Chapter 2

May 2207 North Nevada University Zoologist Esina Abdi

On the first day of mission training, my roommate Rhonda and I had an awkward moment. For several seconds we stared at each other’s bodies in the gym shower room. I didn’t think I liked girls, until I saw her nude. With her curly red hair and voluptuous shape, she was beautiful.

Still, the mission was the most important thing to us. It was the only thing in my life that really mattered anymore. The fraternization rules were quite strict. We turned away from each other and never discussed it.

Over the last three years, we became best friends. We studied together and helped each other through all kinds of difficulties. Her sister was struggling with drugs and went to rehab several times. The month after training started, my parents and brother died in an earthquake. I don’t know what I would have done without her.

When our final exams were finished, we had two hours to pack up our dorm room and say goodbye. We were nervous and on-edge about our chances of being selected for the mission. We said our goodbyes to everyone else and packed up with almost half an hour to spare. Our belongings would be sent to the appropriate places once our fates had been decided.

I said, “Rhonda, I wish you luck. You’ve been a great friend! Whatever happens, I’m gonna miss you so much!”

She optimistically said, “Maybe we’ll both go. Wouldn’t that be GREAT?”

We knew only three out of the fifty who just took the exam would be selected, and I was usually a realist. I hugged her a long time. When we began to move apart, I said, “If I can’t go, I hope you get my place instead. You’re the best friend I ever had!”

“Esina! I love you!” She stared in my eyes and smiled through her tears.

I stared back at her as her cheeks reddened. I felt a dampness begin between my legs, and my nipples tingled a little. At the end of the exam we were no longer cadets, so the fraternization rules didn’t apply to us anymore. I’m glad nobody can tell when I blush, due to the dark skin I inherited from my Kenyan ancestors. “I love you too, Rhonda!” I kissed her experimentally, to see if she felt what I did.

She kissed me back, licking my lips and gently squeezing one of my breasts. “I’ve wanted to do this for years!” She glanced at her screen and quickly pulled off her top. She urgently said, “It takes six minutes to run to the Admin building. That gives us nineteen. Get your clothes off!”

In an office a kilometer away – I smiled into the screen as the Dean of another University introduced me, “Students, this is Fanaka Adan, the Colony Training Director. She’s in charge of preparing the colony ship crews. The third one leaves in two weeks. Please show your appreciation for Director Adan taking the time to talk with us.” I smiled and waited for their applause to fade.

“I hope all of you love to learn and are working hard to be the best you can. That’s what it takes, to start a new home on another planet. A new colony will be founded on one of the planets around star Ptolemy-1. The colonists need to be clever, self-sufficient, and resourceful. We’re sending just one ship, with only 240 women and 120 men.

That might not sound fair for the girls, but they need to produce as many children as they can to make their new home a success. The population goal is 2,000 in the first generation and a million in 200 years. The ladies need to have at least eight children each to achieve that. We’re also sending ten thousand frozen embryos with them, to make sure the colony has plenty of genetic diversity.

Speaking of diversity, all final year students are welcome to apply for the next colony mission. They need to be highly skilled in their specialty and willing to produce many children when they arrive. Everybody will be evaluated fairly. Canadian, Chinese, or Congolese; straight, bi, queer, or gay; tall or short; male or female; even those freaks who prefer fruit to chocolate.” That got a few chuckles.

“Study hard and stay fit, and you might have a chance to live on another planet someday too. All of you will receive a link to apply for our next training group. Thanks for your time, and good luck.”

I changed apps and ended the connection as they started to applaud. I was happy to see the scientists had finally agreed on the last species of plants, microbes, and animals to send. The ship was nearly ready and waited in orbit for cargo and crew. My only task left was to approve the final selections and congratulate them.

Zoologists - Selected Esina Abdi 889 Douglas Tamsin 887 Vera Volkova 887

Zoologists - Alternates Hoshi Sakai 886 Serthi Dalal 885 Rhonda Simmons 883

I briefly reviewed their files and score details, checking for any errors. Everything was in order, so I approved them. After three years of nearly nonstop work, I’d finally have three months off. I planned to spend most of it on a beach somewhere, before the next batch of candidates were chosen.

3 floors down – Esina Abdi

Rhonda and I made it to the Admin building with only half a minute to spare. Her bra was loose on me, and mine must have been tight on her. We did what we had to, in order to save a few seconds.

The half hour wait that followed seemed like the longest month of my life. Our screens dinged and displayed the message we’d been eagerly anticipating, ‘Proceed to Director Adan’s office.’ We were thrilled! Both of us made it to the final six! Most of the other forty or so people in the waiting area cried, sighed, or groaned. Clearly, they didn’t. One guy even yelled “NO!” and punched a wall.

In her office the Director said, “Congratulations to all six of you. After a final two weeks’ acclimation and loading supplies, half of you will be on the way to another world. Of more than five thousand, you are the six best candidates in Zoology this year. All of you should be proud. Those who don’t go will still have great careers ahead of them.” She shook hands with each of us.