“We are approaching the Epsilon Eurindi star system, we will enter standard space momentarily. All personnel please brace for departure from slip space.” The emotionless voice of the small UNSC star ship’s AI rang through the ears of its three passengers.
Corporal Hall turned to the Lieutenant. His superior in rank was young for his occupation, only twenty-two with well-refined features, black hair, and a slight build. Typical of someone who came fresh out of ONI’s elite Naval Academy classes. Hall himself was twenty eight, and a war trodden veteran of the Scion Wars against the Liberation Faction. “We been through slipspace before and I ain’t never heard othat.”
”The craft is small, and will experience turbulence exiting slip-space. The anomaly that forms when traversing the shell between it’s dimension and ours is full of chaotic cosmic flares that could rip one of the experimental Class Feta Pelicans to pieces.” The Lieutenant replied tonelessly, his eyes intently monitoring the console and his fingers flying across the buttons.
”O’ …” Hall said, utterly clueless. The man was not well educated, his origins from a backwater planet. He was naught but a hardcore rugged old school Marine. “Well dat be OK. I will go get our little friend den.”
The Marine got up from his seat, his uniform ruffling the leather slightly, and turned to exit the room. The Lieutenant could only sense the man moving toward the door at the back of the room, opposite the cockpit as he was still staring at the controls. He heard the door his open, then whoosh close and the Corporal’s footsteps faded.
Moments later the door opened again, swooshing as usual. The Corporal re-entered, but the kid was at his side. The Corporal’s arm was on the kid’s shoulder, holding him and comforting him at the same time. Axel was standing at mild attention, trying to act as professional as possible, but his analytic personality was distraction him. Axel’s eyes methodically swept everything visible inside and outside of the ship. The kid nodded slowly, as if understanding so much out of the simplest things.
”O’…” Hall said, looking at the kid, again somewhat clueless. “Well look a’ dat. He’s taking everyting’ in. He probably gets an encylopedia’s amount of knowledge outta dat screw in the bulkhead dere’ …heh heh… “
”Yes the kids skills are impressive. It’s no doubt affected his mind, for better or for worse. I’d check myself. Strap him, we’re exiting in ten seconds.” The Lieutenant spoke again with the same toneless attitude.
Axel nodded, “OK. You people don’t understand the slipspace much I don’t think. Forces beyond your knowledge. We best do what he says Corporal, I think the rupture between the two spaces is going to toss us around a bit.”
”Common sense, yet very good intuition.” The Lieutenant said as his passengers both strapped in. “He takes in a lot….here we go.”