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Authors: Christopher L. Anderson
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worry, by the end of the day we’ll all have filled out so many you’ll see them in your sleep!”
They all laughed, and then James stepped up.
“Are we going in the right direction,” he asked, not shy about being lost in this new place. “This is like nothing I’ve ever seen or imagined. I think they goofed.”
“Who?”
“Whoever sent me here,” he laughed.
Alexander introduced James to Treya, adding, “We’re all from Vashon Island, North America.”
“All of you are from the same place; it must be a big island. I’m Treya, and I’m from Chem City. I’m the only one from my planet in this class.”
“Chem,” James exclaimed. “You’re really from Chem?”
The Chem were allies of the Terrans. It wasn’t always so, but the Chem and Terrans discovered they had far more in common than they realized. After a short time of rough relations, Terra and Chem became fast friends. It was the Chem who rescued Alexander from the Methuselans. It was in repayment for the Terran First Fleet, the Flagship Fleet, which emerged out of superluminal at the last possible moment, outnumbered and unafraid to defend the Chem Homeworld against the Methuselan invasion armada.
“Yes, but I’m part human; my parents and grandparents served in the Fleet, all the way back to my great grandfather and great grandmother. It’s in my blood, so to speak. We better get going, we’ve only got a few more minutes.” As they walked Treya asked if any of them had relatives in the Fleet or Legions.
James simply laughed, and Lisa told her about her own parents, who were Citizens after serving in the Peace Corps. Then they reached the Stern section of the terminal. The Alpha section was first. Alexander found Alpha-23 and slung his duffle bag onto the seat. “My Dad served in the Fleet as an Officer, and now he has his own ship. It’s just a freighter though.” He was kind of embarrassed now. His family didn’t have anything like that kind of history. His father served for thirty years as a Watch Commander. He served with distinction, but he retired early—for the first time Alexander wondered why—because instead of finishing his Service his Dad now trundled out to asteroid mines and drove hay across the island. He had a sudden chill settle in his stomach. To try and salvage the situation, he added, “His last post was fifteen years on the Enterprise . He went to the core of the galaxy. It sounds pretty cool, but all he ever said about it was there were a lot of old, old stars.”
“I’m sure my father knows him. He was the Chem Liaison Officer for that cruise,” she said with a feral smile, showing her sharper than human teeth.
“Maybe,” he said, not wanting to delve into it any further.
“I’ll check with my Dad, he told me to be on the lookout for cadets of his shipmates.”
Alexander wasn’t so sure he wanted her to find out how anonymous his Dad was, but what could he say? He heard his name. He looked back and saw Lisa. She was standing there looking at him, then at Treya and then back at him.
“Are you sure I’m not in the way of anything Alexander,” Treya asked.
“No,” he said more quickly and more forcefully than he intended.
“Shouldn’t we get to the rotunda,” Lisa reminded them both. “We can check out each other’s families later.”
“Are you sure Alexander is allowed to have other friends?” Treya asked, and a hint of purple colored her eyes.
Lisa scowled, “Of course he is; why should I care?”
“Shouldn’t we get going?” Alexander interjected, wondering if he could actually be the cause of this uncomfortable situation.
The girls looked at each other, and laughed together, “He’s blushing.”
Alexander felt his face flush and tried to stifle a grin, but that only made them giggle. Fortunately, a strident voice accosted them over the loudspeakers. “Cadets, assembly is in ten
They all laughed, and then James stepped up.
“Are we going in the right direction,” he asked, not shy about being lost in this new place. “This is like nothing I’ve ever seen or imagined. I think they goofed.”
“Who?”
“Whoever sent me here,” he laughed.
Alexander introduced James to Treya, adding, “We’re all from Vashon Island, North America.”
“All of you are from the same place; it must be a big island. I’m Treya, and I’m from Chem City. I’m the only one from my planet in this class.”
“Chem,” James exclaimed. “You’re really from Chem?”
The Chem were allies of the Terrans. It wasn’t always so, but the Chem and Terrans discovered they had far more in common than they realized. After a short time of rough relations, Terra and Chem became fast friends. It was the Chem who rescued Alexander from the Methuselans. It was in repayment for the Terran First Fleet, the Flagship Fleet, which emerged out of superluminal at the last possible moment, outnumbered and unafraid to defend the Chem Homeworld against the Methuselan invasion armada.
“Yes, but I’m part human; my parents and grandparents served in the Fleet, all the way back to my great grandfather and great grandmother. It’s in my blood, so to speak. We better get going, we’ve only got a few more minutes.” As they walked Treya asked if any of them had relatives in the Fleet or Legions.
James simply laughed, and Lisa told her about her own parents, who were Citizens after serving in the Peace Corps. Then they reached the Stern section of the terminal. The Alpha section was first. Alexander found Alpha-23 and slung his duffle bag onto the seat. “My Dad served in the Fleet as an Officer, and now he has his own ship. It’s just a freighter though.” He was kind of embarrassed now. His family didn’t have anything like that kind of history. His father served for thirty years as a Watch Commander. He served with distinction, but he retired early—for the first time Alexander wondered why—because instead of finishing his Service his Dad now trundled out to asteroid mines and drove hay across the island. He had a sudden chill settle in his stomach. To try and salvage the situation, he added, “His last post was fifteen years on the Enterprise . He went to the core of the galaxy. It sounds pretty cool, but all he ever said about it was there were a lot of old, old stars.”
“I’m sure my father knows him. He was the Chem Liaison Officer for that cruise,” she said with a feral smile, showing her sharper than human teeth.
“Maybe,” he said, not wanting to delve into it any further.
“I’ll check with my Dad, he told me to be on the lookout for cadets of his shipmates.”
Alexander wasn’t so sure he wanted her to find out how anonymous his Dad was, but what could he say? He heard his name. He looked back and saw Lisa. She was standing there looking at him, then at Treya and then back at him.
“Are you sure I’m not in the way of anything Alexander,” Treya asked.
“No,” he said more quickly and more forcefully than he intended.
“Shouldn’t we get to the rotunda,” Lisa reminded them both. “We can check out each other’s families later.”
“Are you sure Alexander is allowed to have other friends?” Treya asked, and a hint of purple colored her eyes.
Lisa scowled, “Of course he is; why should I care?”
“Shouldn’t we get going?” Alexander interjected, wondering if he could actually be the cause of this uncomfortable situation.
The girls looked at each other, and laughed together, “He’s blushing.”
Alexander felt his face flush and tried to stifle a grin, but that only made them giggle. Fortunately, a strident voice accosted them over the loudspeakers. “Cadets, assembly is in ten
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