Alutia Rising, Anniversary Edition (Alutia Rising Series, Book 1) by Craig Gerttula Page A

second phase of the recruitment trial was
a strange one. Given an opportunity to relive a time of great
happiness, most humans wouldn't think twice about grasping the
opportunity, especially if they were in the horrible situations
that most of the human garbage found themselves when they reached
the recruitment grounds. But on rare occasions an individual would
give up on living the comfortable, happy life of their past, to
embrace an unknown future.
    Daniel sighed, knowing that the TSB had
received its latest recruit, no matter how well he fared in the
next two phases of the trial. Slightly disappointed that he wasn't
able to witness yet another candidate fail gruesomely, he sent the
priority alerts to TSB command that were required when a new adult
recruit had been located and waited for the reply.
    His eyes drifted back to the projection where
Trent lay, curled in a ball within total darkness.
    He may be perfect , Daniel realized,
always being on the lookout for cronies that he could use to
further his own ambitions, and this man fit the bill perfectly. He
may be a little too emotional for his liking, but the kindness, or
weakness as Daniel knew it, and the detailed background information
he copied to his personal files, would make Trent a perfect
candidate to assist Daniel in his further endeavors.
    Now, he just needed to wait, and manipulate
the Program so that the next two trials were for the proper
position within the TSB for Daniel to exploit him properly. If he
could get Trent into maintenance, or even the engineering program,
he could use him to alter logs and cause accidents. But even if he
was assigned as a general crewman, he could use him to undermine
his many rivals. The thoughts and possible uses for this man
continued to multiply when the beep of a return message received
brought him back to the matter at hand.
    This must be a mistake, he thought as
he read the orders, unable to hide his shock.
    The next phase of Trent’s trial was only
meant to be given to TSB recruits who were raised from childhood in
the TSB orphanage. There was no way TSB command would provide
permission to have a 30 year old ex-hobo attempt these trials.
    It’s ridiculous! His thoughts raced as
he sent a request for confirmation, which was verified within
seconds, containing the TSB commander’s, Knight Captain Quinn,
encryption code, no less.
    A sigh of resignation escaped Daniels lips as
reality set-in. Reluctantly, he entered the parameters for the next
phase of the trial, then pressed the activate icon. He stood,
moving out into the observation outpost proper, entering one of the
personal transport tubes that lined the back wall, considering
again how he could possibly use this new recruit for his
aspirations. He grabbed the handle inside the cylindrical tube
transport, choosing not to sit, then accessed the transport tube’s
BAP with his BC node to enter his destination.
    As the tube door slid shut and the transport
started accelerating through the tens of thousands of kilometers of
the TSB transport tube network that snaked deep below the surface
of the Earth, he started preparing his speech. The most important
part of using anyone was to make a good first impression, and
Daniel rarely let a chance to increase his followers pass him
by.
     
     

Chapter 4
    Time unknown flowed like a river beneath
Trent, guiding him through a universe that had long forgotten the
touch of light and the meaning of sound. At first, he didn’t
resist, finding the unknown refreshing, allowing him to reaffirm
his pledge. That sorrow would never again rule him. But he found
his resolve soon being tested. The sea of sorrow that had clung to
him for year’s eternal, begging to be let free, to swirl back
towards the surface of his conscious mind.
    As the battle intensified, his mind tumbling
ever deeper, the whisper of sorrows embrace growing ever louder,
another thought broke free in the dark flow that held him, one that
asked: How did you come upon