Invasion E-Book

Dana R. Zwahlen

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: BEYOND
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Jane O'Sullivan is the youngest Commander in the history of the Alliance. This came with a lot of ghosts who are still haunting her. Now, she embarks on a mission with a joint task force between Humans and Furians - a race that wanted to see the extinction of the Human race. Thanks to the task force, she finds an enemy that is older than any other race in the galaxy. Only she and her team can save the galaxy. But are they able to endure everything that comes with this task?

Leseprobe

I felt my heart aching, about to burst. It yearned to escape my chest, to cease beating, and embrace death. His final thoughts were of my smile. I saw his soul fading away into nothingness.

The machine ceased beeping. Tears welled up in my eyes. I longed to scream, to cry out in agony. Yet, all I felt was... emptiness.

*

“Furian command, this is the SSV Tokyo. Permission to land?” my pilot, Edward (known as Eddie to everyone on the crew), asked the Furian command. I checked my overlays a few times, hoping for a response to my message from Sergeant Voreau, but there was none. We had arrived early, almost an hour ahead of schedule. Our intended arrival time was three o'clock, and it wasn't even two o’clock yet.

As we waited for a response from Furian command, I couldn't help but worry that our early arrival might be seen as a breach of protocol or, worse, an act of aggression. Before this mission, I had tried to familiarize myself with Furian customs, but to my disappointment and growing anxiety, I found no information regarding their time management practices. All we could do now was hope we wouldn't be shot out of the sky.

“If they can't even read a simple message, communication is going to be difficult,” I muttered.

Finally, the comms crackled to life, ”SSV Tokyo, we were expecting a later arrival time. Please confirm that Commander Jane O'Sullivan is onboard,” a man's voice came over the comms, sounding stressed. Perhaps the Furians were accustomed to strict punctuality. Who knows? Certainly not me.

Last I checked, they held a negative opinion of us. But if I'm being honest with myself, Humans aren't any better. I doubt many of my crew members bothered to research Furian customs, so I couldn't expect them to know.

“Imagine if they could read a message…” I joked with Eddie. Then, crossing my arms behind my back, I responded to the Furian man, ”... This is Commander Jane O'Sullivan of the SSV Tokyo, Furian operation number 560129h1906. Permission to land?”

A brief silence followed. Perhaps they were about to make a joke at our expense.

“Yes, welcome to Maheel, Commander. Permission to land. And sorry for the inconvenience, just ensuring everything runs smoothly,” the Furian man replied.

“Appreciate it, Sir,” I said, relieved at their politeness.

I looked at Eddie, raised my eyebrows, and exhaled. I felt hopeful that everything would go smoothly, despite my earlier jokes about the Furians.

“Bring her in slow and steady. We don't want them to assume anything,” I instructed.

Eddie chuckled, but you could see by the way he curled his brows, he was still aware of the potential risks. I certainly had no desire to be shot out of the sky, not now, not ever.

This mission marked a significant milestone in the history of Human-Furian relations. Not too long ago, about twenty-five years ago, a brutal and bloody war was raging between our races. Both Humans and Furians, known for their aggressive nature, fought for a very long while. During the war, one of the most horrifying atrocities known to the galaxy was committed.

At the beginning of the war, the Human colony on Calasdeius, a planet on the outer rims of the Macla Cluster, fell victim to an orbital bombardment with nerve gas. The people there slowly, but steadily grew mad and killed each other so brutally, no one survived.

However, unlike many past Human wars that dragged on for centuries, this time the Humans sought peace from almost the beginning. It took five years of warfare, millions of lives lost, and numerous attempts at negotiations and the threat of demilitarization before a peace treaty was finally secured.

Regrettably, the Furians initially showed no interest in reconciliation. Honor and pride is a big part of their culture, so giving up is not a thing for them.

It took them another hundred and twenty years before the Akshwari, the oldest and wisest species and leaders of the galaxy, compelled them to consider a treaty. The combined efforts of the Akshwari, Charalla, and Humans were necessary to end the war. When all else failed, the Akshwari resorted to the harsh but necessary action of threatening the Furians with discharging them from the galactic community and ultimately, annihilation.

Now, twenty-five years later, we find ourselves on a joint mission. Once again, the Akshwari played a crucial role in enabling this attempt of living closer to each other.

Both Humans and Furians were initially too proud to admit that joining forces could be mutually beneficial. The scars of war still lingered in the hearts and minds of many, especially among the older veterans on both sides. Behind closed doors, incidents of hate crimes and discrimination persisted. Even recently, law enforcement agencies had to handle those situations.

One case was so prominent in the news, that no one could deny the ongoing hatred anymore. A Human-Furian couple had to flee their homeworlds and seek refuge on Monthelier, the Akshwarian homeworld. The galactic community viewed this lack of progress in terms of forgiving past events between the two races with disapproval.

As Eddie guided the Tokyo to a smooth landing, I made my way down the hallway towards the airlock. Standing in front of it, I listened carefully to the ship's assistant as it provided instructions for the deboarding process. It took a few minutes as the assistant ensured that I had properly sealed my radiation suit before opening the airlock. The pressure slowly equalized with the outside environment, giving me a brief moment to collect my thoughts.

The task ahead of us was a big one. Building trust and encourage a cooperation between Humans and Furians is a monumental challenge. Our ultimate goal is to establish a safe and harmonious galaxy, where every species can thrive and explore the wonders of the universe. However, I couldn't help but admit that this might be a bit too idealistic. The vision I had for this task force seemed almost too utopian.

When I accepted this mission, I knew it would be far from easy but failure was simply not an option. Another war could imply a complete catastrophe, potentially leading to the collapse of civilization within our galaxy, as the Matriarch warned before I got assigned to this mission.

“No pressure at all,” I muttered to myself, reflecting on the weight of the responsibility I carried. Why do I do this to myself sometimes? I tend to put myself under unnecessary pressure. A thing my therapist pointed out a lot.

In that moment, a flashback rushed over me, my pulse rose, and my hands got sweaty. I vividly remembered the pressure and intensity of the situation, shouting at my second-in-command, <<Lieutenant, if we don't act now, we'll all perish!>>

Our mission was clear—to evacuate the people from that god-forsaken planet. I recalled the echo of my own voice, filled with desperation and determination. Those were the last words I spoke to him – I would ever speak to him.

Gunfire erupted, a barrage of shots were flying through the air. I turned around, witnessing the life drain from my second-in-command's eyes, his body collapsing with blood streaming from his head. Two more shots rang out. All I knew was to hold the position; all I tried to think about was the lives of the civilians.

I tried to shake this haunting flashback, knowing that the memory would never fade completely. This mission could be a way to redeem myself. Find myself worthy of being alive. Finding a reason to why I survived.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward and left the SSV Tokyo, finally receiving confirmation from the ship's assistant that it was safe to do so.

As I stepped out of the airlock, I just had to take a look at the Tokyo – an impressive vessel; elegant, silent, and harbouring deadly potential. I had a hang for the dramatic…

I began to walk, activating my overlay and accessing the GalaxyNet. A quick search revealed no alarming reports or signs of unrest in response to our task force. Everything was still calm. The news about the mission was a big fuss in the media. A lot of opinions – ranging from drop-dead lunatics, to romanticizing the whole mission.

A sudden alert from my implants told me of a high heart rate. I dismissed the message, muttering, ”No surprise there – I am fucking nervous”.

These implants were both a blessing and a curse. Need to send a message quickly? No problem. But when it came to being anxious, they bombarded me with breathing exercises. If they were useful, I wouldn’t mind them. But they are not. If anything, they tended to increase my anxiety.

The sun of Maheel hung high in the sky, appearing larger than the Sun in the Sol system.

Due to Maheel's proximity to its sun, Anwanja, the star loomed larger in the sky compared to Earth's Sun. Moreover, the temperature on Maheel was remarkably warmer than what I was used to. Daytime temperatures averaged around 40°C, and even the polar regions maintained an average of 10°C.

The weather here wasn’t the greatest for me but the conditions were even worse. Due to the planet's large radioactive pools every other life form not native to Maheel needed a radiation suit, which were incredibly uncomfortable. They caused an uncomfortable stickiness and sweating, that resembled the Niagara Falls back on Earth.

As I stood on top of the bridge spanning the Niagara Falls, thinking about the past and wallowing in sadness, tiny droplets of water sprayed my face.

<<I saw what you did with that woman, you know, when AHQ didn't know I returned. I saw you with her.>>

<<I thought you were dead.>>

I shook my head, <<So, the first thing you do is get involved with another woman? If I wasn't clear enough for your limited understanding, it's over. Don't ever try to contact me again.>>

“Are you done, head?” I disciplined myself, realizing that thinking of Steven served no purpose other than to unearth pain.

I made my way across the landing area towards a square, grey house with a sign on the door that read <<Visitor Registration>>.

“Well, I think this is the right door,” I muttered to myself as I knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, I entered the room, as I had heard that it was the custom for Furians – one of the few things I did find on Furian customs.

The woman behind the desk looked surprised to see me. Had Furian command not informed anyone about our arrival? How could she be unaware that we were already here? We talked to Furian Control a few minutes ago.

“Oh, Commander O'Sullivan?” she exclaimed, clearly taken aback. Her sudden reaction even caused her to jump out of her chair, throwing down tablets from her desk. Lovely.

“Yes, that's me. We spoke with your command control just ten minutes ago. We arrived earlier than estimated. I apologize for any inconvenience,” I lied to make her feel a bit more comfortable; why should I apologize for their miscommunication? I had even taken half an hour to study their customs, although I didn't expect everyone to do the same.

But here I was, face-to-face with the first Furian representative, and she seemed surprised that I was early. It wasn't just about researching customs; she also seemed unaware that I sent Sergeant Voreau a message, informing him of our early arrival. He must have straight up ignored my message.

She appeared overwhelmed, uncertain of how to proceed, ”I'm sorry; we weren't expecting you for another few hours. I'll try to reach Sergeant Voreau, but I believe he's still in a meeting,” she said, her eyes darting around and speaking so quietly that I couldn't hear her.

Perhaps she was one of the few individuals who opposed this task force. When the Council of Representatives announced this operation, the majority of the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, but still – a very vocal minority protested, which wasn't surprising. Everyone involved in this mission kind of expected something like that.

However, the head of this operation, the Admiralty Board and the Furian War Council were pleasantly surprised by the widespread acceptance. Most people, on both sides, even welcomed the initiative.

Being chosen as the Commander for this operation took me by surprise, if I am being honest. Furians were not known for immediately accepting commands from other races. I had to think about a previous task force that had been investigating pirate activity in the Milanese Nebula, where Akshwarian and Furian soldiers were involved. The Furian officer felt insulted when the command was given to the Akshwari, and he refused to follow the commander's orders, resulting in the tragic loss of the entire squad.

This time, however, the Furians decided to appoint a Human commander, and they specifically chose me. They wanted a second chance.

<<Almost anyone deserves a second chance,>> a small voice in my head whispered, though I couldn't shake off a hint of doubt.

The Furian woman continued her phone call for an unusually long time. It had been almost five minutes since she started, and out of respect, I turned off my translator. However, a small part of me couldn't resist the temptation of eavesdropping.

Throughout the call, she glanced at me a few times and offered apologetic smiles. Maybe my first concerns about her being xenophobic were unfounded. After all, it wasn't her fault that no one was prepared, or that mission control seemed unable to communicate with other departments on this base.

“Kriwa, Mihir, Kwasa klahir mis. Twasa, Mihir,” she finally hung up the call and stood up. I turned my translator back on, and my overlays indicated that we were good to go. Turning them off sometimes results in the program restarting itself multiple times – a bug they never patched out. I wonder why…

“Please, you can sit down,” she gestured towards a bench in front of her desk, ”I spoke with Sergeant Voreau – he’s still in a meeting with the FWC, the Furian War Council. They are discussing the final details of your stay. I apologize for the wait. Can I offer you a coffee or something? The Sergeant mentioned that Humans enjoy this beverage.”

So, someone made the effort after all? I was genuinely impressed, and it eased my worries a bit. My heart rate lowered a bit. Finally.

“A coffee would be nice, thank you,” I smiled at her, and she quickly made her way to a coffee machine. After a few minutes, she returned with a steaming cup of coffee.

I inhaled the hot steam rising from the cup. It smelled delicious, a mix of chocolate and vanilla – my favourite flavours. I smiled, wondering if someone had actually researched my preferences.

“Thanks,” I said to the tall woman. Furians were quite impressive, looking at their height. On average, a Furian stood at 1.90 meters, with the tallest ever recorded being a meter taller than that. Both genders were around the same height on average.

“No problem, Commander. If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. I'm Mina,” she introduced herself.

“Thank you, Mina. Please, call me Jane,” I replied with a friendly smile. I tried to wanted to be as approachable as I can be. Normally, military protocol forbids using first names for introductions, but in our efforts to establish friendship with the Furians, such formalities felt irrelevant.

She nodded and returned to her desk.

A call popped up on my overlays – it was Eddie checking in on me.

“Is everything fine, Commander? It's been a while since you left the Tokyo,” Eddie asked worried.

“Everything is fine, don't worry. Apparently, Sergeant Voreau is still in a meeting. I'll call you as soon as I have any news, okay? Just don't leave the ship without my clear go,” I reassured him. I couldn't risk anything happening while Sergeant Voreau isn’t here yet. It was understandable that the higher-ups from the Furian side needed to meet beforehand but it felt wrong that my team had to stay on board because of a last-minute meeting. If we were hours ahead of schedule, it would make sense, but just an hour? Everything should have been sorted out by now.

“Yes, understood, Ma'am,” Eddie acknowledged, and I ended the call. I waited for another ten minutes, growing a bit impatient, until the door finally opened, revealing a very tall Furian man entering the room. It was Sergeant Voreau. With him entering, I felt a wave of relieve flowing over me.

Prior to this mission, I read a lot about him. The Admiralty Board gave me a brief overview of his history, and I must say, I was impressed. Intrigued by his background, I looked deeper into his missions, but I came across a classified entry. My mind wandered, imagining various possibilities, but nothing seemed to make sense. One theory I had was that the classified mission involved experiments on another species. Why else would it be kept a secret?

However, as I continued my investigation, I realized that it was impossible to find out details on that mission and the only person being able to tell me more was Sergeant Voreau. In the end, I decided not to let it go. Sergeant Voreau was an intriguing person, and from what I could gather, he seemed friendly enough. And, well, he looked really good as well.

As I wanted to have some conversation topics in mind, I quickly opened my overlay and glanced at the summary I had of Sergeant Voreau. The notes reminded me that he was highly regarded on Maheel and served as an advisor to the Furian War Council (FWC). In fact, he was next in line to become the High Admiral of the War Council, the highest position a Furian could achieve in their military.

His family had a remarkable history as well, with his father commanding the largest platoon in Furian history and his mother being a renowned military surgeon. Not to forget, his younger sister was considered the best sniper in the Furian military. It seems I had a potential challenger in the sniping department. During my third year of active service, I received a medal for being the best sniper the Alliance has to offer.

Reflecting on all this information, I realized that the choice of me as the Commander for this mission wasn't so surprising after all. If Furians respected anything, it was a great soldier. Being the youngest Commander in Alliance history, having my first command at the age of twenty and getting promoted to Commander at twenty-two, certainly made an impression. However, I rarely spoke about the sacrifices I had to make to get to this point. The memories of the horrors I had witnessed, like the sight of a soldier’s life fleeting from his body is a sight I wish to forget. It still haunts me to this day. Interrupting my thoughts, Sergeant Voreau spoke to me, his lips curling into a smile.

His eyes, a fascinating blend of green and silver, reminded me of sunlight filtering through leaves on Earth. The exposed skin on his body showed greyish-white feathers, similar of tail feathers found on Earth's birds. While I knew Furians were mammals, their appearance could easily confuse Humans, leading to initial assumptions that their ancestors were avian in origin.

I got up and shook Sergeant Voreau's hand, feeling the interesting texture of his feathery and soft skin, which contrasted with the sturdiness of his radiation armour. Thanks to neuroadapters in the suit, it was still possible to feel someone else’s touch. A thing I sometimes hate but this time, I appreciated it.

“The honour is mine,” I replied with a smile, appreciating his kind words. It helped me to forget, at least for a small amount of time.

“Thank you. How was your trip here?” he inquired, and I could sense his genuine interest in getting to know me.

“It was good, in fact, so good that we arrived incredibly early,” I chuckled, and he joined in laughter. Well, he should not laugh – he knew about our arrival.

“Yes, but that's actually good. It gives us more time to get to know each other. I've read so much about you,” he expressed his enthusiasm to finally meet me in person.

“That's true. But hearing it directly from you would be more exciting,” I replied, feeling a sense of eagerness.

“Before that, should we meet your crew first? I think, it would be better for them to leave the ship and settle into their accommodations rather than stay onboard for another few hours,” Sergeant Voreau suggested. At least now he feels responsible for my team being comfortable.

“That sounds fine to me,” I agreed, and we made our way back to my ship. I called Eddie to gather the crew, hoping they would gather fast. It was a relief to see that every member of the crew had gathered in the war room when we arrived. I knew they were responsible, but there was always a lingering worry that something could go wrong. But that is on me, not them.

Sergeant Voreau and I entered the war room, a small space located on the lower deck of the ship. Despite its compact size, it was equipped with various pieces of equipment, making it the most suitable room for our crew to assemble and get to know Sergeant Voreau.

“This is Sergeant Mejlo Voreau. We will be his guests for the next week, so behave yourselves and take the opportunity to learn a thing or two,” I introduced Sergeant Voreau to my crew, emphasizing the importance of getting to know him and the Furians in general. I am mean that is the main goal of this mission.

With the crew given the day off to explore Maheel, I proceeded to give Sergeant Voreau a tour of the ship as he had requested in a message a few days ago. I made a note to thank Eddie for staying behind and explain the ship’s control to Sergeant Voreau. I knew the basics to fly a warship, but not on the level Eddie knew.

As we walked through the Tokyo, I could see the awe in Sergeant Voreau's eyes. He was genuinely impressed by the engineering talents of those who built the Tokyo.

“This ship is gigantic but it looks so small on the outside!” he wondered, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Yes, the Tokyo is one of our finest warships. It's designed to be sleek, silent, and deadly,” I explained, a sense of pride present in my voice. I am the Commander of the deadliest ship in the Alliance – a bit of bragging has to be allowed here.

We continued the tour, exploring different sections of the ship and discussing what the Tokyo is capable of. We finally were able to exchange knowledge of technology and get a better look on tactics.

As the tour finished, I felt a bit closer to him. Like we’re going to be good friends. Despite our differences, we shared a common goal: protect the galaxy and make it better place. I started to get the feeling that we could really pull this off.

Little did I know about what the future held for this operation.

*

As we stepped out of the ship and into the sweltering heat of Maheel, it felt like walking against a solid wall. This yanked me back into reality – that this week would be no walk in the park, even though there was nothing mission-related planned. The conditions here on Maheel are heavy.

Sergeant Voreau broke the silence, expressing his relief that this task force was finally on its way and that we seem to be working well together. He mentioned having spoken to his father, who had been present during the first years of the war – his father was always ashamed of the Furian’s course of action during the war.

According to his father's perspective, not all Furians were eager for war but some were too proud to acknowledge that there was more to life than conflict. He admitted that their government had made a poor first impression on the Galactic community, a sentiment shared with the Human past. During Humanity’s history, we made bad first impressions to other Humans a lot. We committed atrocities to our own people – a first in the galactic history.

<<Gotta be known for something,>> I thought to myself.

“Well, I believe both races played their part in this mess,” admitting Humanity's tendency for violence, ”Humans have their fair share of flaws as well.”

He looked at me and changed the subject. Talking a lot about past mistakes won’t help us to shape the future.

He seemed intrigued by my age and military rank, noting that I was relatively young for such a position.

“In the eyes of a Furian, I might still be a child,” I laughed. The Furian lifespan is a lot longer than that of a Human. The aging part of both races is fairly similar – just that they need a lot longer to become of age here on Maheel.

“Furian legal age is twenty-five, so congratulations on being an adult here!” he chuckled.

I laughed along. I felt comfortable talking to him – he was easy-going, a trait I never thought to find in a Furian. He then suggested showing me the capital city during less crowded hours. I was excited to see more of the Furian culture, so I accepted the invitation.

This was one of the many reasons I wanted to join the military. Seeing more of other cultures helps you appreciate the galaxy even more.

However, before we left for our city tour, I couldn't help but address a nagging question that had been bothering me. The message-incident. Talking about problems right away should be the right way to do this. I mean, even though it is a professional relationship, communication is still the most important thing.

“There's just something that has been bugging me…” I began hesitantly, ”… Do Furians... rarely read their emails?” since I don’t know how Furians react to pointing them at their flaws, I tried to do it as delicately as possible.

Sergeant Voreau blinked a few times, clearly surprised by the question. His eyes darted around, quickly checking his message inbox, I assumed.

“Oh, Hiera, I am so sorry,” he exclaimed, it dawned on him, ”I didn't see your message. You're right, and I apologize for the mistake. I should have checked my messages before leaving for the meeting,” he shook his head.

“Don’t worry about it. Nothing bad happened out of it. It is just good that this is out of the way,” I reassured him and gestured with my hands, that I had no problem with what happened.

“No, no,” he insisted, ”I will make it up to you. Let me think of something.”

This felt nice. He wanted the task force to work and put in serious effort. My report today will look nicely.

As we continued our tour of Lamalia, the capital city of Maheel, I admired the beautiful architectural blend of industrialization and charm. It was fascinating to see how the Furians had utilized bricks in their earlier stages of development, just like Humans did. I felt relieved that we are not that different. And that made me think about an earlier comment of Sergeant Voreau – that Furians and Humans have much more in common than we initially thought.

However, the sweltering heat became increasingly unbearable in the radiation suit. Sweat trickled down my forehead, and my back felt uncomfortably sticky. I even tried to wipe away the sweat; I forgot I was wearing a helmet. Sergeant Voreau saw my attempt and chuckled, ”The suit isn't comfortable, is it?”

“No, it's definitely the downside of being here,” I muttered, realizing that I underestimated the conditions on Maheel.

Sergeant Voreau then suggested that we head to the house the government provided, specifically designed for our visit. The rest of my crew shared one and I had my own.

These houses were equipped with five-layered glazed windows to minimize radiation exposure, advanced air filtration systems, and a special water treatment plant to ensure clean water supply.

“That's incredibly thoughtful of your government,” I said sincerely after Sergeant Voreau handed me a pamphlet of the houses. With all the effort they made beforehand, I almost forgot about the messy welcome a few hours ago.

Sergeant Voreau nodded, ”We believe it's the least we can do to ensure your comfort during your time here. Unfortunately, we haven't found a way around the suits yet,” he chuckled apologetically.

He then called a cab, so we could go to my house. Thinking about having a house here made me feel weird. Appreciated but weird. I never really felt important but that definitely does. Also, escaping the scorching heat and the sweat-soaked clothes was a big relief.

As we travelled to my house, I got captivated by the impressive mountain range. The vast expanse of mountains stretched across the entire planet. I was curious – we are staying for at least month. Maybe I can visit parts of that. It was really impressive and seeing the highest and longest mountain chain of any of the homeworlds was something to brag about for sure. Not that there is anyone to brag to…

While in the cab, I opened up my facts list to gather more information about the planet. I discovered that Maheel was the only planet that harboured life with less than thirty percent water coverage on the surface. To be precise; only ten percent of the surface was covered in water. A stark contrast to Earth's nearly seventy percent.

Surprisingly, the water reservoirs weren't crucial for sustaining life on Maheel. Most organisms, including the Furians, relied on sporadic rainfall, with a mere ten millilitres of water per month. In contrast, I required at least two litres of water on a daily basis to stay alive. I was mesmerized by the fact how different evolution under different circumstances work. Life does always find a way if it wants.

As we arrived at my new home, I was awestruck by the architecture. The three-story building featured an abundance of glazed surfaces and a massive winter garden – it kind of looked like a forest.

“Your captain said you love nature on Earth. So you can enjoy a bit of nature on Maheel without a suit, we thought a winter garden would be the best option,” he explained as he opened the door.

Speechless, I stepped inside the house and was greeted by a symphony of various different scents – vanilla, strawberry, rose, and lily of the valley filled the air.

The interior was amazing. Just like a forest on Earth, everything looked so natural and green. For a few seconds, I just closed my eyes and let myself get lost in this experience. Maybe I should make this my permanent residence, since I am rarely able to visit Earth.

A lot of plants and books and open spaces. I glanced at one of the bookshelves and I saw a lot of history books. If there is a heaven in this galaxy, this must be it.

For a few seconds I got lost in the beauty and tranquillity of this place. As I opened my eyes, I saw some similarities between my house on Earth and this one. Maybe that is the reason why Captain Cailan asked for pictures.

Sergeant Voreau patiently waited by the door, giving me the space to process the overwhelming experience.

“This is amazing. Thank you,” I finally managed to say, awe evident in my voice ,”I believe the stay here on Maheel will be great!”

He smiled warmly and assured me, ”That's very nice to hear. If something is missing or you need anything, just let me know, and I'll make sure to arrange it for you, okay?”

“Yes, I will. I am so unbelievably happy to be here,” I replied sincerely, still finding it difficult to believe the reality of all of this.

“Well, I finally know what I want to do to make up for missing your message – I want to invite you dinner. Here of course, so you can stay comfortable. I’d like to get to know you better,” he leaned against the wall and smiled.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed but thankful, I responded, ”Oh, okay. That sounds...nice.”

“Then I will be back in the evening. Until then,” he said. He certainly is full of energy.

“Alright, thank you! See you later,” I called out as the door closed behind him. I couldn't help but feel excited for the evening.

As I finished my shower, I contemplated on how to approach this evening – especially getting to know a Furian (well this specific Furian) on a more personal level, without the constraints of protocols and uniforms. I had the tendency to either become too personal too quickly or not getting personal at all, so I needed to find a middle ground.

After half an hour of thinking, I decided to dress in a long skirt and a shirt with a subtle bow – sometimes I can be very girly and I really embrace it. I think, this outfit is professional enough but still a bit cuter than I would normally dress. The main focus is the task force, everything else will play out in the future. Who says we would fit in that way anyway?

Lost in my thoughts, I heard a knocking at the door, growing louder by the minute. Snapping out of my daydreaming, I opened the door to find Sergeant Voreau standing there, dressed casually, holding a tablet filled with food. It resembled Japanese cuisine, though with a unique twist.

“I read that Humans enjoy Japanese food, so our chefs tried to replicate it. They underwent a course in popular Human cuisine,” he explained as he placed the tablet on the table. Army chefs taking such measures certainly impressed me, and I decided to give them a chance. He placed a bowl of food, which resembled Ramen, in front of me. It smelled like the ramen of my favourite restaurant in Toronto.

I took a few bites and I was filled with happiness.

“Thank you! It tastes almost like the ramen from a place I really like on Earth,” I thought about the nice memories I had with this place.

We spoke about a lot of topics, including our hopes for the mission and our potential long-term career paths within the military. Throughout our discussion, I couldn’t help myself but looking at Sergeant Voreau, unable to ignore his undeniable attractiveness. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my racing thoughts, as I was determined to keep them in check.

<<We are not here to find love,>> I thought to myself.

Since Steven it’s been hard to think about dating someone from the military. There will always be too much duty and not enough love. And too much heartache. But if there is a chance for genuine love, I would like to at least try it. If it doesn’t work out, then this is fine.

Seeking to steer the conversation toward a more personal level, I gathered all the courage to make a comment, ”You know... you have pretty eyes…” I said, my face turning red as awkwardness crept in, ”… I-I'm sorry. That was...inappropriate.”

He chuckled, ”Thank you. Your green eyes are impressive. Green is sadly not in our colour palette,” he said, lightening the mood.

“Thank you,” I replied embarrassed, offering a smile and attempting to regain my composure. I haven’t been close to a person for a while – at least in this way. It threatens to open up old wounds and waking up memories I successfully suppressed for years.

And then, in a whirlwind of motion, he suddenly pulled me closer and kissed me. A bit surprised, my thoughts spun out of control, unsure of how to react. I did not expect him to be that bold. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, seemingly lost in thought.

“Sorry, now, that was inappropriate. Our private conversation got my head spinning, but I shouldn't have done that,” he cleared his throat, his expression shifting from warm to concerned.

My heart pounded against my chest, and my palms grew clammy. I felt like a sixteen-year-old experiencing their first kiss in high school all over again. Even the vitals on my overlay registered my rising heart rate and offered breathing exercises or the option to call a doctor if it is something serious.

<<Thanks, you stupid thing,>> I thought to myself as I swiped the pop-up away. His looked worried as he studied my overly red face.

“Are you okay? Your face is really red. Are you getting a fever? I read that it's common for Humans to blush if they're unwell,” he asked with great concern.

I shook my head heavily, attempting to dismiss any notion of illness, ”No, it's just...” I paused, again gathering courage. I felt stupid. I am twenty-five years old and behave like a freshman, ”… You're incredibly attractive, and I'm a hopeless romantic, so I'm a bit overwhelmed by this situation,” I explained, avoiding his gaze.

<<Why do you always hide behind this uniform? I believe there's a very pretty girl beneath it,>> Steven said in my head.

I healed, yes, but not fully. And starting something new while never closing the book of the past would be unfair towards Sergeant Voreau. To anyone in that regard.

He leaned closer, his scent surrounding me, and I couldn't help but swoon in response. However, before my fantasies could fully go out of hand, he redirected the conversation towards even more uncomfortable topics, ”So, now that we're here... is there someone you're close to?”

I hesitated, my mind flooded with memories and emotions. Taking a moment to collect myself, I took a deep breath and responded, ”There was someone... but it's complicated. I haven't been in a relationship for quite some time.”

His gaze softened, and he nodded understanding, ”I see. Well, I believe we both have a lot to learn about each other and ourselves during this mission.”

His words resonated with me. It made me feel something. I don’t understand what, to be honest, but I felt it.

As I took a deep breath, attempting to compose myself. Thinking about Steven caught me off-guard. Thinking about him made me feel like someone grated my brain with sandpaper.

Nevertheless, despite my discomfort, I wanted to tell him more about. I don’t want to push him away, so I said, ”Well, if you want, I can explain what I meant…” he nodded, ”… My last relationship was a disaster. He cheated on me…” I confessed, immediately feeling a sense of vulnerability and embarrassment. I quickly averted my gaze,”… It’s just very hard talking about it. Even though it’s been a while, it still lingers.”

To my surprise, Sergeant Voreau responded in a gentle tone, ”Only tell me what you are comfortable with sharing. I don’t want to pry.”

I let out a sigh. I trusted him and for the moment, I felt safe with him, which made it easier to finally tell him, ”If you want to hear about it, sure…” I said nervously, ”… Steven and I met in military school. He served as a storm trooper on the front lines, while I focused on scouting. We were together throughout most of our time during school. However, just before I turned twenty, I received my own command and was set to ship out the following week…”

I paused for a moment, collecting my thoughts – the next part will be one of the hardest parts of the story. After a few seconds, I continued, ”… Steven proposed to me during our ship duty, but I wasn't ready to give him a final answer yet. I needed time to really know what I want and where I want to be. If marriage was possible with my goals...”

While I shared these details, I couldn't really read Mejlo's reaction from his facial expression, leaving me nervous.

“… Then, during the mission on Progress, the colony was attacked by ruthless pirates who killed my crew and left me missing in action for three days. When I finally returned home, traumatized and suicidal, I found Steven sleeping with another woman. In my home…” I sniffled. I held back some tears. Thinking about it always hurts, ”… I threw them out and changed the locks on my door, leaving him behind. I underwent intensive therapy. A lot of those sessions were what happened with Steven. The therapy gave me a small bit of peace, but I can never erase those memories from my mind. Some days, it feels like a waking nightmare,” as I finished my story, Mejlo listened intently, and it felt like a big weight finally came off my shoulders. I never told anyone about it – my therapist doesn’t count in that regard.

“Well, I can understand that. At least what it feels like to come back home after a traumatizing mission. The galaxy feels different afterwards,” he said and looked at the floor. He felt ashamed. His words sounded like he also has some weight to carry.

Understanding his sentiment, I thought about the classified mission I came across. Maybe he is referring to that.

Only way to find out about it is to ask him, ”Oh, yeah. When I was reading about you, I stumbled upon something classified. Not that I'm nosy... And you don't have to say anything if you don't feel comfortable sharing it. It's classified for a reason,” I rushed out, feeling the need to clarify that I wasn't prying into his personal affairs.

To my surprise, he chuckled, finding my babbling amusing. However, it was evident that he was lost in his thoughts, his mind occupied by memories and experiences.

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he finally spoke up, his voice carrying a hint of vulnerability, ”I can tell you about it. I left that part of my life behind pretty quickly. After healing, of course,” he added, his tone touched with a hint of bitterness.

Mental health was still somewhat of a taboo topic among the Furians, so, I suppose he feels comfortable around me. I don’t think he would be so vulnerable with me otherwise.

“On my third or fourth routine mission, I was stationed on Jahout. Routine scouting mission. Protecting the evolving life there. We thought, they were not that advanced – oh were we wrong. They were advanced enough to see through us. During one of patrols, my team and I got captured. And these… people… they were brutal…” he closed his eyes. His lips trembled. As I wanted to stop him, he began talking again.

“… I wanted to die. One by one, they tortured us. Killed us. I was the last. They tried to peel of my natural armour. And it hurt…” he showed me a scar under his armour. It looked brutal. The skin was just a wild growth, ”… It still hurts sometimes. Phantom pain. Agonizing though. Before they could cut through my throat and let me bleed out, the army finally found me and brought me back home. And when I got back home, I wanted to die for the longest time. Thought about leaving the force but one of the good Admirals in our army helped me to get help. Never been better since then. Most of the time. Sometimes the pictures come into my mind and then it gets hard,” his lips were still trembling a bit.

I nodded, ”But for most of the time it’s manageable – and that’s the only thing that counts,” I added. It sounds like a stupid saying but it helped me to get through with everything. We live for the good moments – not the bad ones.

For a moment, we were just silent. Looking at each other and letting our words sink in.

“I want to show you something,” he said, grabbing my hand as we walked into the winter garden. We both laid down on the floor, and then I saw it: the swirly arms of the galaxy. It was beautiful.

“It looks so beautiful!” I exclaimed captivated. It made me think about the biggest reason I joined the military. Why I am here to do what I love doing, “… My grandmother always wanted to see the stars. She was too old after Humans became a spacefaring race. As a young girl, she always had the dream to see Earth from space. In her times, only a few people could leave Earth. Rich people and trained astronauts. You could say she was kind of obsessed. She died before she had the chance to go out there. On her deathbed, she told my mother that she should never refuse an opportunity to explore the universe. That she thinks the galaxy is filled with life and so many other remarkable things. My mom told me that but if I am being honest, back then, I was really young and didn't know what my grandmother meant. I always thought she was old and senile, but she was nothing like that. My grandmother was an old woman who never had the chance to fulfil her dreams. War was her life, there was not a lot else for her. My mom told me she had to work hard and had a very rough life; caught in a job she never liked. Dealing with panic attacks a lot. Never fulfilling anything she wanted to.

A big war on Earth broke out because of the discovery of FTL. Every nation wanted the rights over the patent. They needed ten years to get their act together.

Then First Contact with the Furians happened and another war broke out. She died a few years before the war ended.

There was nothing else she could have done differently. Her life was dictated by circumstances. I like to think that I carry on her dream now. After I got my first ship, I took her and my grandpa's ashes up to the moon. So, she symbolically saw Earth from space. I even buried them on the Moon so she can always look at Earth. I know it's silly, but I am a very sentimental person,” this was a deeply personal part of my life and it felt so good to talk about it. In that moment, lying beside Sergeant Voreau and gazing at the galaxy above us, the weight of those emotions felt appropriate to share.

He thought about it for second, ”No, I don't think it's stupid, it's actually very cute. Furians are mostly not that sentimental, even though it would be good if we talk about our feelings once in a while. But there's one thing though; forgive me if it sounds condescending. It's something Furian children deal with a lot. Most of us just live the lives our parents wanted us to live. So, are you living your own dream or your grandmother’s?” it sounded like he had to deal with this problem on his own.

In that moment, I really felt the reason of why I am here – me. My grandmother’s words kickstarted the need to explore the galaxy. But ultimately, I am here because I want to be here.

“No, I am here, because I want to be here. I want to make the galaxy a better place. A safer place. My grandmother just woke the curiosity up,” I explained.

As I listened to Sergeant Voreau sharing the experience Furian children have with their parents, I felt a bit sad. It was not uncommon for children to face resistance from their parents when choosing a path that is completely different from what their parents want.

The conversation took me back to the moment when I revealed my own decision to join the military to my parents. The atmosphere had been tense, filled with disappointment and disagreement. My parents, like many others on Earth, had their own biases and concerns regarding the military and the Alliance. But I couldn't let their fears dictate my own choices.

<<You’re joking,>> my mother said in a critical tone, crossing her arms in front of her. She looked judgemental.

<<No, I am not!>> I was waving around with the letter of acceptance in my hand.

My father leaned against the kitchen counter and shook with his head, <<You did not tell us about your application to the military service of the Alliance,>> my father’s voice was firm and full of hatred.

My parents, just like many other Humans, blamed the Alliance for the long suffering after the war ended.

<<Because I knew you would discourage me. I know what happened to grandma and I am sorry for her. But I will join the Alliance because of her. She wanted to explore, and I will do exactly that. I’ll leave in a month,>> I said, and it was the end of the discussion. I left the house to live with a friend for the last month. After that, our relationship has never been the same.

But thanks to me still going on, even after arguing with my parents, I am the person I am now. And I think, I am not a bad person. Despite the strain it had put on my relationship with my parents, I hoped that someday they would come to understand and accept my choices, just as I had come to accept theirs – I understood their fears and their thoughts about the Alliance but a lot has changed since the end of the war.

I snapped out of my flashback and told him, ”For an awfully long time, I didn't know what to do with myself. Back when I graduated from college, the Alliance held a visiting day. They showed us what they do up there and what we can do to contribute. It was there that I saw a picture of the Pact, and I immediately knew where I wanted to be and what I should do. I wanted to explore, encounter other living beings beyond Earth, and work towards peace and protection for all. And I think I did a pretty good job. I completed my training relatively quickly and obtained my own command.

Except for… Progress…” their screams of agony and pain still echoed through my head, ”… After I was allowed to return back to duty, I became the youngest Commander in history. It helped me find some closure. I tried to convince myself that I had achieved full closure after the families of my dead squamates assured me that it was not my fault, and they don’t blame me. But there is still a part of me that blames myself, telling me I can't be happy. So it’s hard being fully happy sometimes. The Admiralty Board was happy with what I did and what I am still doing. My fleet captain said they only see the good I have done – the colony that survived, the pressure I endured,” I shrugged, but saying out loud that I did good on Progress still feels wrong, and it always will.

He nodded and tried to offer another perspective, ”At least something good came out of it. You are still here, protecting the galaxy. Making it a better place.”

<<But I am also responsible for the deaths of those who had the same goals as I do,>> I added silently.

This pain may never cease.

We talked for hours and hours. It felt light and easy being with him. Maybe this can work. Furians and Humans working together. Instead of looking at what makes us different, I see the similarities. After five years of being sad and alone, I finally felt at home. Finally closer to peace.

I never realized that I had fallen asleep, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in a large bed, cocooned in blankets. My clothes clung to my body, damp with sweat. I was still wearing the same clothes from the day before. I concluded I didn’t make it to bed on my own.

Struggling with the tightly wrapped blankets, I fought to free myself. After a painfully long time, I emerged victorious, finally able to get up. Hastily, I put off the sticky clothes and tossed them onto a nearby chair. Some habits never die. Have been doing that since I was a teenager.

As I made my way towards the bathroom, my eyes caught sight of a note resting on the desk, its delicate and beautiful handwriting capturing my attention.

<<Good morning, Jane. I hope it's fine if I call you by your first name. Furians do that when they like each other, even in a military relationship. I had a genuinely wonderful evening. Getting to know you was special. Humans are more easy-going than I had thought. Anyway, you fell asleep in the winter garden while we were talking, so I took the liberty of bringing you to bed. I'll be leaving after I finish this note. I'm very excited about our upcoming collaboration. Mejlo.>>

I enjoyed the evening with him as well. It was comforting to know that I wasn't the only one facing struggles and that it's normal to go through difficult times. And, I must admit, I think I am falling for him. Just the thought of him made my face turn red, and I couldn't help but feel a bit childish. To be truly honest, I enjoyed it a bit.

The last time I truly fell in love with someone, not just engaging in flings (although there weren't many), was with Steven. And since things didn't end well between us, I have stopped trying to find a partner.

And it is not that easy to finally close this chapter of my life – despite me insisting that Steven shouldn't contact me again, he continues to do so frequently. It feels like ripping off the scab of a wound every time you remove the band aid.

I let out a small sigh, knowing that there are countless unread messages from him waiting in my overlays. About one thousand and eighty-nine of them to be precise. This is just a huge, never-ending mess.

I took a refreshing shower, got dressed, and had a small breakfast consisting of coffee and cereals. It wasn't my favourite breakfast, but I didn't mind. After all, how could they know my breakfast preferences? I already felt like they were overdoing themselves.

While eating, I glanced at my schedule and let out a sigh. Today, we had a meeting with the Senator, a key figure in the peace negotiations between Humans and Furians. Although I appreciated their efforts and ongoing work towards reconciliation, I still hated political meetings. Most of them involved a lot of flattery, meaningless discussions, and handshaking, and I hate touching people’s hands. Ugh.

Perhaps this meeting would surprise me and change my perspective about those people, but I highly doubted it.

Until the delegation arrived in the afternoon, I didn't have much to do except sit in the winter garden and read. The winter garden was equipped with a sound system, so I played some bird and nature sounds from Earth. I love exploring different planets and traveling across the galaxy, but it has been a while since I last visited Earth. Since joining the task force last year (yes, it took both governments an entire year to plan this mission), my assignments have mostly involved the Pact and various missions beyond the Sol System.

For a brief moment, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the soothing sounds. Then, the doorbell rang, jolting me back to reality. I got up and quickly put on my suit, preparing myself for the upcoming meeting.

We all settled into a car that resembled a Human-made limousine, although the sight inside was rather comical. Five people dressed in elegant clothes, while the other five, resembled inflated balloon people. I found myself on the ”balloon people” team.

“Thank you for picking me up, Sergeant Voreau,” I spoke up, breaking the silence within the vehicle. The silence somehow made me uncomfortable.

“The pleasure is all mine, Commander O'Sullivan,” he replied with a wink. I hoped no one else noticed it. In that moment, I was grateful for the suit I was wearing. The face inside the suit was barely visible to others.

“The meeting is with Senator Cravill, right?” I asked Mejlo, making an effort to remember the name. Names tend to slip away from my memory like buzzing flies, disappearing in an instant.

I accessed my overlays and searched for information on Senator Cravill. He was next in line to become the Third Adjutant, a prestigious position in the Furian War Council.

Senator Cravill was one of the earliest advocates for some kind of peace delegation with Humans and Furians joining forces. In the last five years of the war, he gained increasing popularity as he tirelessly negotiated for such a task force or delegation. He was an ambitious man. However, his efforts also attracted a significant amount of hate.

Despite the fact that most Furians supported the idea of working with Humans, a small yet vocal minority labelled him as <<The Ender of the Furian Age>>. It may sound absurd, but for some Furians it was a very serious matter. But it is not like Humans had the same problem even within the Human race. Racism was still very big around one hundred seventy-five years ago.

I closed my overlays, as I refocused my attention on Mejlo, ”Yes, he’ll welcome us at the Senator-House. You can get out of your suit there because there will be journalists and what-not. Important people with questions,” he said and shrugged.

As I contemplated the upcoming day, my mind wandered to the first and only Furian-Human couple that had caused quite a stir in the media a few years ago. They were forced to seek refuge on Monthelier, the home planet of the Akshwari, after facing intense scrutiny and persecution from both Furian and Human societies. For a while, their story dominated headlines, but eventually, they faded from public interest once they went into hiding.

Human extremists even planned a hit on them and put a bounty on them after the hit did not succeed. Dark times. I shuddered. Never understood why people would be like that.

After it got out there, that even some Furian extremists put a bounty on the couple and they were hunted by several assassins, the pressure of the Akshwari matriarch got heavier and gave them amnesty. It is said that the ”Hunter of Shadows”, an infamous assassin, protected them for a while. No one knows his real identity, but he is known for only killing bad people and protecting the good ones.

We drove into a big, circular building – the seat of the Furian War Council and the rest of the government. It is called – unsurprisingly, the Circle. Mejlo guided us to the changing rooms where we could change our suits for the more comfortable formal attire that the Alliance gave us. I was relieved we were able to change and not spent a whole day in these suits. Once we were ready, we made our way to the reception room where Senator Cravill awaited us.

The atmosphere in the room was chaotic, with cameras flashing, reporters with notepads and people setting up microphones. The sight made my heart sink. This was my personal hell —being surrounded by a sea of media and having to navigate through the noise and scrutiny.

Recalling the media training we received before our mission, I reminded myself to stay calm and composed, to tell them only the things I know for sure. But in this overcrowded and bustling room, it was a challenge to keep those lessons at the forefront of my mind. My head went a few times to the thought to just end this thing quickly. Finding inner peace and composure here is definitely not an easy task.

The Senator approached me, extending his hand for a handshake, and greeted me warmly, ”Hello Commander O’Sullivan, it is such a huge honour to welcome you to Maheel. I hope Sergeant Voreau is providing good care for you?”

I nodded, ”Yes, I have no complaints. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming,” my gaze darted nervously around the room, overwhelmed by the sheer number of people present. I was ill-prepared for such a gathering. People made me nervous.

“That is good to hear. I hope everything is to your liking?” he asked curiously as we walked across the room.

My hands began to tremble. I quickly crossed them behind my back, knowing it would be impolite to put them in the pockets of my vest.

“Absolutely! I love the house you provided, and my crew has also shared positive feedback about their spacious rooms. I believe we are off to a good start,” I replied, thinking about the report I quickly typed in the morning. There was still a weird feeling of… chaos in my heart – like this was going too smoothly.

This made me think about the conversation I had with Maine right before we left for Progress.

<<What could go wrong? Progress is a quiet colony,>> I said to my second-in-command Maine.

<<And this people, is the reason, why I hate young team leaders. Always over their head,>> he shook his head.

I felt as naïve right now as I felt back then.

I blinked a few times, getting me back into the present. Not now. Thinking about it now won’t change anything. They are dead and I have to do better.

I refocused my attention on the Senator. Staying in the present right now is more important than ever.

“That's wonderful to hear. The success of this task force is vital. The council's financial support has allowed us to add a few extras to our plan. We are so glad we could do this. Our highest priority is to ensure your safety while you are on our planet, despite being inhospitable for Humans,” the Senator explained with great passion. It felt genuine even with all the media present. They were all hungry to hear the stories.

“I appreciate the efforts made to ensure our safety,” I replied, attempting to spark a sense of hope in others as well, ”I genuinely hope we can look forward to a prosperous future together.”

“Well spoken, Commander O’Sullivan. And to honour your great sense of leadership, the Alliance and the Furian War Council collaborated on a project. We build a ship that can challenge the SSV Tokyo any day. It is called the SSV Norsja, and we would like you to become her captain. Her design; a fusion of Human and Furian engineering. Deadly. Invisible. Silent,” the Senator's eyes gleamed with excitement as he shared this news.

Overwhelmed by the offer and the significance of the task, I took a moment to collect myself before responding, ”I uhm…” my mouth didn't release any smarter words. As in the words of a good friend <<my brain is not braining>>. I cleared my throat, ”Ahem, it would be an immense honour to represent this alliance and serve as the captain of the SSV Norsja,” I replied, my voice filled with gratitude and determination. Finally, my brain found any words again.

After the photo session with the Senator, he discreetly pulled me aside and handed me a notepad without saying a word. It contained a message from my Captain, and as I read it, I couldn't help but feel a mix of surprise and excitement.

<<Dear Jane, we are overly impressed by your accomplishments and the value you added to