[Erick Sanders]

After the awkward bath experience, we put on the dark grey uniforms that were stacked along the wall. Placing our own, as instructed, on the bench that Alaira sat on. The uniforms were military, light grey skin fitted shirts with an urban camouflage pattern and dark grey armoured jackets with a stand-up collar. I hesitated for a moment, my hand resting on my original armour. With this on I won’t be able to hide my scars in public, I thought. I ran a finger over the scars on my face. “You haven’t had it up this whole time, no reason to start now,” Jack said quietly. Of course, he knew what I was worried about, I had overheard a conversation between him and Rose shortly after the battle in Auckland, where she had asked him to talk to me about the scars, and my compulsion to hide them.

He was right, I hadn’t had the mask up this whole time. We all had scars. I nodded to Jack and followed them from the room. I put on the leather straps and clipped Havars swords into place on my back.

We boarded drop ships and I watched the view of the horizon expand as we rocketed into the upper atmosphere then into orbit, The enormous ship, the Explorer coming into view.

Jack pointed out, as we moved through the field and into a loading bay, that this was not the same one we had entered and left from before.

“Yes. That was the service section of the ship, for contracted workers and cargo. We are not closer to the bridge, with the rest of the company.” Alaria said. She pointed out the viewing window beside her as we landed. Behind the row of ships was a congregation of people in identical grey uniforms. They were in two lines that stretched the length of the large loading bay. As we unloaded from the dropship loud applause began rippling through the ranks, steady and measured they clapped for a few moments before silence fell and they stood at attention, as we were marched past, the existing members of the Grey Scarred Company slapped their fists to their chests in salute, their feet light stomping on the steel deck. Keg was all smiles, I even saw him give a quick wink to a pair of woman, each with four arms.

“Just think about what they could do with that extra pair of hands,” He muttered, chuckling.

“One hand could hold the magnifying glass while the others searched for it aye,” Jack fired back, not taking his eyes from the front of the collum.

We were marched through the ship and into a lecture hall. As soon as we were all seated, the ten heads of the sections moved to the front of the room and stood at attention before a middle-aged man moved in from a small side door. Like Alaria his skin was transparent, the veins and muscle visible below.

“Alright welcome! And congratulations. I am Doctor Tokon Mendera ” he said. “You are all now part of the Grey Scarred Company. Thought on a probationary period. We will not hesitate to cut you and send you home should you fail to meet the stringent requirements of the company,” He looked over the room at us as we listened silently. “That being said,” He tapped his scanner and I could hear as almost every scanner in the room vibrated at the same time.

I activated my scanner and a small holoscreen appeared, tapping on the flashing notification on the top right corner of the screen I began reading.

[Congratulations, You have been accepted into the Grey Scarred Company. 50,000 credits have been added to your account and you have been awarded two tokens for the ‘Company Vaults’, The Grey Scarred Company is only for the best of the best. May you continue to show your value and become worthy.]

Doctor Mendera waited for us all to have finished reading before he spoke again. “You will all be assigned living quarters on this ship, The Explorer, feel free to rest. You will be called upon shortly for a basic interview then a visit to the Quartermaster. I look forward to having words with each of you individually. That will be all for now.” With that, he left the room and a low buzz of conversation spark up.

My quarters were nice, even if they were small and simple. A king-sized bed and a shallow wardrobe beside and ensuite bathroom which was equipped with a bathtub and shower. Everything was dark wood with inlaid gold. A holographic image of earth shone against the wall. I only had an hour left in The Dream when my scanner vibrated and beeped, even without an alarm set I knew I would struggle to sleep past five in the morning.

I tapped on the scanner and read my summons to Doctor Mendera’s office. [Your presence is requested and required, please follow the blue lines.]

I looked at the door and a blue circle was lit up within the wood. I opened the door and a line of blue on the wall of the corridor. I began walking others stepping out of my way when they noticed the line, and me following it. It wound its way through the ship, if I had to guess I would say towards the front, or is it the bow? I thought, I wasn’t sure if nautical terms worked for spaceships too, despite what all sci-fi novels said, none of the authors had ever actually been into space.

I follow the blue line until I ended in the centre of a wide metal door, the label showing [Doctor Mendera]. As I approached, it slid open and Jack stepped out his eyes looking at a yellow line on the wall, then to me. “Good news?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, not bad. You’re in for a surprise” He smiled broadly, “I didn’t realise that I was a higher rank than you?” He chuckled again and I didn’t know if I should join him or scowl. Was he being serious? There had always been a healthy amount of sibling rivalry between us, one I knew I would lose but I had to admit that I would be a little disappointed if he outranked me, after everything.

“Jackson. That’s enough, you’re dismissed. Please report to the quartermaster immediately.” His tone was even more commanding than Alaria. Jack cracked his boots against the ground and turned on the spot without hesitation, following the line away from the office and down the hallway, “I’ll see you later,” He called as he retreated.

“Erick Sanders, please come in,” Mendera called from a desk within the office.

I stepped into the room, the door sliding closed behind me. “Please take a seat,” He said.

I pulled out a wooden chair and sat down, shifting to get comfortable as Havars blades pressed into my back. I had assumed that a meeting with a doctor would be more of a physical, but now I wasn’t sure.

“You’re older brother is an interesting young man,” Mendera said.

“He always has been,” I said, meeting his gaze.

“Does it bother you that he is ranked higher than you?” He asked. Before I could answer he continued. “Of course it does, he is your older brother. I have read both your files. He has always excelled. Top of his classes in school, Engineer, Special forces soldier. Taller. While you have always been middle of the pack right? How did you describe it to miss Santos, you ‘coasted’. Until now, now you think of yourself as a killer. Here you match up to your brother, and more.” He watched me, as if looking for a reaction. I gave him none.

“He was correct. You are ranked ninety-seven, while he is ranked ninety-eight. Do you know why?’ he asked, this time waiting for me to answer.

“Like you said, he is taller, stronger. It makes sense.” I said, honestly.

“He may be taller, or smarter perhaps, but he isn’t stronger, or faster. If he wasn’t your brother, I suspect you could kill him in a heartbeat. If it ever came to that. I think it is partially because he is your brother, because you would never truly raise your weapon against him, but you would raise it for him. If we were to fight, who do you think would win?” He asked.

I scratched at my face as I looked at him. Alaria had said that she was ranked ninety-nine in ‘this system’ I had to assume that most of the members of the Grey Scarred Company would be the same. “You would?” I said.

He chuckled, and smiled at me, “Not a chance, Erick. If we were to fight, I would be dead before I could raise a hand, But I am ranked higher than you, do you know why?”

I simply shrugged my shoulders. I was beginning to be a little confused at where he was going with this.

“Because I am the captain of this ship. Because I have worked hard to earn the trust and loyalty of the men and woman whom I command. Because I can call on each of them to fight for me, to die for me. In a way, their strength is my strength. Part of why Jackson is higher ranked than you, is because your strength is his strength. If he asked you to kill his enemies, would you even hesitate?”

I shook my head.

“Exactly, and I suspect neither would his friend Kegan Rogers, and it wouldn’t take much for Mia and Samantha Santos to do the same. He is a leader, and as such, his power is the sum of others.” He said, and I nodded in understanding.

“Did he ask you about helping in our war?” I asked.

“That’s not your prerogative, Erick.” He said before sighing, “I suppose it is. He did, and I have agreed. When we arrive on earth we will assist in your war. You will all help, but you will fight with us. But that is another matter. What do you want from joining The Grey Scarred Company?”

“Protection,” I said.

“From your little slaver friends, they won’t be a problem. Even when you are away from the Company, our name carries weight.”

“He isn’t just some minor slaver,” I said. shifting again in my seat.

“In this system, everyone is minor. We have seventy ships of this size and hundreds smaller. Through contracts alone we bring in billions of credits, this isn’t counting the bounties or the loot.” Doctor Mendera smiled knowingly. “But you will have to abide by our rules. No murder of children, no rape, no theft for personal gain. Can you do that?”

I simply nodded, I had never even considered any of that.

“Good. Now go see the Quarter master, follow the yellow line. Go use your tokens and don’t worry about trying to save them, there will be more in the future. After we are done with earth and your war.”

The chair slid on the carpeted floor as I pushed it back. Then I hesitated, “Where are you from?” I said. I’d had a sneaking suspicion itching in the back of my mind that I couldn’t resisted scratching.

“Our system is almost four thousand light years from here, closer to the centre of the galaxy.”

“And how long have you been in the dream?” I asked without any more hesitation.

Doctor Mendera blinked, and the corner of his mouth twitched. “Erick, I have no idea what you’re talking about. You can go now.” He looked down and tapped his desk, a holoscreen appearing between us. I turned and the door slid open, then closed behind me.

I walked through the ship again, this time following the yellow line. While on the way to Doctor Mendera’s office, people had stepped aside, apparently to not hinder me, now they smiled in excitements as they noticed the yellow line. Some even call to me to pick something good. I followed the yellow line down a flight of stairs and when I came to a doorway with a yellow circle lit up in the centre It slid open. Jackson was still inside, speaking to a man. The tips of the man’s scales were tinted white, like an alien version of grey hair. On the side of his temple was a square metallic box. His implant, I realised. He turned to me as I entered the room. It looked like simple storage, rows of metal shelving held small or large wooden boxes, labels etched into their tops. The walls were lined with rows of rifles, swords, axes, maces and spears. I even saw a pair of metallic arms hanging from the end of a shelf.

“Ah Erick Sanders, is it? Jackson…You two must be brothers. Yes, I can see the resemblance. Come in, come in. Your brother was just trying to decide on his new augment. Perhaps you can weigh in.”

“It’s between the internal scanner and assistant AI, or something called ‘Skin lined force dispersion implants.” Jack said, reading the tops of the boxes.

“You have the one that lets you connect to the scanner remotely yeah? So, what’s the difference between that and the internal scanner?” I asked, coming up beside him and looking at the boxes.

“This is the better version, small implant in the retina means I can scan things on the go, and an assistant AI in my head can check, catalogue, connect comms. All that shit.” He said shaking the small box in his right hand.

“But this…” He shook the larger box in his left hand “Apparently creates a small forcefield around a body which acts as armour, it will stop all small arms fire as well as create a network barrier to stop hacking.”

“Bullets won’t kill you,” I pointed out.

“But they still hurt.” He added. He hesitated a moment, his brow furrowed

“What’s up?”

“Something the doctor said. I’ll take the Internal scanner” He said, shaking the smaller box and looking to the ageing reptilian man.

“Excellent choice. Far more potential to command a battlefield,” the man said, smiling.

Jack sighed, nodding slowly.

“Erick, I don’t think I introduced myself. My name is Franquin, I’m the quartermaster for The Explorer. Let’s see what we’re working with.” He looked at me and I could see his eyes shifting side to side as though he was reading invisible letters in the air. “You already have two augments, so unless you’re willing to remove one, I can’t help you there. And why would you, I haven’t seen a time dilation augment in years. The things you find in the backwaters of the galaxy” he mused, grinning. “You’re swords. They’re twins? May I see one?” He asked.

I pulled one of Havars swords free from its binding and handed it to him, careful not to cut myself on the nanite sharpened blade.

He surveyed the blade, looking down the length and along the edges, he weighed it in his hands and flicked the metal. “It’s nice. Very nice. Where did you get it?” He asked.

“Stole it from a man, then I killed him,” I muttered.

Jack slapped my arm, “Don’t be such a weirdo,” he said, scowling at me.

I grimaced and looked at Franquin, “On Scaratous, I took it from one of the trainers when I escaped the slave pits,” I said honestly.

Franquin raised an eyebrow, “Slave pits. I’ll have to look over your file, it sounds like an interesting read.” He handed me back the sword, “Is there something that you want?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think I ‘want’ anything.”

“Well, you can take anything from this room. You have two tokens I believe.”

I strolled the aisles, ignoring the implants. I was happy with the ones that I had, they fitted my fighting style perfectly and my body couldn’t handle a third. I looked over a row of armour, tight-fitting and matching the grey uniform I now wore but with some small added extras. One had a panel on the inner arm that let the wearer change the armour at will, the style, colour and pattern. Then I moved past the weapons. Ignoring the hand to hand weapons and looking over the rifles. I had become so painfully aware of my inability at range since I didn’t carry a rifle. But the thought of one seemed to irritate me, I kept thinking that they would become a burden as soon as it came to the real fighting. Another thing to carry around.

I looked over the racks until I saw something in a narrow gap between two long rifles. I reached in an pulled it out. It was a thin rectangular dark polymer box, about forty centimetres by seven centimetres by four centimetres and it felt like it weighed next to nothing.

I ran my hand over the side and looked over at the quartermaster, “What is it?” I asked. He tossed me a thin metal ring that matched the box. I slid it onto my finger and when I touched the box it vibrated against my hand and began, shifting. It morphed, becoming more cylindrical. From one end a twenty-centimetre barrel extended out, and at the other, it expanded into a stock. Two handles dropped down a scope popped up on the top. Lastly, a flap sprang open on the side, showing an empty chamber. It was a very simple rifle. I looked back at Franquin who nodded at my desire for more information.

“It’s an old design, meant to be hidden, lightweight so its easy to carry for the more agile fighter. It fires thin carbon fibre bullets with a nanite sharpened point, using electromagnets, effective up to two hundred meters but the force drops off significantly after that. They stopped mass production due to the lack of range,”

I raised the rifle, looking down the sight. “I’ll take it.” I said. I was sure I could get someone to add an extra clamp on my vest straps that held Havars swords. Now I wouldn’t be completely useless in a ranged fight.

“Excellent choice,”

I kept wandering the isle now ignoring the weapons, I looked over the more miscellaneous items, Jack had a resigned look on his face as he pulled a box from a shelf, reading the label and pulling the lid open. He sighed and closed the lid, “I’ll take this one too” he said.

“What is it?”

“A set of drones that links to a scanner to relay video”

“Why do you look like someone killed our cat? That sounds useful, spot and track the enemy,” I said.

“That’s not exactly the intended purpose” The quartermaster piped up from behind me, “It’s a command device for monitoring your own troops from afar.”

I looked back at Jack, now understanding. The implant upgrade, now the drones, they were used to help him survey a battlefield. I wasn’t sure exactly what he had talked to Doctor Mendera about, but I had a suspicion.

When we left the quartermasters vault, Jack was looking at me like I was an idiot even more than normal. Tucked under my arm was the rifle and a metal disk the size of my palm.

“Why did you get that?” Jack asked for the third time.

“I don’t know, might be interesting.”

“It was sitting there, dusty at the back of the shelf”

“It looked interesting”

“It’s a video game”

“Hardly, It’s a recreation of a virtual world. You get to play god.” I cracked a grin, it was a silly choice, but I had looked over everything in the room and found none of it intriguing. Aside from this videogame.

When I lay down in my quarters that night, a small half holographic bubble sat on my bedside table, the image was zoomed in on a small settlement of humans who were just starting to build their first town.