I am a Citizen, I represent the finest and the best the universe has to offer. From this day forth I know that I am limited by ambition and desire to achieve my greatest goals.
Excerpt From The Citizen's Oath
" This is Shuttle 38-Gamma Omega 4 requesting clearance to land on docking pad 7" said Athena, her voice lifeless and bored.
" You're cleared for docking pad 7" came the tired voice of the traffic controller over her headset.
Athena slowly piloted her battered shuttle through the purple atmosphere of Sigma Draconis IV towards the cluster of docking pads on the north end of the Terran Unified Corporation sponsored archeological dig. Athena slowly landed her shuttle and listened to the tired old shuttle groan as it came to a rest on its landing legs. Athena pulled her headset off and zipped her grey jumpsuit over her black sports bra and made sure her badge was facing the correct way before climbing out of the cockpit. She walked across the landing pads looking up as another one of the planet's spectacular thunderstorms was brewing. Athena scanned her badge as the Terran Marine looked at her with cold eyes. Athena watched as the scanner beeped and the door slid open. Athena walked inside and made her way to the worker's quarters on sub-level 4.
Athena climbed down the ladder to tier 3 and made her way to home sweet home, 3-12. She pulled the door back and saw her roommate Ami Sonada laying on her bed. " So how was shuttling crap up to the platform instead of hauling rock across the planet?" asked Ami.
" World of excitement" said Athena, " any computer crashes today?"
" Control system on Digger 14 went down again" said Ami, " got four more demerits, big fucking deal not like I can go anyplace worth while."
" You're going to end up breaking the old record for demerits" said Athena with a smirk.
" I could careless, my criminal record is barrier enough to keep me from every becoming a citizens" said Ami.
Within the TUC humanity was divided into two groups; Citizens and Non-Citizens. Citizens were able free to travel, vote, enjoyed all the freedoms man cherished and believed in, while Non-Citizen was basically a worker, you were told what and where to go by Citizens, who were believed to be your betters.
To become a Citizen you had to pass several tests to prove you were suitable to become a Citizen. If you failed any of the six tests you were denied Citizenship for the rest of your natural life. The six tests were: a Physical, to ensure you were healthy enough to be a Citizen, Racial Test, man has over 65 colony worlds and often Terran blood would mix with other species and Citizens had to be pure Terran, an Intelligence Test, Citizens had to be smart enough to make their own way in the universe, a Psychological examination, to ensure Citizens weren't mentally unstable, an aptitude test to make sure your skills were at their peak, and finally an interview with a member of the Citizenship Board. Once you passed the six tests you were given your Citizenship. Another way of becoming a Citizen was military service, but the TUC was involved in several wars with either alien races, or forces within Terran space, so surviving y our five year term of enlistment was not assured.
Citizens viewed Non-Citizens with the same contempt their held for alien races, they were beneath them and their Citizenship proved it.
" Stop thinking about it" said Ami, " face it, you're a shuttle pilot that is as close as you will ever get to space."
" Unless I become a freelancer" said Athena.
" Shhh" hissed Ami, " I really don't want any more demerits this week if I can help it."
A freelancer was a Non-Citizen that could freely travel, and conduct business wherever they pleased. To become a freelancer you had to have your own ship, something a Non-Citizen could never afford. Most freelancers built their own ships from scavenged parts or managed to obtain a ship through less than legal ways. It was the secret dream of all Non-Citizens was to cast off the millstone of Non-Citizenship and find freedom making their own rules in the expanse of space. It was Athena's dream, it had been her dream ever since she failed the Racial Test during her Citizenship Exam. Athena's ancestors were among the first ever to colonize Mars centuries ago, before the end of the Corporation Wars that led to the rise of the TUC. The Racial test was meant to keep alien blood, but it was also often used to keep groups under the thumb of Earth, first and foremost the Martians. Martians fled Earth during the period when the Corporations began to take control of governments openly. Martians wanted to live free or die, without the corporations telling them what to do. Mars stayed out of the Corporation Wars and only reluctantly agreed to the TUC after the TUC threatened to cut off supplies to the planet.
" You're thinking too much" said Ami, " come on, Jason is probably having a party."
Athena nodded, Ami and her had been friends for almost eight years ever since they first worked together on the Alpha Centauri Reconstruction. Ami was her best friend and knew her sometimes better than Athena knew herself. She was a quiet slacker, a girl with curiosity and a healthy contempt of authority in her blood. She was arrest hacking into a Entertainment Satellite at 10 and spent four years in a re-education facility and forever denied the chance at Citizenship.
" All right" said Athena, " lets go."
The pair exited their small room and headed down two more levels to the quarters of Jason Harper. The party was in full swing, workers relaxing and drinking their boredom away.
Jason Harper was almost a celebrity among the workers on Sigma Draconis. He was once a Citizen, and even more exiting he served aboard an explorer vessel. Every night a larger and larger group of workers would gather in the common area outside his quarters where he would tell tales of distant and alien planets.
Jason was delighted to see Athena and Ami arrive. " Look like the pair of you had quiet an exciting day" joked Jason.
" Probably not nearly as exciting as hauling rock all day" teased Ami.
" Well actually I think something is up down there" said Jason, " they pulled everybody off their usual assignments and are having us dig in a different location. They are really driving us this time."
" You think they actually found something of worth down there?" asked Athena.
" In the five years we've been here they have found a new bits and pieces of alien junk and they call it a scientific gold mine" said Ami, " hopefully five more years and they will shut this dig down and send us someplace else."
" Attention All Workers" came an official sounding voice over the intercom, " all works with 5 demerits or more are assigned to digging details until further notice, you will find your dig team assignments posted tomorrow morning in the mess hall. That is all."
The entire group groaned loudly, there wasn't a worker on all of Sigma Draconis, except for the ladies that serviced the administration, with less than 10 demerits, Ami had nearly 300. " Guess they have found something this time" said Ami, " or they are planning on blowing the planet up and found it would be cheaper to kill us all than ship us off the planet."
" Now who is being grumpy here?" asked Jason, " using laser picks is mighty fun."
" Lucky me" grumbled Robert Merchant, laying on the couch next to the trio, " more laser picks, more unlucky bastards slicing limbs off."
Robert Merchant was an even rarer sight in the TUC than Jason. Robert was a Guild Rebel who had been captured during the fall of Alpha Centauri. Robert was spared being spaced along with his comrades because Robert was a skilled surgeon, something that was in high demand but in extremely short supply, all doctors were Citizens and most of them would never dream of wasting a week let alone years in some far off place treating injured workers. " Don't you have 10 demerits too?" asked Ami.
" I think a few more than 10" said Robert, " means I get double duty."
" We all get to be dirt haulers tomorrow" said Ami.
The next morning Athena and Ami made there way to the mess hall and found the workers all around the large electronic board displaying the work detail assignments. Next to their names were Jason and Robert's. " Interesting how we all wound up in the same group" said Athena, looking at Jason who was smirking.
" Maybe I pulled a couple of strings" said Jason, " the four of us make a great team."
A loud tone echoed through the mess hall, it was the tone that meant it was time to go to work. A universal groan went up from all the workers inside the mess hall but they all dutifully started to file towards the doors at the far end of the hall to start digging in the mines. The four were assigned their laser picks and the foreman, a gruff one eyed worker assignment them Sector 78. " What is in Sector 78?" asked Robert.
" You" said the foreman, " shut up and get going."
It took nearly fifteen minutes of walking to finally reach Sector 78. A TUC Marine Major stood there, " Start digging" she said.
" Yes ma'am" all of them said with very little sincerity.
They began to use their laser picks to break the rock free and then they would dump them into a hovercart and once full set it up to be disposed of. It was terribly hot, the laser picks made the tight space boil. " What are we looking for?" asked Ami, to the major.
" Just keep digging" she said.
They kept digging, all morning and into the afternoon. The heat was growing worse and worse, but they had to keep digging.
Athena was in the deepest in the tunnel, sweat rolling off her face like waves, dripping on the hot rocks below her hissing as they hit. Athena lifted her pick and started to cut again when she heard an ominous groaning of the rocks. " Back off" Athena shouted as she leapt back.
The rocks gave way, crashing into the ground kicking off a great cloud of thick heavy dust. Everyone was coughing and wheezing. Light spilled into the dimly lit tunnel, like they had cut deep enough in the ground that they had reached the other side. Athena bravely stepped through the newly opened hole and looked. What Athena saw shocked, amazed, and made her smile.
Athena had stepped into a great cavern, it was a long cylinder carved into the earth with a degree of perfection that only machines could do. But it wasn't the craftsmanship of the cave that was so spectacular. It was the massive ship that sat inside the cavern. It was long, so long Athena was unable to see the end of it. " My god" said Athena.
The other four spilled into the cavern and joined Athena in her awe. The major grabbed her communicator, " This is Major Fleming" she said, " repeat this is Major Fleming, we have found it!"
Athena stepped towards the ship, it was so beautiful. Everything was streamlined, smooth, it was more of a masterpiece rather than a space vessel. As Athena's foot hit the cave floor, a light from the ship washed over her. Everybody but Athena leapt back, she felt drawer to the magnificent craft. Suddenly the vessel came to life, noises echoed the length of the ship as lights began to glow softly. A door opened in the side of the ship and a ramp slowly descended. " Athena!" shouted Ami, " what are you doing?"
" Taking a chance" said Athena, " you game?"
Ami looked back at the tunnel where the major was shouting into her communicator, but they were too far down for it to work. " Hell why not" said Ami, " better than spending the rest of my life here."
Ami followed Athena up the ramp, " I like her thinking" said Jason, " this is going to be a lot of fun."
" And probably a lot of trouble" said Robert.
" Wasn't that why you join the Guild?" asked Jason.
" No, it was because they had the cuter girls" said Robert, " lets just get before those burly marines show up."
" No!" shouted Major Fleming.
" Now major" said Robert, turning around looking at the barrel of her gun, " you wouldn't do something like that would you."
" I will not allow you to steal this vessel" said Major Fleming, " this belongs to the TUC."
" Really" said Robert, " not anymore."
Robert tossed his laser pick towards the wall, Major Fleming flinched. Robert punched her in the face. She dropped unconscious to the ground. " Come on" said Jason.
Robert picked Major Fleming up, " What are you doing?" asked Jason.
" Being chivalrous" said Robert, " besides you never know if she'll come in handy."
Robert quickly rifled her pockets tossing several electronic devices on the ground that would contain TUC tracking devices. Robert carried Major Fleming into the ship and whistled. It really was a work of art.
Athena stepped out of the airlock into the hall of the ship. When she did a wall of silver shimmered before her. It morphed into a female figure, " Welcome to the Starlight Dancer" she said, her voice almost musical, " I am Starlight the heart of the ship. May I know your names?"
" Athena, Athena Forbes" said Athena.
" Ami Sonada" said Ami.
" Jason Harper" said Jason.
" Robert Merchant, and Major Fleming" said Robert.
" Please be my guests aboard my fine vessel" said Starlight, " it will take a few minutes for my systems to fully come online. But once they do we will be able to exit this planet and go wherever you wish."
" How much longer until we can leave?" asked Athena, " we've kinda got a time crunch on our hands?"
" No more than five standard minutes" said Starlight, " is that the correct time measurement?"
" Yes" said Ami, " how do you know?"
" I am able to read your brain waves" said Starlight, " that is how we are able to communicate in your tongue."
" What is this ship?" asked Athena.
" This is a Naesian Explorer Vessel, Class IV" said Starlight, " we are capable of long journeys into the most uncharted of territories with the minimum amount of crew members. Your number will suffice but I do recommend that you take on more crew in order to maximize the efficiency of this vessel."
" Right now all I want to do is get off this planet" said Athena, " can you do that?"
" Certainly" said Starlight, " I was placed here by my creators, certainly they knew I could get out."
" Can you do it now?" asked Jason, " I think we just got unwelcome company."
Outside the Starlight Dancer, 20 heavily armed Space Marines stood with their weapons pointed directly at the ship's hatch. " Ah these must be the TUC Marines which all of you seem to fear" said Starlight, " fear not, you are under my protection, I doubt there is much that they can do to hurt me."
" You don't know Space Marines then" said Ami, " if the weapons don't work, they may resort to chewing through the hull."
" My outer hull is made of 14 different metals, I assure you the strength of human teeth will not be sufficient to breach my hull. It appears they want to speak with you, I shall put it on the speakers."
" Attention Traitor" barked one of the Space Marines, " you have been convicted of treason, theft, and kidnapping. If you surrender now your execution will be quick. If we are forced to we will take more painful measures against you, you have thirty seconds."
" No matter" said Starlight, " my drive systems are online, if the captain wishes it we can leave."
" Do it" said Athena, " get us out of here."
