Read Online The Methuselan Circuit by Christopher L. Anderson - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher L. Anderson
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pod was gone as was the aft main blaster turret. The forward superstructure and bridge were relatively intact, but everywhere on the silver-white metal of the superstructure were small mottled spherical shapes. It looked like the Iowa had been attacked by parasites. It wasn’t parasites, of course, but they were the signature of a brutal attack—boarding pods. Alexander knew that each boarding pods carried ten Galactic warriors. There were hundreds of them.
Despite her damage the Iowa was an imposing, awe inspiring sight. He could stay there all day, but a voice came from the loudspeaker. “Cadets are to report on the double to the central rotunda—enough rubber necking, hop to it!”
It was like stirring an anthill with a stick. Those who’d set their bags down scrambled for them along with everyone else nearby. Since the bags all looked alike this wasn’t as easy as it looked and there was momentary confusion. Fortunately Alexander had his bag between his legs. Snatching it up, he tried to step down into the boiling sea of cadets but he landed on someone’s foot.
“Ouch!” They pulled their foot out from under his and Alexander tripped, falling over his bag. Someone fell over him and there was instant bedlam. He tried to get up but someone bowled him over. He cursed, trying even harder this time, but he stumbled forward and would have fallen if someone hadn’t reached out and caught him.
CHAPTER 7: Indoc
“Steady there cadet,” exclaimed a girl’s voice. Alexander regained his balance and looked up to see the tall alien girl from earlier. “Thanks,” he gasped.
“Come on, you’re going to the same place I am,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the windows. “Everyone is heading back to the terminal corridor; there will be fewer people here by the windows.”
She was right. “Thanks again,” he said, trying to remember to be gracious where pretty girls were concerned, another lesson from his Dad. “I’m Alexander by the way.”
“I’m Treya, I’m from Chem,” she smiled.
He followed her along the windows. They made much better time than the majority of cadets. After they were in the clear, he asked, “Sorry, but how do you know I’m going to the same place?”
She laughed, “We’re all going to the rotunda aren’t we?”
“Well yes,” he admitted.
“I’m dropping my duffle bag off at Stern Alpha-09, where are you?”
“I’m on the way at Stern Alpha-23,” he said.
“Great, then we can go to the rotunda together,” she smiled. “You don’t mind do you?”
“No, not at all,” he said, but he forgot he wasn’t alone.
Lisa stepped up, a frown on her face. “I see you already making friends Alexander. I’m Lisa, Alexander and I grew up on the same island.”
“I’m Treya,” she smiled, but Alexander couldn’t tell whether it was a pleasant smile or not. “Are you promised to Alexander?”
Alexander jumped with surprise.
Lisa’s eyes grew large and round, stammering, “No, of course not!”
“It’s always hard to tell with other cultures, and I didn’t want to be stepping on any toes on my first day.”
Lisa tried to change the subject which was fine with Alexander. “You’re in Stern Alpha too, so I guess we’ll all be in the same,” she stopped, and Alexander got the impression she didn’t want to sound ignorant in front of Treya.
“We’re all in Kilo flight,” Treya said, pointing out the designation at the bottom of the set of orders. Lisa blushed, but Treya graciously smiled and explained, “My Dad’s a diplomat and the rest of my family are Fleet so I’ve seen these government forms before. They’re dry as a Golkos desert but once you know where to look everything is always done the same way.”
Lisa shrugged, admitting, “I’ve never seen a government form of any kind, even at school.”
“Don’t
Despite her damage the Iowa was an imposing, awe inspiring sight. He could stay there all day, but a voice came from the loudspeaker. “Cadets are to report on the double to the central rotunda—enough rubber necking, hop to it!”
It was like stirring an anthill with a stick. Those who’d set their bags down scrambled for them along with everyone else nearby. Since the bags all looked alike this wasn’t as easy as it looked and there was momentary confusion. Fortunately Alexander had his bag between his legs. Snatching it up, he tried to step down into the boiling sea of cadets but he landed on someone’s foot.
“Ouch!” They pulled their foot out from under his and Alexander tripped, falling over his bag. Someone fell over him and there was instant bedlam. He tried to get up but someone bowled him over. He cursed, trying even harder this time, but he stumbled forward and would have fallen if someone hadn’t reached out and caught him.
CHAPTER 7: Indoc
“Steady there cadet,” exclaimed a girl’s voice. Alexander regained his balance and looked up to see the tall alien girl from earlier. “Thanks,” he gasped.
“Come on, you’re going to the same place I am,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the windows. “Everyone is heading back to the terminal corridor; there will be fewer people here by the windows.”
She was right. “Thanks again,” he said, trying to remember to be gracious where pretty girls were concerned, another lesson from his Dad. “I’m Alexander by the way.”
“I’m Treya, I’m from Chem,” she smiled.
He followed her along the windows. They made much better time than the majority of cadets. After they were in the clear, he asked, “Sorry, but how do you know I’m going to the same place?”
She laughed, “We’re all going to the rotunda aren’t we?”
“Well yes,” he admitted.
“I’m dropping my duffle bag off at Stern Alpha-09, where are you?”
“I’m on the way at Stern Alpha-23,” he said.
“Great, then we can go to the rotunda together,” she smiled. “You don’t mind do you?”
“No, not at all,” he said, but he forgot he wasn’t alone.
Lisa stepped up, a frown on her face. “I see you already making friends Alexander. I’m Lisa, Alexander and I grew up on the same island.”
“I’m Treya,” she smiled, but Alexander couldn’t tell whether it was a pleasant smile or not. “Are you promised to Alexander?”
Alexander jumped with surprise.
Lisa’s eyes grew large and round, stammering, “No, of course not!”
“It’s always hard to tell with other cultures, and I didn’t want to be stepping on any toes on my first day.”
Lisa tried to change the subject which was fine with Alexander. “You’re in Stern Alpha too, so I guess we’ll all be in the same,” she stopped, and Alexander got the impression she didn’t want to sound ignorant in front of Treya.
“We’re all in Kilo flight,” Treya said, pointing out the designation at the bottom of the set of orders. Lisa blushed, but Treya graciously smiled and explained, “My Dad’s a diplomat and the rest of my family are Fleet so I’ve seen these government forms before. They’re dry as a Golkos desert but once you know where to look everything is always done the same way.”
Lisa shrugged, admitting, “I’ve never seen a government form of any kind, even at school.”
“Don’t
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