Space Dreams

Chapter 2: Controlled

Kira’s POV

We were standing in one row opposite these so-called mentors. One by one, everybody’s name was called, but not mine.

After the last pair left, I looked around, but nobody was in the room anymore.

Okay, now what?

After a few minutes I started to panic. I walked over to the door through which the other people had left and tried to open it. Absolutely failure.

F*ck. I need to get out of here. This room is giving me the creeps.

I saw a panel on the wall next to the door. I knocked on it. “Cling”. It seemed to be hollow.

I felt around its edge and found a switch. I pulled it and the top whooshed to the side.

Underneath there were lights, buttons, and switches. I started pushing and pulling them at random.

The intercom cracked.

“What do you think you are doing Kira?” a deep male voice asked.

I jumped away from the console.

What the f*ck was that?

I stood still for about 2 minutes, but the voice didn’t say anything more.

I scanned the room for audio boxes or camera’s but I couldn’t find anything.

I sneaked back to the console and tried again.

“Kira. Please. Quit fooling around. This is not going to work. You have no idea what they do.”

I moved back into one of the corners of the room, with my back towards the corner.

“Who the f*ck are you. Where am I?” I asked.

“Watch your language, young lady. I am Zach. And I am your mentor.” It replied.

I started laughing. “So everybody gets a human mentor, but I get the ship’s frekking computer?”

“What do you mean? I am not the ship’s computer. I am Zacharias Bayar and I command this ship. How do you know you are on a ship?” the voice replied.

“Lucky guess.” I interrupted.

“What did I do wrong to get you?” I asked.

“Do wrong? You didn’t do anything wrong. On the contrary. I am pleasantly surprised.” the voice said.

I walked back to the centre of the room.

“Pleasantly surprised?”

“Yeah. Your cup size is way bigger than I imagined.” the voice chuckled.

I smiled. “I knew they were worth their money.”

“What?” Zach asked confused.

“Nevermind. Why aren’t you here? The others got picked up by their so-called mentors.” I asked.

“I am a bit tied up at the moment.” Zach replied.

I was quiet for a moment, waiting for him to proceed.

After the silence extended to what seemed minutes I gave up.

"Why am I here?" I asked him.

He cleared his throat. "You'd better sit down."

I looked around. On what?? The room was empty.

"I am fine. Proceed." I answered,

"Five years ago, an group of oil companies gave secret information to several governments that they are depleting their sources of fossil energy. Using the alternative energy sources that are currently available, we cannot sustain the current human population on earth for more than a year. Hence, a consortium of all nations has decided that we will reduce the current population by a third, to give the remaining people a fighting chance. Around the same time, a team of astrophysicists discovered a world that can sustain human life that is only one light year away. The consortium decided that a third of our population is to be send to this planet that we call Terra. Over the past five years we have built ships that will transport us to this world, estimated travelling time approximately a 100 years. Because of this extended period in space, for most of us spanning a lifetime, we have developed a virtual environment that allows us to re-enact our lives on Earth whilst being in stasis. Most of the passengers while be in this environment permanently. However, the crew of the ship will have to work outside it for extended periods of time. To maintain and facilitate the processes on the ship.”

He paused.

“As you are an expert on rocket propulsion, you have been selected to join the mission."

"What? No, I’d rather take my chances on Earth. My family needs me." I responded.

"You misunderstand me. Because your skills you are vital to the mission you are forced to join us. You have no freedom of choice."

"What? Absolutely not. I will simply refuse to cooperate so that there is no use in keeping me here." I answered.

“You will not go back to Earth. Either you’ll cooperate or you will be incarcerated. Your choice. 100 years of isolation doesn’t sound very good to me.” Zach responded.

“F*ck this. You have to catch me first.” I said angrily.

I walked back to the panel and started pushing buttons at random. The door swooshed open and I ran out of it.

"Kira" Zach yelled. "Don't do this!"

I ignored him and ran down the corridor. F*ck you, I am going home.

I took the first left, and ran towards a room with natural light. I entered the room and stopped dead in my tracks.

A huge window gave a view of the most amazing scene I had ever seen in all 32 years of my life. In the background was the moon, partly obscured by the Earth. Hovering all over de place were dozens of gigantic red elliptical shaped ships that were either docked to a skeleton-like structure or were moving around and trailing a burst of fire from what I deduced must have been their engines. It looked so amazing yet so wrong. The engineer in me laughed excitingly and applauded but the woman in me felt deeply disturbed. This should only be real in books or on television.

Escape. I need to escape. I leaned into the window to explore the outside of the ship I was on. Maybe I could find a way out. Sh*t, nothing but shiny red surface.

I looked around to room and saw a station console. I walked over and manipulated the touch screen; in an attempt to find a map or directions. I randomly pushed links and scrolled through files.

"Kira, you are disrupting my processes." Zach said.

I kept silent and worked on.

"You are forcing me to take measures. Kira, please stand down. " Zach said.

Go f*ck yourself.

"Fine. Have it your way." Zach said annoyed.

I heard something opening up and saw a white gas flooding the room. Hell no.