Star Runners: Revelation Protocol

Chapter 1-3

"See any action?"

"Yes."

Austin smiled. “That must be the tour where you got all your warm fuzzies about flying for the Legion.”

“Right,” Ryan said, allowing a crooked grin.

Austin knew he shouldn't press the issue. The experienced Trident drivers on Tarton's Junction never spoke about their tour experiences. Not in detail at least. This left Austin piecing together fragments of information and snippets of stories to form a disjointed narrative of life on tour in the Legion Navy. But maybe he could get some more detailed information from Ryan while they had coffee.

The door at the back of Atlantis control dilated, revealing the institutional white decontamination room he recalled from his first trip. Staff in tight-fitting white uniforms with silver trim led them to separate slabs floating above the deck. Austin did as instructed and allowed the attendant to begin the examination. They took a blood sample, examined his eyes, and typed his information into the tablet strapped to their arms. The exam took a few minutes.

"Enjoy your leave, Lieutenant Stone," the attendant said behind a white mask. "You are free to go."

"Thank you. I will."

Austin and Ryan jumped off their slabs and walked into the next room. A familiar hum droned inside. The shiny transport tubes lined the floors. Two Star Runners in Excalibur red flight suits stepped out of the nearest tube, nodded, and walked into the decontamination room.

"Let's get this over with," Ryan said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He turned to the crew. "Both of us are bound for Base Prime."

The shorter crew member stepped toward Austin and motioned to a tube. He folded himself into the tube, the intensity of the hum increasing. The crew member slammed the tube shut. Austin had forgotten the gum Nubern gave him the previous time he traveled in a tube. He shut his eyes. The light surrounded him, flashed. He felt his stomach drop and twist, and then it was over.

The hatch slid open.

"Welcome to Base Prime," a voice boomed. "If you will please step out of the tube."

Austin opened his eyes, a migraine piercing his brain like a hot knife through ground beef. "My head's killing me. What happened?"

"You're still new at this, sir." Two hands gripped under his armpits and yanked him out of the tube. "It'll pass shortly."

With his eyes still clamped shut, Austin allowed the hands to lead him to a wall. He rubbed his temples with his index fingers. He could barely hear the roar of a crowd walking and talking as they passed around him. Distantly, he heard voices on speakers and the servos of a thousand machines.

"You look like hell," Ryan said.

"I feel like I'm going to puke."

"Did this happen to you the last time?"

He winced as he thought back. "Not this bad. I chewed gum the last time."

"Oh, someone was smart enough to tell you about that. Until your brain and body get used to the tube transport, keep chewing the gum."

Austin nodded and slightly opened his eyes. "I'll remember that next time. It's getting a little better."

Behind Ryan, people scurried in countless directions like a stadium parking lot after a game.

"This place sure hasn’t changed. Come on, man," Ryan said, placing his hand on Austin's shoulder. "Let's get you through customs and out for some fresh air."

"Sounds good."

Ryan led him slowly through the crowd. Austin's stomach had ceased its tumbling and the pounding in his head lessened. They stood in line for ten minutes leading to customs. A man with thick brimmed glasses and a curved nose shaped like a vulture’s beak sat behind the desk, asking Ryan a few questions Austin did not hear. Ryan turned over his laser pistol and stepped into what looked like a mobile fitting room. When he came out, the Lobera uniform had been replaced by dark blue jeans and a ratty T-shirt. He looked ten years younger.

"Next!"

Austin blinked and stepped forward. "Sorry. I have a headache."

The man looked down at him. "I don't care. Business?"

"No, I'm on leave."

The man sighed and looked at the ceiling. "What is your business here?"

Austin swallowed. "I'm a Star Runner on leave. I am returning home to Atlanta later today."

"Good for you. I need your weapon, wings, and any other identification marks linking you to your service with the Legion."

Austin slipped off the wings and unbuckled his holster.

"Are you carrying any other Legion or off world technologies and/or fruits, vegetables, living organisms, or drugs?"

"No. Nothing."

“Did you have any artificial limbs, organs, or other prosthetics installed while off world that you’d like to claim?”

“Are you serious? Sorry. No fake body parts.”

"Very well." He pointed to the fitting room. "Change there. Drop your uniform and other belongings into the silver box provided inside. It will be waiting for you upon your return. Next!"

"Thank you," Austin said.

He walked to the fitting room and shut the door behind him, placing his duffle bag containing the outfit he wore during his first day at Tizona on the bench. As he changed out of his uniform, he thought of Skylar coming to see him while he packed just before he left Tarton's Junction. She’d felt strange about him leaving. They had arrived at the same time, but now he had graduated before her. With what Ryan said, they could be sent to opposite ends of the galaxy within the next month.

He put on a dark green collar shirt Mom had given him and buckled his jeans. He took a deep breath and glanced in the mirror.

A familiar face looked back. The old reflection mirrored one from high school, although leaner with much shorter hair. He had worn nothing but Tizona blue for more than a year. The green shirt felt traitorous.

He dropped the uniform, wings, identification card, and pistol in the silver box under the mirror and stepped out into the flow of people.

“You look like a native again,” Ryan said as he walked next to Austin. "Let's go finish the rest of this and get that coffee."

"Good Lord, that's good," Austin said.

The delightful, bitter taste of coffee washed around his mouth, igniting his taste buds.

"What?" Ryan said, sipping on his own drink. "They don't have coffee on Tarton's Junction?"

He took another sip. "Not like this."

A cool breeze drifted past their table. The California sunshine beamed down, washing everything in a golden hue. Beautiful women clad in bikini tops skated past on roller blades and waved.

"With military bases all along the California coast, the local women hunt this area," Ryan said with a smile. "You have a girlfriend?"

Austin winced. He didn't know how to answer that question. He and Skylar shared an awkward kiss earlier in the year, but he had grown close with Ryker since the rescue on Flin Six. He thought of Ryker's rehab, wondered if she had reached her destination. When he had a moment, he would have to send her a message.

"Man, forget I asked," Ryan said. "If it takes you that long to answer, I'd rather not know."

"What?" Austin asked, hiding his mouth with his coffee mug.

"It's cool with me if you want to bat for the other side."

"It's not that. It's just a difficult answer."

"Don't worry about it." He glanced at his watch. "I need to catch a cab to Jason’s house. I’ll pick up my Legion ride in the morning. Decided how you’re getting home?"

"Taking a tube back to my school and going from there."

"Cool." He handed over a stick of chewing gum. "For the trip. Hey man, stay in touch. I hope we serve together some time."

“I really want to hear more about your tours and what you’ve seen out there.” Austin thought of the limiting stay he’d had on Tarton’s Junction. “I don’t mean this in a bad way, but I feel like I don’t know anything about the universe after talking to you.”

“You don’t.” Ryan smiled and stood. “We’ll talk more soon.”

Austin shook his hand. "Really nice talking with you, Lieu—I mean, man."

"Yeah, being back takes some getting used to, but you'll manage. Bit of advice?"

"Sure."

Ryan looked at him. "I know I’ve already said it, but enjoy every minute you're here. I mean it; this will go by so fast. Soon, all of this will be nothing but a memory, a figment fading with the passage of time. They own you now, Stone. At least for the next five years." He looked up. "Out there will become your normal, your everyday life."

"Thanks, Ryan. I'll try."

He held the handshake a moment before scooping up his bag. He slipped on a baseball hat that might have been red at some point, and weaved through the sidewalk traffic. As Ryan waved to attract a taxi, Austin looked into his coffee and took a deep breath.

Ryan was right; he needed to enjoy the sunshine, relish every moment. The daylight warmed his skin. He would send emails to Ryker, Skylar, and Bear when he got home to let them know he made it. He missed them, all of them, and he felt like his heart existed in both places. He stared into the sky, his mind wandering.

An explosion ripped through the air.

Tables tumbled, crashing into splinters as a shockwave smashed into the sidewalk. Austin fell to the pavement, his cheek slapping the concrete. People screamed and cried. He blinked, his vision blurred. He touched his ear, saw blood on his fingers.

Slowly, he stood in the space formerly occupied by the coffee shop table. Police ran toward a fire raging in the street while the rest of the crowd ran the opposite direction. Austin squinted for a better view.

The inferno engulfed a twisted piece of metal in the shape of a car. The vehicle had no more doors; the paint had melted off the side. Black text bubbled and cracked in the midst of the flames.

The taxi.

Ryan's ride had exploded in the street.

He shook on weak legs as a hard lump twisted deep in his gut. A Legion Star Runner had just died on the streets of San Francisco. His eyes darted around the area, a sickening sense of paranoia engulfing him like a morning fog. Someone on this street had targeted Ryan, and Austin might be next.

He hurried through the chaos for the entrance to Base Prime, hoping safety awaited him. As he made his way through the flow of screaming people, he pushed away the image of Ryan smiling as he walked to the taxi to begin his leave.