Unification

Chapter 1

M ike I'm so excited for you! You graduated today. It's not very often you talk about your school. Tera said following Mike into his room and sitting at his desk like she normally did when he tutored her.

Mike took a sit on the edge of his bed and smiled, It's not very often I get to share news of school with anyone.

I know, which makes it even more exciting. You know Mike. I'm sorry you had to pay the price for your parents happiness. Tera said giving Mike a soft almost sad smile.

Thanks Tera. They wanted a girl, not a boy. It's not that uncommon for parents have to give up the first born if they want a second chance. Mike answered in a rehearsed statement.

Doesn’t that make you mad? She asked with a slight frown.

The bed creaked as he laid back, I would have been mad if they had, had another boy.

Tera smiled as she watched him look blankly up at the ceiling. His short brown hair always neatly in place, his blue eyes locked on some spot on the ceiling. His face in the eight years she’d known him had gone from boyishly soft into a young man’s handsome face. She had always liked coming into Mike’s room. It was not the fact that is was always neat and clean, but it had his smell.

She had grown very fond of Mike and was always trying to learn more about him. It wasn't very often that Mike's parents about him, but on one rare occasion his mom once told her that from the time they gave him up, the government paid for his furniture, his cloths, and gave them a monthly food stipend. She could tell that it wasn’t something she wanted to talk about and quickly changed the subject. Her main source of information on Mike was his sister Holly, while she always tried not to be obvious when asking questions, but figured Holly probably knew she liked him. A man in a dark suit would come by periodically and walk around the house. If this man found something he did not like, it had to be changed no questions asked. Thinking back on it, Tera was pretty sure it was always the same man that came to inspect the house. Once, the man had even talked to her. He was a nice man and asked her name and asked how Mike’s parents treated him. She remembered him smiling a lot; it was probably because she was so nervous, she had started stuttering.

Every morning a bus came to pick him up, even on the weekends. She would occasionally ask Mike about his school, but he would always change the subject or give a vague answer like, ‘you know school stuff math and science.’ Most everyone knew that the government school was different from normal schools; career training began soon after testing at an early age. There were rumors that kids died at the government school. She could only guess how school was for him, he would sometimes be gone for days or even weeks at a time, and the latter had gotten more frequent these last few years. Unlike her school he would go to school year-round, with short breaks of just a few days. Of course, she was just guessing, there was really no way she would know for sure, but she knew if the bus didn’t come for him, he didn’t have school that day. When he went to school in the summer, he would go to school later in the day coming home late at night. He had never come home with books or papers or grades, and he never complained about any of it. Did he have friends there? What job did he get? What were his teachers like? Things she always wanted to know and ask but could never do so.

She had watched him get bigger, stronger, taller, and more handsome each year. She could remember the first time she saw him. His sister Holly had told her about him being a government child before she came over to play the first time, and that’s when Holly told her about the ‘rules.’ Can’t ask about school, can’t ask about the career he was learning, he couldn’t date, or go to parties. Pretty easy rules she thought at first, but then he came home. They were playing outside in the front yard when the green bus pulled up, he wore a gray jumper and his short hair fluttered a bit when he stepped off the bus. She stopped and stared at him as he waved to them as he walked by. She thought he was cute then and she only thought more of him as he got older. It didn't take her too long to start hating the rules.

Mike folded his arms back putting his hands under his head, You know Tera, I don’t mind going. I mean, I’m ready to do the job they’ve been training me for

I can understand that. She said moving from the chair to the bed, the bed creaking as she sat on the edge. This was very much against the ‘rules’.

Mike kept his eyes on the ceiling and tried to steady his quickening heartbeat. She was breaking the rule of getting too close. He always had to maintain what they called a ‘comfortable distance’, but he was done with school. He had heard stories of some students being drummed out into another school because they violated the ‘comfortable distance’. If he didn’t have the bracelet on all the time, he could relax, but with it on they knew all. They knew she was sitting on the bed next to him, and that his heart rate went up. They knew everything all the time. You need help with your homework? He said trying to clear his racing mind.

No I’m doing much better now. Mrs. Shelle cut back on the reading since school is almost at the end for the year. Thanks for helping me... Again. She said pulling her shoulder length auburn hair behind her ears and smiling.

Mike smiled, You're welcome. You know that Holly is good in those subjects too, she can help you when I’m gone.

She nodded and her hair fell loose from behind her ears and hung about her soft face, Yeah, thankfully it’s only for another year, and then it’s off to career school.

Do you know what your choices are? He said still looking up at the ceiling. Even though he was looking at a fixed spot on the ceiling he could see her through his peripheral vision. He could tell she was looking at him. He had grown fond of Tera over the years, she was always smiled at him softly and she smelled so nice. It was always so nice to see her after those long flights that had become so common these last two years. He would sometimes think he could smell her perfume on those long flights. Sometimes he would talk to GeeVee about her.

I won’t know until after this year. I hope I get some good choices. My math skills are kind of low though.

You should do fine, just... mike started to answer.

Mike? she said pulling one knee up on the bed and flattened out her dress.

Mike raised his head to see her soft face with light-blue eyes and a small nose, Yeah?

Can you marry? she asked nervously tucking the hair on the left side of her face behind her ear. She could feel her cheeks becoming warm.

I’m not sure when I can, but some of the instructors at school are. It depends on the career and your role in it. Why?

She shrugged, I was just wondering. Interested in what it would be like to be in the government.

I guess it would be like anything else. I grew up in it so I’m not sure what anything but that would be like. His heart started to race as he looked over her face, the way her slender body looked in the blue dress she had on. It was a light blue with a darker blue flower print with light blue buttons up the front. He had to take another deep breath.

Why do you look at me like that Mike? she said looking down at herself, It there something on my dress?

His ears warmed as he started to blush, I’m sorry, I just noticed you wear that dress a lot.

She smiled looked down at her dress, flatting out a bunched spot, Yes, I think it’s pretty. It’s soft to wear too.

He smiled, It looks nice.

She fumbled with the hem still looking down, Are you afraid?

He lifted himself up onto his elbows with the bed creaking loudly, Afraid? Not so much afraid, more nervous, I guess. Moving away from home and all.

What are you going to do? She asked looking up and biting her lower lip. She was breaking a big rule. His blinked at her a few times, then smiled at her. I’ll be doing my job. You know I can’t say. But I am sure Holly will tell you once I have gone.

She nodded then looking down briefly before looking at him again, Do you like your job?

The bed creaked again as he laid back down, It’s what I’ve been trained to do. You could say I like it. He said looking up at the ceiling, Tera.

Hmmm. She answered still playing with her hem. Why all the questions?

I... I... don’t know. I’m going to miss you when you are gone.

I’m sure you can find another tutor. Like I said, Holly can help you. His heart was pounding again as he took another deep breath.

She bravely placed her hand on his leg and squeezed it, feeling the muscle hidden underneath, That’s not what I meant.

Tera! Tera!. Come a voice from the hallway.

I’m in Mike’s room Holly. She called out as she quickly moved her hand into her lap.

Holly bounced up to the door, Tera, come help me pick out my dress for my date with Robert.

Turned to look at Holly at the door and smiled, Ok Holly, I’ll be right there.

Come on! Holly said moving down the hallway to her room.

Tera stood up with a quick squeak from the bed.

Mike quickly followed Tera up off the bed, Tera? he said getting her attention.

Tera turned to him, Yes Mike?

He was going to break a lot of rules with this one as he stepped up to her, I’m going to miss you too. he said has he quickly caught up to her and put his hand on hers.

Feeling his hand on hers, she stopped to turn towards Mike. His deep blue eyes caught hers. He closed the short distance between them. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wraps his arms around her waist. Pulling together their lips touched. It felt as if her knees would give and she strained to keep standing. His lips pressed against hers as she closed her eyes to meet the kiss. When she opened her eyes, she was standing alone in his room.

MIKE STOOD OVERLOOKING the city from the Matos Mountains vantage point. He had come here often in the last few years, when the time allowed. His training schedule was tiring with hours in classes, then hours and sometimes days in simulators or flight time. There were very few vacation days, he would often hear Holly and Tera talk about having days off from school for holidays, or a long break between grades, but normally be was at school every day. The only scheduled break was those between new classes and he would get to sleep in.

However, after today it would all be different. He had graduated today. He was unsure how he felt about it, it have been a very uneventful ceremony as he expected...he was the only one graduating. The ceremony was short, in the presence of most of his instructors and some school officers he was awarded his battle ribbons, his official papers for being classified Omega, which he finished the requirements for the day before, and pinned the new rank of Major, on the black omega washboard, before finally receiving his transfer orders and it was over.

Although he was done training, he had this damn bracelet on. His childhood monitor, making sure he was not doing anything he was not supposed to be. It reported his location, health status, and even who was near him. He knew this because he had on several occasions done something against the rules and they told him about it to the very detail, even though he had lied. How he hated the bracelet.

He felt that the orange haze which glazed the city tonight reflected his mood and wished the slight breeze that carried in the reddish sand from the desert would carry away his thoughts. The haze against the city lights did reminded him of the dust cloud near the Letous twin pulsar. Streetlights hidden in the haze radiated a soft halo around them that reminded him if the Helos Star Cluster. Sometimes late at night after curfew and the city was dark for energy conservation, it was hard for him to tell where the sky ended, and the city began which reminded him of deep space. 

The instructors said tonight would be the hardest time for him. Leaving home, and all the things  he was familiar with. He never thought he would really miss what he had called home for so long. He smirked at the thought of home. Home for him was space, flying through the Jorly Nebula and sliding through the rings of Orply. Space, space was really his home, and GeeVee was more family to him than his parents.

He did in fact enjoy gazing up from this spot; sometimes he would see patterns in the stars and make up names for them. Ever since the migration from Oribi, the birthplace of the human race, no new constellations had been named. It was only on Oribi that constellations where recognized and acknowledge. From his first astrogation class where they Taught him how mariners would navigate using the stars and learned about the constellations he was hooked. It was one of the only things he could study when away from school and he did often when not helping Tera with homework and often he would stay up late reading the myths surrounding the people and animals the constellations where named for. After reading so many stories he could understand how when moving to a new world it just didn’t seem right to name new constellations. Some day he hoped he could make it to Oribi to see the constellations himself.

Only two things that made this world home his sister Holly, who always made sure to give him a hugs and celebrate his birthday, and Tera who always smiled at him and was the person he was closest too  away from school and after having kissed Tera he wasn't quite sure how he felt about leaving her here. It was going to be much harder now to leave. He had these strong feelings for Tera, he had for a while, but it wasn't allowed for him to have what they called a girlfriend. It was ok to have friends that where girls, and after kissing Tera he now understood why they didn't want him too. The only thing on his mind for the last three hours was her.

Leaning on the railing that ran along the edge of the observation point, he gazed up at the stars and smiled and nodded to himself. Space was where he really wanted to be. As his long-time instructor use to tell him, every day for the last ten years, two things that always go together, good news and bad news not one without the other. Good news was he was done with school and was about to be living in space full-time where he wanted to be, bad news he wanted to explore these emotions he had for Tera but was leaving without any idea on when coming home would be an option. Thinking of returning to that house where his parents only tolerated him only made his stomach turn. He would miss both Holly and Tera very much.

The clouds where slowly moving in covering up the stars as he started to walk towards home. The crunching of rocks sounded his slow march back towards home. His thoughts shifted from Tera to space and although he loved space it had shown him on many occasions how deadly it could be. He had lost the last of his classmates in an ambush. They were doing a practice patrol and had just emerged out of a gate when a group of pirates attacked. The pirates had a deadly aim, not trying to work on hitting the hull ripping it apart, but instead aimed for the more vulnerable canopy. It was a skirmish that almost took his life as well. He was only able to survive by playing the same game back at them. It was much easier to hit the hull of a ship, but to target the pilot was against just about every rule of space combat they had Taught him. He learned one valuable lesson that day, which he kept to himself for the remaining year he had at school. There are no rules.

He had asked his instructor one day some months later why when giving weak points about enemy ships the cockpit or bridge was never pointed out. He remembered his instructor pausing for a few moments before answering, 'It's the last resort only to take out the pilot or command crew.' He remembered nodding and going back to the lesson.

As a last resort, it wasn't a last resort for the Pirates. It was need, a necessity for the Pirates. They were going to kill them and salvage the ships. They had killed the only friends he had, and the next time he had a chance, he would let them know about necessity. He got his chance about five months after the incident when doing his solo run in a bomber. On the return trip from the bombing range he was instructed to take an alternate route due to gate maintenance. As he cleared the gate, the civilian frequency was alive with scattered calls for help and looking out the left port it was easy for him to spot the battle. A Pirate capital ship, looking like an old-style bulk cargo ship, surround by six support ships and numerous fighters were engaged with a civilian transport convoy. GeeVee, his ships companion, had quickly ran the numbers to him, the Pirates had them out numbered eight to one and were starting to make their way to the convoy ships after most of the protection fighters were destroyed. Of the six torpedoes he was armed with when he left, he had two remaining. He had targeted the bulk ship and smiled, he was going to show necessity, the necessity to save the civilian cargo ships. Targeting the bridge of the cargo ship the torpedoes started their rhythmic thumping as he moved in. Over the military frequency a squad of Unified World fighters were on their way, but delayed because of the gate closure. He was unnoticed has he headed straight for the bulk ship. Two torpedoes wouldn't hurt a ship this size if it hit near the engines, it would slow it down some but it would still be able to jump out, which was probably why they didn't bother to send any ships after him. As he corrected his course the cannons from the bulk cargo started to fire. The front of the bomber was awash with lights, he had wanted to turn, but stayed on course when GeeVee called that the cannon fire was doing only minimal damage. Maybe it was due to the fact that this was the newest bomber out, or the fact that the bulk cargo ship was old, or maybe it was both, but either way he held his course until he heard the torpedoes pulsing come to a solid tone.

At the solid tone he held down the triggers, firing his forward cannons at the bulk cargo before he released the torpedoes. As the torpedoes darted off toward the bridge of the bulk cargo, he turned the ship away drawing the fire of the bulk cargo ships cannons. He could see the flashes and feel the impact of cannon fire fom the bulk cargo on his bomber. His display showed the location of the torpedoes but he could not see them until they impacted the bulk cargo, and with that the cannons stopped firing at him and the bulk cargo ship started a slow rotation, moving end over end. He remembered smiling and thinking to himself, ' How's that for necessity?'

With GeeVee automatically controlling the turrets he started a weaving course through the remaining Pirate ships until the Unified Worlds fighters had arrived. As the Unified World fighters showed up he had cleared the fighters and was disabling the support ships. It wasn't hard after he took out the bulk cargo. It seemed as if the Pirates didn't care after that. With that he learned another thing, kill their hope and they will lose the will to fight.

As he walked up to the door of the house he had lived in for so long he was happy and sad it was going to be late time for a long time. It was getting close to morning and the car would be here to pick him up soon. Stepping into the house he made his way to his room. Packing wasn't going to take very long, most of his gear was already waiting for him at the Starport, where GeeVee was waiting inside a brand-new fighter for him so they could go to their first duty station.

THE SKY TURNED SLOWLY from black to orange as Mike stood in front of his house holding his bag. He idly looked up at the stars, as they appeared to blink and slowly fade with the coming of dawn. The early sun brought on a chilly wind that mused his hair. He knew his parents wouldn’t see him off. It didn’t bother him much as he knew to expect it. The instructors at the school since he was five told him this day would come and that it would happen this way. It had hurt then, but now he understood things better. He looked up at the sky turning orange and drifted off into thought. It was going to be awhile before he was home again, or planet side for that matter. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath taking in the smell and the taste of fresh air.

You were going to leave without saying good-bye?

Mike turned slowly still holding his bag to see Tera walking up in her blue dress fluttering in the light breeze, I guess I didn’t want to make things harder for anyone. He said.

A car turned the corner and it slowly made its way down the street.

I thought you might try to go like this. I want to give you something. She said holding up an envelope.

He slowly grasped the envelope in her hand. He looked into her eyes, he could see that she was holding back tears as she handed him