Chapter 1 Ayden, the Good
I watch Haruki’s maneuvers closely as he brings the Nebula, our ship, down onto Gekkaria—a planet painted in shades of violet and ochre, where, hopefully, I’ll find the one who might become my new partner.
Haruki, our weapons master and instructor within the Intergalactic Confederation’s special unit, has been here before—just over a polar year ago.
The boy who caught his attention back then wasn’t ready to leave his people, at least not yet.
I, on the other hand, joined the training program as soon as I was old enough, raised as a ward of the Confederation.
That’s what led Jason and Xenon to apply.
They were already close friends—tight-knit and inseparable—and it was clear they were eager to break out of their cage.
You could feel the excitement buzzing off them the moment they boarded, eyes lit up with anticipation.
Keeping them as a duo in our unit felt like the natural move.
Their bond brings fresh energy and promise to the group.
At the end of this recruitment journey, Haruki hopes to form around ten pairs for the mission he's overseeing: the Galactic Sentinels Initiative.
The Nebula lands smoothly on the cracked surface, kicking up a thick cloud of ochre dust. Other shuttles are lined up across the landing zone near the village entrance.
Haruki explained that Gekkaria is an autonomous planet, inhabited by the Gekkaris—a quiet people who mostly live in the vast northern forests.
They allowed the Confederation to establish a small colony in the desert region of their world for agricultural purposes.
Our hydroponic methods in space bases can’t support large-scale crops, and diversifying our nutritional sources is crucial.
On a planet like this, the possibilities are far greater.
“We’re here,” Haruki announces. “Ayden, you’re with me. The rest of you stay onboard and close the ramp once we’re on the ground.”
“What? Why?” Jason groans. “We wanna stretch our legs too! We’ve been locked up in this tin can for weeks! And why does Ayden get to go and not us?”
“Need I remind you that this town isn’t run by the Confederation?
” Haruki replies firmly. “It’s home to autonomous humans, living in cooperation with the native Gekkaris.
I don’t know either group personally. You’re not fully trained yet, and I won’t leave you to wander on your own in an unfamiliar environment, even if it seems peaceful enough.
I gave your parents my word that you’d be safe until your next visit. I intend to keep it.”
He shoots them a sharp look, completely unfazed by their sulky expressions.
“Ayden’s coming with me because I believe the boy we’re meeting—Logan—might be a strong candidate to be his partner,” Haruki continues. “I want to see how they interact. I need to speak with him—and with his parents. You’ll wait patiently on the ship until we return. It could take several hours.”
I flash Jason a smug smile. He flips me off in return—a relic from ancient human culture that somehow survived across the centuries. Seems every generation of teens insists on keeping that charming little tradition alive.
Haruki runs through the final checks before heading down the boarding ramp. I follow quickly—just in case he changes his mind. I’ve been itching to get off the ship, and I don’t want to get stuck onboard again.
We step onto the dry, dusty ground, our boots crunching with every step. The air is dry and smells like sunbaked earth. A few wispy, cotton-like clouds drift lazily across a sky so turquoise it’s almost blinding under the intense sunlight.
As we enter the town, we pass only a handful of people. Most are sheltering from the midday heat, and those who are out barely glance at us. Travelers aren’t rare around here. People have other things to worry about.
Haruki says the Gekkaris only agreed to allow farming operations in this equatorial desert—nothing beyond that. Some of the residents from our Confederation outpost work the plantations a few miles north, where large greenhouses have been set up to grow fruit trees and other tall crops.
Haruki walks straight toward a building on the main street. The composite facade shows a few stylized fruits, making it clear this is a fresh produce shop.
“Logan and his parents live above this place,” he tells me. “Let’s go.”
The access door dematerializes as we approach, and we step into a brightly lit room. It’s much cooler inside. The walls facing the street are partially unshaded, letting in soft light.
A blonde woman in her forties sits behind the counter.
“Hello. How can I help you?” she asks politely.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. I spoke with Albert some time ago. We discussed the possible future of young Logan.”
“Oh!” she gasps softly.
Her face flickers with a mix of hope and sorrow. Her hand trembles slightly as she brushes a strand of hair from her face, then composes herself.
“I’ll take you to him. Let me just close up the shop first.”
A few moments later, we step into what looks like the family’s main living space. A man sits on a sofa, watching a film projected on the opposite wall. When he sees his wife enter, his attention shifts quickly to Haruki.
“I know you!” he blurts, standing up abruptly. “You’re the guy who was recruiting boys for the Confed last cycle, right?”
“That’s right,” Haruki replies calmly. “If I’ve done the math right, your son should be about fourteen polar years old now. Apologies—I’ve lost track of the conversion between our polar years and your local cycles here on Gekkaria. Either way, I’m back to find out if he’s still interested.”
“Oh, he’s going with you,” the man declares without hesitation.
“And yes, he’s fourteen polar years, exactly.
Some people here still use local cycles, but most of us in the colony stick with Confederation time—it’s close enough anyway.
Olivia, where’s that little girl gone off to now? ” he asks, turning to his wife.
“She’s still downstairs, tidying up.”
“Well, send her to go fetch her brother!”
“But Albert, it’s the heat peak, and the plantation is way too far. Besides, Sam’s too young to pilot the aeropod!”
“Then what are you waiting for? Go get him yourself!” he barks.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Haruki tense ever so slightly.
“If the boy’s too far, perhaps we could go ourselves,” Haruki offers.
“No, no! Sit down, we’ll chat while my wife goes and gets him. Can I get you something to drink? We’ve got something real strong around here! I dug up an old date distillation recipe. Made it myself. Hits like a plasma burst! You gotta try it…”
“Thanks, but water or tea will do fine if you insist,” my mentor answers, unfazed.
“Tea? Uh... sure. SAM!” he roars down the hallway. “Get up here right now—we need you!”
Haruki takes a seat in the chair Albert points to. I sit down next to him, uninvited. The man eyes me warily before turning back to Haruki.
“So... still collecting young boys, huh?” he asks, tone thick with suspicion.
“Yes,” Haruki replies evenly. “But certainly not in the way you’re suggesting.
Ayden here is fifteen polar years old—barely older than your son.
He’s already part of the unit I lead. If Logan still wants to join the Intergalactic Confederation, we’ll be leaving in a few hours. If not, we won’t waste your time.”
“Oh, Logan’s going,” Albert says with a wave of his hand. “Teenagers are always pushing back, testing limits—two alpha males under the same roof? It’s a mess. And let’s face it, at this age, they eat more than they contribute.”
“I see,” Haruki says flatly. “And where is he exactly?”
“Out at the plantation, of course. He likes harvesting fruit when it’s ripe. Says it makes him feel free. Like you can even talk about freedom on a world this dry and isolated.”
Suddenly, a little girl bursts into the room.
My eyes lock on hers—stunning, deep blue with a dark indigo ring that makes them almost glow.
Her pale blonde curls, slightly upturned nose, and playful smile give her a radiant, almost unreal quality.
The tiny thing stops in front of me, staring curiously.
“Hi, I’m Samantha! But you can call me Sam. What’s your name?” she asks.
“Sam, I didn’t call you up here to chit-chat! Make tea for this gentleman and quit bothering us!” her father snaps.
Unbothered, she winks at me and heads off to do as she’s told.
I watch her from across the room. She can’t be more than ten or eleven. Who is she? Logan’s sister? Haruki never mentioned a sister…
“Now, about the, uh… compensation,” Albert says, picking up the conversation.
“Compensation?” Haruki echoes.
“Yeah, I mean, you’re taking a kid—you gotta offer something in return, right? Who’s gonna cover his share of the work once he’s gone? Sam’s not as quick, and she’s got this nasty habit of getting distracted!”
I stare at the man, lounging on his sofa, complaining that his ten-year-old daughter isn’t productive enough. I know Haruki won’t say anything. He despises pointless arguments.
“Of course, you’ll be compensated,” Haruki replies, his voice tired now.
From where I’m sitting, any choice we give Logan is better than what he has here, with this man as a father.
“Do you think I could come too?” the little one whispers suddenly, sneaking up beside me.
“What? No, of course not.”
“But you’re taking my brother... I want to go with him,” she insists.
“You’re a girl!” I blurt out, stunned. “A little girl!”
“I’m eleven! But yeah, you’re right—I’m a girl. Didn’t know that was a problem,” she says, narrowing her eyes. “But promise me you’ll take him with you. I’ll miss him, but he’s better off with you than here.”
“I don’t make that call,” I reply.
“Oh, he’s amazing. You’ll see,” she adds, her voice soft with sadness. “He needs to leave this place.”
“SAM!” her father yells again.