As everyone gathered again in the lobby, Dr. Aurèle walked in,
"Well, for this mission, I want all for you to return to Earth and retrieve your team's flag, which is hidden somewhere in one country. Simple, isn't it ? The timer will end in 5 days ! Once the timer ends, those who fail to retrieve their team's flag must suffer the consequences. Any questions ?"
The room immediately bursts into protests, of all places they could've chosen, why Earth. Suddenly, one trainee tried to attack Dr. Aurèle, but he was stopped mid-air by a HoloSurf-Board.
Dr. Aurèle announced firmly,
"Those who can't stand doing this mission may speak to my secretary about quitting the program. After all, the main goal of this program is to bring the world into a better future, including Earth. It's your choice."
The HoloSurf-Board returned to its owner. A man jumped on it and glided towards Dr. Aurèle.
He looked like a blend of regal mysticism and earthy strength because of his long, wavy purple-to-gold hair, emerald green eyes, and bronze skin. His gentle yet powerful appearances gave him a Pacific-inspired warm. Golden, ember-like markings flowed across his skin, reminiscent of traditional New Zealand's artistry.
He stopped beside Dr. Aurèle and bowed,
"My apologies if anyone was hurt by my HoloSurf-Board. I'm Hugo, Dr. Aurèle's secretary. It seems that Dr. Aurèle isn't in the best mood right now, so I'll take the lead instead, okay ?"
Hugo looked to his side, realizing only then that Dr. Aurèle had already left. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
I noticed his outfit was different from the other workers. While we trainees had to wear the same uniform, those with higher ranks seemed to be allowed to wear whatever they wanted.
Hugo wore a cropped harness top beneath a one-sleeve black jacket, paired with tactical pants lined with straps, chains, and a side pouch. His left arm was covered in a detailed tattoo sleeve, and he wore a fingerless gloves, giving him a rebellious looks.
Hugo continued,
"In case anyone's wondering what the punishment is, your team's point will be reduced by 30. On the other hand, if you manage to retrieve the flag, your team's point will increase by 30. As for those who decide to leave or refuse to participate, we're sorry, but you'll be eliminated and permanently banned from rejoining the program. And your payments... won't be refunded."
The entire room fell silence. No one had a choice but to agree.
Hugo pressed the start button on the timer, signalling that the mission had begun.
Everyone sprinted through the hallway toward the runway. When Sheng Yue saw us approaching, she jumped and waved excitedly. We quickly climbed up into the spaceship.
The interior wasn't large, but it was enough for a crew of five. It had a small bathroom and kitchen, barely enough to survive for 5 days. Sheng Yue sat at the cockpit,
"Welcome abroad, gang ! I've decided to name this ship TARK. Anyway, where are we going cap ?"
Shin Hayato stepped toward the holo-navigation interface and selected Earth. Sheng Yue stared at him in disbelief,
"Wow, for a second I thought you knew nothing about this spaceship. I guess I judged you wrong. And for the rest, go explore the spaceship. Just don't touch anything, ok !"
A navigation hologram popped up on the pilot's screen.
Sheng Yue fastened her seatbelt and pressed several buttons,
"Make sure you don't get sea sick or should I say, space sick. Get it ?"
Shin Hayato crossed his arms and sighed, either frustrated or annoyed, before sitting next to her. Arlo and Cassandra took the foldable seats in the lounge.
I walked through the spaceship, heading toward our crew quarters. IRIS followed and perched on my shoulder. Our rooms were separated, one captain's room and two crew rooms. I stepped into my assigned cabin, the door slid automatically.
The cabin had built-in stacked bunk beds, soft blue lighting, and a small workstation with dual monitors, plants, and a clock. A storage shelf sat above the beds, a small entry door panel, and a large window that looked out into space. Overall, it felt cozy and neat.
I sat on the top bunk and examined the ChronoLume. Just as I was about to press the reset button, Sheng Yue's voice echoed from the Celestia speaker,
"Get ready, y'all ! We're really close to Earth. In about 5 minutes, we'll be landing in Bangladesh, apparently that's where our flag is. Anyways, hold on tight, everybody !"
◇ ◇ ◇
We finally arrived on Earth. Shin Hayato opened the door and left with Cassandra and Arlo. Sheng Yue and I stayed behind to guard the spaceship for a while.
Sheng Yue started chatting,
"Hey, it's been years since I last saw Earth. But wow, Bangladesh is so hot! Is there a fan somewhere ? 太热了 ! (Tai re le !)"
I laughed,
"Of course you can't stay survive heat ! But I must admit it's hotter than before. I wonder what's happening right now in Franc—"
Suddenly a laser was pointed on to Sheng Yue's head. Before either of us could react, she was shot by an energy arrow. She collapsed to the ground instantly, lifeless as a dead body.
Suddenly another energy arrow was shot, luckily I got enough time to dodge it. As I saw where the energy arrow came from, it came from unit 6's hunter.
When I stood up, he had already vanished. I gripped the ChronoLume tightly, and there he was, right in front of my face, striking again.
I fell, badly injured, as he prepared his finishing blow. I raised my hands to shield myself, but in the process, I accidentally pressed the 'Reset' button on the ChronoLume
And something... strange happened.