The Empty and the Unknown

2 - The Falcon's Crew

I followed the FSS technician as she led us to the hangar bay of the FSS, where they stored and launched spaceships when needed. It didn't take me long to notice Aurora trailing behind us, and I wasn't quite sure when or if she'd get accustomed to us. I supposed the best thing to do would be to give her space, so I shrugged it off and recentered my attention to the lady leading us. She had led us up to a massive metal door, with the words "Authorized Personnel Only; Level 6 Clearance Required," printed in scrolling holo-text just above it. The technician leaned into the door, where a scanner quickly verified her credentials by syncing with her microchip. The scanner buzzed and the holo-text began to fade.

Only a select few astronauts and techies were authorized to get to this location, so this was the first time I had ever been to this part of the station. The door eventually slid away, revealing the incomprehensible array of spaceships. Everyone in our platoon soaked it in in amazement before the techie turned to face us. "Welcome to the pride of the FSS, our in-station platform for all spaceships developed here!" The technician said with a wide grin. "Come along, I'll show you yours."

We followed her impatiently across the massive hangar, which seemed to span farther than I could see, though obviously there was an end. It was a metal hangar with a curved roof, a wide pathway in the middle, with ships dotted along each side of it. I recognized some of the classes as I walked along, such as the Spitfire, a battleship, the Firefly, an asteroid miner, and others that we hadn't been shown in any of our studies. I just assumed they were still in development.

After we seemed to walk past an endless number of ships, she finally turned away from the path and led us to yet another ship I didn't recognize. "This," the techie declared, "will be your vessel! We call this one the 'Falcon,' after the station it was invented in. It's equipped with the light-speed engine that you have all been trained to use, so flight should be no problem for you all. This ship itself may seem a little unfamiliar or unusual for you, but you'll get the hang of it quickly, I assure you." She nodded towards the ship to let Gage examine it, as he seemed ready to jump out of his skin to get to it. He paced around it curiously, examining the parts and pieces that went into, while Titus seemed to prefer to look at anything but that. Aurora, unsurprisingly, stood uncomfortably beside me.

I too began to wander around the ship, marveling at the design. I never did the best in Mechanical Engineering, however, I understood just how much prototyping and designing something this advanced called for. The ship, aptly named, had the likeness of a falcon in flight, if that falcon were 50 feet long and made of what appeared to be a titanium alloy. I did a once-over, circling around it. I passed Gage, who was close enough to be practically hugging it. I chuckled and made my way back to the technician who stood patiently waiting for the others.

Once the group had collected itself, they reformed around the technician. The Falcon began to lower its entrance with a quiet hum. She casually scrolled through the documents regarding the group, until she reached what she was looking for. "Ah, here we go. Now to assign roles. These are the jobs you all have been selected to fulfill based on your most fine-tuned skills, proven through your training and studies. To begin, Gage, you have shown extensive knowledge of the biology of other planets, as well as the evolutions that make its wildlife into what it is. Your role will be based on your cultural and biological expertise. Do you understand your role?" Gage nodded. "Then you may enter the ship." He walked to the ship's entrance, boots clanging on the metallic door, then disappeared into its depths.

"Next, Titus, you will serve as the mechanical expert group as well as capable of doing the heavy-lifting if necessary. You have proven to be incredibly athletic and effective at examining dysfunctional machines and finding solutions quickly. Do you understand your role?" He gave a quick nod and bounded off into the ship before she had the chance to tell him to go. This selection surprised me a bit. I was well aware that he was strong, but he didn't show even an inkling of interest in machines. People are full of surprises, I suppose.

"Aurora," The technician began. I perked up a little now. It interested me to learn the expertise of someone who was secretive about most things. "You shall be the team's computer expert, as well as their meteorologist. You have proven to possess a keen eye for weather patterns and the ability to predict what's coming next, as well as being the best in your platoon at computer programming. Do you understand your role?" Aurora nodded shyly. "Then you may enter." She crept quietly into the ship.

I had a swarm of butterflies, or possibly even angry bees, in my stomach when she finally got to me. "Last but not least, Adelyn." She smiles warmly, calming my nerves a bit. "You will be the team's leader. You have the right social skills inspire your friends and teammates for the better, and have proven the ability to make tough decisions at a moments notice. Do you understand your role?" I nodded eagerly. "Then you may enter the ship. Notify the crew that takeoff will begin soon."

I restrained my self from practically skipping into the ships. Its as if they read my mind, though, with the algorithms they put in place to monitor students, they might as well have. I was incredibly passionate about leading and helping others, which sparked excited thoughts and ideas on how to create stronger bonds in the group. Any ideas would have to wait until we reach the planet, so I suspended my racing thoughts for the time being. The door hummed behind me as it drew back up, and I made my way into the main chamber of the ship, then to the cabin where the group had gathered.

The cabin was in the "head" of the falcon, separated on two levels by a couple of stairs. There were two seats on both sides of the walkway, each equipped with an interactive 3D holo-screen. Two were on the lower level, and two seats were on the upper. There was a clear carbon glass that curved over the front of the ship, which gave about a 180-degree viewing distance, though currently only gave the view of some mechanics working on ships a few yards away. Gage's excitement seemed to overcome his awkwardness and engaged himself in a fiery conversation about hyper-drive something or others with Titus. Aurora had situated herself in the left seat on the lower-level, playing around with a map of the stars that appeared onscreen.

"Take-off is soon, so get strapped in," I announced. I headed down to the seat next to Aurora, giving her a quaint smile that she returned, before sitting in the seat. It wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the cots they so graciously award us, which I thanked the heavens for. Straps automatically wrapped around me like a harness and stiffened themselves.

In just a few minutes, I would be among the first people to travel at light-speed.