Duty, 2: Day One
22 Apr 2022Meowers
After quite a long flight, I reached the Pleiades. It was a non-stop ride, except for hydrogen scooping. No stopping for lunch breaks, no sightseeing, no other unnecessary delays. I was like a machine that received a command. Even my head was clear of thoughts. There was a marker on the Galaxy map, several hundreds of light years away, and I knew that I should be there. Without any other options. It was a place where I had a chance to find myself, real myself.
Second half of the flight ran through uninhabited systems, and soon I saw those blue nebulae growing with each jump towards my destination. Finally, I stopped at the Obsidian Orbital, Maia system, I remember I've been here before, pretty long ago, and it was the only place I knew in the Pleiades.
I took my datapad and headed from the hangars towards more public places. Locals here didn't recognise the woman on the record, but did recognise the patches on the uniform. So, that woman was from AXDF, one of the several Anti-Xeno squadrons operating here. So I asked how I can join their ranks. One of the locals, an old man with a big scar on his face, pointed me towards the information terminal, and... Did he smiled, hearing my words?
AXDF had two carriers, and one of them, AXDF Atlas, was stationed right here, in Maia, just on another orbit. I think I should head there directly.
I've seen armies before, mercenary groups, law enforcement squads, any kinds of military formations, but now I was a little surprised. It's like everyone here knew why they're here and what they're doing. It wasn't about the money, wasn't about the vague ideals, it was above everything that people may fight over with each other. So, just an example, soon after I landed and stepped off the boarding ramp to take a look around, an officer approached me. He looked at me, at Marshmallow, checked my PF record on his datapad and everything he said was, "Do you want to join?". And I replied with "Yes, sir".
Everyone here knew why and what they're doing, and they presumed, correctly, that I know that too. No pompous presentations, no tours around the carrier, no other kind of useless ceremonies. I've got AXDF Recruit patches for my suit, some directions about what I should do and where I should go when I'm hungry or want to sleep, and a training software for the onboard computer so that I could do some basic training exercises without putting myself and Marshmallow at risk while I'm still green.
Every recruit here had their own story. A few of them were, like me, encouraged by speeches, GalNet transmissions and news, also there was a few experienced mercenaries searching for a real challenge, a few young pilots born in neighbouring systems, but the most numerous group... Once my new squadmates had a few talks and drinks in the mess, they went to sharing their stories. Eyes of most of them began burning with a pure hatred, they had lost their relatives, their children, their loved ones in Thargoid attacks. They were here for the revenge. No matter the costs. And now, seeing so much people united and devoted to one goal, people who were now a part of the one force, people who were... Happy? As much as they even could be happy after what they're been through. So, seeing them, I sat near the window, heard bits and pieces of their stories and thought...
Now I am a part of that force too.