"One hundred and fifty years have passed since humanity conquered the entire solar system and the revolutionary discovery of the Plutonian Energy which is a new type of energy on a coil. Humanity really has come a long way!" an enthusiastic report of a holographic woman on my glitching screen. "We will conquer another planet but not from our neighborhood solar systems, neither from this galaxy but to another galaxy which is full of richest. Now, we are entering the new age of conquest!."
The screen changes showing live footage of a fleet of giant spaceships. It was surrounded by thousands of its crews and soldiers while on the other side were the curious civilians who are proudly standing behind the barricades of steel fences.
This is indeed another leap for humanity.
"At exactly, 10 am the Solum fleet will depart towards the other side of the galaxy using the newly invented technology that can manipulate hyperspaces." the female reporter added.
I turned off the news channel from my terminal which shows my name, rank, and time.
Sergeant Kenneth Vasquez
Earthling Space Marine
7:30 am
I still have three hours to wait before the fleet departs.
I decided to take a simple detour inside the ship to be more familiar with this gigantic steel fortress named "The Flagship Mercury" . My eyes were wrapped on the entirety of the ship, fascinated by the advanced technology from the gadgets to weaponry.
This ship is indeed a state of the art as the higher-ups says.
I've been walking for an hour when I realize that I'm already on the Mercury's Deck A.
I felt a sudden tap from my shoulder causing me to be out of balance from my current position.
"HAHAHAHHAHAHA" Someone burst out of laugh.
I look for its source where a Marsian Space Marine stood holding his stomach, still unable to stop his loud laughter.
That man is Sergeant Nicholas Ragna which for unknown reason equipped with a standard military suit, the C2S MK7 (Coil-powered Combat Suit Mark VII) without the visor and APBR-7 (Automatic Plasma Battle Rifle Type 7).
This man looks like going to war rather than terraforming some uninhabited planet from other side of the galaxy.
"Tsk! Just leave bro instead of laughing there like a madman. You're fucking annoying you know!" I glared at him.
"S-Sorry! Sorry! Just a prank bro hahahahahah!"
"Tsk!."
"Okay okay! I'm serious now." He smiled and raised his right fist as if trying to give a fist bump. "It's been a while, Kenneth how's life?."
"Nah! Same routine nothing's new." I grinned and bump his hanging fist. Unbeknownst to many, were best friends. We get along since we are still a recruit and even our rank is higher now. We're also together on the same team from a Marsian Campaign where we stormed the Last Neo-Isis Colonist Terrorist Group Bases on Mars which suffered staggering casualties on both sides but here we are still alive.
"Hmm, we still have an hour before the fleet take-off. How about drinking some coffee from the cafeteria since it's been a while?"
I opened my terminal and checked the time. "8 am, all right, no problem." And we immediately went to the cafeteria. The line was short so we only wait for a couple of minutes before our turn to order at the counter.
"One ice americano and one black coffee please."
"Sure! one ice americano and one black coffee, that's 280 DC." The cute cashier smiled at me and you know what Nicholas was grinning on the side for the whole time. I know he found something shit again.
I just shake my head and open my terminal. Clicking the digital wallet icon, 9 numbers, and four boxes pop up on my glitching screen where I typed my PIN. When I finally log in to my bank account, 280,000 worth of digital coins pops up. I clicked the merchant scanner and start to scan the code on the cashier's front where my order was automatically paid.
We immediately headed towards the side of the cafeteria after receiving our receipt. As we wait for the coffee to arrive, Nicholas decided to remove his combat suit which remained standing on his side as he sits down.
I tapped Nicholas's hand and look seriously into his eyes which he immediately knows what I'm about to ask.
"Do you think there are more reasons to terraform some uninhabited planet from a faraway galaxy?" I asked.
"As the reporter said, 'a Planet full of Richest!' which means resources."
"Then why not the next solar system? Why a freaking another and far galaxy?. "
"I also don't know but once we get there we will know the answer"
I already asked my colleagues if they know something and I only receive a slight shake of their heads and look likes Nicholas didn't know either. I just nod and quietly wait for our coffee.
Minutes have passed and our orders were ready to serve and the one who's carrying the tray was the cute cashier earlier. Is this cafeteria can't afford to hire a waiter?.
"This is your order Sir, one iced americano and one black coffee" The cashier handed me the cup which I immediately take then she smiles. "Thank you," I said as I smile which made her suddenly blush but I brushed it off because I'm more concerned on this metal cup where the coffee is still smoking but I can't feel the heat or cold as I touch it.
When the cashier recovered from her sudden blush, she only says "You're Welcome" and immediately leaves. I look at Nicholas and give him his black coffee but he just grins widely.
"What??"
"HAHAHA It's good to be young"
"Fuck off dude we are the same age"
"You know Kenneth this is your time. You're already 26 years old and she also looks like in her mid 20's plus she's fucking cute. It's your time to have at least ONE GIRLFRIEND and I feel she likes you, bro!." Nicholas pointed to where the cashier is standing. She's blushing as her friends talking about something we don't know or something I don't know.
"Nope, being a Space Marine means your life is always in danger. If I will get that girl, she will only cry because of sudden news that her boyfriend was killed from a space pirate ambush."
"At least makes yourself happy"
"I'm already happy right now and why the fuck are we talking about this? Let's drink our coffee before we run out of time. "
"Well, okay"
We finally drank our "maybe" last coffee of the decade because when the fleet takes-off the food supply will only serve on ration. The short-term solution which higher-ups ordered in case of the next supply will get delay.