Tommy Thorn Marked by D. E. Kinney Read Free Book Online

red trim on his uniform, both suddenly preoccupied by the berating of a first-year Hondo as he approached the gate. The first-year was being questioned about his apparent lack of intelligence for failing to have the proper setting when approaching check-in. This verbal assault made Tommy even more thankful that he had spent time going through the device’s operations manual. The apparatus, along with his uniform, was all that first-year cadets were permitted to bring.
    All uniforms and personal items will be issued by Star Force supply once onboard the station. His orders had been very clear, a sign of the military nature and the seriousness of his commitment.
    “Looks like a nice ship.”
    Tommy turned, with a puzzled expression, to face a human who had fallen into line behind him.
    “The shuttles.” The dark-skinned boy pointed at the six gray Star Force ships, each attached clear boarding tunnel now filling up with anxious cadets.
    In all the excitement, Tommy hadn’t noticed the shuttles positioned on the pad. “It sure does,” he replied.
    “She’s Gemini class. We’ll be at the Academy station in less than twenty minutes,” a female cadet from Drake added, her bright turquoise eyes sparkling.
    The two Humans looked back at the very pretty cadet while shuffling along in line.
    “I’m Bo, from Drake,” she said, putting both hands by her sides, palms out. “Glory and honor be yours.”
    “I’m Tommy, from Earth,” Tommy said. “And this is…”
    “Gary Cruise, from the red planet of Mars,” Tommy’s new acquaintance said proudly. He flashed a wide grin, bowed slightly, and displayed his palms. “And yours,” Gary continued, giving the proper response to the Drake greeting.
    “Are you serious, cadet,” the senior cadet scanning IDs shouted while grabbing the Alterian’s wristcomm and making some hurried entries. “Wyatt,” he continued, “I’m going to keep my eye on you, Toadie.”
    Wyatt tapped his wristcomm, as if to imply that there had been some sort of technical glitch, before moving hesitantly into the boarding tunnel, still under the watchful glare of the fourth-year.
    The senior cadet’s tirade motivated Tommy to once again glance down at his wristcomm, and once again convinced that all was in order, he looked back to his new friends, who were both nervously checking their comm settings.
    The air inside the tunnel felt different, cooler, crisper. Maybe it’s a pressurization thing, Tommy thought while looking back through the clear boarding device in the hopes of seeing Remus among the crowd of parents gathered at the windows.
    “It’s the oxygen content,” Bo said.
    Tommy looked over at Bo, her long black warrior braid somehow staying draped over her left shoulder as she spun around to speak.
    “They increase the percentage of oxygen prior to all space flights—Star Force regulation,” she continued before moving ahead of the two Humans to the shuttle’s open hatch.
    Tommy exchanged looks with Gary and continued toward the ship, when suddenly they were startled by the appearance of a hovering mechbot. It had darted up and over the clear boarding tube in an effort to join dozens of others all floating around the shuttles, each checking systems or plugging into data ports, ensuring that all was well for the upcoming spaceflight.
    “It’s just a bot!” someone from back in the line yelled.
    “Keep moving,” another said.
    But Tommy stopped again before boarding, just the same. He wanted to get a good look at their ship’s impressive exterior, bathed now in the harsh lighting of the landing pad.
    As with all Star Force ships, it was coated in a flat gray color, but their shuttle also included a broad red stripe, stenciled caution information, a large red designation number, and a Star Force Academy seal—all of which depicted its military heritage and filling Tommy felt a touch of pride. I’m part of this , he thought as he stepped through the hatch and once again