Eternal Planets

Chapter #1: Landing...

When I opened my eyes, I saw I was still in the chamber. It started slowly sliding out and zero gravity took its place around me. The straps, following protocol, un-clipped and I started to fly up to the top of the craft. At least what I thought was the top of the ship. When I hit the top, I pushed myself into my seat to prepare for landing.

"Attention everyone, we will be landing here shortly, under your seats you will find something to eat. We have researched your favorite foods, and you will find a tray that keeps your food on the tray. If you need anymore, please ask one of the attendants. You have been asleep for 1 century. If you need to excise, the personal training gym is in the back of the ship," The captain announces. Everyone started pulling out trays from the bottom of their seats. I started unwrapping mine and saw cheeseburgers, carrots, and a milkshake.

"Lucky!" A 13 year old kid says next to me, pointing at my meal.

"It is just what I like to have during lunch," I say smiling.

"Sean, calm down. You look like you're going to pass out," A 14 year old girl says. My best friend for infinity comes and sits next to me.

"Hey Dillan," I say to him.

"Hey Zara, how are you?" Dillan asks.

"I feel like I'm about to lose my lunch. Oh wait, I haven't had any yet," I say beginning to laugh hysterically. Dillan began to join me, when I started to heading towards the gym.

"You coming, Dillan?" I ask him.

"Right behind you, Zara," He said, pushing himself towards me. As we floated to the gym, we felt gravity start taking its role, bringing us down.

"I guess they made the plating here pull people down," I was saying.

"That's how the equipment stays down. Would you want to use a machine in zero gravity?" Dillan asks me.

"You do have a good point, Dillan," I say to him. "I hear that I'm going to be exploring the galaxy with some other people. What about you?"

"Same. Did you know that we are getting the best people in the galaxy for this mission?" He asks me.

"No I did not. You know them?" I decided to ask him.

"Yes I do. They are Sierra and Eric. They were the top of their class," Dillan tells me.

"Wow, how did they pull that off? It is really hard to get top of the class," I said.

"I don't know, but their shoot to kill ratio is so amazing, everyone gave up on top of the class," Dillan was saying as we walked into the gym.

"Wow! This thing is so... IMPRESSIVE!!!" We say in unison.

"What was their shoot to kill ratio?" I ask, mind back on track.

"I think it was 1 shot for 10 kills," Dillan told me.

"Dang! What about their paper test scores?" I decided to ask him.

"150 points out of 150 possible," Dillan replied as who I thought was them walked up to us.

"Hey Eric, Sierra. How are you two doing this fine galactic mourning?" Dillan asks them.

"Wow. Not funny," Sierra says. I elbow Dillan in the gut.

"We are doing fine, Dill-Pickle," Eric tells us, stifling a chuckle.

"I told you, it's Dillan!" Dillan yells at Eric.

"Everyone, Shut UP!" Sierra and I yell directly at Dillan and Eric.

"Okay, sheesh. I was trying to make a joke, Dillan," Eric replies as Dillan walks away. I push through them and head on over to a bench press.

"Aw come on, Zara!" Sierra yells as she runs over to talk to me.

"What... do you want?" I ask her while lifting the weight.

"Well first of all, you need someone who can pick the weight off you if your arms give out, and secondly, I've heard a lot about you from Dillan. You know what? The leader election for the mission is coming up, and I think you should try and if you do, you'll have my vote," she says.

"Well thanks," I reply setting the weight back down. "You think we are landing soon?"

"Yeah. In 3... 2... 1..." She says as the intercom goes off saying;

"Attention everyone, please return to your seats and prepare to land."

"How did you know that?" I ask Sierra.

"The gravity adjusted when we entered the gravitational pull of Tycho Five," Sierra replies.

"Wow. You want to sit by me?" I ask.

"Sure! I'll come on over," Sierra says to me. As we start heading back, we don't start floating back up, but instead we continue to walk towards our seats. As we start strapping in, turbulence starts shaking the cabin.

"Hurry!" Dillan yells at us as we start running towards the last two seats (that were somehow next to each other).

"We will make it!" I shriek as the landing light starts going off. We jump into our seats and we secure ourselves before they had a chance to retract.

"Well that was close," Sierra says to me and we burst out laughing.

"You know? I think we should hang more often. We are pretty much twins, except I got 149 points out of 150 possible points on my paper test, yet I got a 1 shot to 15 kill ratio in the simulation," I tell Sierra.

"Holy guacamole! How did you manage that?!" She screams in shock.

"Somehow, I did," I reply nicely. "I think it was because I grabbed a ricochet shotgun when we had to choose." We start laughing hysterically as we begin our final approach to Tycho Five.

"You feel the gravity changing? It's because Tycho Five is in a goldilocks sector of the galaxy and it has-" Sierra starts.

"A gravitation pull like Earth!" I finish.

"We rock, girl!" Sierra says, putting her arm around me.

Maybe Sierra and Eric aren't so bad. But I should keep a close eye on them just in case I think to myself.