Initiation Series: Series One Compilation (Terran Chronicles)

by James Jackson

  Dave nervously glances at Brett. He has deployed the chutes very early, but his gamble has paid off, so far. The command module passes its designated splash down area, still high in the sky. The safety of the ocean below, gives away to land, as strong winds push the craft farther and farther off course.

  Brett gives Dave a thumbs up in excitement. No one on board has any idea that they are now over land, and not the relative safety of the ocean.

  Far below, a young couple is walking along a hillside pathway, holding hands. Looking up at the sky they stop, then cover their mouths in astonishment. The sight of the command module swinging downward on its parachutes is totally unexpected. The couple runs to the top of the small hill, to see where the module will land.

  The young man pumps his fist into the air. “Oh YES! Go… Go… Go!” he cheers excitedly.

  Going along with his enthusiasm, the girl follows his gaze, then smiles. “Do you think they’ll make it?” she asks curiously; her eyes dart from the module to a nearby lake.

  “Dunno, but I hope so,” The young man replies, and then almost absent mindedly, he adds, “Pretty sure that’s the Artemis crew.”

  The couple squeezes their hands tightly together as the craft gets closer to the ground, and the lake.

  SPLASH

  The couple cheers as the module splashes into the water. It bobs up and down while the parachutes land all around it. They look like giant lily pads to the young couple. The four men inside are jolted by the hard landing, but grin excitedly none-the-less.

  Brett unclasps his belts, releasing himself from his chair. He turns to his crew, and issues one last order. “Let’s get outta here.”

  The couple runs down the hill toward the bobbing space module. Even before they reach the bottom, they spot several ground vehicles approaching the lakeside. The vehicles are those used by disaster responders. Lights of every color splash around, while sirens wail. As each vehicle arrives, it parks and disgorges a handful of people. Some use special tape to mark where any spectators should stop, while others inflate small watercraft, and swiftly paddle out to the floating module.

  Brett holds on to the back of his chair for balance, and watches the others unbuckle themselves, and stand up. He is grinning like a fool and says excitedly, “Great work men! We’ve made it.”

  Larry stares at Tom, who is looking quite pale. How on Harthos he passed the medical tests, I will never know. “C’mon Tom, let’s get out of here.”

  Dave stares at his controls, then it dawns on him. “We have to blow the hatch to get out, but when we do, I think we might start to sink.”

  Brett frowns, then tilts his head, and says. “Well, let’s wait till we know someone is outside.”

  “Hey, open up the view ports!” Without thinking, Larry leans over and opens them all. Air rushes in through the broken window as the pressure equalizes. Everyone shakes their heads as their ears pop with the sudden change in pressure. The module lurches suddenly, almost knocking them all off their feet.

  CLANG… CLANG…

  The sound of hammering reverberates through the tiny cabin.

  Larry holds his ears and shouts. “Alright, we hear you! We’re coming out.”

  Dave hesitates for a few seconds, looks around, and gets a nod from Brett. He flips a series of switches. Popping sounds come in through the broken window, followed quickly by the sounds of cheering. A large panel blows away from the module, and splashes into the lake.

  Brett steps to the opening and smiles at the sight of the blue waters. The unexpected sight of the nearby hill causes him to frown. “Hey, I think we missed the ocean, and landed in a lake instead.”

  Tom faints, this last piece of news is just too much for him to cope with. Larry shakes his head in disappointment. The three men manage to carry Tom out through the hatchway, and onto a waiting boat.

  Their euphoria of arriving home quickly fades as they are whisked away in government vehicles. The four men are transported separately in the back of windowless vans. Unbeknownst to them, they all arrive at the same facility.

  Dave stares at the white walls and grey floor before him. A nearby man silently beckons for him to step out. Dave follows the man into a large room, the desk and chairs all evidence of the upcoming debriefing. His escort has not said a word, and now silently points to a doorway.

  Dave walks to the room indicated then grins excitedly. “Oh my. A shower, and fresh clothes. Harthos be!”

  Larry, Brett, and Tom, are also relishing their first proper shower in over three years. The body wipes used during their mission were a poor substitute. Each of the men also enjoys a light meal. This is intended to let their bodies adjust from the semi-liquid proteins consumed during the voyage.

  Dave is led to the table by another silent escort. Two well-dressed men sit in chairs, an array of equipment spread out among them. One of the men indicates for Dave to sit in a similar chair opposite them. He does so, and then looks at each of the men in turn.

  “Okay. Why am I here? Where are the others?” Dave demands.

  The two men look up. One flips a switch on a large box that rests next to him, and gives the other man a nod.

  The second man suddenly speaks; his voice has a soft soothing tone to it. “My name is Charles, this is Sam,” he says motioning to the man next to him. “You are being debriefed separately, as part of our normal procedure. Now, we have a lot of questions for you.”

  Dave sighs. Government types.

  The questions go on and on, as do the hours. Finally, Charles leans down and takes something out of a case. He then puts a large picture on the table. “Tell us what you know of them?”

  Dave stares at the picture, his eyes boggling. The alien towers over the Supreme Ruler of Pythos, standing at least twice his height. The pair stands side by side, suggesting a peaceful intent. The creature’s skin is a variety of shades of green, its yellow eyes with vertical irises give it a chilling effect. The creature’s mouth juts outward, sharp teeth clearly evident. Bony spines on its forearms add to the macabre appearance.

  Dave stares at the picture for long seconds, then stands up and backs away from the table. “What’s going on here?” he says fearfully.

  “Just tell us what you know.” Charles repeats.

  Dave replies bluntly, “All I know is that after three years in space, I come home to a space battle. Now you show me a picture of our leader with an alien, and you want me to tell you what I know? I will tell you what I know. Harthos is a barren rock, the trip was a complete waste, and there is no life there!”

  The two men stare dispassionately at Dave, Sam adds to his written notes, while Charles merely continues to stare. Dave stares back, gulps, and sits back down. Silence fills the room.

  Finally, Dave cannot stand the silence anymore. He points at the picture and asks. “Is this why you stopped transmitting a year ago?”

  The two men whisper quietly to each other, then Charles turns to Dave. He shakes his head and sighs. “Just like the others, he has no idea.”

  Charles slumps a little in his chair, clearly disappointed. He sighs again, then continues, in a softer tone. “About a year ago, Pythos was struck by a massive meteor shower. We lost every satellite, the orbital platform that was tracking your ship, and all eight ground stations designated to send and receive communications.”

  Charles glances at Sam, then continues. “The aliens call themselves Gamin. They arrived after the impacts, transmitting messages of peace. We don’t have any powerful weapons anyway, so we accepted the peace offer. Like we really had a choice,” he scoffs. “The Gamin took a lot of minerals and some food. In exchange, they gave us some technology.” Charles pauses for a moment, then shares his thoughts. “They really didn’t take much food, perhaps it wasn’t to their liking?”

  Sam stands up, then speaks quietly into a small transmitter. Dave watches with interest as he quietly converses with an unseen person. Charles also waits for Sam, his curiosity quite piqued.

  Sam
stops listening, then while nodding to Charles, motions for Dave to get up. “Follow me.” He orders.

  Dave follows the pair, and is lead into a spacious area with plenty of comfortable chairs. A central table stands out; it is covered in food. He grins, Larry, Brett, and Tom, are already piling up their plates with a variety of delicious looking pastries.

  Charles smiles, and points to the table. “Don’t eat too much, but everything has been cooked with your needs in mind. It will take your bodies time to re-adjust.”

  Dave walks to the table, movement near a pair of doors almost causes him drop his plate. The Supreme Ruler of Pythos casually walks into the room. Dave gulps as the planet’s ruler strolls toward the table. He quickly puts his plate down and stands with his hands behind his back. Everyone else in room gets to their feet and also places their hands behind their backs in respect.

  The revered man stops, then lifts both of his hands outward. “Welcome home brave men. Welcome to a new world.”

  Dave racks his brain trying to recall his name, he never had much time for politics. With no one else saying anything he steps forward, bows his head, and answers. “Sir, it was our duty and honor to go on the Harthos mission.”

  “Yes, yes,” replies the man, almost dismissively. “But now we have a new frontier.”

  Dave frowns in confusion as the venerated man puts a hand on his shoulder. The supreme ruler is touching me, oh my! Dave thinks, awed by the occasion.

  The Supreme Ruler continues speaking. “We are going to collect all of that wreckage that’s floating in space. I am sure we will find things we can use.”

  Dave grins, then suddenly realizes what is going on. With an inward groan, he looks over at his three ship mates. We’re going back into space.

  Chapter Two - Oh No, Not Again

  Luckily for Dave and his three compatriots, they will not have to return to space for quite some time. They spend the next few days answering questions about their adventure. There are interviews, then media talk shows. As the four become global celebrities, everyone wants to know about the space battle. Few seem concerned with the actual three-year mission. The days begin to blend together. The initial excitement of being sought after soon fades as the questions remain the same.

  The four men return to their government assigned quarters after an easy day only to be met by a pair of men in suits.

  Dave frowns, then as he identifies the pair, grins. He says excitedly. “Sam, Charles, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

  Sam nods while Charles motions for the four men to follow. Sam offers a thin smile and says. “This way men, there is something else for you to see, and try.”

  Dave is perplexed. See and try? But he, like the others, obediently follows the government men. The group of six walks along, finally coming to a checkpoint where armed guards stand vigilant. Once past the guards, they enter an elevator which takes them deep underground. Dave frowns at this, there were no guards when the Supreme Ruler came to see them. What could be more important than their leader?

  Arriving at their stop, they exit the elevator and walk onward. A few minutes later the group arrives at massive doorway, with even more guards. Dave has never in his life noticed so many armed guards. Pythos is a planet united, there were no wars, nor enemies. Well I suppose, there are always the outlaws, he thinks.

  The door swings open on its massive hinges, revealing a large room filled with scientific types wearing fancy laboratory shirts. Dave looks at his colleagues in curiosity, then walks into the room. His jaw drops at the sight. Seven body sized, metallic-looking suits rest against the far wall. Each looks like peeled fruit, with their open front sections resting on metallic legs. A clipboard carrying scientist walks up to the four men, then leads them toward the alien gadgets.

  Another of the scientists sets up a camera, then with a friendly smile points toward the far wall. “Each of you will step backward into an augmenter.”

  None of the four move, at first.

  Brett licks his lips nervously, then looks around. “Uh, why us?” He asks pointedly.

  The scientist with the clipboard frowns, as though the answer were obvious. “With these alien-made bodysuits you will be able to disassemble and assemble all kinds of things. They are full body construction suits. We call them augmenters because you will have enhanced abilities,” he pauses, then adds, “if you’re compatible.”

  Dave tilts his head as the last words ring out.

  Tom looks around frantically, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. “You can’t make me,” he stammers, backing away.

  Brett shakes his head and sighs. I am their commander, better set an example. “Well, there is nothing to it, right? Just step into one of those things?”

  When all Brett gets from the pair of scientists are silent nods, he shrugs his shoulders and walks boldly to the nearest suit. He gulps, turns around, and steps backward into it. Dave watches in alarm as the alien contraption closes, encasing their commander. Seconds later the suit opens, Dave tumbles out, falls to his hands and knees. He suddenly and violently vomits up all over the floor.

  The scientists shake their heads, then one makes a note on his clipboard. He points to Dave with his pen and says. “Your turn.”

  Dave feels a chill crawl down his spine, then, with one more glance at Brett, walks over to the alien suits. He steers well clear of the mess on the floor. Stopping before a different suit, he turns around, and steps backward into it. The chest area closes around him, as do the legs, then arms. Finally, a helmet swings down obscuring his vision. An array of colors bombard his senses, yet they do not seem to come from the visor. A tingling sensation crawls across his scalp, the colors change, become less random and more coherent. Dave takes a deep breath, and then closes his eyes. A mild nauseous feeling starts in his stomach, but with his eyes closed and by breathing regularly, the ill feeling passes quickly.

  A third scientist stands nearby, a stop watch ticking in his hands. He lifts a hand up, then after two minutes, gives an excited wave. “He has passed the critical point, just a little longer and he will have control of the suit.”

  Dave opens his eyes, the scientist’s words coming to him clearly through some unseen speakers. He lifts his arm, then tries to see the results through the opaque visor. Much to Dave’s delight, the visor goes transparent, allowing him to see clearly. He stares at the stubby end to the arm puzzled, there are no hands, or anything, just a blunt end. Wonder what else I can do in this thing? He ponders curiously.

  Larry and Tom stare in disbelief as Dave begins to walk around the room, the metallic suit fully encasing him. Scientists follow Dave around the room, recording everything. Charles stares in disbelief as well, then shares his thoughts.

  “Those aliens tried thousands upon thousands of people, with little to no success. I think it’s funny that one of the few compatible people was off world when they were here.”

  Larry, not wanting to be shown up, walks over to another of the alien made suits. Tom reluctantly follows, selecting one for himself. With a quick glance at each other they step backward into their respective suits. Both men exit very quickly, sick to their stomachs. Larry staggers around, while Tom falls to the floor, retching.

  Dave stops his random walking, the suit opens, and then he steps out. “Oh my. That thing is awesome!”

  Noticing Larry and Tom, Dave’s enthusiasm wanes. Turning to a group of scientists, he asks. “Why does it work for me, and not the rest?” He glances back at the alien suit, perplexed. He is conscious of his bald head, as he stares at the others.

  The scientist with the clipboard is busy making notes. He looks up at the question, his mind occupied. “We don’t know why,” he goes back to his notes, then stops. Looking over toward the suits, he continues, “We do know the suits use a neurological connection. This direct stimulation of the brain is too much for most. Less than one in a thousand are able to even tolerate the suits, even fewer can walk around. Creating objects is a task that less than one in
ten thousand have mastered.”

  Dave walks back over to the suit he was using; he runs his hands over the metallic surface. “Why would the aliens just leave these behind?”

  The scientist scratches his head, “That is another question we don’t have an answer to. We found these at the alien construction platform, just sitting there.”

  Dave chuckles, “It sounds like the aliens wanted us to test ‘em out.”

  The scientist stares at Dave, “That would save them a lot of time, wouldn’t it. Leave some laying around, we find people that can use them. They come back and…” his voice trails off. He frowns, it can’t be that simple. He scratches his head again, could it?

  The next few days are a whirlwind of activity as Dave learns how to use the alien contraption. One particular afternoon he is tremendously excited as returns to his quarters.

  Finding his crew mates, Dave blurts out his latest achievement. “I was able to make a tool that absorbs things.” He stares at the blank expressions from Brett, Larry, and Tom, then tries to describe what he did. “I was in the suit, and I thought about making stuff. This tool suddenly appeared at the end of the suit’s right arm. I was able to,” he pauses trying to find the right word, “absorb things.”

  The three men simply nod, though not with any real enthusiasm. Brett sighs, and steps to Dave. Putting a hand around his shoulder, he talks quietly, his voice subdued. “We would be thrilled for you, but today we found out that we’re going back into space.”

  Dave frowns, “That’s old news. We have known that for a while.”

  Brett gives Larry and Tom a respectful nod, “We launch in two days.”