Chapter 1: Hitchin’ A Ride

Sometime near the very end of 2349 AD

In the darkness of space, Earth remains in the great void of darkness as the sun glows brightly. Through the lit surface of the planet, the orange oceans of Earth remain for all to see. The harsh gray clouds threaten to smother much of the wasteland landscape. North America, Central America, and South America seem altered in shape. The abundance of orbital debris further hinders visibility.

A single UHN battleship is on patrol. The cylindrical frame, ventral and dorsal railguns, spinning centripetal ring near the rear, and navigation lights would blink and flash occasionally in the vacuum of nothingness. The hint of distant stars would flicker, the only visible signs of activity countless light-years away.

It’s like watching a sentry protecting a world that seems to hold little value. Nonetheless, the human warship and her crew have their orders. They are to safeguard the remaining survivors that still call Earth their home...

Slowly, a large green ship comes into view. Coming from behind, it is one of the T’rintar clan dreadnoughts. It’s a large blocky cylindrical object that easily dwarfs the smaller UHN battleship. The forward port and starboard sides consist of forward-mounted thrusters with stubby wings connected to them. Consisting of two spinning centripetal rings near the rear, it houses a larger crew complement. It slips forward, slowly moving toward the planet, while the ship’s engines give a faint blue glow from the rear.

However, the dreadnought appears to be lightly armed. It is an older ship, perhaps near the end of its prime. The UHN battleship easily passes and lets the alien ship approach Earth. Perhaps the Itrean ship is on a wayward mission. A series of green boxes and makeshift probe launchers can be seen along the frame. They do not appear to be a normal part of the warship’s design or construction.

It is not long after the first mission launched by the UWA to establish peaceful relations with the race known as the Itreans. The long war with one of the clans has come to an end.

A deal is a deal ... signed on paper, Earth will have new ownership. Most of her recent inhabitants have surrendered, both willingly, hesitantly, and with the hint of hope.

Regardless, the last few weeks have been apprehensive at best. Much work remains to be done to restore Earth to its former glory.

Another Itrean ship slowly appears in view. It is another dreadnought of a similar design and construction. Traveling slowly toward Earth, it seems that the ships will still take several minutes to reach a lower orbit. In less than a few seconds, a smaller green warship can be seen, perhaps escorting the larger warship. Unlike the dreadnoughts, this ship is more heavily armed. Being thin and rectangular in appearance, the ship has a series of large CIWS and small missile launchers mounted on the forward dorsal and ventral sides. Two small autoguns and light railgun turrets are slapped in the center portion of the vessel. A series of torpedo tubes can be depicted on its frontal port and starboard sides. In the midsection, on the port and starboard sides, are engine thrusters pointed forward.

More ships are sure to come in time ... It’s all but expected...

Instead, the true destination lies elsewhere. We leave the wasteland Earth behind. It doesn’t take long to see as Earth shrinks in the distance at an ever-growing pace. As we leave the planet behind, we see the hint of the moon as the stars shift. With nothing but the void all around us, our nearest stop is not far. With the best technology from conventional drives, what would take a month of travel can now be done in an instant, thanks to gate-folding technology.

The neighboring planet of Mars comes into view. Here, much of the human race has moved and called it its home. The red planet still serves as the capital of the United Worlds Alliance, the center of human administration, and the heart of the Sol System. Unlike Earth, there is order. As we close in on Mars, the countless dots of flickering lights can be seen. Warships and civilian traffic are all but common. Despite the lack of a quantifiable atmosphere, industrial centers, domed cities, and other human infrastructures have been established so that mankind can flourish here. Hydration plants in the ice caps, small cities established along the sides of the great Olympus Mons, the largest, almost dormant volcano in the entire solar system. It’s so enormous that its peak touches the thin atmosphere of the planet.

One of the most populous regions of Mars, the great Valles Marineris serves as the central hub of activity. As the planet slowly spins, much of the darkened portions are being lit by a vast array of artificial lights. The region is an enormous canyon, larger than the size of North America. From here, the countless buildings have been carved into the mountainsides, serving as a natural barrier against radiation and the ever-present but calm Martian dust storms.

One hundred years ago, Mars had served as the refugee planet, the place for all humanity to flee as Earth became uninhabitable. The deadly bacterial outbreak of 23-9 could not survive on the red planet, where the water is purer than on Earth. With vaporators that extract water from the air, drills that dig deep within the planet, or materials mined from the polar regions, millions, if not billions, of people survived here for some time before the great Gabatrix experiment would allow humanity to transition away from the red prison planet and into the other solar systems beyond.

We close in on the surface of the red planet. With the encroaching darkness of Mars, the surface is difficult to see. Valles Marineris will be at night soon. It doesn’t take long to zoom in on one side of the canyon, where the lights form a natural chain through its veins, illuminating the lifeless red, orange, and brown sands. In the vast canyon, we close in on the large portion south, in the area known as the Oudeman’s crater. A massive meteorite ages ago, over 4 kilometers long, blasted the region, carving a valley over 90 kilometers long and forming the southern section of Valles Marineris. Its vast openness serves as one of many areas where the Martian military, and ultimately the UHN, operates, one primarily for the UHN Officer’s Training Academy.

Against the large wall of sand and rock, the artificial wall highlights the lights as they switch on. Upon penetrating it, we begin to see the countless enclosed structures near the second floor that house the vast tunnels dug into the very rock, forming an artificial environment in which humanity can live. Amid the endless array of classrooms, barracks, galleys, offices, gyms, and other centers for training future military officers, there is a breathable atmosphere. Regardless of any military, the strength of the UHN is only through its weakest link. The officers must undergo the same strict form of military training as any other enlisted personnel. From one of the hallways, the red and blue flags of Earth and Mars are strewn on the side walls as a class of six men and women in light training gear are running in step together, with a lead OTO, Officer Training Official, ahead of them, giving a Martian song and cadence as the men and women run past.

Through the great hallway, a series of doors leads to various offices. A thick, sealed see-through window on the other side offers a vast view of Mars’s deadly, external environment. The hint of fine aerial dust can be seen in the air itself, with Mars’s gravity being 1/3 of Earth’s.

A lone human comes into view. Dressed in the fine red-and-blue uniform is a man in his thirties with a pale complexion, short brown hair, and a clean-shaven appearance to military standards. Standing by one of the doors at attention, the future officer, the officer-recruit in training, is still dressed well, although there is no rank insignia on the uniform. In his left hand, pressed to his left hip, is the officer’s garrison cover, consisting of the same red and blue lines as his uniform. A particular red-and-gold eagle and anchor pin, lined with a series of chains wrapped around it, is donned on the hat itself. His black boots shone to perfection, catching the glimmers of the overhead lights.

There is a partially stern look on the man’s face, knowing what’s in store for him. Despite it all, he remains unfazed, ready to face what’s going to happen to him. He ignores all the activity around him, including those engaged in physical training, the constant berating of the OTOs by the new officer recruits, and so forth.

The door ahead of the man slid open as the man stood ready.

“Enter and state your name!” a harsh and even sterner voice could be heard inside the office.

The recruit entered the room. Inside the office was a laid-out scene. Two officers, one a commander and the other a lieutenant commander, both in similar-dressed uniforms, sat by a wooden table. There was an empty wooden single chair that faced the table and the two officers. An overlay counter and a single UWA flag could be seen behind the two officers. The marble floor echoed footfalls as the recruit’s boots properly slapped the tiles in step, coming to a standing halt ahead of the two sitting officers, behind the chair.

The man saluted with his free hand. “Officer Recruit Darin,” the recruit said in a North American Western accent. “Reporting as ordered...” He held his salute.

The commander, with the name tag “Enle,” had a bald look to him. Stern, rigid, carrying a look of reserved anger on his face. His pale facial features and small black mustache were reminiscent of the Chinese on former Earth. The lieutenant commander, a man with a pale complexion and blonde hair, was more reminiscent of a Cebravin, most likely a Frenchman from former Earth. Briefly, he looked at the commander before the higher-ranking officer gestured to the seat.

“Christopher Darin...,” the commander addressed him with an aggravated return salute. “My name is Commander Enle, Lead OTO of the UHN academy.”

“And I’m Lieutenant Commander Clovis,” the other officer addressed him with a similar salute. “I’m sure you’re aware of why you’ve been called here...” The man’s voice carried a less harsh tone than Enle’s.

With that, all three men dropped their salutes. Darin was not allowed to speak yet as he remained firm in his stance. However, he knew where this was going and why he reported to the academy’s prime room, where this particular non-judiciary meeting would be handled.

“Officer Recruit Darin,” Enle explained to him. “You’re fortunate that Captain Hayfield isn’t here. Instead, I’ll be carrying out your Captain’s Mast in his stead. Clovis has taken my place to ensure that there are two officers for your hearing. However, understand that I will carry out all disciplinary actions with due diligence,” The officer gestured to the chair. “Now, ... sit...”

Darin wasn’t going to hesitate any further. A point needed to be made, knowing there would be only one inevitable outcome to all of this.

The man sat down in his chair, legs up, his boots practically slapping and resting on the wooden table with a proverbial thump. Darin tossed his garrison cover onto his lap as he rested his hands on the back of his head. The look of a smile could be seen on Darin’s face.

The result and lack of professionalism didn’t impress the two officers. Elne’s face grew from reserved contempt to outright anger. Even Clovis seemed insulted by the gesture, seeing the bottom of Darin’s boots facing him directly.