Half Life

Casper Institute

Danny, Sam, and Tucker all arrived at Casper together. They caught the school shuttle, a small white ship with the Space Corps insignia stamped on the sides, and headed off to their new school. 

"How long do you think it'll take us to get home?" Tucker asked, pressing his face up against one of the shuttle windows. 

"Probably not much longer than it was from Cadet training," Danny shrugged. "Casper isn't that far away. It just has killer security and restricted access."

Sam was quietly growing and retracting wooden fingernails next to them, a clear sign that she was nervous. Danny gave her an encouraging smile. She responded by giving him her signature sarcastic look. 

"Still set on being a scout spaceboy?" She asked. 

Danny beamed. "You know it!"

"What's so great about scouting anyway?" Tucker asked, face still pressed against the window. 

"It's only the greatest job ever!" Danny spluttered indignantly. "Unrestricted travel, first contact with new planets, a personal ship! I'd like to see you top that in analysis and development."

Now Tucker rounded on him. 

"If it wasn't for Techies like my humble self, your precious spaceships would never clear the launch pad. Who do you think designs all your fancy-dancy tech?" He pointed sardonically at himself.

"Cut it out guys," Sam sighed, rolling her eyes. "We've still got a long way to go before we get anywhere near those jobs."

Danny and Tucker stopped, but glowered at each other for the rest of the ride. 

.....................................................................................

"Fenton, Foley, and Manson, is it? Thank you so much for interrupting my lecture with your dramatic entrance."

Danny, Sam, and Tucker slid guiltily into their seats as the teacher fixed them with a hard stare. 

"Sorry professor Lancer," Danny apologized. "We got lost,"

"Yes, that's what happens when you don't go over the school maps provided in your entrance papers, isn't it?" the balding man drawled. He turned back to the holo-map he was displaying. 

"I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this guy," Tucker hissed.

Danny agreed silently, pulling out his tablet like every other cadet in class. There were about 12 others in their lecture, none of whom Danny recognized. Casper only accepted about 200 cadets a year from schools and training centers across the galaxy.

....................................................................

"Well, I think that went alright," Tucker said at the end of the day. 

"Yeah. Sounds like Lancer's a real stick in the mud, but it seemed okay," Danny agreed. "Don't know what to think of the students though," he added, watching a group of older cadets shoulder past the new students. 

"What do you think Sam? Sam?"

Danny looked over his shoulder. Sam had fallen behind, glowering at a group of girls as they headed for the shuttles. Danny followed her gaze and felt all the air leave his lungs. 

A stunningly beautiful Chloris girl was trailing a pack of friends and admirers. Her light green skin seemed to glow faintly, and her eyes were shadowed by long thick eyelashes. While Sam kept her purple hair petals short and choppy, this girl's head was draped in long flowing petals of a deep midnight blue. She left a perfume trail behind her that smelled like honey and spring flowers. 

"Stupid Irises," Sam growled, shoving a starstruck Danny and Tucker toward the shuttles. "Think they're just sooo much better than everyone else." She mimicked a high pitched, simpering voice,"Oh, I'm so pretty, no one could possibly be mean to me! I'm going to be the best communicator ever! No one will fight me because I pump the air with my stupid love potion pollen. Ugh! How did an IRIS ever make it into Casper?!"

"Who wouldn't let her in?" Tucker slurred, his eyes glazed over. 

"Into the shuttle right now!" Sam demanded, pushing the two boys inside. "Clear that witch's perfume out. Trust me, the last thing you need is to get tangled up with an Iris like that. They're the most empty headed Chlorises there are."

Danny and Tucker both pressed their faces against the window, saying dreamily in unison,

"Who cares?"