Chapter 7: Hijacking
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It’s 15.55 right now, time to execute the final step of my plan… Here goes nothing…

I text Fraldy one last message from my own account this time, I want to make sure he doesn’t suspect anything:

Hey Fraldy, I thought that the shuttle would leave at 4 O’Clock? But you aren’t here yet? it looks like Lucien is stopping the pilot from leaving. I hope you’re okay? To be honest, I bought those cookies at a local shop, I hope they didn’t upset your stomach or anything…

Alright, that should do it. I’m hoping to recreate the image of someone who’s panicking and trying to cover his own ass. This’ll hopefully clear up any lingering doubts Fraldy might still have…

I nervously approach the shuttle before getting stopped by a lunarian, he appears to have the role of boarding officer and pilot judging from his uniform.

“A Sapien? Wait I remember Lucien saying something about a Sapien boarding the shuttle… What’s your name?”

“My name is Fraldy Barnett. Lucien told me I could board this shuttle without any problems if I just said my name, didn’t he send you a picture of me?”

That’s right, part two of my evil-genius plan… Getting on that shuttle and enrolling in the military academy!...

Fuck, I hope he does at least have a picture or something… I’m betting on the racism of the Lunarians here. I even changed my hairstyle to resemble Fraldy’s. Sure I’m a bit taller and my eyes are blue instead of brown, but we have the same hair color and lean body type… I also boarded the shuttle late on purpose, so he wouldn’t have much time to thoroughly inspect me.

The Lunarian boarding officer gives me a quick glance from top to bottom

“Hmmm… You do like the description given by Lucien, could you show me your ID?”

“Euuh…. Sure, please wait a minute sir.”

Oh fuck, oh fuck… I’m starting to sweat… I was afraid this would happen… Think Ryder, think… Wait! Didn’t Lucien say he send Fraldy to the academy in order to annoy his little brother? I did see a Lunarian board the ship earlier who resembled Lucien… That little brother could be my golden-ticket to board this shuttle…

Fuck it! Let’s gamble, I’m screwed either way. Let’s use the best Fraldy voice impression I can do.

I look into the shuttle and pretend to recognize someone before yelling:

“Good afternoon sir Larker! Sorry I’m late! I forgot to pack some things!”

The Lunarian boarding officer looks at me with suspicion, grasping the energy baton on his belt.

To my pleasant surprise, a young Lunarian that resembled Lucien suddenly reveals his face in front of the shuttle-door and yells:

“Oi! There you are Mud-crawler! We were almost going to leave without you, what took you so long?! Get your ass up here!”

Thank god he was expecting me…

“B-But sir Larker, this guy is stopping me…”

“I don’t care, quickly board the shuttle! Nobody can stop a passenger personally invited by the Larker family!”

I meekly look up at the boarding officer who looks back at the yelling Lunarian, sighs, and then nods, letting me through…

I did it… I actually did it… My cheeks can’t help but smile a little. Having boarded the shuttle, the lunarian that just helped me suddenly starts talking:

“What’s up with that creepy smile? Ah I get it, I don’t think you’ve had the pleasure of meeting me yet have you mud-crawler? It’s quite creepy that you’re smiling from my presence alone though… Anyways, as you probably already figured out, I’m the brother of Lucien, Ares Lurker, but calling me sir Lurker is fine too… Hmm… You’re a bit taller than how Lucien described you… Even taller than me…”

Wait, so I didn’t have to change my voice at all? Fraldy hasn’t even met this guy yet? Well that was a waste of practicing Fraldy’s stupid accent for a day… 

“Yeah, I slouch a lot, it’s a habit I’m trying to fix. I could bend down if you want, but you’re probably already used to being smaller since you’re Lucien’s little brother. Right?”

He didn’t seem to enjoy being called ‘little’ brother, but how could I not? He was clearly younger than Lucien, I would guess he’s around the age of 18 or 19, meanwhile Lucien looks like he’s already 26 … But I guess since he enrolled in the same year as me, he’s probably also 20… Those flux-guides really to develop your body it seems…

“I don’t like being compared to my older brother, especially by a mud crawler who betrayed his best friend due to greed. Take this as a warning.”

Ugh, being called a mud crawler over and over again reminds me of that asshole Lucien… Well, since the shuttle has left the station already, I might as well give him a piece of my mind.

“Greed? How about hope? Hope of a better future instead of rotting away on that godforsaken planet tyrannized by your kind.”

Shit, I might have gone too far…

“My kind huh? You don’t even know me, well, I guess I don’t know you either… Still, you’re less submissive than how my brother described you… I mean, how are you so sure that I won’t just kill you now for disrespecting me?”

Goddam… me and my big mouth.

“W-Well, Lucien promised me a place at the academy, he already paid for my tuition.  It would tarnish the lurker family reputation if they couldn’t even safely transport a ‘mudcrawler’ to the academy…”

“Hmpf! Fine, you have a point, they would probably also blame me for that… I’ll take you to the academy like I promised my brother, you’re lucky I’m not a huge fan of avoidable bloodshed. But once we land at the academy you’ll be on your own. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to see eye to eye, let alone become friends.”

“Just what I was thinking. Friends? A lowly ‘mudcrawler’ such as myself wouldn’t dare.”

As I take a seat across from where Ares is sitting, I begin to think about Centauri… About all the people I left behind. Well, the only person I regret leaving behind is dad… I hope he doesn’t worry about me too much… I hope that letter I left behind was enough to reassure him…

Dear dad,

First of all, thank you. You gave me the motivation I needed to chase my goals, how ludicrous those might be. I know I don’t say this nearly enough, but dad, I love you, I really do. I’m glad you raised me, I couldn’t have asked for a better father.

Once you are reading this, I’m probably already on the shuttle that’s heading to the academy. I stole Fraldy’s spot, but don’t worry, he only earned that spot because of me. It’s only right for me to reclaim it. I did all this because I’m planning on studying at the military academy and becoming a war officer. (If I ever succeed, I’ll at least be filial enough to buy you a small planet 😉)

Once Fraldy and Lucien (That new lunarian transfer student I told you about) realize that fraldy missed his flight, they’ll probably cancel his enrollment or move it to next year. I already made plans for that though, I emptied all my savings and I hope to work for a year or three on Earth (The planet where the academy is located) before financing the tuition on my own.

I know this plan isn’t guaranteed to work, and I might come back defeated and begging you to house me again, I hope you will if that ever happens…

After burning this letter, I only ask that you report me as missing, you could say that we had a huge fight and that I ran away. Or you could simply say that I was afraid of the consequences of poisoning Fraldy. I don’t care what you say, just make sure that you don’t get wrapped up in this. Nobody should expect that I actually took Fraldy’s spot on the shuttle, this letter is the only proof that I did.

I love you dad, I wish you nothing but the best.

Ps: Now that you don’t have to take care of me anymore, please go find yourself a pretty lady to spend time with. (Maybe Miss. Juniper from next door?)

  -Your son forever, Ryder 

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