Read Earth Star for Free Online Page B

words. ‘Oh. They’re taking genetic tissue samples, so …’
    ‘I just want to forget it ever happened,’ said Fian.
    I shut up and led the way down to the end of the corridor, tapped on a door with a number 7 on it, and entered. This was a smaller room, containing only one Military Captain. He had a scanner, but only used it to check our genetic codes.
    ‘Jarra Tell Morrath and Fian Andrej Eklund,’ he said. ‘Jarra, please raise your right hand and repeat the words on this card.’
    I took the card, read what was on it, but didn’t manage to say a single word. Aliens were really quite humdrum compared to this white plastic with neat black lettering. I stared at it, utterly grazzed. This wasn’t the Security Oath that civilian advisers and other people with access to classified information had to take. This was the Military Oath of Service. I was supposed to take the full Military Oath!
    The structure of my entire universe gently crumbled around me and fell apart. I’d always known it was impossible for me to join the Military because I couldn’t leave Earth. When Alien Contact called me in, I’d assumed I’d be a civilian adviser, but if I was actually taking the full Military Oath then …
    Earlier this year, I’d pretended to be a Military kid, discovered my real Military background, and even believed the fantasy myself for a while. This was no pretence and no fantasy. Taking this oath would mean I really was Military. This could not be happening.
    I finally managed to speak. ‘You do realize I’m an a … I mean Handicapped. I can’t portal off world.’
    ‘Of course,’ said the Captain. He nodded at the card.
    I took a deep breath. My grandmother had taken this oath, my parents had taken it too, and now it was my turn. Taking the Military Oath has to go on record. Somewhere in the Military archives is a recording of my voice breaking up as I struggled through the words.
    ‘I, Jarra Tell Morrath, do solemnly swear to uphold the honour and faith of the Military, to serve and protect humanity, to …’
    I got through to the end somehow, and then I stared at a reassuringly blank incurious wall for a few minutes while thinking of my parents. My mind replayed that one incredible conversation I’d had with them, struggling with emotion and portal relay lag, while I stood among the ruins of New York and they were on a nameless planet out in distant Kappa sector. My thoughts moved on, inevitably, to the call from the General who’d told me …
    No, I mustn’t think of that. I mustn’t make a nardle of myself by breaking down entirely. I concentrated on Fian’s voice as he took the oath as well. He just sounded grazzed rather than emotional. When he’d finished, I took another moment to get my face under control, and turned around cautiously. I found the Captain waiting patiently for me.
    ‘Jarra Tell Morrath, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain. Congratulations.’
    He saluted, and I numbly returned the salute. Captain? He said Captain? What?
    He turned to Fian. ‘Fian Andrej Eklund, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Captain. Congratulations.’
    The Captain saluted, and Fian waved a bewildered hand in the general direction of his ear.
    ‘I apologize for the lack of ceremony,’ said the Captain, ‘but we’re a little rushed here. Please be advised that your ranks are not part of the chain of command.’
    ‘Understood,’ I said.
    ‘Uniforms are waiting for you in your quarters in Accommodation Green Zone, Dome 9, Room 18. We’ve assumed joint quarters were appropriate, if not …’ He glanced enquiringly from Fian to me, decided we weren’t objecting, and hurried on. ‘Orientation sessions are running two hourly in Orientation Hall 1. This base is operating on Earth America time, which is Green time minus five hours. You’re scheduled for Captain’s table at 19:00 hours.’
    I did some frantic mental calculations. We’d gained seven hours in the move from Earth Africa