Free LYCCYX Episode 1: The Declaration by Brian Barber Page A

athletic talent (at least up until I got hurt) they say I would be an ideal candidate for the Academy.
                  Well, I have to go for now.  Sorry this is so sudden.  My airbus leaves in the morning for in-processing.  I’ll write you as soon as I can.
    Love,
    Luke
    Four months later:
    Dear Mom and Dad,
                  We just finished our first week here at the Academy and man was it tough! We met our instructors and were organized into units. Mine is the Alpha Unit, which is made up of the most athletic trainees, isn’t that exciting?  My leg is awesome; I have been running consistent 5.5- minute miles.
                  Next week we start combat training. The Alpha Unit will spend more time training for combat since we are the best of the best. I can’t wait for the advanced weapons course. Hopefully, I will qualify on the Mk5 pulse rifle and earn a few extra credits.  I am sending you part of my earnings to help cover the tuition cost you paid.  When I finish here, I will get a bonus that will more than pay off the rest.
          Well, gotta go for now. It’s almost time for lights-out and we have a busy day ahead.  Love you so much and can’t wait to graduate and see you again.
    Luke

Race for the Cure
    “Wow, so you made Captain – Impressive,” John said with a bit of jealous sarcasm.
    “Yep, but you didn’t do so bad yourself, First Lieutenant,” I replied.  The UCM awards advanced rank for exceptional performers – like us.
                  John and I had been friends since middle school.  He was one of the first kids who even talked to me when we moved to town – probably because his family moved here from London so he knew what it was like to be the new kid.  Everyone else just stared at me like I was some kind of alien.  For that reason, John and I were close even though we often seemed like polar opposites.  I was a cautious young man who always wanted to know what the rules were so I could be sure to follow them.  John Stephan had to know the rules so he could bend them until they broke.
                  We were very competitive, as most guys are, and used to race home just so we could say, “Beat ‘cha!”  In high school and college, we tried to impress the same girls and to outdo each other in sports.  Football was never my favorite sport but the ladies seemed to pay more attention to guys on the team so I figured I’d try out. I not only made the team but did surprisingly well.  That’s how I got hurt.
                  It was the last game of the regional playoffs and we were down by seven points. I tried a move I had seen John execute countless times called the “Twistenator”.  He tried to teach it to me and I only got it right about sixty percent of the time.  But it was John who came to see me in the hospital and handed me a brochure about the UCM and how they paid for surgery to fix guys like me, who aside for minor injuries, would be great for the Service.
                  Mom and Dad never really liked the idea of me in uniform.  They would rather me become a scientist or engineer and make some kind of groundbreaking discovery.  I figured I might be able to do both. Tomorrow morning at 0800 John and I, along with the rest of our class, are graduating the Academy.  I can’t wait to get my diploma and my title of Captain.  Captain Lucas Xander… I like the sound of that.

The Golden Coin
                  Our team was on patrol a few clicks from LB127 (Lunar Base 127) when something shiny caught my eye.  As curious as I was to discover what this item might be, I also knew we were running low on oxygen and couldn’t stray too far. 
    “What are you looking at Captain?” John asked impatiently.
    “Some sort of metallic object – could be valuable.”  I replied.
    “If you want to check it out, you better hurry.  We are running out of air and I’m