Realm I Page 3

  Atlas joined several other ships in the queue and waited for the gates to open. They had been lucky today; six out of ten ships had survived. Two of them were heavily damaged and were being towed back to the space station.

  Atlas tagged along with Prometheus, and Argon marveled at the latter ship’s beauty. The major part of the ship was an elongated section, which looked like a submarine without its starboard or aft fins. From the middle of this section emerged two broad wings, which curved backward. It had ten decks and a crew of 120. It was loaded with the finest technologies and weapons. As it looked somewhat like a scorpion, there was a debate regarding its name. The engineers argued that the ship should be called Scorpion, but the scientists disagreed, and their argument had won. Prometheus was a prototype of an experimental technology that could mask its presence. It could duplicate energy signatures and sneak behind other ships. Only at visual range could the enemy see the actual ship. Hence the name Prometheus, the trickster.

  The gates opened. One by one, they all returned to their realm. The small fleet moved toward the majestic Titan. Argon put Atlas on autopilot and sat back in his chair. He never knew why, but looking at Titan from the outside always made him nostalgic.

  The space station was as big as one of the craters on the moon, about 75 kilometers in radius and far heavier than anyone could imagine. Comprising of ten decks, it was like a city in space, a hub for research and military activity. It had two parts, the outer section and the inner section, and housed over twenty thousand colonists. Most of the civilian quarters were in the outer section. The eighteen ports supported by the outer section allowed trade ships and the Imperial Fleet to dock.

  The inner section was the heart of the space station and was linked to the outer rim by six strong, bulky tubular passageways. The bridge, engineering and research labs, and all essential departments were in this section. The Crystal Lab was the crown jewel of Titan. It was an astrometric lab with powerful equipment used to build star charts and study the origins of the solar system, galaxies, and other celestial bodies. Five entertainment sections were an attraction for a constant influx of tourists and colonists. The four conservatories were on Decks 1, 4, 6, and 9. In total, fifteen cargo bays were available in both sections to store several resources including food and fuel.

  The large ships flew toward the docking ports, and Argon and his squadron glided under Titan and entered the hangar deck. The hangar deck was an open space with clearly marked landing areas. The autopilot slowly set Atlas on Dock 52. Shutting all the systems, Argon got off his chair and rushed out of the cockpit. The exit door opened outward, and he rushed down the ramp. The hangar deck was overflowing with excited people talking in loud voices and celebrating. Excitement ran through his veins, and he looked for his friends.

  Byron rushed towards him.

  “We did it!” Argon cried out.

  “Yes!” Byron said happily.

  They hugged and patted each other.

  “That was amazing!” said Byron.

  “I know! I know! I never thought it would be so thrilling…”

  His friend smiled. “Not bad for our first one!”

  Argon thought about it, “Thanks for having my back,” he said.

  “My pleasure.”

  Byron was a strong, tall young man with straight silver hair. He had gray eyes, a square face, and a heavy jaw. Byron and Argon had been born only months apart, had gone to school together, and had just finished their training as cadets of the Imperial Command. But their goals were different. Byron had joined because one day, he wanted to be part of the tribunal and run the Imperial Command. Argon just wanted to fix his ship, Raven, and fly into the unknown. He was a pilot, born to fly, born to be free. Micah and Clio joined them. They embraced each other. Argon felt happy, he felt he had done something good in his life. Something that made a difference to his people.

  Argon stood on his toes and peered above the crowd. She wasn’t here. He’d thought she would come.

  “Argon!” called a voice.

  He turned and saw Selina, his sister, dodging groups of excited people.

  “Argon! Argon!” she screamed as she reached him. The nine-year-old girl clung to her brother like a cub hanging onto its mother’s belly. Selina had long blonde hair tied in two piggy tails and bright hazel eyes.

  Argon looked into her eyes, and his fears melted away. She was his angel. He didn’t care what happened to him. He took her in his arms and held her close.

  “You won! You won!” she said excitedly.

  “Yes, we did!”

  “I’m so glad you’re back!” Selina screamed over the noise.

  “Oh, darling!” called a soft voice.

  Argon turned, and there his mother stood, her hands close to her chest, her eyes filled with tears of joy, her face shining with the smile he would remember until the end of his life. She stepped forward and embraced him.

  Aceline stood out from everyone around her. Her thin body hid underneath her purple outfit, and she had high cheekbones, long eyelashes, and long wavy hair colored in the most beautiful shades of lavender.

  When he was a child, Argon hadn’t minded his mother looking different from other women, but as he’d grown older, it had begun to bother him. Many times, he had attempted to tell his mom to change, at least her hair. It was eye-catching, and he felt embarrassed. But he realized soon enough that he couldn’t do anything about it, as she was adamant about maintaining her appearance.

  “Hello, Mrs. Keston,” said Byron.

  “Oh, Byron, thank you for looking out for him.”

  “No problem.”

  “All officers report to meeting room six,” the computer announced. “All officers report to meeting room six.”

  Argon already felt like the celebration was over. He would have to face the consequences of his actions. With a heavy heart, he handed Selina to his mom.

  “I don’t care what they say or do. I’m proud of you,” said Aceline.

  “Thanks, Ma.”

  Argon watched as his mother, and sister disappeared into the crowd.

  “We’ve got to go,” Byron said.

  Argon nodded and cast his eyes around. There was one more person he wanted to see. He had so hoped she would come, but she had not.

  Titan, Deck 6, Meeting Room 6

  From the hangar deck, they took the elevator to Deck 6. The elevator was big enough to hold ten people and moved smoothly. Its walls were painted with broad strips of gray and white. Six bright lights hung overhead, and the floor was carpeted. The doors were made of glass. Argon observed the different levels as the elevator moved.

  Byron excitedly shared his plans for the rest of the day. But Argon felt his pulse rise as the elevator reached Deck 6. The glass doors slid open, and they entered the corridor. To their left were the curved glass windows that opened into space. To their right was a smooth maroon wall. The corridor was lit by long strips of lights on both sides. Today, the corridors were overflowing with people, as the crews from all the ships were pouring into the station. They walked toward a hefty door.

  Argon stepped forward and said, “Keston xalpha245.”

  “Authorization granted,” said a robotic voice.

  The heavy doors opened, and they marched ahead. They were now in the heart of the inner section where only authorized personnel were allowed. The crowd grew thinner, and silence fell around them. As they walked, they glanced at the figures behind the opaque white doors to their right. Titan’s internal security system comprised a small army of robots. They looked like ghosts, standing in rows, waiting to be awakened.

  “I wonder if we’ll ever use them,” Byron said.

  Argon slowed down to stand in front of one of the doors. He glared at the blurry figure. Even though it was powered down, he felt its eye on him. “I hope we never do,” he muttered.

  They entered meeting room six. The room was a well-lit spartan hall with a large elliptical-shaped black table in the middle. Several comfortable c
hairs sat on the spotless gray carpet. Three large windows opened into space, offering a partial view of two of Saturn’s moons. Argon rubbed his hands together, looking for the admiral.

  Suddenly, he became aware of a shadow. A group of captains approached the young men and thanked them for their bravery and support. Argon felt happy and surprised. He’d expected to be criticized.

  Anastasia stepped forward. “Good job, you two.”

  “Thank you,” Argon said.

  She looked him straight in the eye. “Next time, wait for orders.”

  He smiled sheepishly. It was obvious Anastasia would favor the Titan Squadron and she had a soft spot for people who lived on the space station. “I’m sorry if I crossed a line.”

  “You did.”

  Captain Mykel Lockhart stepped beside Anastasia. “Thanks for holding the fort,” he said, extending his hand in a calm, gentle manner. The captain of Prometheus was a smart, tall man with sharp features. His thick brown hair was parted to the right and bright blue eyes hinted a mix of kindness and shrewdness.

  “T-the pleasure was all mine, Captain,” Argon replied, feeling his pulse rise. “Y-you cannot imagine how happy I am to meet you!”

  Mykel smiled. “I’m glad to meet you too.”

  “Captain,” said Byron, extending his hand.

  Captain Lockhart looked a bit jaded to Argon, or perhaps he wasn’t as young and vibrant as when he left the solar system. That was four years ago, and he had been looking forward to seeing the Prometheus and meeting the man in person. Argon had followed the captain’s career, and one day he dreamt of being like him.

  Argon rubbed his hands together. It was difficult for him to contain his excitement; he was meeting his hero. “Is it true you’ve never lost a mission?” Argon asked.

  “Yes. I’ve been lucky, and I have a fantastic crew.” Mykel replied smiling.

  “So, what about Prometheus?” asked Argon.

  “An excellent ship. It’s done pretty well for its third mission. Although I think it needs refurbishment.”

  “What about the masking technology? Was it of any use to you?” asked Byron.

  “It works well. We didn’t need to use it until today.”

  Argon smirked.

  “Did you encounter any other alien life?”

  “Except the Orias, we have encountered no intelligent alien life.”

  Anastasia announced that the meeting would commence soon. Argon wished she hadn’t.

  Mykel looked them in the eye. “Cadets, if you ever need anything, let me know.”

  Argon and Byron glanced at each other. “Can we get a tour of the ship?” they asked in unison.

  Mykel laughed whole-heartedly.

  The meeting commenced. Admiral Jacob Donavan congratulated everyone, and he updated the group about their current situation. Four Earth ships had been destroyed. They had lost eighty-nine men and women. But there was no damage to the perimeter. Next, he announced a small celebration at 2100 hours at Midnight Orchid. It had been organized to honor those who’d laid down their lives to protect their home and those who’d fought and survived. Jacob shared with them that alien debris would be moved to Cargo Bay 16, and an engineering team would be assigned to study it. Then the topic shifted to repairs. Out of the six ships, only two were totally operative.

  “Argon, I expect you to help fix Freedom.”

  Argon nodded. He felt a knot in his stomach and was still unclear about where he stood.

  When the meeting was over, Argon found Jacob staring at him. Everyone else left, and the men sat in silence for a while.

  “You disobeyed a direct order, Cadet,” Admiral Donavan said finally.

  “I’m aware of that. But something had to be done,” Argon said, feeling a lump in his throat.

  “I know. I understand we need all the help we can get,” Jacob eyed Argon. “This time, you’re off the hook. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have my eye on you. Under my command, never break the rules again!”

  Argon gave him a cheeky smile.

  Titan, Deck 2, Crystal Lab

  The Crystal Lab was a spacious hall with multiple workstations along the wall. Two observatories were linked to the lab by narrow passageways. Each workstation was about two feet wide, fitted with the latest computers. The data and processing unit was a large rectangular structure that stood in the middle of the lab. Two rooms were located opposite the main glass door. One belonged to Dr. Kent, and the other was a meeting room.

  Dr. Kent was the head of the science department, and currently four students, including Emmeline, were his interns. They were on Titan to get their training to become astrophysicists.

  Emmeline Augury tried her best to focus, but she could sense everyone’s eyes on her. Especially Sela Kimber’s. Since Emmeline had returned from Observatory One, Sela had been watching her. She was a fellow cadet, one of Dr. Kent’s favorites. Emmeline wanted to sneak away to meet Argon, but she was worried that if she left, Dr. Kent would get mad at her.

  Emmeline was the most infamous cadet on Titan because she wanted to do things no one else would do. She was a plain girl whose nose was usually in books and computers. Her long black hair was always tied in a French braid. She had soft, expressive brown eyes, an oval-shaped face, and a long, thin nose. Today, like most days, she wore a white full-sleeve t-shirt with a light-gray jumper. Most days, Emmeline could be found hidden in a corner, glued to her desk, scanning, analyzing, and categorizing cosmological findings. This is why she was way ahead of other students, but this affected her personal life. She sometimes got so engrossed in her work that she forgot where she was. Just two months ago, she’d forgotten to attend her own twentieth birthday party, a mistake that had angered Argon so much that he hadn’t spoken to her for two days.

  Emmeline felt like she was invisible to the rest of the team most of the time. But she realized she actually preferred that because today, she was the center of attention. Without Dr. Kent’s authorization, she had snuck out of the lab to go to the observatory and study the cloud. She knew she was drawing unwanted attention and criticism to herself, but she couldn’t help it. She had to see it. The Orias cloud was fascinating. It was a mystery. It raised several questions in her mind. Where had it come from? What was its source? What was on the other side? She had to know.

  The doors to the lab opened, and Richard and Zack entered. Emmeline looked enviously at them. They had been to the bridge, working side by side with Dr. Kent. Emmeline liked her corner in the lab, but she didn’t want to be buried there. One day, she wanted to work on the bridge. Work without restrictions, without apprehension.

  Dr. Kent entered the lab, and Emmeline’s heart jumped to her throat. She watched him closely.

  “Emmeline, my office.”

  She glanced at Sela and saw her mouth curved into a smile. She lowered her head and followed her boss. He was her teacher, someone she cared for and admired, but at the same time he intimidated her. She entered the office, and the doors shut behind her. He sat silently in his chair. For several moments, his eyes remained fixed on her. Dr. Kent was much taller than Emmeline. His thick gray hair was parted to the right. He had small, dark, angular eyes and always wore a black stand-up-collared shirt, custom-tailored trousers, and black shoes.

  “I was trying to help,” Emmeline said before he could speak.

  “No. As always, you were trying to prove you are better than anyone else.”

  Emmeline bit her lip. She never felt that way. Instead, she wanted to be like others. “I thought the cloud . . .”

  “Have you completed the analyzes of the nebula we found two weeks ago?”

  “Err. Well, I’m halfway through.”

  “Not good enough. It should have been done last week.”

  Emmeline rubbed her palms together. “It has hundreds of elements.”

  “Don’t make excuses,” snapped Dr. Kent. “You are wasting your time looking at things you shouldn’t. You should follow procedures and orders. They are there for a
reason. And why did you call Commander Waters? You should have contacted me. You weren’t supposed to be in the observatory in the first place.”

  “Someone had to be. I didn’t have the time. The fleet . . .”

  “The fleet is none of your concern. You should stay away from it.”

  “But the Orias are an amazing phenomenon. Interesting. Enigmatic! The research involving the cloud . . .”

  “In which you will play no part.”

  Emmeline felt her heart crush into pieces. She couldn’t understand him. “But I already began the analyzes on the cloud,” she protested.

  “I know. Send me that data, and I will see if it’s any good. Trust me it is for the best.”

  Emmeline felt repulsed. She wanted to finish and send her findings to the Astrophysics Society on Earth. It was her theory, and they were her findings. For the last year, everything she had done had been scrutinized, rewritten, and forwarded. Then another thought came to her mind, it was her fault. She deserved it.

  “That’s all,” said Dr. Kent. “I want the analyzes on the nebula completed tonight.”

  Emmeline returned to her desk. She felt like crying, but she controlled herself. They already thought she was weak. Since she’d joined this group, they’d had their eyes on her, waiting for her to fail, and she felt like she did every day. When she’d started working here, she’d thought she could finish her projects quickly and move on. She had worked harder than anyone else. She had done in days what took everyone else at least a month. But it seemed her enthusiasm had worked against her. Even after all her efforts, she hadn’t gotten the credits she needed to complete her qualification. She was far away from being where Dr. Kent was, but these initial steps were proving harder than ever. No matter what she did, Dr. Kent was never pleased. In a way, it was her own fault. Her mind drifted to an incident a year ago. It was her fault, and she had to suffer.

  Everyone left except Emmeline. Tears rolled down her cheeks. The doors opened. Her face flushed when she saw Argon. She quickly wiped her eyes and approached him. “Hi. I’m so sorry. I should have come to the hangar. Are you okay? Is everyone okay?” she asked.