I'm on My Way

Unite and Conquer

Disclaimer:  I do not own the above image.  All credit goes to the artist, who did a wonderful job. :) =========================================================================

Sam awoke with a jolt to the wailing of an alarm.  He sat up in his bed and looked around his bedroom.  The walls were painted with a blincking red light and shouting could be heard on the outside of his door.  With a start, Sam jumped out of bed, slipped on some shoes, and grabbed his emergency pack that his parents had prepared for him in case of an emergency, which was not inevitable for life on a spacestation.  He quickly opened his bedroom door and found his parents in the dining room of their small apartment.  

Ever since the invasion of earth several years ago, humans were forced to evacuate their home and colonize another planet.  Until one could be found, the reamainder of humanity lived upon two large spacestations situated on the outer rim of space.  Sam was born on the spacestation and he knew no other life, except for an occasional trip with his father to view potential planets and explore some of the surrounding bit of space.  However, the scientists aboard his space home had just found a suitable planet and were testing some samples that their astronauts had brought back just yesterday. 

"Sam, go get your gas mask!  Quickly!  We have to evacuate!"  Screamed Sam's Father.  Everyone on the spacestation was required to own a gas maks for emergency situations such as this.

"What's going on?!"  Same shouted as he went to grab his gas mask.

"There was an accident in the lab during a test of the new planet's samples,"  said Sam's Mother with exasperation, "We have just recieved word that the station is now being filled with a virus triggered by some of the lab equipment.  Only one scientist survived to sound the alarm and tell us what is going on!" 

As the three of them secured their gas maskes and ran to the evacuation room where all of the escape pods were kept.

"Where are we going?"  Sam asked with a worried tone.  

"To the new planet."  Replied his mother.

"But is it safe?  We are evacuating now becuase of a virus that one of its samples caused!"  

"They think that there was a bad reaction to the lab equipment, but the planet should be quite safe.  I know that this is scary, honey, but I need you to be brave for me.  Okay?"

"Okay, mom.  I can do that."  

A smile crossed his mother's beautiful face from behind her mask.  Though he could not see her, Sam imagined his mother's wavy ginger hair and he longed for a peaceful moment to come so that he could look into her compassion filled blue eyes and feel safe again.  But this would have to wait, for a booming voice was soon heard over the intercom, "This is you Commander speacking *cough*, as you know by now, everyone must evacuate the spacestation in the escape pods and rendezvous at the new planet *cough*.  I have already been inflicted with the virus, so I am afraid that I cannot come with you, for I will have to destroy the station one you leave in order to keep the virus from spreading to the neighboring space station."  After a fit of coughing and gagging the Commander resumed his speech, "I am sending some trusted officers with you to help the colonization process along.  We have prepared for this, and I know that you are all ready *cough*, I am just sorry that I coud not be there to see the founding of our new world.  God-speed my friends."  With that the intercom went dead, allowing for the shouting to resume as everyone's eyes filled with tears.  Sam tried to stay close to his parents, but it was hard to tell who was who in the midst of the chaos, not to mention everyone's faces were covered by gas maks.  "Mom!  Dad!  Where are you!"  Sam called out, but there was no answer.  Seconds later a man ran past Sam and knocked him to the gound.