Omega

• Lachlan Carroll, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2013

*Ragnarok Station; Omega quadrant – Draak controlled space*

Beep, Bop, Boo!

The loud, annoying beep echoed through the station, signaling fifteen hundred hours.

It occurred every hour, on the hour, and thrice at midnight.

“An announcement,” cheeped a female voice across the all-station intercom. “All militia report to training immediately. Students, return to your quarters. Have a great weekend! The stock market has seen Ultradeckahydronite fall three gammas! Another win for Draak.”

An excited cheer broke out in lecture studio C as twenty fifteen-year-olds scrambled for the door.

“Good day, class,” droned the Auto-Tutor, the latest model in learning technology.

By then all but two of the students were already gone.

“Jordan,” called an unremarkable boy by the name of Gerald Fitz.

“Hey, ’sup, man?” Jordan saluted Gerald in the fashion dictated by their station’s overseer, Thomas Hutchins.

Jordan felt someone grab him around the neck. A dull, metallic voice said, “You’ve violated station law-code 7#16. Prepare for immedia–” the last word dissolved into a fit of giggling.

Jordan turned to see James Harrison in hysterics, his trademark cheeky grin and red hair made it impossible to be mad. Behind him was Fiona Hutchins, the last of their ragtag group, and daughter of the overseer.

“You nearly got me,” laughed Jordan. “Come on, we don’t have all day.”

The group was still chuckling as they jumped on their standard Issue Mag-Lev-V17-12 Rail-Riders, and zoomed down the corridor.

They weren't for recreational purposes, of course. The Rail-Riders magnetically levitated ten centimeters above approved surfaces, and were for moving goods or injured civilians, or transport ONLY in emergency situations.

But with a few tweaks of the program, the boards were like the ‘Skateboards’ they’d learned about in ancient history.

Jordan felt the air whip past him. They were moving so fast he could barely hear the others whooping with joy.

When they reached the HK-west-wing, the group went silent.

They moved soundlessly to their destination – the airlock – hiding behind a large cargo crate.

“Gerald, you distract them.”

“Why don’t you?” Gerald shoved James.

“Why don’t we toss a gamma for it?” Jordan suggested.

Then they realized Fiona was already tearing past the guards station, four GuardUnit3000’s hot on her tail.

“Time for action, boys!” she shouted.

“Go!” Jordan yelled, running for the airlock.

The three of them were suited up by the time Fiona returned, gasping for breath.

Fiona pulled her suit on as Jordan sealed the airlock. The outer chamber clunked open, and they drifted into space, grinning madly.

Two hours later ...

Using the suits dampening rays, they landed on grey remnants of earth.

As far as the eye could see were monolithic buildings, crumbling and burnt from the sun’s harsh rays.

The ground was like a paper bag, wrinkled and crumpled in on itself.

A shudder passed through them.

It was just like their history teacher taught them.

They were the first to stand on earth in 400 years.

This was where they’d come from.

Where it all began.