Unity

Chapter 14

We had all agreed that we would sleep in on the second morning. Frustration grew by the minute as my body woke at six. After tossing and turning for nearly twenty minutes, I gave up, made my room inspection ready and exited. "You too huh?" Andrew asked. He was leading the group in stretches.

"What took you so long?" Jen asked. "I figured you would be one of the first ones awake."

"I probably was," I responded while stretching. "I was trying to force my body back to sleep." I joined the group on the floor as Andrew guided the group in light calisthenics. After what seemed like an easy workout, we cleaned up and let our noses be our guides to breakfast.

"Good morning," May said as we entered. "I have a surprise for all of you. I have arranged for you to go on a little excursion outside the dome."

"Yes!" Tina nearly shouted.

May smiled at her enthusiasm. "We don't have enough vehicles to take you all out at once, so I took the liberty of arranging a schedule. I will leave it up to you to decide who goes when."

"I'm first!" Tina called out. "Matt and Mitch, you are coming with me." Several others began volunteering as well. With our cadre divided into four groups, Tina's group wasted no time in shoveling down their food before heading to the garage dome.

"What's first?" Jen asked the remaining members. It was clear from everyone's answers that the remaining members of each group would fragment after breakfast.

"I'm going to check out the VR sims," I said as people started to leave.

"Typical boy," Jen said while rolling her eyes.

"VR sims will have to wait," she said, linking arms with me. "There are some shops here that I want to check out, and I refuse to go alone." Several others watched us go with poorly concealed grins. Jen dragged me through every aisle of every shop there. Fortunately for me, the few that were open were small as tourism had never been a large part of the colony.

There was one souvenir shop that piqued my interest. It was filled with lunar themed models and statues, all created out of anti-radiation treated lunar soil. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull when I turned it over to see the price attached to the back. "You had better put that down before you drop it and have to pay for it," Jen said as she slid in next to me.

"I was actually thinking of getting my family something," I replied. "I still have my signing bonus, and it's not like I'm going to have many opportunities to spend it over the next few years."

"True, though I'm making the smart move and investing. I'm planning on having quite the nest egg when I'm done with Battle Fleet."

"You mean when they are done putting up with you and have wrung everything useful out of you. Should only take a year," I said with a laugh.

"Say what you want doubter, but don't come crying to me when they've used you up and you are penniless."

I put the statue back and browsed for something a little more affordable. I came across some spectacularly detailed models of the moon. I spun it around and found the colony. It was perfect. I spun it around again, looking unsuccessfully for the price. Shrugging, I gently carried it to the clerk at the front counter.

"How much for this?" I asked.

"You are one of the cadets from the Academy, yes?" He asked in an accent I couldn't quite identify.

"I am," I answered hesitantly.

"For you, I give you good deal. One thousand credits for moon, and I ship for two fifty." He offered after a moment of thought.