"Pierce. How are you holding up? You don't seem like you're doing all that well"
"I...I'll be all right. Things are rough but I can manage, it's what I do"
"Okay. You sound like you know what you're doing" She said while he packed the rest of his luggage into the shuttle before embracing his friends one final time.
"Now leaving the Big Red Station, a direct flight to Terra. ETA will be four hours" A comely voice rang throughout the ship as he rushed to get seated.
He would secure himself in his seat belts before putting on the SB-Headset that, in barely a moment, had his head leaning back as he was pulled into a deep sleep.
"Sir! Sir! Welcome to Terra's Ubuntu Spaceport, you are now in South Africa. Thank you for flying with Blue Ocean Starliners" One of the onboard droids woke Pierce with an offer of a drink helping to shake the dreamy glaze over his mind.
Getting to his feet and retrieving his luggage for the compartment much to the dismay of the droid that tried to insist, only for it to relent after he indicated to the transport awaiting him outside.
"Thank you."
"No need for your thanks. We are always at your service."
As he entered the transport, asking for its travel to his hometown, the driver nodded before leaving the parking bay.
A thirty-minute drive on the roads through a town that managed to keep some of its suburban aesthetics despite the looming agriculture towers, standing as massive monoliths of concrete and glass overridden with greenery and the periodic streams that flowed down its side.
"Ughh, those giant corn cobs have taken away all the beauty of our town" The driver murmured as he watched over the steering wheel veering on its own through traffic.
"They're basically mountains now, humph, only with none of the charm of mystique. Just a reminder of how often we are so quick to create monstrosities in the name of progress"
"They're certainly a sight, but I'm glad they mean our town hasn't suffered from pollution. Them being built so early on meant we could probably keep our town intact, instead of being stripped down to its barren earth all for the sake of a pointless war" Pierce poised his opinion while his gaze followed the towers lit by the orange light of the late afternoon sun.
"Boy, you would believe the trite the government spews, the jokers are still deceiving us about the Ichor mining causing all those tremors to this day. You kids need to take care of this planet you hear? I didn't bust my ass fighting for it only to see it become a second Mars" The enthusiastic man rolled up his leave showing a tattoo.
"Two angels around a tree sprouting from a globe...the EDF veteran explains the passion' He thought as they arrived. He thanked the driver and sent him on his way.
"Pierce Christophe Gage! Get in here!" Opening the rusted gates in front of him as he remembered the familiar yelling.
"Already? I've barely stepped in." He lamented, wondering if it was still too late to spend his holiday back on the Academy's Campus, with several hundred kilometers of space between him and what he had to deal with.
An entire month passed with Pierce at home, and needless to say, the struggles he had left behind were still awaiting him.
Pierce's father, David Gage was pushed into early retirement after discovering the corruption involved in some of the construction projects of the older Ubuntu Spaceport board.
Unwilling to sign off on their plans for expansion without the completion of the maintenance of the aging Eastern wings of the spaceport, which would have delayed any projects by some time at a considerable cost, any opportunity at improving his standing was met with great resistance.
Choosing to leave and work for himself under principle and honor, but they don't put food on the table for his children. Making for a harsh life for Pierce who was driven to succeed for the sake of his family's well-being.
Together with his wife Mavis, they raised their three sons: Edward, Pierce and Faye.
His elder brother, Edward had begun working as an engineer after completing school while Faye continued to complete secondary school in the hopes of going to study further.
Pierce however was approaching the end of his second year of study at the Promethean Academy of Science and Technology, which meant after his third year, he would begin working. Managing to secure a sponsorship under DataLink, a trans-communication conglomerate responsible for 80% of all sub-light communication across the United Empire of Mankind.
Which would make his studies significantly easier on his family as they wouldn't need to struggle to support him during his time at the Academy.
Though, a constant of whether or not things would change once the new year had begun plagued him and worked to eat away at his peace of mind
'You have received a message.' Pierce received a notification on his data slate.
"Hey Pierce, how is time at home treating you?"
"Hey Yuri, it's been...an experience. Honestly hearing from you is a welcomed relief" His response read.
"Aww. I miss you too. So glad I got you to hand over your hoodie?"
"To borrow, right, right?"
Their exchanges were fervent reminders that he was capable of emotions besides scowling and brooding with the noticeable smile every so often as he was leaning over his slate even garnering the curiosity of his parents.
From the earliest mornings to the times when the orbiting Pleiades could be seen, they would speak through a distant feeling he would feel.
Past Christmas, Pierce tried speaking to Yuri with the exchanges only bearing a few retorts before she decided to end the conversation.
He had always been aware of the thoughts and feelings of others, granted this came at the middling understanding of his own.
This led to most people that he encountered finding him quite intimidating, whether due to his frank nature or cold exterior. He seemed to be a tough individual for most to pierce.
Something he came to believe over time and even embrace...while someone else was preparing to enter his life with the intention of doing just that. With some success, Yuri managed.
For one, she was a strange figure, wanting to embrace and even engage with him despite his distant demeanor . Since he had his dorms near the Big Red Station Gates, this meant that he would always travel to the Promethean Academy's campus to meet his companions for lunch.
Yuri lived off station on another orbiting sphere: Indigo's Blue, named for the blue-glass waters of its oceans that covered a majority of its surface. It is a place of luxury for the affluent, they met often at the Station Gates on their way to class .
Shocking almost all he knew that would lend an ear to the news of their union. And so they would spend his days together.
At the beginning of his third year, he had to visit the DataLink HQ on the Moon alongside several students chosen for the programme, they spent a good three days learning about teamwork and their future experience working with the company, doing quite well to draw the interest of the young prospects by selling the notion of a inclusive and supportive work culture, with the benefits not hurting drive the point home, but through the three days Pierce seemed to grow more anxious, and this was with each time he pulled out his slate.
Living on the Big Red Station, there were friends Pierce had made in his first year at the Academy.
Theo was one such companion on the same trip and took notice on their second day of his unfocused nature, after hearing his attempt to ask for aid only for him to leave the late-night bonfire for some rest, he didn't take to the bottle and so he assumed that to be the reason for his departure.
A week after Pierce attended the event hosted by DataLink ,the preparations for the new school year would begin, the shuttles grew in number and variety and the Station Gates traffic grew several-fold on the day.
Pierce managed to meet all he considered family from the people he had made: Vanz, one of his oldest friends and his partner Ana, someone he was getting used to. But none occupied his mind like seeing her.
Asking them if they had seen Yuri, they informed Pierce that the different years were separated for their introduction. His familiar scowl brewed but this time borne of worry.
But pushed by Vanz, they moved to the Technical Hall, reaching it in a few and waiting as the Principal Instructor thanked them for their arrival for another year and doing his best to satisfy the sponsors by mentioning the new additions to the school, all the while his thoughts floated about, only to notice..,
"That hair, her frame, it's her?" His eyes grew wide before calming himself from the shower of excitement.
"Theo, hope to see you tomorrow"
"Guess your dad's here. I'll see you man" Shaking hands with another one of his friends as they took off, getting in a transport ship that awaited him while being pulled away by Yuri.
Coming to a stop by the Pearl Fountains, a display guiding visitors past a Garden towards the Administrator's Wing of the school.
Sitting by one of the benches that had become all too familiar from the days he had spent comforting her, be it the thoughts of him leaving or ideas of him deserting her, he worked through them no matter how long it took him.
But today he noticed she had finally shown that distance he was dreading.
"I'm sorry, but I think we'd be better off apart now, I know this will hurt, but I can't do this anymore"
"..." Pierce struggled to form his thoughts, and so his expression held desperately to the smile that he always had when he was around her.
"Wait, Where's this coming from, is it something I did or..." He tried to look her in the eye but she ignored him, with her gaze affixed to the moving sculptures instead.
"If you found someone else, someone closer to you, you'll be happy" She said with something that looked as if she was holding onto crushed glass, though she knew that looking at him would only worsen things.
"Well if you ask me, I'm already happy with the person I love, and if that's the case, why would I want anyone else"
"But I don't have those feelings anymore."
"..."
"I thought I could learn to find them, and sure I was incredibly happy and grateful in the beginning, I had to be honest about how I feel, and doubt I feel anything for you anymore"
She could probably feel how shattered he felt because she moved to embrace him as she wiped away her tears but he was left completely shocked.
"Is the idea of falling in love with me something you're still afraid of, even after all this time?"
"I don't think you know much about love if you love me. For me, I know what love is and even though I'm not sure how that person would feel, I can hold onto those feelings"
"My love? You're saying I didn't really love you?" What tears that would begin to flow stung with the same pain that was slowly growing into a pit.
"You don't know what love is, you barely understand your own feelings" embracing him a final time before leaving him, heading to see a friend. Only for the stunned Pierce to come down to the common areas, locking eyes with her for a moment before continuing on.
For the first month, since he heard those words, everything had fallen apart. Not just with his heart, but at home and even at school. His family had hit a massive rough patch, needing even more of his aid, which would start a descent into a cycle of hunger-filled nights that meant his family back home could live somewhat comfortably.
While the strain of keeping up his academic requirements that would satisfy his sponsors grew heavier with the sight of his middling scores borne of his lack of focus. This growing chaos hit its peak after Vanz and Ana confronted him after his return from a stressful holiday.
Their desire was for him to focus on his recovery and healing while Pierce continued to hold on to what remnants of their relationship remained.
As Yuri reached out wanting to maintain their friendship, with him acting as her support all the while receiving every challenge and every slight from her. His companions cussed him out informing him that:
"You can't put your life on pause for someone that doesn't or wouldn't do the same." words that would only sink in after a month when Pierce was passing the Station Gates, where he would stare out into the void alongside her, on this day, she arrived and walked past him in silence, saying nothing. He looked up to hold back his tears when a poster caught his sight:
"We Support and Connect Your Protectors to You" The slogan that was stuck in his head when he had seen DataLink's logo.
Whatever it was, it had caught his interest, and on a particular day moving to the Academy's library in the hopes of bolstering his steadily growing grades.
Only to find Yuri in the arms of Theo, sharing the same expression that he once had around her, an odd thing happened, something he believes was the first time he died.
Leaving the sight without a word.
Stranger things would continue as his companions praised the return of their friend to normal with chuckles filling the common areas like old times.
Pushing to the end, they celebrated their completion of the year, hoping for their graduation the following year. While they said their goodbyes for the year, he made not for the Station Gates but for the Enlistment Center.
The recruitment offer called him in to begin the test. A series of scanners checked him for physiological defects which he passed before he received a warning about the two coming tests, asking him to take two days to prepare but the Commander came to a pause after he asked to continue.
"What is your name, boy?"
"Pierce Gage, Commander"
"And why are you so intent on failing your enlistment?"
"I don't fear the struggle, not when I have nothing to return to"
Being the first time in a very long time since she met someone so willing to enlist, the commander saw something.
"Fine. But before we proceed we'll need you to complete a psych evaluation for us. Approach the Mirror and look at it until you see something" He looked around before seeing the wall in front of him erode to leave a metallic pool in front of him.
"The Mirror demonstrates a person's true intent, your actions and how you see yourself deep down. Based on the image you end up seeing, the evaluator can get an accurate assessment of a prospect's mental stability and aptitude" The commander spoke as she watched him step up.
He tried to see something but the longer he did the darker the mirror became, when in the end all he saw was a darkened mirror, reflecting nothing with a texture akin to polished stone
"A Blank...how unfortunate. Cadet Gage, head to the Initiate Room and you'll receive your next instructions!" The door behind the Commander opened up. She stepped to the side allowing him to make his approach, only to stop right next to her.
"Commander?"
"From now you'll be addressing me as Captain-General Thalia Camejo."
Pointing to the door, after seeing how confused he was but after looking back at the entrance, he stepped forward. Quickly joined by the Captain-General.
"Initiates starting today you will begin your journey towards becoming instruments of the Silver Council's authority and symbols of peace for all its citizens."
"We will be traveling to Luna where you'll receive the majority of your training. By the end of the week, those of you still alive will receive your first paycheck. But for the next three years, you'll be put through enough to make you beg me to have you float home".
"Note that should you decide to quit, you cannot. You are all now in service of the Council. After your training, you are expected to serve for an entire cycle of duty."
The room Pierce walked into lit up showing a group sprinkled around the room, the group mates being of all kinds of races and gender but most seemed somewhat eager, making him feel a little strange at the thought of being here as an act of rebellion.
But his expression remained the same.
Finding a seat and waiting for the Captain-General to speak only for the room to begin moving.
"Calm yourself, squad mates. The ship is taking off" One of the individuals spoke up.
"Shut it. No one's interested in your goody goody act. Saving it for when your superiors are looking"
"I was simply alleviating everyone's concerns, Terran."
"This is unfortunate..." Pierce sighed at their display before watching as the ship left the station, catching the snicker of another distant cadet after making his comment.
"I'm surprised you managed to get more than a peep out of her. she wouldn't give me a name" A spry voice chirped up as he got comfortable, sitting beside him.