• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

{Excerpt} Preston J. Cole’s Military Service Enlistment

Application / September 21, 2488 (Military Calendar)

WHY DO YOU WANT TO ENLIST? (answer in 100 words or less)

“Humanity’s future is among the stars. There is no single more important thing than to help men and women build new lives on distant worlds. I have no illusion that this is some manifest destiny, but rather, it is the only logical place left for humanity to evolve. I plan to be a part of that, learn as much as possible, and then one day become one of those humans on some distant world, on a little farm of my own under a night sky full of stars that I’ve never before seen.”

Evaluation of Cole, P. J. (UNSC Service Number: 00814-13094-BQ) by Petty Officer Second Class Graves, L. P. (UNSC Service Number: 00773-04652-KK) / UCMB Sierra Largo / November 3, 2488 (Military Calendar)

Completed all requisite physical tests: YES

Displayed any mental aberrations: NO

Combined Arms Skill Test (CAST): 78 (Above Average)

Combined Physical Skill Test (CPST): 65 (Average)

Gratney-Walis Hierarchical Aptitude Score: (GWAS): 94

(Exceptional)

Remarks: Follows orders without question beyond what is required. Keeps mouth shut. Shows initiative. Hard worker. How often do we see that these days? Move this kid onto NCO track before someone makes him a dammed technical specialist or we lose him to OCS.

1120 HOURS, SEPTEMBER 22, 2489 (MILITARY CALENDAR) \

COLONIAL MILITARY ADMINISTRATION SEASON OF PLENTY \

SOL SYSTEM LUNA, HIGH ORBIT \ BRIDGE LOG (VIDEO, SPATIAL

ENHANCEMENT=TRUE)

The tiny bridge of the CMA Season of Plenty had view screens and workstations crammed on every square centimeter of wall (with auxiliary stations on the ceiling and floor in case the rotating segment failed). The screens would have provided a simulated panorama of stars had not they instead been crawling with icons representing colonists, building supplies, and the raw materials to jump-start the new city dubbed “Lazy Acres” on the hellhole of a world called Paradise Falls.

Six ensigns manned their stations, checking and rechecking every gram of mass and fuel, and balancing the energy flow of the rectors in preparation for launch. They barely had enough room to turn without bumping into one another—save Ensign Otto Seinmann, who stood aft of the captain’s chair at Lorelei’s interface pedestal.

The artificial intelligence hologram stood half a meter tall. Like all holograms, Lorelei’s outer appearance reflected a chosen inner personality: a woman wearing a toga, a sickle in her belt, and a wreath of wheat crowning her head. She once again shook her head at the young ensign.

Seinmann crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re not done.” He towered over the diminutive hologram, two meters tall, handsome, and his dark hair short but stylishly wavy.

“We may not be done, Ensign,” Lorelei replied, “but I am. My apologies; I have a scheduled self-diagnostic to run before the jump.”

The hologram vanished.

Seinmann pounded a fist onto the console.

Ensign Alexis Indara tore her gaze from the mass-balance matrix on her screen. “Better ease up, Seinmann. You’re going to break it.”

Next to her at the fusion monitoring station, Ensign Handford murmured, “Maybe it’s Seinmann’s breath. These new ‘smarter’ AIs are supposed to be sensitive to everything.”

Lieutenant Commander Nevel stepped onto the bridge. In his mid-thirties he already had that casual air of “don’t mess with me” that most officers couldn’t achieve until they were at least captains. The ensigns all stood a little straighter but kept on working.

“Navigation reports no input parameters yet,” Lieutenant Commander Nevel said. “What’s the hold-up, Seinmann?”

Seinmann flushed, not with embarrassment, but with anger. “Sir, Lorelei has shut herself down for routine maintenance—again.”

Nevel raised an eyebrow. “Well, we were warned it might take a while for her to come fully online. Reboot the backup intelligence and get those calculations—” Nevel paused, looked Seinmann over, and then told him, “On second thought, this would be a good