Starfall

by Chris Doverspike

  STARFALL

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 1

  I walk through the halls of the Transcendence Academy, a school of dreamers who aspire to become explorers of the stars. It started off as a small private academy established in 2085 after the discovery of Alpha, which is the first planet in the Nebula 9 galaxy colonized by humans over 200 years ago. Since it was founded, Transcendence academy has grown and flourished, quickly becoming a pinnacle for humans and now has an attendance of over 20,000 students and faculty.

  Not only has Transcendence Academy become a galaxy wide famous place of education for humans, through the years’ other Alien races have aspired to join the academy and become part of the Transcendence. The goal of the Transcendence is not to become militarized, but to explore new worlds and galaxies within the universe and expand our knowledge of the unknown. Which brings me to why I’m here.

  Since I was a child I’ve dreamed of seeing the stars, to explore the universe and learn firsthand about the known galaxies and the different Alien races that inhabit it. I’ve read about many different Alien species in the universe, in school they’ve taught us of the culture and how they differentiate from one another in terms of beliefs and appearance.

  Surprisingly, these species that were once thought to have giant heads and large, midnight colored eyes are not much different than humans themselves. In the beginning humans were viewed indifferently. Believed to have been arrogant, and stubborn, with little concern for anyone else. This sparked controversy across the galaxy and even resulted in what’s known as the Galactic War which was escalated due to the Nim’s hate for humans, and the Harca’s controversial acceptance toward them.

  The war went on for a good ten years before the treaty of Rannoch was signed, ending the war. Since the end of the war humans have been accepted across the known galaxies, that’s not to say there aren’t still some extremists who have yet to let go of the past. Many feel since we are in the year 2290 now, that it’s time to let go of the hate.

  I’m approaching Admiral Richards’ office. Located at the end of what feels like a ten-mile-long hallway. The admiral will decide if a cadet is ready to join a Transcendence crew, or if he or she will be waiting another year to be assigned. He basically decides who’s dreams come true, and who’s are crushed beneath rejection. Meeting with the Admiral marks the end of a long, grueling process that lasts five long days. During this week of evaluation there are three written exams with the goal of evaluating your mental capacity. The first written exam is based on your knowledge of the rich history of the academy, that one was easy as I’ve done more than enough research on the subject. The second written exam is based on what your focus is, there are many within the academy including: Advanced Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics, Engineering, Exoarchaeology, Exobiology, Probability Mechanics, Xenolinguistics, and Zoology. Just to name a few.

  I chose Engineering as my focus when I began here at the Academy three years ago, it came naturally to me due to my father’s knowledge of ships and how they run. He taught me a majority of his knowledge, which was a huge help during my time here. Call me overconfident but I know for a fact I passed with flying colors. The third exam baffled me, there was no passing or failing this one. We were tasked with writing an essay on ourselves. What our best and worst qualities are and what about ourselves needs improving. While writing this one, I kept thinking to myself, what’s the point? It’s just as easy to lie as it is to tell the truth.

  Aside from the three days’ worth of written exams, there were two other tests. A physical test that consisted of cardiovascular workouts such as obstacle courses, and resistance training which was a test of endurance. It wasn’t easy but I made it through without much problem. There was one last test known as the Saavik Test. In the test you’re the captain of a ship known as the TSS Phoenix. A ship famously known for being destroyed over the planet Atlas of the Atlantica Galaxy during the Galactic war. Many ships were destroyed over Atlas during the war, hence the reason for the famous planet’s nickname “The Ship Graveyard.”

  Atlas was inhabited by Humans, Nim, Harca, and Xero. The three races involved in the war and is why the planet was known as a neutral zone. During the war Atlas was completely leveled and what was once one of the most beautiful planets in the known galaxies, is now a debris field full of ruined cities and ships that met their demise.

  Not one member of Transcendence Academy has successfully completed the Saavik test since its introduction in 2087. The test recreates the events of the Galactic war, where the Phoenix was destroyed as a result of an ambush attack by the Nim military.

  During the test you’re joined by a crew of Cadets. Including: A helmsman who pilots the ship, and a copilot who is in charge of firing weapons and activating the ship’s shields. Their seats are next to one another’s, and neither can succeed without the other due to the weapon controls being on one side and the helmsman’s controls on the other.

  You’re given two choices during the test. One is too surrender your vessel, allowing your crew too become prisoners of war while avoiding an all-out attack and the possible deaths of your entire crew. The second is to contact reinforcements which quickly triggers an attack by the Nim which then your crew will run evasive maneuvers in attempt to survive the attack until reinforcements arrive.

  The test takes place in a training room, your entire test is observed on a teleprompter outside where the entire academy watches. I chose to risk contacting reinforcements; it didn’t end well. We were cut down almost immediately after I made my decision. I wasn’t happy.

  The Nim vessels fired upon my ship immediately after I made my decision. So fast that they would have had to bug my ship in order to have known I made such a choice. This made the test both unfair, and unrealistic. I lost my head and exited the training room, refusing to talk to Admiral Richards who is in charge of overlooking every test. I don’t regret what I did. I never regret the choices that I make simply because there is no way of changing your decisions in life.

  Now I’m not doubting that the Admiral is pissed because of my antics but I’m confident this won’t affect my evaluation. And why would they? My family name alone should cement my place within Transcendence. My father is a legend. Earning multiple medals for his time in the service. He was killed during a routine run in uncharted space. It was never specified what he and his crew were searching for nor did they ever find out what really happened to them, or how they disappeared. Some say their ship was destroyed by an exploding sun, others say they misread the charts and were sucked through a black hole.

  Nobody really knows what happened, the only confirmed story was that communications cut off shortly after they reached the unexplored galaxy. I was seventeen at the time so I could care less about the conspiracies, all I knew is that my father died, he was my hero, my idol. He was the reason I wanted to join Transcendence in the first place. To do what he did and live up to his potential.

  My mother helped me through my father’s death. She was strong when I was weak. Until one day she fell into a deep depression. Locking herself in her room for days on end. When she did come out she would rarely speak to me, even ignoring me when I tried talking to her. I went through this for about a week before I took her to the hospital. The doctor told me she wasn’t responding when he asked her how she was feeling, or if she was in pain, all his questions were met with silence.

  Two weeks later she passed away. They found nothing abnormal during her autopsy and modern medicine is very advanced, yet
the doctors couldn’t find anything? It baffles me to this day. I lived with my aunt and uncle for about six months, until I was eighteen. They were the only family I knew besides my parents, the rest of my intermediate family moved off planet years ago. Not that I knew them much anyways considering they rarely spoke to us when they lived on Jarou. On the day I turned eighteen I enlisted in Transcendence. This came as no surprise to my aunt and uncle considering I told them I was going to enlist on the day I came of age.

  They were good to me. They tried their hardest to make Jarou still feel like home. I grew up on Jarou over in the Helix galaxy, it’s a middle to high class planet, in fact it’s the richest planet in the Helix system. Which isn’t saying much considering Helix is one of the poorest of the known galaxies. As much as I love Jarou I don’t think I’m ever going back. There are just too many bad memories that linger there. Maybe one day I’ll return, but right now Jarou is a planet I plan to avoid.

  I’m taken aback by what’s within Admiral Richards’ office. There are shelves full of artifacts from different worlds, most of which I’ve never even heard of. Among the artifacts are vintage electronics. Such as old televisions, computers, radios, among other vintage items that have been replaced by more advanced technology through the years. There’s a hologram communications unit beside the Admiral’s desk, a small platform with a neon red light outlining it. We call them Holos to shorten its unnecessarily long name. Holos were created and developed during the 22nd century but didn’t find their footing until the 23rd century. They have been a cultural necessity ever since. The Admiral is behind his desk which is lined with miniature starship models. As well as a small vintage record player in the top corner. I approach his desk slowly, my emotions are fluctuating between nervousness and excitement.

  Not that I’ve never met the guy, I’ve just never had the privilege of being in his office. The Admiral isn’t the most social with the students here at the academy. Doing these evaluations every year is probably the only time he says more than a few words when speaking to anyone other than the instructors. I met him one other time. On the day I turned in my paper work for the Academy he said to me “I knew your father. I’m sorry for your loss. He was a great man.” Other than that he hasn’t said much to me since.

  However, I do recall a time when he told me a story involving my father. The admiral was a decorated captain back when my father was a cadet here at the academy. It was many years ago, obviously. Admiral Richards was in the ballad of election to become the first human council member. The ballad is voted on by the council themselves. It’s never been specified why citizens of the known galaxies don’t get a vote, or even a say on who the candidates are. I honestly think they look at themselves as superior to regular citizens, which is complete bullshit if it’s true. Especially since they view humans as a second rate species and rarely provide assistance when it’s requested. That in itself makes them unqualified to have a say on anything in my opinion.

  The Admiral’s story was a tough one to hear. He told me when he heard the news he had mixed emotions toward it. What was their reasons, why are they choosing to do this now? To him it didn’t add up, but to them it made perfect sense. Admiral Richards has always been known to despise the Council’s methods. Which is why the decision left him indifferent towards it. But when you get nominated into the Ballad of only four candidates, you’re forced into it without a say in the matter.

  Where my father fit into this story was enough to baffle anyone who heard it. The day the Admiral was being evaluated by the council, he was also being shadowed by a group of cadets from the academy, among them was my father. A Nim councilman was aboard Admiral Richard’s ship, observing a routine mineral probing in the 12th Galaxy, a wealthy galaxy that features some of the most luxurious planets in the known galaxies.

  There was a distress call coming from a damaged starship in the outer rim of the 12th galaxy. He didn’t give much detail about what happened after that but he told me he had a heated debate with the Nim councilman over his decision to answer the distress call. All I know is it turned out being an ambush by a pirate fleet. A lot of people lost their lives that day, including three cadets. After the incident Admiral Richards’ name was pulled from the ballad and his privilege to command a starship was nearly revoked.

  I stand before Admiral Richards. He doesn’t say a word to me as he gets up from his chair. He deactivates the virtual interface on his desk. Virtual interfaces, or VI for short have replaced computers almost indefinitely. They are portable, pen sized tech that activate at the touch of a button. Just imagine a virtual laptop that can be activated and deactivated simply by pressing a button. Every file you have stored can be accessed at any place, at any time. No connections are necessary, and it’s even self-recharged whenever the user deactivates it. The battery replenishes itself over a short span of time. VI has become almost a second religion to a lot of people, it’s even used for interfaces in starships, and even in stores that accept virtual currency.

  His back is turned to me. Not a word is exchanged between us for the longest few seconds of my life. His silence makes me even more anxious than I was before I entered his office. “I’m going to be straight forward with you Stella. You’re not ready for this.” The Admiral finally breaks his silence His blunt words of rejection hit me like a knife through the heart. “Are you fucking with me right now?” I reply. Letting my emotions get the better of me as if I have no control over them. “I’ve spent three long years in this academy, learning, preparing myself for this moment. I’ve aced all my classes, with flying colors. I think I’m even better than my instructors.” I shout toward the Admiral, unable to control my emotions.

  “This is why you’re not ready. Yes, you’re a bright student, one of the best…” “One of the best?” I cut him off, with obvious sarcasm. He knows I’m the best. “This is why you’re not ready. There’s not an ounce of humility in you. You think you can’t make mistakes. But out there, beyond this world there’s gonna come a time when you realize that you’re wrong. And you’re gonna get yourself, and your entire crew killed.” He tells me with authority. “You think I’m a liability? I know what’s going on out there, I know the stakes. I’m not like these other cadets, I’m the best, like my father before me.” I say to him, trying my hardest to shift his decision.

  “Your father was a great captain, and a great man. He was humble, he never thought of himself as a legend. You’re not like him, you’re arrogant. Speaking to a superior officer like you’re the authority? I can ruin you and any chance you have at becoming part of Transcendence. Maybe you’ll be ready next year.” He tells me. I slam both my hands on his desk out of anger. “I’m not waiting until next year. I’m ready now!” I shout but my demand only enrages the Admiral. “Get the hell out of my office before I ban you from Academy grounds.”

  I can see the Admiral is deathly serious, there’s no getting through to him. I calm myself as I lift my hands off his desk. I should feel ashamed of myself for losing my temper but I don’t in the slightest. I deserved this more than anyone, I worked the hardest and I know I’m the best. But I’m done arguing here. Admiral Richards points me to the door and although I have a few choice words left in me, I take my leave. I’d rather live to fight another day than lose everything in this moment.

  I walk through the sliding doors of the Admiral’s office and back down the hallways, which seem a lot shorter than before. Questions run through my mind. What did I do wrong? What am I going to do now? Do I really want to spend another year here, just to get the same results again next year? That’s when it hit me. Why wait around and waste another year, when I can just do this on my own? I have the knowledge needed to fly a ship, hell I could even build my own ship if I wanted to.

  I don’t need the admiral’s permission to explore the galaxy, nor do I need a crew to slow me down while I do. I take a seat on one of the benches in the hallway, I’m in my own world of thought right now. I’m not sure if this would be the smar
test thing to do right now, if I get caught I’m definitely done for. You know what? Fuck the academy, what have they done for me? I deserve this more than anyone. The academy has dozens of personal starships around the academy.

  I can easily operate one, I’ve flown one a few times actually. The cadets always flew them for test missions to help us better understand how starships operate and what we’ll be required to do once we actually join a crew. It’ll be a piece of cake. I just need a few days to think this over. I smile at the possibilities that can come of this. Weighing the pros and cons, there’s more positives than negatives. And considering they don’t expect someone to steal a training vessel, actually getting my hands on one won’t be too hard. I want to give this more thought but right now my mind is set. I’m going to steal a starship from the academy.

  Chapter 2

  I walk the campus of the Academy. Situated atop a ridge overlooking the city’s skyline. The academy is a massive fifteen story tall building, its glass texture shines as the sun reflects off it. The architecture is modern, curved as if someone twisted it after construction was complete. The campus itself seems endless. Students manage to fill the walkways though, expanding the campus has been a topic often discussed but it never leads to anything.

  Personal starships line the front of the academy for easy access when needed for student missions assigned by instructors. A student mission can range anywhere from probing for elements within the Nebula 9 galaxy, to something simple like learning how to pilot the starship itself. It’s not often that I’m assigned these missions, but when I am, I relish it, being in space and not confined to this planet, or the academy always manages to put a smile on my face.