16:00 IST, Eleventh day, Eighth month, 3078 PV | Hyperspace Transit: Alpha Centauri>Kalvax / Clak Battleship / Observation Deck
My name is Kovon Ducker. Currently I am aboard a transport battleship on a voyage that is twenty thousand light years long. A trip that would have been unthinkable to me just a week ago.
For the past several hours, I have been sitting on the observation deck. A beautiful room with a large pool and projection of the stars outside the ship on all sides. More accurately, I am currently laying by the side of the pool.
The water is beautifully reflecting the stars from all angles. Making it appear as though it is made of liquid starlight. I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. I have absorbed an insane quantity of information recently. Without my codex and journal there is no way I would be able to remember it all.
From the complicated alien politics, to the intricately designed alien tech. To the highly developed star systems and galaxies of various species. Heck, I've even met a few aliens and gained some important contacts.
Still, it all feels somewhat dreamlike. I've even reunited with my cute childhood friend that I ghosted three years ago. She seems to have mostly forgiven me. However it is still occasionally wielded against me in our banter.
I'm starting to realize just how much of a mistake it was to effectively disappear off the face of the Earth. I had my reasons for dropping out of school, but I should have at least maintained contact with my close friends.
As I lie here, under the unfamiliar stars, in a completely foreign place, quadrillions of kilometers from my former home, Earth. It is for the first time I start to question the purpose of these trials.
What the heck does it even mean to determine the best humans? By what merits and metrics did they determine this? What do they wish for us to do? Are we going to battle to the death, or are we going to sit around and have peaceful debates? Will it be both, or something else entirely?
Perhaps we will just be given various tasks that have us travel the universe and learn many things along the way. At the end we might have to give a massive presentation to the entire universe about our learnings.
That would be kinda hilarious, that our final trial to determine the unparalleled ruler of humanity would be a presentation and public speech.
I can only continue to speculate. There are so many possibilities. My augmented neurons are firing rapidly just trying to predict as many scenarios as possible.
As I start to wind down my thinking time, I hear the door to the room open. Ray enters and slowly walks over to where I am lying down.
Without saying a word, she also lies down next to me. It seems this is also her first time in the observation room. She stares at the surroundings, eyes alight with the gleam of a child taking in a cool picture.
We lay there silently for many minutes. Just taking in the nice atmosphere that is created by the beautiful space. After about thirty minutes of us just lying there, Ray turns towards me.
"How can you just lie there and think? Have you fallen asleep with your eyes open? I'm bored, pay attention to me."
"Ive got a lot of interesting things to think about, far too much to even think about sleep."
"What kinds of things do you have to think about?"
"The stars, the meaning behind it all. The aliens we have met, worlds completely foreign to us that we have learned about."
"Oh really, what's so interesting about that. The universe is a big place, lots of people and things are bound to be in it."
"There are lots of things to consider. These alien species have existed in many cases for millions or billions of years before humanity was even a concept. They have cultures, family trees, art and history that spans across all that time."
As I explain my thoughts, Ray starts to mindlessly twirl her shoulder-length platinum-blonde hair around her finger. The light of the stars is also reflected off her hair. It appears as if she has the stars themselves wrapped around her finger.
"Huh, I guess I've never really thought about it that deeply. These truly are united peoples. With some differences yes, but each place has its own distinct culture. They probably have told stories around campfires.
Countless ship crews have likely gathered in rooms just like this one, and shared many stories of their travels while drinking some nice liquor."
"True, I can't imagine we are the only beings to ever have such thoughts either. Many must've thought about the exact same things, countless times over."
"Hmm, I guess we should try to do the same. As crewmembers I mean. As we journey around we should be sure to collect many stories. As well as share those of our own.
While I'm sure information about humanity has been distributed. I doubt they have heard much about what high school is like. Or what it feels like to go out trick or treating on Halloween dressed in absurd costumes."
"For sure, and in return we can hear of all types of new things we have never heard about. There are countless worlds we won't get a chance to explore. But for a brief moment we can experience those places through other's stories."
"We sure have a long journey ahead of us. I think there is a saying I've heard. Through the hardships and to the stars and beyond. Hopefully we won't have too many hardships, but I'm confident the two of us can face any we come across together."
"I believe the saying you're trying to quote is ad astra per aspera, et ultra. But I agree, together, we, a pair of bright young humans, can overcome any challenge that this universe can throw our way."
19:00 IST, Eleventh day, Eighth month, 3078 PV | Hyperspace Transit: Alpha Centauri>Kalvax (~10% complete) / Clak Battleship / Mess Hall
"Valued crew members, It is my pleasure as the Admiral of this vessel to congratulate you on a successful hyperspace acceleration for our maiden voyage.
To this grand achievement in our journey through humanity's trial of ascension, I propose a toast!
May the stars in our hearts and minds shine ever bright, and may this light support those around us as well!"
With this toast, all fifteen people aboard the ship raise their mugs of liquor high in the air and clink them together.
We are currently gathered in the mess hall to have a celebratory feast in honor of our commensurate acceleration. Now, is having a celebration at the very beginning of our voyage a jinx of some kind? Probably, but I've never been superstitious anyways.
"Our wonderful chef has put in a lot of effort into preparing this delicious feast, so I hereby order you all to enjoy to your hearts' content."
With this proclamation, everyone quickly starts to grab food and eat it in a questionably decent manner. To no one's surprise, Ray quickly piles food high upon her plate and begins inhaling it. She has a look upon her face of utter bliss, it seems that food surely is one of her weak points.
By the way, the chef was in fact able to produce something quite similar to algae ramen. He also has applied the technique to several other types of ramen, so a decent portion of this feast is dedicated to a variety of ramen flavors.
For my own meal, I choose to try some of the algae ramen, some chickenlike bird, and a salad made of interesting vegetables and fruits. The entire meal is top quality, and my appetite is firmly sated. My tastebuds couldn't be happier. I am really grateful that we managed to get a great chef, food is a great way to keep morale up.
At one of the other tables, the two Arkan mechanics are busy engaging in some form of heavy drinking competition. Strangely enough, they have the ability to consume various types of liquor, but not food or any other beverages.
The species that built them must've really enjoyed liquor. I've heard some rumors that they were a short race of very human-like people. They loved to live underground and were masters at metalworks. I bet they would've been interesting to meet and share drinks over tales of rock and stone. It seems their talents for metalworking have evolved into shipbuilding techniques that the Arkan currently possess.
Anyways, the feast is off to a great start. The crew are laughing, joking and having a merry time. Everyone seems to be getting along great.
Interestingly enough, even those of inferior species seem to be respected as equals. Perhaps it is only among the higher ranks of societies that they are discriminated against. It would make sense that as they are all crew working hard on the same ship, they would feel like equals regardless of species.
It seems Beck is also getting along great with her crew. Which is good, because they will be spending a lot of time together when Ray and I are off galavanting with fancy politicians and such.
I am really enjoying this vibe. It feels like we are just a bunch of travellers, sailing the vast interstellar seas. I should try to encourage some singing of sea shanties. I'm sure someone has got to know some good ones.
Surely enough, one of the Shesah is apparently a pretty decent singer. She attempts to lead our ragtag band of sailors in a popular sea shanty. However, many of us are off key (I may be one of them) and aren't quite keeping time with the rest. This makes it sound quite bad. I'm sure we can all improve over time.
After a few hours, the feast comes to an end and everyone either heads off to sleep or to various duties.
Ray and I walk together to the officer's lounge and sit down. We turn on the television-like device that appears on the wall and are greeted with many of humanity's movies and TV shows from all eras.
We pick an old timey western show and relax and watch it together.
As the day starts to wind down, we get sleepy and head off to our respective quarters to catch some much needed rest. I suppose our adventures will continue another day.
End of Chapter 12
A/N: why hello again dear reader. I hope you didn't miss me, the author too much. I hope you enjoyed this relaxing shorter chapter. I plan to have one more chapter covering their voyage, and then it is back to some more active plot development. So sit back, grab a snack and maybe snuggle up in a blanket and enjoy some nice relaxing reading (of this novel of course!).
As always, if you've liked the story, leave a like/favourite/follow/comment/ or just a fun joke, they are much appreciated as always. Until next time, dear reader.
Cathrix
P.S. If you would like to see more slice-of-life type chapters, let me know. I find that I really enjoy writing them.