Captain Rydian of the Human Galactic Unit

We were silent. I paced the basement floor, thinking. The room was lit by a couple rows of lights along the ceiling. Boxes on boxes sat in stacks around the room while large pieces of equipment sat towards the back. The only way in was the secret elevator I installed from my room on the second floor. My own handiwork. Couldn't risk anyone finding their way down there.

Though, we had other problems at that moment.

Stranded. We were stranded on Planet Klicta. Not only that, but now we learned that we were never supposed to be on Klicta in the first place.

It was a mistake? The truth was that this was considered one of the most dangerous planets in any nearby galaxy? And we were stranded on it?

I sighed as I continued to pace, "This just doesn't make sense. How did we end up here if everything was readjusted right before we left? The coordinates were entered just before leaving, so how could there have been a mistake?"

Vanessa spoke from the large screen installed in the basement, "I must agree. I would have known if there had been a mistake, sir. The coordinates we were given were indeed to reach this planet. I checked before we left."

I continued to pace, crossing my arms behind my back, "And I believe you, plus the ship taking off without us only proves it."

Alphonse was confused, "Proves what, sir?"

I stopped pacing right there, "That this was no accident." I turned to Alphonse, "Which reminds me. How did you end up on the floor, Alphonse?"

He looked away, ashamed, "I think the pod interfered with my... functions."

I understood right away, "In other words, you're a cyborg." Yes, those are real. Uncommon, but very real.

Alphonse gave a tired sigh, "I used to work in Space Station nine, where new sources of power and energy were tested for use on Earth. One day, one of the projects went wrong, and I was one of the few to survive."

I thought about it, "I remember that. Being a cadet in Space Station 13, I could see the explosion from my window. That had to have been almost seven years ago."

He nodded as he touched his leg, which I assumed was one of the parts of his body replaced by robotics, "I was fixed up and reassigned to something where my talents could be useful, but I would be in less danger."

I couldn't help smirking at the cruel irony of it, "Didn't quite work out that way, huh?" I then became serious, "And it again proves that something is wrong about this. That pod was a 3-18 version, so it's too advanced to have released any radio waves that would have caused interference. Not unless controlled to do so." I turned to Vanessa, "Same with an override. Someone would have to be causing the override as you were trying to stop it. Won't work otherwise, not against such an advanced A.I. anyways"

Vanessa looked worried, "What are you saying, sir?"

I looked at them both, "I'm saying I smell foul play. Someone stranded us on Klicta purposely. Possibly the very person who gave us those coordinates in the first place. The same person who would have control over that pod, would know about Alphonse being a cyborg, and would have access to systems that could override your control, Vanessa."

Alphonse understood right away, "Only a General would have that kind of authority."

Vanessa looked deeply disturbed by our realization, "Including one who lost the greatest honor of their life to a young cadet."

I nodded, all of us on the same page, "General Coin."

Though Alphonse shook his head, "But could he really be so merciless as to do this? He's a very well respected man who has done a lot of good over the years for the S.T.S. Surely he wouldn't throw it all away just because he didn't get the position he wanted."

I would have agreed if I had been in any other position than cadet my whole life, "When you've been on the bottom of the food chain like I have, you see a lot more of what really goes on in the S.T.S. I've had superiors who were considered great and well respected by the others, but were some of the most rotten and unforgivable men you could find. When it comes to cadets, there is no show. No fancy words to impress us, no friendly personality to win us over. Just cold, hard truth."

I sighed as I crossed my arms behind my back, "General Coin is no different. I have no doubt about that. He worked all those years just to reach this goal, and now he's lost it to someone far less qualified. Your true colors begin to show at times like this."

Vanessa spoke, looking worried, "Well, I hope they will see us missing and send a recovery shuttle. Only the Commander has control of those, meaning if the General really is responsible for this, he won't be able to cause any further trouble."

Alphonse nodded, but didn't look confident, "Yes, but recovery shuttles are much slower than rescue pods. Who knows how long it will be before it arrives. We'd have to keep hidden possibly for days, maybe weeks. We don't have enough food and stock for that long. Worse, we could be discovered by then. We'll be lucky if no one had noticed the ship taking off. It wasn't exactly quiet, and the cloaking device would have shut down mid-flight. If someone saw that..."

I spoke up with a smile, "They'll think any aliens that were on Klicta are gone. We're still here. As for staying hidden, we'll be fine. I have an identity, I have klitons trusting me, sure I'll have to watch out for that Rubi kid, but even that's not a big issue. We'll be fine. Just keep doing what we've been doing. We'll just have to take it a little more slowly and a little more carefully. No need to panic."

Vanessa smiled, feeling my confidence, "Yes, sir. We are at your side to the very end, Captain." She gave a salute.

Alphonse also gave a salute, "Same, sir."

I returned the gesture, "Then let's give it our all."

Vanessa then thought about something, "While you continue to fit in, I'll do what I can to reach out to Earth. Surely there is a strong signal somewhere on Klicta. If I can get a better signal, I could manage a message to the S.T.S."

I was glad to see my team had better hopes for the situation, "Excellent. Do what you can. Alphonse, help her as best you can too." I felt determined, "General Coin doesn't realize that I was chosen for a reason. I won't be beaten so easily. He wants to take me on, I'll give him a fight worth fighting. I won't let him get away with this."

I grinned, "That's a promise."

I walked up to the Education Hall the next day at seventh dot to find Mimi waiting for me again. She waved with a smile, "Hi, Rydian!"

I smiled back as I joined, "Hey, Mimi."

She giggled, bubbling with excitement, "Did you see that big shooting star last night?"

I shrugged, "Probably not. I was in bed early last night. I think I might have overdone it with the lessons."

She giggled again, "No surprise. I'm surprised anyone can last more than one lesson without their brain melting out of their head." Then she sighed happily, "When I saw the star, I decided to make a wish. I really hope it comes true."

That surprised me. Klitons had that tradition too? How could they share the same traditions as Earth? Making a wish in a water fountain and wishing on a shooting star? Was it really possible for two planets to be so much alike?

Just then, Orville walked over, "Hey, you two."

Mimi smiled with a happy little wave, "Hi, Orville!"

I wondered if he gave much thought to the night before, "Uh, hey, Orville."

Clearly he did as he sighed, "Sorry about last night, Rydian. Rubi can be a little... you know."

"A little what?" We turned to see, of course, Rubi. This time, Cleo was with him.

Cleo smiled, still as soft and gentle as the first day we met, "Hi, Rydian."

I returned the smile, "Hi, Cleo. Hello, Rubi."

Rubi looked as troublesome as ever, "Why'd you run last night, Rydian?"

I gave a bored shrug, "Maybe because the weird blue kliton was chasing me."

Mimi was confused by our conversation, "Wait, what? Why was Rubi chasing you, Rydian?"

Cleo could only sigh, "Because he's a bully now."

Rubi didn't care for that answer, "I am not a bully! I saw his eyes change color!"

Mimi looked at me, "His eyes look the same to me."

Rubi groaned with annoyance, "Of course they do! He fixed them! I saw last night, after I bumped into him, his eye was a different color!"

I leaned back against the building, "Right, after bumping into me in the dark. Kinda hard to see colors in the dark, isn't it? Even I know that, and I'm colorblind."

Rubi groaned, "But..."

But Orville didn't let him continue, "Rubi, just let it go. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

Rubi was furious, "I am not! I know what I saw!" He turned to me, "What about where you live? You have a house?"

Of course, I had already planned for this little discussion, so I smiled, "Of course I do."

Rubi grinned, clearly expecting me to be lying, "Oh yeah? Where?"

I pointed in the direction of my house, "Herring neighborhood. I own the little brown house with the flat roof. My mom bought it for me when I moved here."

Rubi seemed to think about it, "So you say."

Mimi grabbed my hand, ending our conversation, "Come on! We're going to be late!" I let her pull me along to class. I glanced back to see Rubi with a grin that did not sit well with me.

I didn't get a chance to think about it as Mimi dragged me into class and Orville followed. We sat in the same seats as before, except Orville decided to join us this time. Vern sat near the top and the trio sat a couple rows ahead.

This time, Professor Nick was already there. He smiled at the class, "Hello, everyone. Today, we will take a look at space."

I was actually surprised. What could Klicta know of space? Had they already discovered space travel? I turned my pen on, knowing this would be important.

Just before the lesson could start, I felt my watch vibrate. I knew it was Vanessa trying to contact me. I slipped past Orville and Mimi, "Be right back." I left the room as Professor Nick started to talk. Of course, I left my pen so it could record everything.

I stood in the hall where no one would hear me and opened my watch, "What is it?"

Vanessa looked worried, "We have a problem at base. Someone snuck into the house."

"What?!" I quickly lowered my voice, "Who?"

She explained the situation, "A blue kliton boy. I spotted him on one of the cameras, but Alphonse was in the basement. When he came up the elevator to find the boy, the boy saw him. We have him in our custody, but we're not sure what to do with him now. I'm sorry, but we need you to return right away."

I groaned, understanding all too well, "Rubi. That little..." I sighed and looked at Vanessa, "Just wait for me. I'm on my way." I hurried out of the Education Hall and ran for base.

Rubi struggled against the straps that held him to the metal table. A gag kept him from trying to yell for help. Not that anyone could have heard him from down in the basement anyways.

He looked nervous, yet tried to be brave. There was only one way to deal with this kid, and I knew just how to do it.

I chuckled as I walked over, "Well, look what we have here." He looked up at me, though I was still disguised as a brown kliton.

I grinned coldly down at him, "Very naughty sneaking into my house, Rubi. Don't you know that's called breaking and entering?"

He glared at me and tried to say something, but the gag made his words a mumbled mess. I grinned coldly, "Sorry, I didn't catch that." I walked around to the other side of the table, "You're a very troublesome kid, Rubi. All you had to do was leave it alone, just like your friends told you. Now, you're in way over your head."

I grinned with a side glance at him, "Perhaps you'd like to see what I really look like, huh? After all, you did manage to get into my base. Might as well give you what you came for."

I pulled out the remote and turned the dial, turning my hair back to normal. Then I removed the contacts, revealing my green eyes. As expected, he was shocked by the transformation.

I chuckled as I looked at the little contacts, "Eye contacts. They have a bad tendency to fall out if you aren't careful. Right, Rubi?" He struggled angrily, seeing that he was right about the night before.

I grinned as I leaned back against the table, "You know, this is a real problem for me. You see, now you know too much. Can't have to telling anyone, now can I?" I glanced at Alphonse, "Time to get rid of a brat." I turned and walked to the other end of the room with Alphonse, where a small screen for Vanessa was already set on the table.

She looked worried as she whispered, "Would it be right? He is just a boy after all."

I sighed as I filled a syringe, "Relax. I'll just give him a sleeping aid shot. He won't know the difference." I looked over the two, "I'm not going to kill him. I would never sleep again if I did that. I killed the Prime Lord of the Plakters that ended the war and saved the Commander and her crew, and even that time still haunts me."

I tested the syringe by pressing a small bit out, "I'm not interested in killing anyone. I just want to scare him off. The last thing we need is blood on our hands, especially now that we're stranded here. He'll think we're poisoning him, so when he wakes up later, he'll either think it was all a bad dream or he'll be too scared to tell anyone. Understand?"

They both nodded, smiles on their faces. I could only smirk, "I can't believe you two actually thought I'd kill the kid. You've got to give me more credit than that. What kind of sick human being do you take me for?"

Alphonse smiled, clearly very grateful to know he was working for someone like me, "You're right. We will never doubt you again, sir."

I cleared my throat and turned back to Rubi with a mean grin, "So, it looks like our little game finally comes to an end, kliton."

He looked frightened as I raised the syringe over him, "Any last words?" He tried to say something, but the gag still stopped him. I laughed, "Still didn't catch that. Too bad." I brought the tip to his arm, making this as frightening for him as possible, "Goodnight, Rubi. And goodbye."

"Stop right there, Rydian!!"

I tensed as I recognised the voice. Alphonse and I spun around to see Orville and Cleo. They were both shocked and afraid, yet determined to save Rubi.

Orville held something in his hand as he became determined, "I came to return your pen." Then he looked angry, "Come to learn it's a recording device." To my fright, he pointed the pen at me, "And a laser if I'm correct."

I couldn't hide my worry, "Easy, Orville. You don't want to make that mistake."

Of course, he ignored me as he looked over at Cleo, "Cleo, you get Rubi." He continued to hold the pen aimed at me, "As for you, don't move or..." Figures he would accidentally shoot it, burning my wrist and causing me to drop the syringe. It shattered against the floor as I held my wrist.

Orville looked a little worried, "Uh, that. Don't move or I'll shoot again, this time where it really hurts."

Cleo hurried past me and Alphonse as Alphonse checked my wrist, "Are you alright, sir?"

I nodded, used to him worrying over my well-being even when I didn't, "Fine." I turned to Orville, hoping I could turn this situation around, "Look, this is a big misunderstanding."

Orville scoffed, not believing a word I said, "The only misunderstanding here is that you think I won't use this. I save your life, and you repay me by trying to kill my friend? I won't forgive you for that."

This really wasn't looking good for me, at all, "I wasn't actually going to kill him."

Orville didn't buy it for a second, "A likely story."

Cleo finally managed to get Rubi free. As soon as he was, he sat up and pulled off the gag, "Orville, wait! He's not lying!"

We all turned to him in surprise, "Huh?"

He sighed as he climbed off the table, "I heard everything. Rydian was just trying to scare me off by making me think he would kill me. He had too, seeing as I did break into his house and discovered his secret."

I had to try to wrap my head around that, "You heard us? How could you hear us? We were all the way over there!"

Vanessa immediately understood, "The long ears make their hearing much stronger, remember, sir?"

Oh right. I did forget about that, "Oh yeah. Must suck trying to keep secrets on this planet."

Cleo looked annoyed with Rubi, "Wait, you broke in? Rubi, we thought he took you captive!"

Rubi looked embarrassed as he looked at his friends, "Look, Rydian's not so bad. He's actually a good... uh, whatever he is. I forget. U mane being, I think."

I corrected him, "Human being. I'm a human from Planet Earth."

Orville looked me over, "So, Rubi was right about seeing your eye change color last night?"

I stuffed my hands in my pockets, "My color contact fell out when he ran into me, yes."

Orville looked a little weirded out, "So, Rubi wasn't crazy. You really are an alien."

"Yes, I am." At least that was now sorted out.

Rubi spoke up, "One who's stranded here on Klicta."

I scoffed as I crossed my arms, "Not only that, this isn't even the planet we were supposed to be on."

Cleo watched me with those big, innocent eyes of hers, "So, you're not going to hurt anyone?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm not going to hurt anyone. That was never the plan. I don't hurt people, especially not innocent kids. I was just going to put Rubi to sleep and let him think this was either a bad dream or scare him into not saying anything."

All the while, Orville still kept the pen aimed at me, "If not to hurt anyone, why are you here?"

I shrugged, "Simply to collect data. The humans of Earth believe in learning all the secrets of space. To discover new worlds and find ways to use other planets' resources to better life on Earth." Then I became serious, "Though, it's planets like this one that we worry about. The last time a planet was this advanced, they stole our technology and learned space travel. Using what they learned from us, they started a war with us and would have wiped us out."

Vanessa smiled from the large screen, "It was actually Captain Rydian who stopped them."

I nodded and continued, "But, again, I was never supposed to come to Klicta. There was some mistake. One I think wasn't so much a mistake as someone is trying to make it seem."

Rubi turned to Orville, who still seemed a bit dubious, "I don't think we have to worry, Orville. I don't think he's evil anymore."

I could see Orville still needed some convincing, which wasn't a surprise for a smart young man, or rather kliton, like him, "Look, why don't we go upstairs and I'll tell you all everything."

Alphonse looked concerned, "Are you sure you should, Captain?"

"Not much choice now, is there?" He couldn't argue with that. I turned to Orville, "Here's the deal. I'll tell you whatever you want, but I need something in return."

Orville watched me suspiciously, "And what would that be?"

I was dead serious, "Silence. I need to know you three won't breathe a word of it to anyone. Understand? This could be a matter of life or death, not just for me and my crew, but possibly for either of our planets."

He thought about it a moment more, then sighed, "Fine."

I wagged a finger at him and held out my other hand, "Oh no no. You agree to the deal when you hand over the weapon you still have aimed at me." Orville was hesitant, but finally handed over the pen.

I took it with a dark grin, "Now, I warn you, if I hear you three tell anyone, I will not hesitate to remove you three from existence." I gave them a chilling look, "Killing you three is still an option, not one I want to take, but an option all the same. For the sake of both Earth and Klicta, three lives is a small sacrifice." Of course I would never, ever wish to resort to that, but I was getting desperate in making sure they stayed quiet. There is a reason they use such threats in the movies.

Though Orville clearly didn't know that and nodded, "Got it."

Seeing that I'd made enough of an impression, I finally smiled, "Then, please, join me upstairs. It seems we've got a lot to discuss."

A couple minutes later, we were all up in the living room. Orville, Rubi, and Cleo sat on the long couch while Alphonse stood next to the tv, where Vanessa watched from, and I stood before the three klitons. Of course, the curtains were all closed and everyone was silent.

I was the one to finally break the silence, "So, what all do you want to know?"

As expected from the smart one, Orville was the first with a question, "Who are you really?"

I cleared my throat and gave a salute, "Fifteenth Space Captain Rydian of the Human Galactic Unit, the second rank of the Space Travel System of Planet Earth."

I sighed and crossed my arms behind my back, "When I was a baby, I was dropped off at the cadet recruit academy and from there I was raised. I spent my whole life as a cadet, which is the lowest rank of the entire S.T.S. Throughout the years, I started proving my worth as more than just a cadet by saving Earth three times and doing other grand deeds from Space Station 13, which is all the home I've ever had, outside of the cadet academy of course." I placed my five honor medals on the table, three gold and two silver. The klitons looked amazed by them.

I continued, "When I was thirteen, I watched Earth's Galactic Armada, the top spacecraft of the entire S.T.S. run by the great Commander, fighting the battleship of the Plakters, an alien species that had started war with Earth. Earth used to take great pride in meeting the people of new planets and becoming allies with them, but the Plakters took advantage of our kindness. They stole technology and intelligence to create their own space traveling army and tried to take over Earth. They would have succeeded too. They had taken control of the Armada and were going to execute the Commander and her crew."

I smiled, remembering the day as if it were yesterday, "It was me who stopped them. I had managed to sneak out of the evacuation of my Space Station, kinda stole an escape pod that was only allowed to be used by Sergeants, and flew it to the Armada, where I showed up just in time to save the Commander and, yes, kill the Prime Lord of the Plakters. We destroyed their battleship and the rest scattered out into space." I thought about the debates and meetings that ensued after that event, "Later, it was decided that Earth would take control of the planets that served an equal threat as the Plakters to prevent that war ever happening again. Ever since, we've avoided evolved planets."

I pointed to the biggest of the gold medals, "I was awarded with this medal for ending that war by Commander Mayn herself. That, and her eternal gratitude."

Rubi raised his hand, "Is that why she made you a Space Captain?"

I shrugged, "Maybe. That and all my other deeds probably made her feel more comfortable and confident choosing me. After all, I am the very first human in history to move up from cadet, the lowest rank, straight to Space Captain, the second highest of all. I'm also the youngest ever to become a Space Captain, so most humans were skeptical."

Orville smirked as he seemed to be slowly growing more comfortable with me after hearing my story so far, "I'll bet."

Cleo looked curious as she spoke next, "You said earlier that the mistake that made you get stuck here wasn't really a mistake. What did you mean?"

I had to admit, I was impressed she paid any of what I'd said earlier any mind, let alone remembered and understood it. I sat on the end of the table as I answered, "I'm pretty confident I'm a victim of foul play, and I'm quite certain I know by who. Though, it doesn't matter right now. For now, we need to keep out of trouble until a recovery shuttle is sent to retrieve us. Sadly, that could take a while."

Cleo looked thoughtful and sympathetic, "Poor Rydian."

I stood up with a smirk, "Well, so far, thanks to you being so suspicious, Rubi, we've managed to cover all our bases. I just keep playing along until the shuttle gets here and I should be fine. So long as no one else tries to break into my house." Rubi grinned, embarrassed.

Orville sighed as he stood up, "Well, so long as you don't do anything, you know, bad, we'll help you out. Obviously you don't know much about Klicta, so you could use all the help you can get, right?"

I was glad to see I'd managed to win them over, "Good to hear, but don't think I won't be watching you three. If I even hear klitons talking about aliens, I won't hesitate to stuff all three of you in a suspended animation capsule and leave you there."

Rubi smiled, which told me he probably didn't believe my threats anymore, "Whatever you say."

Well, in all honesty, that all could have gone a lot worse. Though I knew it was too early to think everything was ok. I still had to wait until the shuttle arrived, meaning no more of these close calls. I got lucky, and luck had a tendency to run out.