A Future Torn: Chapter 1 - A Seemingly Normal Day
27 Mar 2016LordPsymon
A Future Torn: Chapter 1 - A Seemingly Normal Day ---Cubeo 3 - Chelomey Orbital---
The day started off like any other day - wake up, drink some coffee, maybe eat breakfast, brush your teeth and pick some clothes.
I was on Chelomey Orbital, catching a transport off to the Nortes system. I had just graduated at a University back on Cubeo 3. I decided to take a long earned vacation with my friend, James to celebrate. He always raved about how great the planet Fach in Nortes is - the drinks, the atmosphere, the girls. He always nagged about how we’ll go there when we graduated. He ended up buying us both tickets.
I was waiting in the passenger’s lounge for James to finish checking in. I looked out the window and saw an Orca approaching the docking pad, with the words Spirit of Nortes printed on the side in gold, cursive lettering. I looked at my friend in surprise.
“James, how in the name of hell did you afford to get us on to one of those??”
“Dad gave me money for graduating. I figured I’d put it to good use,” he said in a smug tone.
“Oh that’s right, rich parents,” I laughed.
So not only were we going on vacation to a really nice holiday destination, we were travelling in style. I was not one to complain, as I was expecting to be flying in something like a type-6 modified for passengers. I was thankful I had a fair bit of money saved up.
“All passengers bound for Nortes are now invited to board at docking bay 10.”
“That’s us, come on Simon,” James uttered.
We boarded the Orca and located our cabins. We then made our way to the passenger seats for lift-off.
---Unknown Location - A Day Later---
I awoke in my cabin to a violent jolt. I quickly put on some clothes and stepped outside to investigate. A voice crackled over the intercom.
“All passengers remain calm. Return to your cabins and await further instructions. All staff brace for interdiction submission. This is not a drill.”
James poked his head out of his cabin and turned to me.
“Simon, what the hell is going on?” He said in a panicked voice.
I looked at him, shook my head and said “not sure, perhaps a routine navy interdiction?”
“I dunno man, this seems a little serious for that.”
There was another violent jolt which threw me onto the floor.
“Security to airlocks! Our engines have been shot out! We’re about to be boarded. Repeat, we are about to be boarded! Prepare passengers for evac!”
James and I ran out toward the main concourse. We overheard the guards as they positioned themselves to repel a boarding party.
“Shit, it’s a slaver raiding party. I hope the bridge gets a distress signal out! Bravo team, escort passengers to the escape pods! Hopefully help will arrive soon.”
“Roger Alpha leader. Passengers! Make your way to the escape pods and stay calm!”
“They’re coming through! Stay sharp team!”
The airlock door flew open and the sound of gunfire echoed across the concourse. People started running in panic as shots were exchanged between the guards and raiding party. I sprinted and took cover behind a counter, waiting for an opportunity to make a break for the escape pods. The raiders were making short work out of the guards, who were only trained to deal with passenger unrest.
Minutes felt like hours as I heard the screams of people being gunned down or restrained as they tried to escape the chaos. I started to think of home. The city in which I grew up and studied, my friends and the moments we shared, my family at graduation, proud of their boy. I would not see any of them again, I thought. I was sure that I was either going to make it to the escape pod, only to be gunned down by the slavers ships, shot while trying to escape, or captured.
My mind returned to the causeway. The gunfire and screaming had stopped. Bodies and blood littered the floor. I heard footsteps and I turned around and saw James heading toward me.
“Simon! Quick, we need to…” his sentence was interrupted as a bullet pierced his chest and he fell to the floor.
“James!” I ran over to James, but his pulse was absent.
“There’s another one! Grab him!”
The last thing I remember of the Spirit of Nortes is the back of a gun hitting my head, and being dragged along the ground into a cryopod.