Avery opened his eyes mere seconds before the sound of the alarm clock filled the dark metallic room with its high-pitched sound. Darn, he thought, that's some good coordination. He rose to a sitting position on his bed and started scratching his ears.
"I can't get used to the artificial atmosphere in those spacecrafts," he murmured as he struggled to stay awake. It's barely 6 a.m. at the standard time measuring clock. Lately he's been trying to fix his sleeping hours (well, more likely his non awake hours), since he barely slept at all. "That's because you sleep at 5am every day, Avery!" he murmured in a high pitched voice.
Bullshit, he thought, I'm in space - there are no normal timezones here. But who can argue with matrons? Let alone imaginary ones, he thought as he pulled his long hair out of his face, only to put a cigarette in his mouth.
The light from the lighter lit the messy rental room for a split second.
"Hope the room service won't get here anytime soon," he said whilst breathing in the smoke. He flicked the cigarette in the half-filled (and improvised) ashtray he had created hours before. Afterward, he checked his intercom. He was thinking a bit more clearly now.
"A couple more standard hours and i'll be there," he murmured again. "The 'majestic' Daedalus system..." he said as if he was trying to express his cynicism at a non-existent person. He was born in that system. Since it was at the border of Marik space, most people were trying to get there as immigrants, or sell illegal products...and/or people.
Why am i going back again? he thought as he put his cigarette back between his lips. Well - I finished my degree in intersystem telecommunications and I have to thank Father for that, since he funded the studies at the Marik university.
Things have been weird since his parents were divorced, and rightly so...selling humans whole or parts of them isn't the best retirement plan especially if you have a family. Well, he thought while he started getting dressed in a clumsy manner - probably waking up the people in the surrounding cubicles. Pa said that he wanted to see me, he even paid for the tickets so it must be important.
He wasn't on bad terms with his father...he just grew up being told he was a criminal.
"Oh well, if you gotta do somethin' you better do it fast, otherwise it ends up being a pain in the arse - just like those cursed essays." he said to himself (louder this time) as he got up to reach for his boots and hairband.
He stood up and headed for the door while he put on his sight glasses and scratched his ears again. Cursed be you artificial atmosphere! he thought once more. A man needs his coffee, and this man is going to get his coffee.
As he opened his door, he saw a friendly face. Johnny was his name, and he'd been Avery's friend since the first couple of months in University. "Mornin' mate" Johnny said in his heavy accent, "cafeteria is open."
"Mmm," Avery growled "that's what i need now."
Avery stood in front of a familiar door, simple in its' design, with what it appeared to be a doorbell with the name Nicholas Swords written on it. The house was a ground one story building with a rear garden, which seemed that someone has been spending a lot of time tending it. Not uncommon since Daedalus 1a officially is an agricultural planet.
He stood there for a few seconds, somewhat afraid.
"You ok there, mate?" Johnny asked worried.
"Yeah bro, I'm good."
He reached to ring the bell.
A few aeons passed for Avery (likely only a few seconds for everyone else) before the door opened. A medium height and quite overweight man stood in the doorway. He was smiling.
"Avery!" Says smiling and reaches to hug his son.
"Hey, Pa..." Avery responds and reaches for his father.
"Come on in! Get a seat, in the living room! How was your trip? Want some breakfast? I see you've been having a lot of that, son!" Nichola Swords said, laughing heartily.
Shocked, Avery realized that he'd gone a few kilos over his weight. "Well, at least Ma can stop whining about me being too skinny." he finally responded.
For a few seconds Avery felt happy - until he remembered his dad's profession. Father and son moved into the living room, where a jug is steaming and the sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the small house. Just what i needed, he thinks to himself as he tops up a cup.
"That, um, is Johnny. He's my mate for some years now."
"Nice meetin' you, sir." Johnny said - making it quite obvious he was very uncomfortable.
"Relax kiddo you're not meeting your girlfriend's dad." Nicholas replied, "want some coffee?"
"Oh yes." they both replied
"Look at that, little Stefanos is old enough for coffee!" his dad chuckled.
"Pa, I'm 22 years old with a degree and my name's Avery, I know you want me to use my middle name, but it ain't happenin'. " Avery said, more than a little annoyed.
"I know son, just teasing you. You always fall for that."
"Wait - your middle name's Stefanos?" Johnny laughed.
"Mmm..." Avery growled as he took a huge sip off of his cup, "Shut up."
"So Pa - good news, I've been accepted for a position at a telecommunications company. Good salary. Legitimate business, too." Avery said, trying to break the ice.
Suddenly his 'Pa's' expression darkened.
"Oh, sorry Pa. Didn't mean to offen-"
"It's ok son", Nicholas interrupted, "I've made my decisions and accepted all the consequences for them, but I didn't call you here from halfway across Marik space to catch up with you."
Avery stood there shocked, waiting for his father to finish what he was saying.
"I managed to pull a lot of strings and a lot of favours. You're going get an apprenticeship as a mechwarrior."
Avery's blood froze, his spine turned into a column of ice.
"What? Me? A mechwarrior? I'm too old pa! Besides - I can't fight, every time there is a fight in one kilometer radius I tend to flee! I've got my profession and a job laid in front of me!" he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. "I can't go..." finally he said.
"I know you're shocked but everything's set. The money's a lot better than you think, and it's an experimental program. You'll be fine."
"Like Hell!" Avery erupted, "I ain't going Pa, forget it!" Avery realized he's now yelling and he's shaking. Fear? Anger? He's had no idea.
"Son - it's done. That's why I called you here. You can't leave the planet without them getting to you." Nicholas said calmly.
"Who's they. Pa?"
"Oh-oh, awkward..." Johnny mumbled.
"Nevermind. We'll discuss the details later."
A few hours pass by, and later that night they manage to have some time as a family.
"So, um...Pa? About what you said earlier..." Avery began.
"When does Johnny go home?" his father interrupted him with a curt question, then turned to Johnny, "not that you're not welcome here, kid."
" 'ctually sir, i'm leaving with Aver- Stefanos." he looked at his friend with a grin.
"Kid - you gotta go, now."
"Why Pa, what's wrong?" Avery knew there was something wrong - terribly wrong.
His question remained unanswered for a few seconds, and the doorbell rang. His father looked at Avery and Johnny, then moved for the front of the home. Nicholas opened his house door to greet a couple of men. Both seemed strong and stoic. They were wearing military clothes, with orange crests with a sword, decorating their right shoulders.
Nicholas greeted the two men, with what appeared to be a military salute of some sort.
"Mr.Swords, we're here to collect what was promised." one of the men said he was disciplined and direct in his words.
"What was agreed, Lieutenant." Nicholas shot back curtly.
"Name it what you want, Mr. Swords." the man said perfectly cool and composed. He gestured briskly toward Avery and Johnny. "Which one is it?" the man continued.
"The one with the long hair." Nicholas answered.
The lieutenant pulled out a silenced pistol in a split second and shot Johnny in the head.
"Oh shit...." Avery whispered as he stood there, shaken.
Must escape…must run! he thought.
The two men aimed their pistols at him, Avery sidestepped and threw himself on the first one he saw striking his face with his fist. The lieutenant counterattacked in a flash of an eye, sending Avery on his back and whipping Avery's head with his pistol.
I've got to run, he thought trying to focus his eyes on the carcass of his dead friend...but it didn't matter, because darkness swiftly shrouded his eyes.
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