The Lunar Void (Book 2 to Moon Series)

Chapter 3- Preparations

Amelia felt weird for accepting the role as Emilio. She was too fond of the idea of going alone either; however, she knew it had to be done, to prove her ablilities to The Council. If she would ever be allowed to do anything outside of the base by herself, this was the best opportunity to prove it.

Everyone was  eager for her to go to Ausa, well, except Jerry. He thought it was complete bullshit. He was always so closed to Ses, and all of the Jusnors, and he couldn't go. So, for the past four days, he hasn't said anything to her; as if they became enemies again.

Brandon, her little brother who nearly lost his sight to Neston's older brother, Norhex, had no idea where Amelia was going. Everyone that talked to him had to swear not to tell him, for putting that added stress would make his recovery even harder. The lie to him was that Amelia was sent away to Virgina,  to further investigate their missing parents. Amelia was too keen about lying to her only family left, but she knew it was for the best.

As thoughts raced through her head, Amelia stared unintentely at her older sister's grave. The grass covering the casket was light green, and dying. She hated the idea of having her sister's grave be covered with brown, lifeless grass. But, at this point in time, she couldn't do anything to change it. She waited, for some apparent sign from Nikki to appear (her sister), however didn't know what to look for.

Annoying chirps from birds in a nearby tree irritated her along with a hasty breeze blowing dirt in her face. She glazed a little ways down the row to see her grandparents' grave. They had such nice headstones, why couldn't Nikki get something in marble? After a few moments of not receiving a sign from her dead sister, Amelia dropped a bundle of mixed flowers onto Nikki's headstone. She muttered another apology, for not being able to save her, and turned around.

Neston, Mij, Herfta, Refta, The Admiral, James, and Jerry were waiting by two black trucks. Urik was left to watch Brandon, ordered by The Admiral. Amelia sighed quietly to herself and walked to them, uncertain if they would really allow her to go. Along with her friends, both human and Rakian, her large luggage was waiting in the trunk of one of the trucks. She had a backpack to wear, an off-the-shoulder bag, and a rolling, traveling bag; all full of normal high school supplies. One catch to Amelia going to Ausa was that she had to finish high school, and she had to take at least six classes, to The Admiral's choice.

The ride out to the middle of the desert was long and boring. Amelia's nerves were uneasy, however she never showed her feelings to her friends. Mij was driving the truck at Amelia was in along with The Admiral in the front seat and James next to Amelia. The radio wasn't playing, and the only noise was the AC roaring to keep Mij and The Admiral at their normal temperature.

James glanced over to Amelia, who was staring mindlessly ou the window, and said, "You know, you really look like a guy."

Amelia raissed her eyebrow and loooked at him. "Isn't that kinda the point?"

Mij giggled while The Admiral shook his head as if silently insulting James' intelligence.

"Well, damn, it was a compliment," he snickered.

"Well, thank you." Amelia said, with a stupid grin on her face. James gave one right back at her.

"Hey, look," Mij pointed slightly with her hand still on the wheel. She pointed to where their destination was, just appearing on the horizon. "We're almost there." she looked through the rearview mirror to Amelia, whose hair was just above her blue eyes. "Then, you'll be on your own."

Amelia and James said nothing for the rest of the ride. Once they reached the small space-craft, they all met up right outside of the enterance. Amelia dropped her bags onto the ground and gave one last look around the surroundings. Refta and Herfta were shouting about something, while Jerry sat back and watched everything from the truck door. James and Neston were exchanging their worries about Amelia as The Admiral ordered Mij to set the correct cooridnates and such in the spaceship.

"I hope you realize, then though I am in command at the academy, The Council truly holds your fate." The Admiral stood next to Amelia, with his hands behind his back, as usual. "If you do something so drastic, that The Council gets involved, I cannot help you."

"I know, you told me before," she said, still not looking at him. "I don't plan on getting anyone involved, except the people I have to."

"You, of all people, should know that plans never end up the way you plan." The Admiral left Amelia, only for Neston to take his place.

"You scared?"

"Not at all,"

"You should be, with being the first human to ever see Ausa and being enrolled into the most strict academy in all of the known galaxy."

"No need to remind me," she smirked, "I know what I'm doing, otherwise I wouldn't be willing to pierce my face." Amelia held up the mulitple piercing jewlery that had to be pierced into various places on her face.  Out of the large clumps of silver piercings, Amelia pulled out an industrial bar. "I don't know how to pirece this one, but oh well."

"Look," Neston smiled at her stupid remark, and changed the subject, "there's something that's going to happen when you get to the academy-"

"What did Admiral say? Don't tell me shit about the future." Amelia took a step away from him, but he only pulled her back.

"No, listen!" he demanded of her. "I'm not telling you what, but when it does happen, I want you to know that I truly am sorry." Neston patted her on her shoulders and walked away, leaving Amelia confused.

"Time for you to take your leave," The Admiral called to Amelia. She nodded and shoved her piercings back into her pocket. She gave Mij and Herfta a half-hearted hug good-bye, and shook Neston and Refta's hands, in the tradtional Rakian way, and waved to James and Jerry. James waved a great wave to her while Jerry only glared at her.

She stepped onto her personal spaceship, which was cube-shaped, and was going to travel 35 Earth years back in time and thousands of lightyears to a completely new galaxy. She might have stepped on as Amelia, but when she got off next, Emilio would amerge.