Secrets Among the Stars

Chapter 2

Jayson

My eyes slide open, blurry from sleep. Our room is dark, except for the soft glow of the sun coming through the mostly opaque window, it’s shade setting at ninety percent, the way Alex likes it when we sleep. From my position, I look over to Alex’s bed, the blankets smoothed to sharp corners, the sheets tucked perfectly.

Though we’ve lived on Station Prime, the military headquarters for this quadrant of the Milky Way, for nearly three years, his bed’s been slept in less than a dozen times. He only sleeps there when we’ve had a fight or those horrible two days when the ventilation system was malfunctioning and temperatures inside the station reached nearly one hundred degrees.

Currently, Alex is behind me, his arm over my side, his breath tickling the back of my neck. I can feel his boner pressing into the small of my back. How easy it would be to push my hips back, rub up against him, and convince him to fuck me. But he has trouble sleeping as it is, and I don’t want to disturb him.

Instead, I lay wrapped in his arms, wondering what it was that could have pulled me from my comfortable sleep. It doesn’t come to me, though, so I focus on his breathing, the slow deep rhythm of it and close my eyes, willing myself to fall asleep.

A moment later, that becomes an impossibility as a klaxon alarm rings out throughout the station. Alex throws himself up into a sitting position.

“Move, move, move!” I shout, throwing the blanket off us. Though I’d rather sleep naked, station protocol requires us to sleep in a basic shirt and underwear. I’m thankful as it takes us moments to pull on our pants and slip into our shoes.

I reach the door first and press my hand against the reader to the side. It doesn’t react. The door doesn’t open.

“Manual release,” Alex says groggily.

Duh, why didn’t I think of that?

I grip the edge of the panel and push it aside, where I find a button. I jam my hand down on it, pressing it into the wall. A hiss sounds as the hydraulic locks release and the door opens enough for me to wedge my hand in and slide the door open.

We’re out in the hallway where all hell is breaking lose. Sleep deprived men—the women sleep on the other side of the station—are moving with varying degrees of alertness. I notice they all have their packs on their shoulders and curse myself, turning around.

“Forgetting this?” Alex asks with a grin, holding my pack out to me.

“Thanks, babe,” I say, grabbing the pack and swinging it over my shoulder.

As we head down the hall, I listen intently for any specific warnings. This klaxon could mean anything. We could be under attack. A life support system could be failing. A part of station’s coupling could have failed and this part of the station is floating away from the main hub.

Whatever it is, the procedure is the same. We have to get to the ship hangar. This klaxon means get in your ship, whether you’re assigned a starship, a medical evac ship, or a civilian ship, and get the fuck off the station.

The hangar, by design, is located very close to the barracks, with only a medical station between them. I glance at the medical station. It’s supposed to be operational 24/7, but the lights are off and there’s no personnel. Whatever is happening, it must be serious.

Alex and I enter the hangar and he grabs my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. From this moment, we’ll be apart. I let his hand slip from mine and head toward my ship, a Star Skipper Class VI, reserved for higher-raking soldiers. Before I get there, I freeze, and I notice others do the same.

There’s no ground crew. Nobody has prepped our ships for launch. People look around, trying to find somebody in charge. A quick scan of this area shows I’m the ranking officers.

“No time to dawdle, soldiers!” I call out. “You’re trained for this. Prep your own ships!”

I head toward mine and grab the rolling staircase nearby, wheeling it up to the side of the ship. Others imitate me, my orders cutting through their tired fog. I climb up into my ship and press my hand to a reader. It doesn’t react.

Even stranger, the canopy is darkened, its sun shield up, so I can’t see the console.

I glance around. At least half the pilots have been able to get into their ships, but the other half are locked out. Something very strange is going on.

“Attention! Anyone with room in their cockpit for a copilot, grab someone. If your ship is down and you can’t get into the cockpit of another pilot, I want you to get to a drop pod and drop planetside!”

They scramble to follow my orders. Everyone in this room would rather be in a starship than in a drop pod. If we are under attack by the Xarax, drop pods will be easy pickings for them.

I immediately run over to Alex’s ship. By the time I make it there, the soldiers have divided, half of them heading for the drop pods along the side of the hangar and the others nestled behind their pilots. Nobody will leave without my clearance, even the drop pods. Alex has been able to get in and power up his ship, but another person is standing on the stairs, arguing with him.

“…let me in,” Chum is saying to him, “if we’re under attack, my telekinesis will help us!”

“No way, Chuum, go get in a drop pod.”

As much as I want to yell at Chum, tell him to get away from my boyfriend, I have to act professionally at this time.

“Chuum,” I say, choosing to use his real name instead of his more fitting nickname, “I need to be up here with our men. Get yourself to a drop pod.”

“You just want to ride with your fa—” he cuts himself off, but we both knew what he was going to say, “—with your boyfriend,” he amends quickly.

“That’s not it at all. I’m giving you an order to stand down.”

“Lieutenant!” I hear someone yell over the klaxon and turn my attention to the drop pods. “All the pods are disabled.”

Fuck me sideways.

I reach into my pack and pull out my radio.

“This is Alpha One, requesting launch confirmation of evac vehicles, over!” I shout into it.

There’s no response. Either the rest of the station has evacuated or comms systems are down. We can’t even check on the status of the female pilots, because their hangar is on the opposite side of the station.

“This is Alpha One, requestion evac launch confirmation!” I shout again.

Nothing.

“Chuum, get in with Riggs.”

“But—” Alex starts to protest.

“No, Riggs, this is not the time. I have to stay and see if I can help look for survivors. Listen up, everyone!”

Everyone turns to me, hopelessness on their faces.

“This may be an attack, we don’t know. Pilots, take off and search station space. See if you can hail any vehicles. Try to get them to dock here or establish communications with me. If there’s an attack, we have far too few pilots unless the women have managed to join space as well. If not, head planetside and try to get to ground base. The rest of you, follow me. We’re heading for the female hangar. With any luck, their drop pods are working. Go, go, go!”

I look back at Alex as his canopy closes, Chum nestled in behind him. He gives me a nod, his brows furrowed and powers up his ship.

“Let’s go, men!” I yell and we rush for the airlock, which is wide open. It’s only used to seal the hangar in emergencies, when the barrier is down. We’d know if it was, as we’d be sucked into space by now. One by one, the ships take off and fly through the translucent blue barrier protecting us from the deadly vacuum outside.

I lead the rest of the men through the corridor, each of us on high alert, our weapons raised. We hadn’t had a chance to arm ourselves, evacuation being our priority, but I lead them down a corridor and to a stop outside the armory door.

“What the fuck?” one of the men behind me says, and I couldn’t agree more.

The main armory door is made of a heavy duty, resistant glass that can withstand the vacuum of space. But there’s another door closed behind it, one that can withstand a nuclear explosion. The only man who can open and close this door is General McVoy.

“Can you blink inside and grab some weapons?” one of the soldiers asks.

I try, focusing my abilities, but I couldn’t move two inches through the heavy weight upon me.

“No,” I say, “the dampening field is still up. We’ll have to make due with our pistols.”

I turn and lead the men down to the end of the corridor, then turn right down another. Up ahead on the right is the mess hall, then the stairs to Command is behind that. The mess hall is deserted, I can tell just by glancing through the door. But it isn’t until I get to the door outside Command that I’m worried. This entire corridor has a window to space lined through the center of the ceiling. I can see the dome for the Command Center through it. A metal shield has been drawn under it, another Nuclear Blast Shield, or NBS, like what’s protecting the armory. The same kind of door blocks the way up to Command, with another door closed over that one, made of the same glass and metal as the armory.

The Command Center is prepped for launch, which would leave the rest of the station with about three hours of oxygen and auxiliary power before it’s nothing but a floating tomb.

Pushing my fear down, thankful that Alex is safe, I lead on. When we enter the female hangar, my heart stops. All the ships are gone. Every single one.

“This is Alpha One!” I shout into my radio. “Can anyone read me, over!”

Silence.

“Sir,” one of my soldiers say and I move to him, next to the drop pods. There’s a warning on it.

 

Drop pod functionality disabled. Enter override code:

 

I don’t know the code. I don’t know what to do.

Then, a shockwave rocks through the station and an automated female voice rings out.

“Command Center undocking sequence complete. Command Center will launch in ten seconds.”

“No!” I shout and start running for the hangar door. Before I can get there, it slams shut and seals with an NBS. This is standard for when the Command Center undocks, in case something goes wrong. But the Command Center is supposed to be in communication with everyone the entire time. Whatever is going on, it’s very serious.

“Command Center will launch in five…four…three…two…one…”

Another shockwave rocks the station and I know, even before the voice says, “Command Center launch successful. Releasing emergency doors,” that the Command Center is gone.”

“What…what now?” asks one of the soldiers.

I move to the console next to the drop pod station and press the “S.O.S.” button. A female AI voice speaks out.

“How can I assist you?” it asks in a voice way too cheery for this situation.

“Unlock the drop pods. The station is in emergency mode,” I say.

“I’m sorry, the requested operation can not be completed. Drop pod access is locked under Security Protocol Zeta X-ray Charlie.”

“What protocol is that?” someone asks.

“I have no idea,” I tell them, then turn back to the AI. “We’re in danger. The Command Center has launched. We need to evacuate.”

“I’m sorry,” the AI voice says again, “the requested operation can not be completed. My sensors do not indicate the Command Center has been launched, nor is there an active emergency signal.”

“Can you not hear the alarm?!” I shout in frustration.

“Oh, let me turn that off for you.”

The klaxon goes silent.

“Well, that’s better,” someone says. “At least we’ll die in peace.”

I shoot the soldier a glare and realize it’s David Crane, the one who walked in on me and Alex in the shower. He just smiles at me.

“Small things, mate,” he says in his British accent, “small things.”

I turn back to the AI and say, “Override drop pod control lock. Do it on my authority.”

“Scanning,” says the AI. “Sorry, Leiutenant Kramer, you do not have proper authorization for this task.”

“Can you tell me which evac ships are left?” I ask.

“All evac ships have departed the station. The last evac ship left six minutes ago.”

I change my radio frequency, not sure which someone would be on and listen in for voices. Nothing. Every line is dead.

“Attention!” an automated voice rings out over the station-wide comms system. “Station Alpha self-destruct sequence initiated. Station will self-destruct in T-minus five minutes.”

“Run!” I shout. “Back to the ships! We have to get them working!”

We all run, full out, back to the hangar. We divide up, the nine of us that are left, and climb up to one of the five ships. Finding the manual canopy release, we open the canopy glass.

“This ship just needs a new power cell!” someone shouts.

“This one too!”

By the time the automated voice says, “Station will self-destruct in T-minus three minutes,” we’ve found a way to power four of the ships.

“Go, go, go!” I shout at them, wishing I’d thought of trying to fix these ships sooner.

“What about you, sir?” asks one of the soldiers. I look at him, hopelessness filling my chest.

“I’ll find a way, don’t worry about me. Just go, that’s an order!”

I step back as the ships power up and launch through the barrier.

“Station will self-destruct in T-minus two minutes,” says the automated voice.

I run over to the AI panel near the drop pods.

“Can you run a life diagnostics for me, station-wide?” I ask.

“There is one person aboard Station Alpha. And that is you,” she says, emphasizing “you” like I’m a special little boy.

“Everyone got out then,” I say, resting my head against the cold wall.

Then a thought strikes me as the automated voice rings out, “Station will self-destruct in T-minus one minute.”

I run over to the adjacent room where space suits are kept. Technically, everyone should have gotten into one before heading into space, but some people didn’t have time, it seems. I climb into one of the suits, trying to keep track of the timer.

“Station will self-destruct in thirty seconds.”

My hands are slipping as I try to pull the zipper up. It keeps slipping through my fingers.

“Self-destruct in twenty seconds.”

I’ve got the helmet in my hands but know I have to move. I get it over my head and twist it into place, my gloved fingers fumbling with the helmet’s lock as I run for the barrier.

“Ten seconds.”

I’m only halfway to the barrier, my legs pumping as fast as I can get them to, my fingers struggling with the stupid little switch that locks the helmet in place.

“Five seconds.”

Almost there, but this fucking lock won’t click.

“Four seconds.”

I’m fifteen feet from the barrier. The lock, the lock, I can’t do this until my helmet is locked.

“Three.”

The lock, the fucking lock, the fucking lock!

“Two.”

Click. The lock snaps into place and my suit pressurizes, and I’m just feet from the barrier.

“One.”

Out of time, I jump and throw myself through the barrier, passing through it and entering the void of space.

Now outside of the dampening field, I activate my powers, throwing my energy far forward. I blink out of existence and pass through a strange place, a place that looks similar to our world, but blurry and distorted, where shadows watch me from the corner of my vision.

I twist, making sure I’m facing the station before I blink back into our plane and watch the station, waiting for it to explode.

Nothing happens. I wait a few more seconds, but still, nothing’s happening. That’s when I notice the Command Center is still attached to the station.

My comms buzz with static and a voice I don’t recognize comes from the speakers.

“That was a successful drill, everyone. Loss of life was zero percent, thanks to the heroics of Sergeant Jayson Kramer and First Leiutenant Ismelda Harper. You are all clear to return to base.”

I float, suspended in space, and watch as starships blast their way from the planet’s atmosphere and converge on Station Alpha. My heart is in my throat as a ringing sound fills my ears.

It was a fucking drill. A goddamned fucking drill. I’m so angry, so fucking angry, I don’t hear General McVoy’s voice until he’s called my name several times.

“Sergeant Kramer, come in, dammit!”

“I’m here, General,” I say.

“We’ve lowered the blast shields and the dampening field. Please blink directly to the Command Center. You did well, son, very well.”

“I’ll be there in a minute, General, I just need to collect myself.”

“Understood, take your time.”

“Not too much time, Sergeant,” says the unfamiliar voice. “We’ve had to drop the entire dampening field and it’s leaving us exposed to the Xarax. If you need a moment to collect yourself, blink to another part of the station. Radio us when you’ve reentered.”

I focus and blink, throwing myself back into the station without a true idea of where I’m going.

“I’m inside,” I say, looking around and realizing I’m in the men’s showers.

I peel myself out of the suit and head into the shower. I turn the water on, hot as I can stand, and let the water run over the top of my head, running down my clothed body.

A sob wracks my body, unwanted and shameful as tears start pouring down my face.

“Hey,” a voice says behind me. I turn to find Alex standing there, completely unharmed. When he sees my face, he rushes to me, putting himself under the water with me, soaking his clothes. We sink to the floor together, him holding me tightly.

“I don’t know what-what’s wrong with me,” I say through my sobs. “I just thought…I thought I was going to die and I’d-I’d never see you again.”

He pulls my head into his chest and lets me cry. Even though it’s only Alex here, even though it’s unlikely anyone else will enter here, I still feel ashamed.

“It was just a drill,” he says.

“A practicality drill,” I say. I don’t have to tell him it’s a drill where they mimic real world situations.

“Yes, and you got everyone out safely. Including yourself.”

“Yeah, by throwing myself out of the hangar in nothing but a suit,” I say.

“What?” he asks, pulling away from me slightly.

The water has darkened his golden blonde hair. Drips of hot water run down his nose and cling to the strands of his curly hair. I can’t help but smile at him.

“Yeah, the drop pods were locked out. The women’s ships were gone. Mine wouldn’t work. We didn’t have enough power cells to power it. I told everyone to leave me behind. When the self-destruct sequence started, I knew there was only one way.”

“Self-destruct?”

“It was fake, obviously. It started counting down. I jumped through the barrier at literally the last second.”

“You have to admit it: that’s pretty fucking badass.”

“Yeah, it is, isn’t it?”

Alex pulls me up to him and presses his lips to mine and warmth spreads through my body, warmth I didn’t notice I was absent of until this moment. Maybe that’s why I went straight for the shower.

“I have to get going,” I say, standing up. “I have to meet the General in the Command Center.”

“Alright,” Alex says. He puts a hand behind my head and pulls me down. I kiss him hard, pulling him into me, silently thanking him for making me feel better, before we break apart and I leave him alone in the showers.