“Well, I play a lot of Clip-Raid so-”
“Well your dinky little first person VR shooters ain’t gonna do you shit here so you better suit up and start learning how to really shoot… like a man.” Marcus sunk back into the darkness of the armoury depths. Almost instantaneously, he returned with what appeared to be an early 21st century handgun. “Now this… this is a Falk 23. Semi-automatic. Basic. Unlike the automatic FMJ pulse shit we got all over the place. This way you won’t hurt anybody.” Marcus slid a small vent open just under the bars and pushed the handgun towards Derek. “Take it, and walk to the range.” Derek took the handgun. It looked old. Dull grey now when it probably used to be a deep black. “Dude, stop staring at the damn thing and get to the range – we got lives to save and you’re not helping” “So far” Derek thought to himself to make him feel better about himself. Derek walked to the right which lead to a corridor with a basic shooting range at the facing the side. “Alright now, I’m gonna put up a target for you”
Derek heard a click as a small paper target popped down from the ceiling at the far end of the range. Derek felt somewhat confident due to his lengthy experience with Clip-Raid. All nine of them. And the several spin-offs. Derek aimed his ‘Falk’ down the range. Forgetting the correct stance, equipment and basic precautions of using a firearm. He pulled the trigger. The handgun uttered an empty click. “Hey, err… I think my guns broken”
“The safeties on, ya dipshit! And put on the damn ear protectors!”
“Oh.”
Derek clicked the safety off and looked around for the headgear. They were sitting in a large wooden crate. It seemed that they had a surplus of those. Derek took a random pair and put them on, still wondering why he needed them due to the fact that it was a handgun – not a multi barrelled Gatling rocket launcher.
Derek slinked back into his former position only to change it to the correct stance at the last minute. The paper target remained at the end of the range mocking him. Derek wasn’t going to take any of that. He pulled the trigger. ‘Click’. “Dude! I thought you knew guns! The slide!”
“Yeah, what about it?”
Marcus was so close to a faceplam that the only thing stopping him from doing so was that it would probably shatter what little remains of Derek’s tiny, tiny self-confidence. “Pull it back to load the first round into the chamber, dude”
“Oh.”
Derek pulled back the slide which finally readied the gun to be fired. The still mocking paper target stared at him, and he stared right back. Remembering all the skills, techniques and precautions learnt in the past few minutes, he pulled the trigger in a futile attempt to silence the haunting paper target.
“That was one shot… you missed. By a lot. And I mean A LOT.” Said Marcus still behind the counter. I thought you played video games. Didn’t Clip-Raid teach you anything? Well, you’re not gonna have health regeneration in the midst of a gunfight…unless you have the vita-5 cell regen body module – but that’s too expensive. Keep shooting until you- [BAM] Derek lowered his gun while Marcus peeked in. The two smiled. “Right in the middle. Keep this up and you’ll make a damn fine soldier. Derek grinned with confidence. And kept firing.
CHAPTER 8
The War Room
8:20 AM
Orbi-Sec Remnants, Under Celestin Park
The shooting went on for a while longer. Derek showed off the ‘skills’ he had learnt from playing video games the whole time he wasn’t busy or working. He got too caught up in putting holes in targets that everything else seemed to fade out. That reminded him. Work.
‘My boss must be so pissed right now’ he thought. Derek was just about to move on from using the handgun when Carter walked in.
“I hope I’m not interrupting but this is urgent. Weapons and combat training will be put on hold for now. Derek, come with me. Marcus, you too. The rest are already there.
Marcus asked “Wait boss, what’s this for? You’ve never dragged me out of the armoury before. What on Earth could be so important?” Carter replied cleverly “It’s what’s not on Earth, mate. You’ll see.”
Another walk, another hallway. They seem to stretch on forever now. At the end of it was a moderately lit but large room with several monitors surrounding a centre table. “Alright. Sit down. We have a situation.” Said Carter.
“We’ve had a ‘situation’ for two fuckin’ decades! And nothing has happened since” replied Marcus. Tom Samp was at the back, probably checking paperwork while Carter led the others around the table. “We’ve had these meetings twice a week for the past four years – and we’ve done nothing to stop the situations you bring up!” said an annoyed Marcus while Carter responded by saying “Just quieten down and listen up. We have made our next great step in our journey. Derek Ragston is finally with us. After all those years searching and planning, now we have the key.”
“Wait, sorry to interrupt” said Derek, “But why did you ‘kidnap’ me the time that you did? Why then? Why not earlier?
“Good question, Derek. We had to wait because we… all of us are tagged as associates or members of Orbi-Sec. Except those who arrived after and weren’t tagged. Okay, so the situation is what we need to retrieve are documents. I know because Tom here has seen it first-hand and it’s got all the evidence we need to prove that the USOC was bribed to hit the ship and that they intend to overthrow the current government on Earth after taking down all other major private security/ military corporations. Now those files are behind a locked door on the Icarus which only Derek can unlock with his DNA. The Icarus was never destroyed as the mess would take too long to clean up so they have guards stationed all across it in shifts. Both inside and outside the ship. The Icarus is currently floating at a USOC operated ship graveyard just outside the orbit of Uranus. To get to the Icarus in the first place, we need to use our rocket which is nearly finished. The rocket won’t fit many of us inside and it is most definitely a one-way trip to our abandoned moon outpost. That outpost contains several light vessels which we can use to reach the Icarus. Now I know this sounds like a long shot… and kind of a suicide mission, but it’s our only chance to well ‘save the solar system from an evil corporation bent on taking over the galaxy’ any questions?”
Almost everybody raised their hand. “Okay… we won’t have enough time to go through all of your queries but we’ll figure something out. The rocket team will consist of 4 Operators, 2 Support Soldiers, An engineer, Me, Tom and Derek. The rest of you… all 23 of you left need to maintain this base and keep the USOC off our backs. Both of ours, actually. Stay safe. We’re leaving for the moon tomorrow.”
Derek looked at Carter, astonished. “So that’s your whole speech? I only just met you guys like yesterday and now I’m some vital part of a convoluted galaxy saving plan? I should be at work right now, typing documents using my fingers. Now everybody’s lives depend on me and you practically signed your own death wish without saying a proper goodbye”
“I’m sorry if this is hard to take in, Derek but we need you. And I never was good at speeches anyway. We’ll sort any problems you have tomorrow. You should go back to training with Marcus. You’ll need it.”
“So what – no strategy, no plans, no rules of engagement? You are completely unorganised and the fate of Earth and the solar system depends on what we do. We got a plan?”
CHAPTER 9
Recoil
8:50 AM
Orbi-Sec Remnants, Under Celestin Park
“Come on, Derek. Back to the armoury. We… are going to have some fun with assault rifles.” Said Marcus as he led Derek back to the Armoury. “More weapons training? You saw how good I was. I don’t need no training”
“Well I’m sure you do, for this anyway” The two had arrived back at the armoury and Marcus had just pulled out what looks like a steel unassembled tent package. “It’s called power shielding. State of the art. Hijacked it from the
USOC a couple weeks back. It spreads the kinetic energy of the projectile you were hit with around, causing a bit more stopping power but little to no damage. Don’t worry. You’ll learn to control it. Eventually. Put it on.”
The instructions on the shield suit were basic. Derek was able to put it on with little effort. “Here” said Marcus as he tossed him a T0-RC Shotgun. “To the range!” The two stood in front of the same stall. “Hit this, mate” said Marcus and a large humanoid figure rose up at the middle of the range. “Well, don’t be scared. It’s a scarecrow for god’s sake! Derek pulled the trigger on the shotgun and was almost immediately propelled to the floor. “That had A LOT of recoil, Marcus. I don’t think I’ll be using that particular gun.”
“Alright then, toss it over here” Derek did as told but the instant he did so, he has hit by a tremendous force that propelled him to the other side of the room. “Dude, what… the…FUCK!? Was that? You don’t just shotgun someone at point blank range”
“Mate, calm down. I was just trying to see how you take it. Especially at that range. I mean you’ll be dealing with professionals. Trained soldiers. So learn to deal with it. And stop being such a whiny bitch.”
Derek picked himself back up and uttered a single word under his breath. “Douche”
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Okay… so from what I’ve observed, no more of the Torsec for you.”
“The what?”
“The shotgun. It’s what we call it. Now we move on to assault rifles then machine guns then directed energy weapons then…” Derek never would had thought that the first chance he got to shoot guns would also be when he got sick of them. Now he just wanted training to be over. And get on with his damn life. “So… um more shooting?”
“Yup. Then we’ll teach you close quarter’s combat and unarmed offence/ defence. We don’t have too much time. Our ride to the moon will be ready soon and we’ll take the first chance we get. The galaxy is at stake. And you are the key to saving it. So what’s the point if you’re not ready? What happens when all else fails and it’s all up to you? What happens when we die and you are the only one left? What happens then, huh? You just gonna give up and wait for death? No. You will fight because I will train you and you will never give up until your last breath for humanity gives. You will live and USOC will fall. If not, humanity will be pulled back into a time of slavery and corruption. Earth will become a prison world. USOC is the Nazi party of this decade. They just don’t know it yet. Now let’s shoot some fucking guns!”
Derek stood still and silent. Only just accepting how important he actually is. He didn’t even realise the carbine rifle in his hands as he slowly pointed it downrange and fired at the targets. Perfect accuracy. Heartrate rising. “You’re right. Train me.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear” replied Marcus. “Now take this machine gun and pretend those fuckin’ targets are soulless USOC motherfuckers.” Derek put down the carbine and took the machine gun, cocked it and aimed.
CHAPTER 10
Departure
Two days later
10:22 PM
Orbi-Sec Remnants, Under Celestin Park
Carter stood at the front. All dressed up in combat armour and old military gear. So were the ten men about to enter the rocket and go to the moon. Derek who was the most valuable of the ten looked up at Carter. Unsure. Derek didn’t know if all that training was worth it or if it was just all for nothing. Carter cleared his throat. “Tonight is it. Tonight we go to our moon base. Prep for the assault on the Icarus and save the universe from complete enslavement. The night is not clear. That is good. USOC controls air traffic but we’ll sail into their blind spot and leave Earth without a scratch. This is what all our lives here have been leading up to. I’m sorry I haven’t prepared a proper speech even for such an important time as this. We will- we MUST triumph or Earth falls. We all fall. This is it. I thank you for being with me this whole time and knowing the truth. But most of all for helping me be able to get here. So far we have come. The journey is almost at its end. Thank you.”
Everyone at the base was here in this very room. Listening to Carters final words before him and the others departed for the moon. Tom sat at the back dressed in a formal officer’s outfit while the operators, support soldiers and engineer stood straight. Carter nodded towards Tom and the crew signalling that its time. They walked orderly in single file. The room was in silence. They knew how important this moment was. The ten crew members exited the war room and followed Carter down another hallway. Nobody spoke a word. This hallway was different it was slanted downwards and at the end of it was a large metal door stickered with caution and warning signs. A keypad was positioned on the right side of the door. Carter went towards it and typed in a short input of numbers. The door opened and went on to reveal something Derek had never seen right in front of him.
The room was circular in shape. A donut shaped circle grate provided ground. Derek stood in awe at what was in the middle. It was a rocket. But it was no ordinary rocket. The faded steel and rough bolting made it seem old and antique. It certainly looked like it was built from scrap then had someone paint over it to cover the cracks but it looked just a genuine as the real ones. Only rougher and more aggressive. Untrained. Untested. Unready. But Derek knew it will prevail as it looked more realistic than any rocket he had ever seen in his life. It took the shape of something out of the late twentieth century. Uncannily clichéd but also somewhat robust. Dangerous.
Carter stopped before he entered the chamber, looked back and said one of his final sentences on Earth. “Well gentlemen, shall we?”
One of the operatives replied with an Australian accent “Aye sir. Let’s finish this.”
Carter smiled, turned back and opened the hatch on the rocket. “Today we will make history. Not by going to the moon, but by something much greater.” Carter climbed in and the rest followed. Derek was shaky and obviously not too happy about being sent to the moon. Even though he knew exactly where to go, how to properly get seated and even defend himself, he still questioned this mission, their safety and even his own sanity. The Australian broke the silence “Buckle up, mates. This is gonna get rough.” Like they didn’t know that.
Derek got seated along with the others and clutched his harness. “Engine check – all systems go” echoed around the rocket. “Launch is ready – I repeat launch is ready. Initiating countdown”
Derek thought to himself “This is it. This is when I die. I’m gonna die in a handmade rocket being launched at the moon.”
“Five”
“I never should have gotten into this mess. I never should have let that guy lead me down into that damn base.”
“Four”
“I’ll never go back to my crappy job, I’ll never sit at my crappy desk, I’ll never work for my crappy boss…”
“Three”
“I’ll never take those long runs at the park, I’ll never see the people, the pets or even the tourists walk around the city”
“Two”
“I’ll never relax in my own home, play that crappy video game or even sleep in my own bed. Hell, I might not even see the city again”
“One”
“And I’ll never have a normal life”
The massive boom of the engines shook the rocket hard. It shook everywhere but Derek knew there was no turning back. No matter how dangerous it might seem or how hard it was to cope and in that moment Derek felt safe. He knew it was the right thing to do.
Now he couldn’t tell whether the rocket was taking off or not. He couldn’t trust his senses. Bright orange light and fire engulfed his vision while the immense roar of flames drowned his ears. Heat blanketed his body. Closing his eyes didn’t help. At this point he thought the launch failed but just as he was about to give up hope, the darkness of the night sky soon covered the small window panes. The noise was gone. The heat subsided.
“Holy shit… we did it” said one of t
he operators and the rest cheered. The engineer added “My god. I almost can’t believe we actually flew out in this trash can” Another operator asked “Boss, what about you?” to which Carter replied “well, I had my doubts but it all worked out so I can’t complain”
Derek sat silently in his seat. Feeling like he just had a near death experience.
The Australian asked “So what now, boss? To the moon?”
“Oh yeah...”
CHAPTER 11
Incoming
12:01 AM
Just outside Earth, Solar System
Derek looked outside the small window. He looked at Earth. Déjà vu covered him. And not the good, happy memory type. This was more like the “My dad was an intergalactic supervillain who just shot an orbital ordnance strike at Earth” type. The once hectic and lively city, set ablaze. Now it’s nothing more than a dark, radioactive wasteland. Even after all those years. Derek’s dad was a good man. Why he would do something like that still pondered Derek’s mind every day. He kept driving his towards the fact that his dad was innocent like “It could have been an accident”, “He was forced to” or even “If he didn’t probably won’t be alive” but deep down Derek knew there was no proof or evidence of such theories. Maybe that’s part of the reason he was willing to go on this journey in the first place. Maybe. Derek dozed off.