Free A New Divide (Science Fiction) by Nathaniel Sanders Page B

heard of a child surviving such a birth—except for one. A child born under extraordinary circumstances."
                  "I've never heard this story."
                  The doctor leaned in close to me and cracked a wide smile.
                  "How ironic. Not many have heard this story, but you look just like him."
                  "Like who?"
                  I jumped out of my seat when a nurse darted into the room and rushed towards us. "Doctor!"
                  "What is it, Nurse?"
                  "Alberts is flatlining!"
                  The doctor then shot out of his chair, and rushed out of the door with the nurse. "Did you give him a genome injection!"
                  "Yes, sir! It did nothing!"
                  "All right, give me 50 cc's of—"
                  Before my curiosity had resided they were gone. Once again I was all alone in a strange and unfamiliar place. So I did what anyone would have done after facing such a dilemma: I decided to leave. I couldn't be in the company of those who rescued me, knowing I would have no way to repay them.
     
                  At the time I did not believe in fate or destiny so I decided to ignore my mutation and continue living my life as I always have: moving forward without thinking about the consequences of negligence.
                  I had formulated a plan in my mind. I would follow these Remorans back to their home world, and after that I would jump ship on the GDR capitol of Arcadia and begin a new gravball career.
                  I pondered my future as I sat on the medical table of the infirmary aboard the carrier. It was there that I would very soon learn that fate most certainly does exist, and I would come to realize this in ways I never could have comprehended.
     
     
    ***
     
    {>-Legate Ivan Lennin-<}
    -The Salaran Citadel-
     
                  Ivan scratched his eyelids as he walked out into the hangar to greet his king. The suns had just risen, and they shone down upon the smoldering carcass of the Hammer. It was a cold winter morning in Salaras.
                  When Eden was first colonized the solar system was divided down the middle of its orbiting pattern to best divide the different civilizations, or the "collectives" of the human race. When it was winter in the Kingdom of Salaras, it would be summer in the GDR worlds and on Remora, spring in the Outlander worlds, and fall in the independent worlds.
                  The bitter cold only further expressed the damage the Hammer had accumulated. The freezing temperature highlighted the heat coming off its crumbling skeleton. When Arcoh had decided to power down the Hammer's shields in order to break through Minerva's atmosphere, the Hammer suffered heavy damage. The smoke from the hull alone was so thick it could be seen for hundreds of kilometers, pouring out of the mountain base's custom-built exhaust ports.
    Arcoh left the Hammer and looked on at the thousands of men and women who were working diligently to repair the flagship. Metal welding sparks flew across the catwalk as Arcoh made his way over to Ivan, who was observing the newly visible metal and iron skeleton of the bulky Hammer.
                  "How are things in Salaras, my legate?"
              "They tell me that the Hammer had suffered significant damage in the evacuation attempt."
              "Maybe you don't remember. The pain distracted you. They were waiting for us. They had a plan, Ivan."
              "I don't remember. We had a plan too, sire."
                  Arcoh responded with a grim look on his face, feeling still in shock of the events that had transpired. "We stood no chance; their entire fleet had converged at the edge of Rayden. We were not prepared to deal with