The Space Between

Chapter Three: "Shine For Me"

Mark had just made it outside the hotel when the base sirens sounded. The other soldiers around him began to flag others down, asking over the noise. "What's going on?!" Mark and a few others shrugged when an officer ran by yelling out to the others. "Everyone! Report to building 359! NOW! This is not a drill!" Another solider shouted out to the officer in a rush. "What about our families?!" The officer briefly stopped to snap back sternly. "Tell them to go back to their rooms and wait! Now GET TO THE BUILDING!" Mark glanced up at the hotel to see Sean standing at the window. Sean put his hand on the glass and Mark calmly gestured for him to stay put. Unable to wait, Mark then ran as fast as his legs could take him to the conference building. Higher ranking men and women were turning families away and trying to gather the soldiers inside. As Mark dashed through the crowd, a higher-ranking man snatched his arm. Mark stopped as the man yelled out over the siren and crowd. "Squadron 110?" Mark nodded and the man pointed to the smaller building next door.

Mark didn't question it. He just ran to the building. Rushing inside, Mark removed his hat and then nearly swallowed his tongue as he almost ran into a five star General. Mark straightened up, saluting the General with a fearful look. The older man gave him an acknowledging salute to relax him, before snapping at a Major. "What's with the fucking siren?! Are you trying to scare everyone?!" The Major straightened up more, stating out respectfully. "No, Sir. We saw it as an opportunity to gather everyone quickly. We are informing everyone that this is a drill." The five star General huffed darkly, before yelling out bitterly. "SHUT IT OFF! That's an order!" The Major clicked his heels and dashed off. The five star General then turned to Mark, asking in a blunt voice. "Spaceman, are you with Squadron 110 or 120?" Mark kept himself at attention, announcing in a clear voice. "Squadron 110, Sir." The five star General pointed to a room behind him, stating out. "As you were then, Soldier." Mark nodded, then quickly made his way around the General.

Only after he got into the room did he let himself breathe naturally. The five star General was the highest ranking soldier on the base. It was a well known fact that the General was known for taking the rank of officers that pissed him off. For someone as low as himself, the General could discharge him from the force before he even got issued a rank. Mark gawked at the room he was in. He had never been in here. This building was usually saved for much higher ranking officers. Pictures of those officers lined the walls, along with the U.S. flag and the official Space Force flag. In the center was a beautiful wooden table and comfy office chairs. He wasn't the only one here. There were at least thirteen other young soldiers. They all glanced at each other and asked if they knew why they were called in. No one had an answer. They all decided to sit, but just as they did, the doors opened and a man called out. "Attention!" Immediately everyone shot to their feet to stand up straight. The Major stepped inside, then moved out of the way of the five star General. Behind the General came other men and women that all filed in to stand along the walls.

The General waved a dismissive hand, stating coolly out as the door closed. "At ease men... and women." The four women present smirked but kept themselves under control. Clearly the General wasn't used to saying that. It just didn't sound as fluid. They all sat down, while the General moved up onto the small stage before the table. Setting some papers on the wooden podium, the General started in without waiting. "I'm going to make this as brief as possible. Some of you may or may not know what has happened. At 0000 hours, two months ago, Space Station 01 received an unknown transmission." The General pointed to the people still standing, continuing on. "NASA has spent those two months trying to figure out what the transmission was. When it was believed to be our own radio waves bouncing off an electrical storm in space, we didn't question it. However, at 0000 hours today. We suddenly received a distress call from Space Station 01 as it was making its way past Jupiter. Since then, we have had no communication with them."