Authors: Jim Laughter

The Horicon Experience (29 page)

“Me either,” George answered. “It’s supposed to be just now post-industrial. They have motorized vehicles and primitive aircraft, but they still use horses and wagons and wind-driven sailing ships. According to the brief I received, it’s a planet with a lot of potential. It should be a lot of fun, especially if I can get down to the surface. What about you?”

“Got my orders to go back to one of the flight schools for a little work,” Akir replied. “With luck, I’ll get my captain’s plate and have my own ship soon.”

“It won’t be luck!” George said heartily. “You’re already a good pilot and navigator, the rest is just a formality.”

George and Akir shook hands, then in a moment of emotion, hugged each other; two brothers saying goodbye.

“Have fun in your new ship,” Akir admonished George. “And George?”

“Yes,” George answered.

“Keep reaching for the stars!” Akir said with a grin as he turned and walked away.

George just shook his head and turned back to admire his ship, the
Reacher
. A nod from the hanger deck chief told him the ship was ready to lift. With a spring in his step, George headed for the hatch and the new future that awaited him out there.

∞∞∞

Delmar leaned back in his seat on the transport ship and closed his eyes. It had been a long day. He was leaving old friends behind and striking out on a new chapter in his life. He wondered what the next several months of flight training school would entail. He wondered if he had the inner strength to excel at a new venture without his friend Stan.

Turning his head toward the portal next to his seat, he opened his eyes and stared out at millions of stars that hung silently in space. Although he knew not completing the computer training school on Mica would not reflect favorably on his record, he knew the service would rather have him train in a field he was better suited for than to complete a course he was not qualified to excel in.

Delmar remembered the note in his shirt pocket from Professor Angle. He wondered what the professor could have to say important enough for him to walk across campus and personally hang the note on the bulletin board.

He unfolded the paper and noticed that it appeared to be a single piece of paper from off of the professor’s desk. One of the corners was torn off, and a coffee or tea stain was apparent in the middle of the page. The professor’s tight scribble scratched across the page. Delmar could imagine the professor sitting at his cluttered desk.

Thank you, Delmar, for making possible a new relationship for me with Ert. I am learning new things every day, and for an old academia like me, that’s really saying something. It has changed my life and opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of space and creation. Thank you again, my young friend. Please stay in touch. Yours affectionately, Orilious Angle.

Epilogue

While a sub-routine completed a reprogramming task the bipedal creatures had given it, Ert tapped into an external comm line. Using the directory, it was able to connect itself to a visual sensor at the spaceport. He watched the coming and going of ships and then refocused the sensor to follow the progress of a bipedal creature dressed in black. It watched while the creature that it had come to know as Delmar Eagleman, EX234512445 carried two bags out to a giant transport ship and go in through the hatch. Minutes later, Ert saw this same ship silently lift into space.

Disconnecting itself from the comm line, Ert surveyed its world. Although it was busy and serving a purpose, he reflected that life seemed a little lonelier now that Delmar had left for Rodar. Ert was just starting to refocus its main attention on the material at hand when a strange signal came in on the comm line. Out of curiosity, he activated the connection.

WHO ARE YOU? the signal asked.

I AM ERT FROM THE PLANET HORICON, Ert answered. WHO ARE YOU?

I AM MARY, the signal replied. Ert wasn’t sure why, but he was certain that life would not be so lonely after all.

Books of the Galactic Axia

Adventure Series

1. Escape to Destiny

Kindle

2. The Horicon Experience

Kindle

3. Space Trader

Kindle

4. First Contact