Amongst the territories of the Terran Confederacy John Lief was totally unique. His genetics were a closely guarded secret by the Confederate Navy. He wasn’t the first member of the new genus of mankind, homo superior, but he stood apart from the others. His parents aren’t known to Confederate sources, though some presumed they went through heavy genetic modifications. Those assumptions can’t account for just how radically different he was compared to everyone else. He is stronger, faster, more agile, and more intelligent than everyone. In short, he was a superhuman.

Then there were his telepathic capabilities, though the extent of his abilities were not known to the Confederate military. He refused to comply with examiners attempt to grade his abilities. Telepaths were graded on a scale from 1C to 5A. There had only been a handful of officially recognized Level 5A telepaths in history. Two of them examined John shortly after his sixteenth birthday. They left the examination with empty hands, officially recording his capabilities as a Level 3B telepath, though that classification came with the asterisk.

“The examinee refused all attempts to subtly compel compliance. No stray thoughts could be detected. Looking into his mind appeared like viewing an event horizon. Extensive blocks are in place. Obvious signs of L4B, but true classification could be beyond 5A.”

The true elephant in the room though were his telekinetic capabilities. No one knew about this. After the hassle and general annoyance, the Navy put him through he was determined to not let anyone know. He was already a human weapon of sorts; he didn’t need the Navy shoehorning him into a role he had no desire to be in. Or worse, go through the civilian indoctrination and lose his free will.

John was sitting comfortably in first class on the passenger liner. Naval Intelligence regs provided for full reimbursement of coach class tickets or trips on freighters. John certainly wasn’t going to sit in ‘Peasant Class,’ which was highly uncomfortable for his large frame. John was a large young man standing at 6’2” and a stocky 230 pounds. Transit time from Titan to Earth was three days, too close to for slipstream travel and far too long to sit crammed in next to other people.

Given the nonsense he just went through he figured he was due a free upgrade, at the company’s cost. John casually hacked the company’s ticketing system that morning and upgraded his ticket to first class. He had a private room, complete with a bedroom and on suite bathroom with shower. He also opted for the gourmet food options, which was another thing he was convinced that he had earned.

His last mission as a field agent ended in a sobering success. It ended every bit as brutal and bloody as it had started. Though John felt extreme anger at the massacre, he was glad that a semblance of justice had been served.

The first meal on the plane was a three-course meal. Tuna Tartare was the first course. Alevian, a chicken like animal native to Alpha Centauri, breast with a foie gras sauce and sauteed carrots were the main course. Finishing the meal was a chocolate souffle for dessert. John could get used to this luxury. He may as well enjoy it, food at the academy was not going to be this good.

After the meal John cleaned up and went into the bedroom to rest. He’d been up for at least thirty hours and the debrief was a long and exhausting affair. He crashed hard the moment his head hit the pillow. twenty hours later he woke up.

“Fuck me, I didn’t mean to sleep that long.” He sniffed his arm pits and determined that another shower was justified.

2 days 2 Hours Later. 04:00 Aldrin Station

The flight was largely uneventful. John watched a few movies and exercised in the small gym on the ship a couple times. He also managed to charm one of the flight attendants and convinced her to come into his private room for a private encounter. All in all, it was a quite enjoyable flight. He was looking at his tablet catching up with recent news from Earth.

“This is the co-pilot speaking. Thank you for being our guests on the journey through the solar system. We just received clearance to dock at Aldrin Station, commercial wing, docking bay 13B. We will be finishing our dock in ten minutes. We thank you for flying Delta Spacelines. We ask everyone to please fill out a survey at your seat tablets prior to disembarking.”

John laughed, five-star service for sure. He got contact information for the flight attendant that he had sex with along with two others. He figured it couldn’t hurt to network. The free upgrade to first class was largely the reason for the survey results.

Director Aspern sent him an email sometime during his flight, which paraphrased said “I’m retired now, but don’t misuse your skills, enjoy the flight.” As John was leaving the spaceliner he just smiled, never could pull a fast one past the old man. He always seemed to know what he did before he did anything.

John was hoping for some R&R on the station for a day or two and show up fashionably late to Miami station. Unfortunately for John, he saw two people that he really didn’t want to see waiting at the gate for him. Agents Jess Markos and Miami Station Chief Mark Wilhelm. Mark was the kind of guy that would disappear in a crowd. Nothing about him stood out.

Jess on the other hand was an extrovert. Especially when it came to John. She was always overly energetic, excited, inappropriate and horny when she got a chance to be around him. Her personality was outsized, excessive and over the top. But damnit if she wasn’t attractive as hell. She was 5’7”, reasonably curvy, round in the right places, in great shape and had an oversized chest. Despite her extroverted nature she tried to hide her chest as much as possible. Except when John was around.

“Ah, come on John. Don’t be like that, you should be happy to see me. Plus, your legal now.” Jess smirked in her overly flirty way, which actually made it highly unattractive. “Not like the last couple times you saw me.”

“Both of you should know that fraternization isn’t allowed between assigned field agents.” Mark said deadpanned. The man had no sense of humor at all.

“That actually applies only to managers and subordinate’s sir. You can’t really tell us we can’t hook up after hours. I suppose during work that statement would apply.” John was now annoyed.

“Enough, follow us John, it’s time to get to work.” Mark turned around and headed towards the Military lift.

“No rest for the weary, eh?” John picked up his bags again.

Jess ran up to John and grabbed his arm as they followed Mark. “Oh, come on, why so sullen. You’ve got a hottie right next to you. Most men would love this.”

“Most men don’t know you. I do.”

“That hurts you know.” Jess put on overly animated frown on her face,

“Both of you shape up and fall in line. There’s a lot of work to get done and you need to get caught up with the case John.” Mark turned around and glared an order at the two agents.

“Aye sir.” This is going to suck John though.

16:00 Miami Naval Base. Apartment 25

John’s shift was finished with his shift, he had just entered the base apartment that he was assigned to for the summer. He tossed his bag on the floor. It was small and cramped. Didn’t even have a full kitchen. There unit was fully furnished, there was that at least. Downside was he’d have to eat out or go to the cafeteria. Miami’s base is generally speaking a nicer one. Except the cafeteria, its food was dreadful, awful even.

“What a shithole. Amazing view too of the other building next to us. At least there isn’t a window. Three more months of this.” John shook his head.

His life was going to be a grindy hell until he shipped off to basic, not like basic would change that any. All John wanted to do was relax, go golfing, maybe whore around a little. Not work, anything but work. John made a mental note to see how much time off he could request off in the morning. More than anything else he didn’t want to go near any accounting records ever again after his day.

John decided it was time to play Russian roulette with the cafeteria food. As he opened the door, a body just fell through the doorway. The woman’s face was buried in his crotch and her arms whirling around. One had a bottle of scotch and the other had some takeout.

“Why hello there, we’ll be dealing with you later.” She snorted and got her balance again.

Jess is a master lock picker; analog or digital locks were not safe from her machinations. She was seconds away from getting into the apartment. But there she was in daisy duke shorts with a white tank top that left literally nothing to the imagination.

“Hey old chap, dinner and drinks are on me. Well, not the drinks, you owe me for that” Jess attempt at an English accent was horrible. “I bet you know what’s desert.”

“I find it amazing that out of all the skills you could be naturally gifted with, it was lockpicking or hacking electronic locks. You know that’s terrifying right?”

“Oh right, like my ability to open doors is anything like your Jedi powers.”

“What Jedi powers?”

Jess smirked. She wasn’t supposed to know about this. But she likely got access to a file or report that was restricted. When it came to John, little things like classification meant nothing to her. That she was able to get access to some of those files and not be drummed out of intelligence was rather impressive. In a way John was much the same way, classification was nothing to him either. Curiosity had not killed the cat, yet.

“Come in, that smells better than likely anything the cafeteria made today.”

“Yay I win.” She bounced over to John and kissed his cheek.

“But hey, your gonna love this. There’s this Indian place just off base. Chicken Tikka Masala. You’ll love this.”

“You know that’s not even Indian food. Was created by some Indian expats in the UK.”

“Well, it tastes good. Hey, also got you a bottle of Lagavulin 12. Btw, you owe me two hundred fifty for the scotch. Foods on me.”

“Looks like you already opened the bottle.”

“Yeah, I tried to drink of that but my god, it tastes like campfire at the ocean. I prefer bourbon, its sweeter. Not to mention cheaper.”

He just shook his head. This woman has never once paid for any booze they’ve drank between them. She has no problem with picking up the tab for food, but alcohol is always on John. They finished the food; John grabbed a couple glasses and poured a couple drinks for the two. Jess got half as much as John did. If she doesn’t like the Scotch as much as he did, then he was going to drink more of it then her.

“So, are all the cases y’all work on as boring as the ones Mark had me review today? Or do you guys do anything actually interesting?” John asked after swallowing the delightful liquid.

“I don’t get how you can enjoy this stuff. You smell this before you drink it. Then you drink it, and it smells just like it tastes. I don’t get this peated stuff at all.”

“What can I say, it’s an acquired taste. You didn’t answer the question.”

“Nah, boring as hell. Not gonna lie, would rather have it boring, safe and quiet versus the shit you went through.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh please. Apex Garden.”

“Dunno what you’re talking about.”

“Right, classified. You were on Terra Nova when that happened. That part was probably just a coincidence. That your jacket got locked up tight after it happened? You were involved with something. Dunno what though.” She finished the brown liquid in the glass. “I can kinda understand the appeal to this stuff.”

“Look, if you want to get drunk there’s far cheaper swill to drink. The experience this stuff takes you on is fucking amazing.”

“And now you didn’t answer the question.”

“Don’t hold your breath.”

Jess straddled John and smirked. “So, your legal now for me you know, I can make the first move and not get into trouble.” She took her shirt off and exposed her large tear drop shaped breasts.

John didn’t have a problem with a woman making the first move. He responded by kissing her, eventually they slowly worked their way to the bedroom.

Thursday. 06:30 Miami Naval Base. Apartment 25

John had woken up. Jess was snoring next to him. He figured she was going to be tired, sore and hungover in the morning. The bottle of Lagavulin was resting on the dresser and empty. He was a little sad at emptying that bottle. After they got drunk, they should’ve switched to a cheaper whiskey instead of sticking with the spendy stuff. He grabbed a towel and hopped into the shower. Jess woke up as he was getting dressed for work.

“You look like hell. But thanks for last night, that was fun.” John smiled.

“Oh my god my head hurts.”

“Yeah, that bottle is empty.”

“Shut up.” She looked over at the dresser. She started sniffing the air. “Ugh, the whole damn room smells like that stuff.”

“Right? Man, it’s a little slice of heaven in here.”

“God your fucked up. Uff, I’m going to be walking bow legged today, thanks. Anyways, I’m gonna head home and get cleaned up. Tell Mark I’ll be a little late.” Jess got up out of bed and played a short game of find your clothes. John was eating some cereal at the table. Jess kissed him on the cheek. “Hey, Friday night come over to my place.”

“Roger that.”

“Good boy. Cya in a few.” She kissed him on the cheek and was humming as she left the apartment.

John laughed at that, he had just rocked her world, and she was still calling him a boy. She was only two years removed from graduating from the academy too, so it wasn’t like she was that much older than him. Ah well. He put the bowl in the sink and left the little shithole of an apartment to go to work. It wasn’t going to be very long until he was off to the Naval Academy.