giggling and laughing, they managed to put a spoonful of the delicious ice cream into each other’s mouths. Fern moaned in delight when she tasted it. She noticed that she had spilled a little on the side of Huck’s mouth and she licked her finger.
“One second, you got a little there,” she said as she wiped it away.
Huck didn’t know what to do. He wanted to tell her she had something on her lips and then kiss them, but he didn’t dare.
Instead, he said something entirely different.
“I think we better go to bed. I don’t know if they’ll let us stay in each other’s rooms like this.”
Fern looked disappointed but she agreed. She hugged him goodnight then disappeared through the door that connected their rooms.
Eleven
Huck walked into the hangar, full of aircraft, and was introduced to the four new team mates he’d be flying with.
The first was Eight Ball. They called him that because he was shaped like an eight ball, round and chubby like a ball. It was a wonder he fit into his spacecraft, let alone his flight suit. It didn’t matter though, because he was a fantastic pilot who was known for his ability to cut quick, sharp turns at any angle without losing consciousness.
Next was Chalice, a gorgeous blonde with a filthy mouth. She swore any time she could and didn’t care who was around to hear it. She was a conundrum. She looked like a movie star but she acted like a truck driver. She was blunt, hilarious and the clown of the group.
Then there was Tina. When it came to numbers, no one could beat her. She’d became a pilot through the unusual path of mathematics, when she created a new energy equation that allowed craft to fly faster with less fuel. She knew the maximum altitude of any craft in the armada, their fuel consumption rate, and the escape velocity needed for any atmosphere in the solar system. She was the brains of the group.
Last but not least was Edward. He was everything Huck had ever imagined for a pretentious, earthborn slime ball. He wore the most expensive clothes, had a tailor made flight suit, and used big words for no reason other than to show off and sound smarter than he was. He was a rich kid from Earth who only signed up for the armada to impress his father. He already hated Huck with a passion because of the competition he represented. He didn’t even shake his hand when he arrived, he just nodded and asked if he was even old enough to fly.
They all sat together for a team meeting run by Tina. She explained the basic team operations to Huck, as well as the rules for flying with a convoy. It was very different to what he was used to on Io. Back there, he could fly around and get lost and there was enough traffic that he’d get picked up and found fairly quickly if anything went wrong.
Convoy would be totally different.
They were in solar system space now, where there was still a lot of imperial traffic, and the closest outpost was never too far away. If something went wrong, help would be at hand. When they embarked on the convoy mission however, they’d be embarking on a six year, one way, interstellar journey.
The convoy ships were the only ships that would be out there, and they couldn’t stop or even slow down once they got going, let alone turn around for anyone who got left behind.
If Huck, or anyone flying maintenance, fell out of the slipstream created by the convoy’s capital ships, they would be left behind forever. They would be completely alone. They would die. The repair craft they used were fast but no where near as fast as the convoy.
It was as simple as that. Stay in the slip stream, or get left behind to die alone.
The team all knew each other. They’d worked together for a while. Huck’s first mission was his first real chance to show his new teammates what talents he brought to the table.
His mission was simple. One of the fuel chambers on the frigate wasn’t working at full capacity. He needed to get out there, change it, and bring the faulty one back in for engineering to get a look at.
Huck suited up and hopped into the repair craft. It wasn’t quite as slow and heavy as the rumblebugs back on Io, but it was a far cry from sexy. It had official armada logos plastered on the side and on the flight controls, and he’d been told they’d be adding the convoy logo when they got back to earth.
He gently angled his craft out of the hangar and made his way to the fuel chambers. It was a new experience to be out in deep space. It wasn’t that space was a completely new thing for him, he’d skirted on the edge of the cosmos when he broke the rules and left Io’s atmosphere, but seeing it without the lights from Io Station, or the plumes from the volcanoes, was new.
Also, the fact that he had to remain within the frigate’s slip stream or get left behind was new.
He dropped underneath the fuel chambers and flicked on the autopilot. As long as the craft stayed firmly in the slipstream of the frigate, a space of about fifty yards around the ship, he would be okay. He pulled out the controls for the retractable arms and maneuvered them efficiently enough. They were very similar to what he was used to on Io. Ee replaced the fuel chamber in good time.
“Good job, Huck!” Tina said through his comms system.
In the background he could hear Eight Ball and Chalice cheering him on. Huck didn’t hear Edward’s slimy voice and knew he was probably standing there with his arms crossed, pretending that nothing was happening.
Then something did happen!
The faulty fuel chamber suddenly burst, sending a plume of fuel and debris toward Huck. Alarms sounded immediately. One of the craft’s engines choked on the leaking fuel and stopped working.
Huck was losing speed and was falling out of the frigate’s slip stream. Because of the way the frigate’s cores were powered, it would be impossible for the ship to stop and pick him up. He’d be rescued eventually, but it would be a very humiliating start to his career with the armada.
There was a crackle on his comms. Tina was trying to reach him but it was no use, he was on his own. Thinking fast, he redirected power from the failing engine to the other one, creating a boost as the remaining engine’s power doubled. The force was unbalanced and threatened to throw him into a tailspin, but he fought against it, keeping the craft as straight as possible.
He breathed in sharply, holding his breath as he maintained his grip on the flight stick.
BOOM!
The second engine blew.
The craft listed ninety degrees and began to lose ground, drifting away from the open hangar. Without hesitation, Huck ejected from the craft, which fell away out of the frigate’s slipstream, into deep space to be lost forever.
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br /> He flew through the gap and slammed painfully into the walls of the hangar, certain he’d broken a bone. He held onto the edge of the hangar until the blast doors slammed shut behind him.
Instantly, his team ran to him, simultaneously commending his flights skills and checking to see what the toll had been on his body.
That’s when Huck saw it. Probably the only time he ever would.
Edward gave him a small, subtle nod of approval.
Twelve
Fern got dressed and made her way down to the bar for her first day of training. She was nervous but put on a brave face. The bar was super swanky with seats that moulded themselves to the wearer’s dimensions as they sat down. There were virtual tabs everywhere that scanned your eyes and synced to your personal tab on the ship. There was low background music that had been engineered to cause the eardrums to vibrate at a certain frequency that induced calmness.
The place couldn’t have been more different from what she was used to back on Io.
All the cocktails were unique recipes that had been designed specifically for the armada. They were supposedly the best cocktails that could be had off earth.
Paige was a waitress there who’d been instructed to show Fern around the bar and teach her the ropes. She was a rich kid from Earth with an infectious smile. Fern noticed that all her movements were different from her own. She was unlike any girl Fern had met before.
Fern walked up to Paige who was clearing away some bottles and introduced herself.
“Hey, I’m Fern. They said something about you showing me around?” Fern said.
Paige looked her up and down and grinned.
“Digging the eyes man! Where’d you get them?” Paige asked.
Fern shifted nervously.
“Actually, they’re mine. I was in a stupid accident as a kid, and when I woke up, they were like this.”
Paige was quiet for a moment.
“That is the best story I’ve heard for a long time. I’m Paige by the way.”
She put out a manicured hand and Fern took it. She was shocked by how perfect Paige’s nails were.
“From what I hear, you know your way around a bar,” Paige said.
“I think I can work this bar,” Fern said, “although it’s different from what I’m used to.”
“Fancier, right?”
“Right,” Fern said.
“So what’s your shark bait like?” Paige asked.
Fern had no idea what she meant and shrugged her shoulders.
“Oh wow, you really are a newbie, huh? Okay look, everybody on this ship is crazy rich and the men like to make it known,” Paige said.
She walked out from the bar and made her way over to Fern. She stood right in front of her.
“The men are like sharks, always hunting. You’ve got to draw them in.”
Paige leaned in to Fern and all Fern could think was how amazing she smelled.
“Then, when they think they have you, you flip them over.”
Paige suddenly drew back. She spun the glass she was holding in her hand and strutted away.
Fern watched on in astonishment. Paige’s hips swayed with each stride and she accented the curve of her ass by sticking it out.
“Now you’re watching me walk away,” Paige said, looking back over her shoulder.
Fern could only laugh. Paige ran back over to her with a huge grin.
“Wow. You are good,” Fern admitted.
“Why, thank you,” Paige said, flicking her hair. “You’ve got it too, you know.”
“You really think so?” Fern said, unsure of herself.
She’d always been good at handling guys at the bar, but that was on Io. No one had any money to speak of and Fern certainly hadn’t put any effort into working them for extra tips.
“Of course,” Paige said. “I can see it. It’s all about confidence, and besides, it’s just for the tips. You wouldn’t want to touch these sleazy guys with an ion core!” Paige said.
A thought then came to her.
“Well there was this one guy,” Paige revealed. She sat down on the seat next to Fern and it molded to her curvy body.
Fern sat up and paid attention, intrigued.
“His name was Tony. He was on a business trip. Said he worked for some satellite company. I’m not sure what they did. It was hard to listen with those dreamy eyes on you,” Paige said. “He stayed the whole night, throwing out bits of conversation when I wasn’t serving anyone. Next thing I know, we’re back at his place and boom!”
Paige leaned back in her seat with a deep moan.
“It was everything. He made me feel things you read about in the hologram magazines. He just hit those spots. You know what I’m talking about, right?” Paige said.
Fern looked away, embarrassed. She had no clue what Paige was talking about. She felt her cheeks redden.
“Oh honey, it’s fine. There’s no rush. Just make sure whoever the guy is, he gives you electricity,” Paige said with excitement.
She rushed forward, pulled Fern to her feet and started to dance with her around the room.
The evening progressed and the bar started to fill with men in tailored suits or fancy armada uniforms. The women had dresses that Fern had only ever seen on TV.
There was a general air of money in the room, and everyone looked absolutely flawless. Fern and Paige were taking orders at the bar. Fern had taken to heart the lessons Paige had taught her. She laughed more, regardless of whether the jokes were funny or not. She walked slower, swaying her ass from side to side like a fishing lure. She looked deeply into the eyes of her customers, inviting their compliments and flirtation.
Huck came in and took a seat at the bar. He laughed out loud when the seat molded itself to his body.
Paige came over to him and looked him up and down with a seductive grin.
“You’re a pilot, right?” she said.
Huck was amazed she knew who he was.
“How did you know?” he said.
“You look like somebody’s who’s good with their hands,” Paige said and bit her lip.
Huck was immediately smitten.
“I uh, I’m pretty good, I guess,” he managed to blurt out.
“Maybe I’ll find out one day,” Paige said. “One second, honey. I’ll be right back.”
Paige walked off with her iconic strut.
Huck watched her go. It was like she had put him under a spell.
From the far end of the bar, Fern saw everything.
She served a customer as she fought back her emotions. She was determined not to show anyone how she felt.
Thirteen
It was a day Huck and Fern would never forget.
They stepped off the spaceship and for the first time in their lives, got to see Earth as it really was, and not through a hologram. They never imagined how piercing blue the sky was. Or how birds flew so effortlessly in the air. And when they felt the true heat of the sun on their skin, not heat from an artificial source, they burst out laughing. The air felt so fresh, so inviting, for a second they opened their mouths and tried to taste it. Grass was also a totally new phenomenon. They picked blades of it and were in awe at its simplicity.
Shortly after their arrival, they were taken to the Armada Naval Academy in Annapolis for some medical testing and to be inducted into the armada officially. The medical testing facility looked like a huge cloud that had somehow settled on the ground. Everything there was lily-white, the uniforms, the equipment, even the eating utensils.
The doctor was a stiff lipped woman called Dr. Kind, which was ironic for somebody who was so harsh. Dr. Kind’s uniform was completely white, even her shoes, but every personal detail was black, from her hair and mascara to her nail polish and earrings. To top it all off, she never smiled once.
She also had a habit of talking down to people.
“So, you’re off-worlders,” she said while sneering at them through her glasses.
Fern and Huck looked at each ot
her, wondering if they had to take such disrespect. Yes, they had grown up poor with no hope of ever getting out of their situation, but that didn’t make them any less deserving of respect.
“We are,” Huck said, speaking for both of them.
“Hmm,” was all Dr. Kind said, and continued to read their medical files.
She promptly started to test them with everything she had, fitness tests, blood tests, sensory tests. For the next few hours, Fern and Huck felt like lab rats, ready to be put through every medical exam in existence.
They both knew that off-worlders were often seen as less than human by earth’s medical profession, and could be deprived of their rights. There had been numerous cases of new drugs for the earthborn being trialled on poorly paid off-worlders.
Something about Dr. Kind made them acutely aware of that fact.
“Now if you could both lie on your backs, you will feel a slight sensation for a few minutes,” Dr. Kind said.
She had them both lie down on beds and stuck a needle into them.
“What is that?” Fern asked.
“It’s a repair serum. It will reverse the radiation damage your cells have received on Io.”
Fern was about to say something when the serum kicked in and almost sent them both into shock. It was far more than just a slight sensation. It was as if every cell in their bodies were being activated at once. Luckily, it was only for a few seconds, otherwise they would have passed out from the pain.
After a few hours, the medical testing finally came to an end.
Huck was required to undergo flight tests for some of the armada officials. They were skeptical of the claims being made by Commander Keller and wanted to see why their youngest recruit ever was so highly regarded.
Huck went to find his craft, and suited up and got inside. It was a powerful craft, a test craft provided by the armada, but nothing like the cruiser he’d built back on Io. He lifted off and approached the sky test facility. The first test was a set of massive letters in the sky that spelled out the word armada. The test was a tradition for new recruits. Each letter had been bent and twisted into an awkward shape that Huck had to find a way to fly through. There was very limited space between each letter and he had to make very hard turns and angles. Most pilots failed the test numerous times before being admitted.