The gleaming towers of the city center shined in the mornings light as if waving goodbye to faithful tenant as I rode the tram out of my city, Olympus. My family had been ecstatic to hear of my prestige, looking at me afterwards with new sight. As if I had already become a new person.
I shivered at the thought. I don’t want to be foreign to my family. Simple fix then, I won’t change. I’ll stay the same boy who loves friends and videogames. The guy who was always up to leaving the city for a weekend and enjoying the solitary only found in nature. I will always be Jason Werner even if I am Gifted.
With my mind put to ease, I focused on enjoying the red hills and tall trees of Mars for one last time before I arrived at the Space Station to leave for The Academy. My world was about to change literally. The Academy was on Europa, One of Jupiter’s moons, and was terraformed only 15 years ago making it one of the youngest settlements for humanity. Its luscious forests and blue oceans have also made it the most successful colony and home to numerous Premiers. Drawn to the planet’s unrivaled beauty, the majority of Premiers in the system have a home on Europa earning the nick name “Paradise Lost” amongst Omegas.
“Another terrorist attack has marked the Singaporean Slums today. With an estimated 160 Omega deaths and 1 Premier, the Terrorist group known as Last Freedom has been steadily ramping up their attacks on both clergy of The Rebirth and military leaders with the previously mentioned Omegas having been devoted clergy to our state sanctioned religion.” The radio report crept into my thoughts as I lost concentration on the red tinged landscape.
The Rebirth was officially my religion. Not like I had a choice in the matter, but I had never truly been a true devotee. My mother on the other hand was a true believer and worshipped the strongest Gifted. Her favorite was Setrakus Ruah, the current Phariah, head of the religion. Clips of his power was always used in the religious broadcasts. He would call down “holy light” with beams of light illuminating the weakness of his opponents. Alone it seems weak, but with his army of Flames (Gifted followers) and Sparks (Omega devoted) he always was able to bring down the latest challenger to the faith and save their spirit’s flame.
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By the time I made it to the space station and found the appropriate docking bay, my thoughts had long left the fanaticism of The Rebirth and returned to reality.
As I entered the bay, a thumping noise caught my attention distracting me from the sleek metallic ship resting before me. Another teenager was flopping on the deck... wait nope, he was doing burpees? Questioning his workout schedule, I moved towards a woman in the common red and black Phoenix Navy uniform. With a smile that left some friendliness wanted, she directed me to a line of other youth with the workout buff.
“What is your name soldier?” an authoritative voice stopped me as I was about to step in the line. I turned towards the voice and nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight of a grizzled face complete with a facial scar and buzzcut scarcely four inches away.
“Jason Werner?” I timidly replied.
“Jason Werner, Sir” He angrily shot back spittle flying from clenched jaw. “15 burpees. Count em out”
Rather than argue or even think about what was happening, I compliantly dropped down and started. 1.2.3. Guess I shouldn’t have judged workout guy so much.
Once I finished and got in line, the intense soldier dressed in an officer’s uniform complete with an antique projectile service pistol began introductions with a tone that commanded attention or there would be hell to pay.
“My name is Corporal McCroy. You will address me as either Corporal or Sir. Anything else is unacceptable. I will be your instructor for basic training and the majority of your physical education. AKA I will be the guy that makes you feel death creeping into your bones, so that when you are in a battle you recognize him as an old friend and continue fighting. I am not here to help you. I am here to hurt you. Now due to a severe case of food poisoning the typical greeter was not able to pick y’all up. Lucky you. So, while normally y’all would be given some time to acclimate into the fact you’re joining the military, my motto is to keep moving forward. So, move it. Onto the ship”
A petite Asian girl stepped forward and asked, “Wait we are in the military? I thought we were going to The Academy”.
“20 burpees. The Academy is the military. Everyone who survives is drafted into the special operative section of our glorious military, it’s a requirement. Don’t ask about quitting.”
And with that glorious revelation of our fates we stumbled onto the ship, some in a state of disbelief, some thoughtful, some excited, and one who boarded 11 burpees after everyone else.