Alive In Space

Chapter 2

"You're done, that's already two hours. Great job today, Cortez."

I was catching my breath. Inabot ko ang towel para punasan ang pawis ko saka naupo muna. I leaned lower to tie my shoelace after running and lifting weights as part of our daily exercise.

"You seem more motivated than usual, huh? Is there something that.." I looked at her with a furrow on my brows. She gave me a meaningful look and giggled. Nakuha ko agad iyon kaya mabilis din akong umiling. "No, no.. just doing what I'm supposed to do," sagot ko at tumango nang paulit-ulit.

"If you say so.." mapang-asar pa niyang dugtong.

Weirdo akong ngumiti saka nagpaalam na magpapalit lang para sa sunod na gagawin. She really likes teasing me.

Umalis ako roon at nagpalit para sa assembly tungkol sa survival training na gaganapin ngayong linggo. Isang linggo siguro ang pinakamatagal na span para sa survival training, but as always, that doesn't make anything easier. We do this to handle many circumstances like our capsules missing the designated landing area. We might end up anywhere, in the cold or being under the sun for the entire day with nothing but metal scrapes from our capsules and some emergency kits. This is not our first time, we've been to dessert, we've been underwater or in forests. You can never say what could happen in your dangerous voyage back to Earth.

Nakasuot ako ng blue jumpsuit na may logo ng NAASR sa kaliwang dibdib at ilan pa sa bandang balikat. I let my hair down and quickly went to the meeting room. Pagkarating ko roon ay karamihan sa kanila ay nauna na sa akin. Anders, Harper and Collins are here in their blue jumpsuit, same as me.

"Morning, Cortez. Missed my face?" mahanging bungad agad ni Anders. Nakataas pa ang paa nito sa mesa habang nakahalumbaba at nakatuon ang baba sa palad.

"Nah, not one bit."

"How come he actually thinks that everyone likes his face? He barely looks like a human," bulong ni Harp nang umupo ako sa tabi niya. Anders glanced at us and scoffed. "Where's the lie though?" dagdag ko pa.

Nag-asaran pa sila pero nakikitawa nalang din ako at naghintay sa mga kasama namin.

We stayed silent until the commander and the instructor came in the room. He explained to us what is going to happen in the next days.

".. with assistance from us, instructors, the police air force, the coast guard, local authorities and the national mountaineering rescue organisation, you would be flown by helicopter to a remote location. You are asked to set up camp, make a fire and find food: fishing, trapping animals, preparing food and cooking with primitive tools, as you were oriented. The entire schedule is on the document infront of you so read that."

Inabot ko ang folder na nasa ibabaw ng mesa at binuklat iyon. Napakaraming schedule ang nandito. I raised my eyebrow and took a deep breath. I can't help but to notice Collins on the other side of the table. Hindi ko masabi kung nagbabasa rin ba siya dahil paminsan-minsan itong sumusulyap.

"We expect you to make it through the week and remember that this is one of the most vital parts of your training."

"Yes, sir," sabay-sabay naming sagot. Nagpaalam narin ito saka lumabas ng silid.

"Too much effort for some bunch of lazy asses going on a fieldtrip, huh?" saad ni Anders saka itinaas ang kaniyang paa ulit sa mesa habang binabasa ang laman ng folder. "Speak for yourself, lazy ass," sabad ni Harper at inirapan ito. Tinulak niya ang paa ni Anders pababa sa mesa at siya ang naupo roon. Ipinatong naman niya ang mga paa sa upuan at nagpahalumbaba.

"You should atleast get yourselves ready, we're not going on a fieldtrip," seryosong saad ni commander Rudyn. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay kasabay ang iba na nagpakita ng di paniniwala dahil hindi naman siya nagseseryoso sa buhay e. Bigla itong ngumisi at tinapik pa ang mesa nang dalawang beses bago tumayo.