Alpha One - Chris Burton [1]
The Sentinels were a species whose planetary realm lay some distance from Earth’s solar system. They were renowned for an emotionally-charged obsession with the protection of a region of space known as the Tri-Star System. They saw it as theirs to protect despite its location outside their known territorial boundaries. General Yoshi, commander of the Southern Fleet, defeated all who came before. He made it his priority to defeat Alpha. This, he insisted would be the start of that process.
General Yoshi’s Southern Fleet was different. His was the superior fleet of the Sentinels armed flotilla with a kill ratio second to none. His fleet arrived, unseen, in this sector three weeks before and prepared for battle, while in hiding in the plasma wave cloud which swathed the eastern tip of the Ionian System.
His three thousand strong warship was the flagship of his fleet. It was the epitome of advanced Sentinel engineering and illustrated his people’s commitment to the greater cause: the protection of the Tri-Star system.
The humans of Alpha fleet penetrated the outer perimeter of the Sentinels Tri-Star defensive screen. They immediately brought themselves into a much larger conflict between the Sentinels, the Partacians, and anyone else who happened to find themselves within the protected region. The humans ‘invasion’ and resultant entry into the Tri-Star system moved them firmly to the top of the list.
Chapter Two
A New Year- A New Term
The warmth of the morning sun was still evident even in late summer. Jake Carter took a short swig from his refreshment tube as he stepped out of his apartment block and walked purposefully towards the security station at the end of the main entrance to the Academy. It was going to be a hot day, and with the summer extending well into October it would be for a good while yet. Protective clothing was the order of the day, as the solar rays penetrated the Earth’s ozone as if it were a permeable membrane, rather than a shield to protect the planet.
Security here was a formality as e-genetic registers replaced retinal scanners. You could walk straight through a security station. At the station, Jake met up with Carla who gave him a big smile, pecked him on the cheek, and then on the lips for good measure.
“Good job. Steve’s not looking,” said Jake.
Carla laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “I can kiss whomever I choose. Thank you so much.” the exaggerated drawl of her Australian accent rose at the end of her sentence.
Carla was Steve’s girlfriend, although in recent months it became a one-sided relationship. Carla was losing interest rapidly. The three of them spent the last three years together at the South Downs Alpha Fleet Academy. Today was the start of a new academic year, their last in the Academy.
Jake was eager to get started. The new Sabre short-range attack ships were due in port later this week. Although he would have to wait until he graduated before he got the chance to pilot the new variant, he was desperate to climb back into the cockpit of a ‘real’ ship. The Rapiers were good but the Sabres were far more agile.
Carla was keen to get to class and rekindle her love for languages: nine of them, all off-world and all required fluency for her to graduate as a translator for Alpha Fleet. Unfortunately both flying and languages were off the agenda. Today was about the new term and admin, admin, admin.
Steve waited for them outside the tutor class. He, too, was keen to start flying but he also wanted to see Carla. The lovers embraced. Jake smiled and passed through into the tutor class and sat down at his workstation.
Great. The climate control is not working properly. It’s going to be a long day, he thought.
By midday, it was very hot. Thankfully the temperature in the tutor class was regulated, keeping the day’s heat at bay. Jake still felt uncomfortable and loosened the straps on his tunic down a notch.
Registering for classes was a lengthy process.