Free Aetheran Child by Antonin Januska Page A

and better suit.”
    Lexan opened the box and laid a silver suit in front of him. Its metallic sheen sparkled from the lights above. A thin monitor lined the forearm on top. More display screens lined the shoulders and the back. They seemed to be woven into the fabric and did not protrude in any way nor did they affect the thickness of the suit. A monitor on the chest read “A student in or before initial training” and then switched to a blue rectangle with “logo” written in the middle.
    Dark circles lined the waist and the back meant to hold other pieces of the suit stored in the box.
    Raki laid out the other pieces made of light metals onto the middle console. There were large rings, bracelets, lining, and a silver belt. All the items shared common patterned ridges.
    “These fit on the suit. They will snap on automatically and -”
    A loud beeping noise interrupted the man.
    “Master Raki, please report to the cockpit. In Training student Alexander, please report to the dorsal turret.” Las announced.
    “Lexan, put on the suit and get to the turret.” The man left and ran to the cockpit. The doors, strangely enough, absorbed him and then solidified again.
    Slight vibrations shivered through the ship as the main thrusters powered on. The inertia inside the ship was unnoticeable.
    The boy dismantled the metal suit he wore for some six month and suddenly flew into the air.
    The artificial gravity seemed to have worked only with the suit. Lexan quietly swore and kicked off the ceiling toward the main room console. The weightlessness was amusing for a short while until he became nauseas and sought something to grab onto when the ship massively shook. The boy swayed harshly into a wall and his back cracked under the force of impact. Lexan winced and pushed off again toward his new suit.
    Grabbing the suit, he grabbed the edge of the table just as the ship shook again. Waiting a few seconds as a precaution, Alexander finally put on the tight-fitted shimmering cloth. Lexan noticed the condition his body was in, top shape. He had aged, grown to have a swimmer’s body, lean and strong. He marveled at it as he pulled on the suit and noticed the gravity return once again. Next, Lexan finished the suit by putting on the arm bracelets and other parts as well as a silvery liquid that automatically nestled itself inside the suit.
    “Please, put on the helmet, Lexan” Bran called out in a crystal clear voice.
    The boy opened another box close by and took out the helmet which was of spherical shape with a ridged front with air intake. It looked like a motorcycle helmet and it was cushioned a similar way inside as well except that it had several needles protruding on the sides.
    “Please put on the helmet,” Bran repeated and he placed the helmet carefully over his head, afraid of the needles, but felt nothing.
    “During your hibernation, I was instructed to insert standard nano structures into your brain as well as standard interface slots. As of now, you can speak the galactic standard as if it was your native language.
    “There are many other features which you can access with a single thought. Unfortunately, now is not the time to discuss this.”
      “Where’s the turret?” Lexan asked and looked around for some kind of opening.
      “Go to your cabin, there is an opening in the ceiling.”
    He walked and opened the door. A small trapdoor above appeared. When Lexan touched it, it slid open and the floor below rose upward. The ceiling inside the “turret” was strangely low so that the boy had to half crawl toward a circular indent wherein a set of screens displayed various information.
    A chair rose up from the floor and enveloped the boy. He found himself in space, he was still inside the turret but he was somehow outside, sitting on the smooth polished starship. His hands had become guns, enormous rail guns. He turned his head and the view shifted to the inside again.
    “The turret view will adjust to your