Gabriel muttered the Lord's prayer to himself as he boarded the SS Andromeda. He and his teammates were going on their first unsupervised mission, and he was nervous. Gabriel had never been to a different state, let alone off the planet Earth.
But the SS Andromeda was a space cruise liner that was safe. It was huge, beautifully decorated, and made for the rich and famous. The inside had top of the line facilities for the privileged to enjoy.
Gabriel and his teammates would be their bodyguards, but in reality they were worse than mall cops.
He gripped his small luggage bag tighter as he walked down the long glass tube with many others into the heart of the ship. Pulsing lights at the bottom meant to excite the passengers only made him feel ill and naseous.
It was impossible to get space sick, as people believed. It was purely mental, and Gabriel was looking the battle very quickly. He tried to look away from the soft blue lights and gazed up at the large space liner. It's exteriror was made to imitate an actual cruise ship on on earth. It was white, and had many whindows all over.
The major difference were the viewing decks, the large jutted sections of the ship where people could gaze out into the cold beauty of space from the inside with the safety and security of a tempurature controlled, gravity secured system.
The very thought of standing on one of those things made Gabriel's toes curl.
"Hey", said Levi.
He came out from behind him and Gabriel nearly jumped out of his own skin.
"Are you okay"?
"Y-yeah", stammered Gabriel. "Just nervous. N-never travelled before".
The lights on the tube started to change different colors, which made everyone delighted but made Gabriely flighty and he walked faster, happy to be away from this trip as fast as he could be. Levi easily kept the pace with his long legs while Gabriel started to break a sweat.
"Don't worry", said Levi. "Andromeda is only going to be up there for three days. And I personally know the client for our mission."
"Really", asked Gabriel. "How's that"?
"You guys... no offense but most of you are so wrapped in your personal stuff I was worried it would ruin our first actual mission. So, the client is my cousin."
Well, he's not wrong about our personal issues, thought Gabriel.
"We're getting a good review then. That's good. That's great", said Gabriel, trying to convince himself that everything would be okay.
Gabriel started to relax when up ahead he witnessed the daily mating ritual of Ace and Candice. Ace said a few words Gabriel couldn't hear, and made a gesture that looked like the punch line to a bad joke.
Candice walked away and for the first time Gabriel began to empathize with someone he thought was a simpleton.
Gabriel didn't necessarily like Ace, but he felt that refusal in his chest.
Ouch, he thought. At least maybe he'll finally notice how much of a loose woman she is.
Gabriel made his way towards the lobby once he finally got through the long crowd.
One he was inside his fears were abated by how normal everything looked inside.
Gabriel was expecting pulsing walls, plastic interiors, and metallic sounds. Instead the hallways were soft with red carpet, hazelnut doors, and fancy wallpaper. The main lobby had several chandeliers and there were attendants ready at several desks to check them all in and help them navigate the ship.
"There's nothing to worry about," Levi told. "This will be easy."
Gabriel grinned weakly and knew that everything would be fine. He trusted Levi.
Levi, unlike the others isn't a pagan, Gabriel thought. He deserved to be picked as First Cadet.
After packing his things away inside his cabin that was somehow smaller than his dorm room he explored the halls until it was time to meet up at the ballroom. Gabriel marvelled at part of the ship. He didn't grow up rich like many of the others in the Defense Program, so for the first time in his life he was getting a taste of luxury.
Gabriel knew that this was the closest he would get to Heaven on Earth( or off of it), when he saw they had several vending machines for different brands of bottled water.
Truly a sign that I'm in the right direction, Gabriel thought. Only rich people buy bottled water.
Gabriel prayed every night that one day he would be the kind of person who could buy bottled water and not have to get his haircuts at the barber schools on Wensdays when they were free.
Many people were put off by Gabriel's religiousness. But Gabriel felt sorry for them.
What kind of life does one have if they are unsure of themselves, he wondered. How does one sleep at night not knowing they will make it into Heaven?
Before Gabriel converted to Christianity he lived a life of vice. His mother was an addict, he never knew his father, and Gabriel was on the fast track to nowhere. He shot up, and he shot up often. But after he became baptized and changed his name,becoming a new man. He couldn't understand how people thought he was a bigot.
He was simply a follower of the Lord.
He just had higher standards for himself was all.
After his afternoon prayer, Gabriel made his way down to the main ballroom where they would all get their intelligence briefing. The ballroom was gorgeous, with a stage outfitted in the back. It was surprisingly modern, with lots of speakers, and a DJ booth. Gabriel and his teammates went backstage to meet the client.
I wonder what Levi's cousin looks like, thought Gabriel. Probably looks just like him, but hopefully with a shorter pole up their butt all the time.
"Hi everyone! Nice to meet you", she said with the biggest grin on her face. "I'm Rikka. Rikka White. Welcome to my 18th birthday party!!!! The Andromeda is about TO GET WRECKED!!! "
Everyone in the team roared with excitement. "Oh my god, it's Rikka. The Rikka White! I can't believe I get to meet her", screamed Harmonia. Amy looked like she was having a heart attack. Gabriel was surprised.
He knew of her; she was a pop star. He didn't really like any of her songs. He was probably the only person there who wasn't that excited.The girls looked more excited to see her than the boys, and the boys were excited for different reasons.
Rikka was gorgeous. Gabriel had no idea how Levi and her were related. The only similarity between the both was Rikka's pale skin and blue eyes.
Her body was fit and toned after years of dance lessons, her clothes were all perfect, matching together as chosen by those she paid to do it for her. She had her hair up in a bun and Gabriel saw the cross on her neck.
Immidiately he thought better of her, only trusting those who he knew set themselves to a higher standard.
Standing next to Rikka was a large man, with dark skin, and a mohawk. "This is David", said Rikka. "He's my personal bodyguard, and will tell you all you need to know while staying here."
David was unimpressed by his temporary coworkers. They were here on a precaution, that might not even be necessary, and to him they were simply dead weight, and people he possibly had to clean up after, as to him, they were just rich entitled brats.
"There's twelve of you," said David. " Which is way too many. You can alternate in shifts to protect her, but the threat is most likely just a hoax, and not the first we have had."
Mark raised his hand. "Uh, what threat", he asked.
David sighed. "Seems no one read the intel report".
David's booming voice held authority as he told everyone their objective. It carried even farther, because of his height, and his large body and muscles exuded dominance and demanded attention.
"Pirates have requested that we personally turn over Miss Rikka herself, or else face the consequences." Everyone looked surprised. "This threat is most likely empty, since it's not specific, and isn't asking for money. But Miss Rikka would rather be safe than sorry".
Levi stepped in. "I'm choosing 4 people to come with me. The rest can enjoy the ship and switch shifts." Candice, Fenton, Ace, Gabriel and Levi were in the first shift. Levi hoped putting Candice in the group he could keep her away from people. He also hoped that bringing Ace along would finally teach him how to do something.
Gabriel noticed Santos talking quite freely with Rikka and he was disgusted. He glared at him from behind, trying to hold back his anger so he wouldn't accidently sear through his flesh if his gaze became too hot. His eyes glowed a deep yellow and he worried about the safety of Rikka's mind, body, and soul.
He's trying to do something to her, Gabriel thought. He's not normal.
Santos felt Gabriel's eyes on him and turned his head inhumanly farther than possible, all the way around, just to scare him, and stuck his tounge out widly, swirling it into the air. He rolled his eyes back and made the strangest sound he could muster.
Spittle came out as he gargled incoherent noises and flickered his eyes rapdily, his sharp teeth adding to the mounstrous look.
Concerned onlookers worried he was having a seizure. Rikka giggled, loving the trick he did to scare people and grinned even bigger when she saw the look of horror on Gabriel's face.
Gabriel saw her laughing, and then he knew, it was too late.
He has already gotten her soul, Gabriel thought. All I can do is pray.
Gabriel mentally added her onto his prayer list and hoped that Santos would leave before he hurt anyone else.