Chapter 2
Calmly, almost in a state of withdrawal, Hunter marched up the steps into the interior of the shuttle. It appeared harsh with lines that held no warmth to them. Everything was of a nondescript colour with the small portals allowing a little of the outside world in. But it mattered little to Hunter, he would not care.
He bumped into something, and on closer inspection, it was a someone he'd bumped into.
A small shrewd face peered up at him, "You got a problem?"
Hunter merely lifted a brow and the kid scampered off. His face was still bruised and his lips were probably a little bloody - the split lip kept on opening whenever he spoke. A few kids gaped openly at his face, but quickly looked away whenever his eyes scanned their way. All Hunter wanted at that point was a seat away from prying eyes, but the closest thing to that was a seat in the back corner, which still had a person to deal with on the side. He took it.
Kids openly gaped at his face, it wasn't pretty, but it couldn't have been that bad. Hunter smiled a little despite the split lip, if it was really bad, they'd been running for their mama's. He could already hear a few sniffling into their sleeves at the aspect of leaving their families and all they'd ever known.
"This seat taken?"
Momentarily taken aback by the question, Hunter looked into an equally bashed up face. The kid's nose was broken at least once and a scabbed over cut stood out plainly on his cheek. "Does it look it?"
"Nah, that's why I asked."
Hunter snickered.
"You fall down the stairs?"
Pointing to his black eye, Hunter retorted, "This? Ran into m'dad's fist."
The boy burst out laughing at the thought. "Good one. If that's the case, then the sames with me."
Holding out a hand to make introductions, the boy announced, "Name's Toren."
"Hunter."
Toren snickered at the name, "Hunter eh? You going to hunt down these aliens too?" Hunter was ready with a come back but he noticed that his new friend's eyes were glued to the front of the ship where a man had just entered from the captain's cabin. "Be seated. We're on military schedule now and military says we're leaving in less than five."
The man's voice was rough, probably a smoker in his spare time. Although he had a slight paunch, there was no doubt that he'd been fit in his younger years. Still was pretty fit, in fact. Walking up and the aisles, he ranted, "There are no mamas for babies up there. What you go up there with today, is what you'll have with you for the next five years. Nothing. Whatever you're given is not yours to keep. You are going up there with one purpose. To see if you're up to the challenge. To see if your worthy of being trained at IBS. To see if you have the guts to do what it'll take to become something more than the little shits you'll be here earth side. Do you understand?"
A chorus of "Yes sirs" echoed through the chamber.
"Good. Strap in, we're taking off." There was no arguing.
"Did you see the vids? Those two could be a danger to all the others attending the school."
"Of course I saw them."
"Did you also notice how alike they were to the ones of Ender's trip up?"
"How could I not. What were their names?"
"Toren and Hunter. They teamed up fast. Protect one another as you can see by the videos. That kid is paralyzed from the waist down. Broken spine."
"Has he been sent back?"
"No, medical team is working with him now. They figure they can fix him up good, but he won't be able to do anything rigorous, but he'll be able to walk and run – he will be almost normal – but in space he'd be useless. He'll be sent back once the therapy is complete."
"These two, Hunter and Toren, the are similar to what Ender was."
"Take to mind that Ender was different. He was dangerous but good. We don't know about these two. They've both come from rough families. I say we send them back."
"What was their motive then? From the vids we see nothing."
"Exactly. There was no sound on the vids." A pause ensued, "Fine. Keep an eye on them, don't send them back, but when they do screw up – you'll have no option but to send them back."
Hunter wasn't shocked at the attack, but he was surprised at how easily he'd been able to throw the kid. A very important lesson he'd gained from the experience. The force he'd exerted had had its affect on his own person. Fortunately, he'd had his foot hooked around the base of his seat so he wouldn't go floating about; because he'd been rooted, his strength had fully been put into his actions and had sent the boy flying against the bulkhead. The snap of the back breaking had seemed so loud compared to the boy's screams of agony and fear.
Toren, on the other hand, was almost ecstatic, he figured that any sign of what he was able to do would put him onto some special list. He was especially excited about how well he and Hunter had worked together. They seemed to have been able to read each other's thoughts and had worked their actions that way. The injured boy was gone now, taken away to some other sector on board the main ship. Hunter wasn't too worried. Medical could fix almost anything these days – that, plus a good amount of money. What he was concerned about, however, was the fixed stares he was receiving. He hated it. He'd read the history of Ender. He'd been set apart, hated, pestered. It was happening to himself. He didn't want to walk that path, yet he was being forced to by means beyond his control.
"Oiy! Hunter! O'er here! Got us some grub." He waved at his new found partner from where he sat at the cafeteria. Holding to trays of the nondescript food he plunked them down at an empty table. Taking one last wistful glance over his shoulder at the others who were kidding and laughing with one another, he made his way to where Toren was gnawing on something. "How can you stand it? We just busted some kid up bad!" Toren shrugged and spat out the mouthful of food he'd just tasted with disgust. "Stand what? The kid attacked us, 'member? Side's peoples are gonna talk 'bout us now. We gonna have a rep before we even get to the battle station!" He made to grab the roll off of Hunters tray, but his hand was slapped away. Quelling the look of distaste on his face, Hunter pushed on, "I don't want a rep. I just wanna be away from my dad. You of all peops should know that!" Seeing his words were making no impact on Toren he flipped his full tray onto his friends. At Toren's confused look, he said coldly, "Keep me out of your ways. I'm here to be invisible." "But not invincible." "No." Toren shrugged again, "Your loss man." He was on his own, but he felt the better for it.
They had been waiting a full eighteen hours aboard the space ship that would take them to the new Interplanetary Battle Station now. A constant stream of new shuttles approached the massive ship, letting the new group of kids disembark and fend for themselves on the space ship. No one knew for how much longer they'd be sitting there.
Hunter watched from a corner he'd posted himself at. A wide range of characters came aboard the space ship - that's what it was called for no one knew the name of the Space Ship. Some were frightened and clung to one another, others were bold and cocky, strutting around as if they were preening peacocks. It amused Hunter to no end that they would find the 'hero' that everyone wanted to defeat the Corvedics. They wanted another Ender.
Hunter looked back down at the tiny pendant he held in his hand. They hadn't taken this away from him - and he would protect it with his life. It was the only thing that connected him to earth-side. Carved from an antler he'd found in Australia when he was only three. His mother had taken it and made it into a pendant. He would always have it - for her sake, for her memory.
"Lookey here. Another loner!"
Hunter's eyes flashed up and his body tensed; it was going to be brutal up here.
"All by 'imself, with no one to save 'im. I say we make use of this, eh boys?"
Everyone was out to make a fool of themselves, Hunter decided, they were all crazy with bloodlust - eager to show what they were made of. "Shut up. You don't know nothin'."
The boy laughed loudly, making sure that his cronies understood his contempt, "I think I knows a lot more than you thinks."
God, he hated this garbled language. He hated the slang. But he had to fit in, blend in. "Again, I says you don't." He stood up, this time glad that he was a few inches taller than the other. Cold eyes glared out and burned each face to memory. "You don't know who to pick on and who not to."
The boy slapped his thigh and laughed the harder, "Oh, we got us a tough guy!"
Hunter hated the laughter, he got it at home all the time. His muscles trembled with hatred and his fisted his hands by his side. "I don't want to hurt you."
The laughter subsided almost immediately and the boy came forward, slowly circling Hunter, assessing him as one would a horse at a fair. "You really are serious. You think you can take me on. You know nothing!"
Hunter lashed out before the boy could react. His fist connected soundly with the other's chin. Surprise showed up on the boy's face, then a grin slowly spread across his face - a sinister one. "Good, I like a good fight."
Quick as lightening, the boy came attacking, pouring out blow after blow upon Hunter. He blocked most of the hits, but it was inevitable that some would snake through and make their connection with his flesh. From all angles too, the kid was good.
"Beat him into the ground Troy!"
"Don't give him a chance!"
"Go Troy!"
Troy. The name suited him. He was like the historical story - the Trojan horse, full of hidden strength. He had the power to hurt this Troy, but he refused to be pulled into the game and continued blocking. They were taunting him, calling him names, but he ignored them. He would not succumb to their level. He was better than them. He would not fight. HE WOULD NOT FIGHT!
"Little girlie won't fight!"
He snapped. He heard his father in those words and he could not let his father follow him up here. He fell into an offensive stance, combining his blocks with attacks now. A vicious blow low and a feint to the right. It was like a dance, both beautiful and ugly. Troy had lost his smug look, it was now bordering on the lines of fear. And still Hunter struck out, striking like a desert snake. Dealing blow after blow. He'd been trained by his father. He'd been trained military fashion. He was not going to lose.
"Enough!"
The voice cut through Hunter's crazed mind, but it wasn't enough to stop him.
Troy backed away, scared to the bone of what Hunter had become, but Hunter still stepped after him, eager to finish him off.
"I said that's ENOUGH!" Hands pulled at Hunter. Hunter's vision had become a tunnel - focused entirely on Troy, nothing else was going to deter him. Nothing!
"Hunter, I told you to stop!"
As suddenly as his craze had come over him, it left him and Hunter collapsed to the floor laughing maniacally. He'd won. And it had been so easy. He didn't have to pick a fight; they were going to come to him. More people tugged at Hunter, pulling him to his feet. A rough hand gripped Hunter's chin, silently demanding that he look the man in the eye.
Hunter looked into the depths of the man's eyes and was at first amazed at what he saw. Not anger, but fear. Am I so terrifying that even an adult is afraid of me? "What are you?" The question surprised Hunter beyond belief, but his crazed mind formed words for him to say, "I am the hunter and you are the prey. Don't forget that." His mind screamed HUMAN.
Calmly, almost in a state of withdrawal, Hunter marched up the steps into the interior of the shuttle. It appeared harsh with lines that held no warmth to them. Everything was of a nondescript colour with the small portals allowing a little of the outside world in. But it mattered little to Hunter, he would not care.
He bumped into something, and on closer inspection, it was a someone he'd bumped into.
A small shrewd face peered up at him, "You got a problem?"
Hunter merely lifted a brow and the kid scampered off. His face was still bruised and his lips were probably a little bloody - the split lip kept on opening whenever he spoke. A few kids gaped openly at his face, but quickly looked away whenever his eyes scanned their way. All Hunter wanted at that point was a seat away from prying eyes, but the closest thing to that was a seat in the back corner, which still had a person to deal with on the side. He took it.
Kids openly gaped at his face, it wasn't pretty, but it couldn't have been that bad. Hunter smiled a little despite the split lip, if it was really bad, they'd been running for their mama's. He could already hear a few sniffling into their sleeves at the aspect of leaving their families and all they'd ever known.
"This seat taken?"
Momentarily taken aback by the question, Hunter looked into an equally bashed up face. The kid's nose was broken at least once and a scabbed over cut stood out plainly on his cheek. "Does it look it?"
"Nah, that's why I asked."
Hunter snickered.
"You fall down the stairs?"
Pointing to his black eye, Hunter retorted, "This? Ran into m'dad's fist."
The boy burst out laughing at the thought. "Good one. If that's the case, then the sames with me."
Holding out a hand to make introductions, the boy announced, "Name's Toren."
"Hunter."
Toren snickered at the name, "Hunter eh? You going to hunt down these aliens too?" Hunter was ready with a come back but he noticed that his new friend's eyes were glued to the front of the ship where a man had just entered from the captain's cabin. "Be seated. We're on military schedule now and military says we're leaving in less than five."
The man's voice was rough, probably a smoker in his spare time. Although he had a slight paunch, there was no doubt that he'd been fit in his younger years. Still was pretty fit, in fact. Walking up and the aisles, he ranted, "There are no mamas for babies up there. What you go up there with today, is what you'll have with you for the next five years. Nothing. Whatever you're given is not yours to keep. You are going up there with one purpose. To see if you're up to the challenge. To see if your worthy of being trained at IBS. To see if you have the guts to do what it'll take to become something more than the little shits you'll be here earth side. Do you understand?"
A chorus of "Yes sirs" echoed through the chamber.
"Good. Strap in, we're taking off." There was no arguing.
"Did you see the vids? Those two could be a danger to all the others attending the school."
"Of course I saw them."
"Did you also notice how alike they were to the ones of Ender's trip up?"
"How could I not. What were their names?"
"Toren and Hunter. They teamed up fast. Protect one another as you can see by the videos. That kid is paralyzed from the waist down. Broken spine."
"Has he been sent back?"
"No, medical team is working with him now. They figure they can fix him up good, but he won't be able to do anything rigorous, but he'll be able to walk and run – he will be almost normal – but in space he'd be useless. He'll be sent back once the therapy is complete."
"These two, Hunter and Toren, the are similar to what Ender was."
"Take to mind that Ender was different. He was dangerous but good. We don't know about these two. They've both come from rough families. I say we send them back."
"What was their motive then? From the vids we see nothing."
"Exactly. There was no sound on the vids." A pause ensued, "Fine. Keep an eye on them, don't send them back, but when they do screw up – you'll have no option but to send them back."
Hunter wasn't shocked at the attack, but he was surprised at how easily he'd been able to throw the kid. A very important lesson he'd gained from the experience. The force he'd exerted had had its affect on his own person. Fortunately, he'd had his foot hooked around the base of his seat so he wouldn't go floating about; because he'd been rooted, his strength had fully been put into his actions and had sent the boy flying against the bulkhead. The snap of the back breaking had seemed so loud compared to the boy's screams of agony and fear.
Toren, on the other hand, was almost ecstatic, he figured that any sign of what he was able to do would put him onto some special list. He was especially excited about how well he and Hunter had worked together. They seemed to have been able to read each other's thoughts and had worked their actions that way. The injured boy was gone now, taken away to some other sector on board the main ship. Hunter wasn't too worried. Medical could fix almost anything these days – that, plus a good amount of money. What he was concerned about, however, was the fixed stares he was receiving. He hated it. He'd read the history of Ender. He'd been set apart, hated, pestered. It was happening to himself. He didn't want to walk that path, yet he was being forced to by means beyond his control.
"Oiy! Hunter! O'er here! Got us some grub." He waved at his new found partner from where he sat at the cafeteria. Holding to trays of the nondescript food he plunked them down at an empty table. Taking one last wistful glance over his shoulder at the others who were kidding and laughing with one another, he made his way to where Toren was gnawing on something. "How can you stand it? We just busted some kid up bad!" Toren shrugged and spat out the mouthful of food he'd just tasted with disgust. "Stand what? The kid attacked us, 'member? Side's peoples are gonna talk 'bout us now. We gonna have a rep before we even get to the battle station!" He made to grab the roll off of Hunters tray, but his hand was slapped away. Quelling the look of distaste on his face, Hunter pushed on, "I don't want a rep. I just wanna be away from my dad. You of all peops should know that!" Seeing his words were making no impact on Toren he flipped his full tray onto his friends. At Toren's confused look, he said coldly, "Keep me out of your ways. I'm here to be invisible." "But not invincible." "No." Toren shrugged again, "Your loss man." He was on his own, but he felt the better for it.
They had been waiting a full eighteen hours aboard the space ship that would take them to the new Interplanetary Battle Station now. A constant stream of new shuttles approached the massive ship, letting the new group of kids disembark and fend for themselves on the space ship. No one knew for how much longer they'd be sitting there.
Hunter watched from a corner he'd posted himself at. A wide range of characters came aboard the space ship - that's what it was called for no one knew the name of the Space Ship. Some were frightened and clung to one another, others were bold and cocky, strutting around as if they were preening peacocks. It amused Hunter to no end that they would find the 'hero' that everyone wanted to defeat the Corvedics. They wanted another Ender.
Hunter looked back down at the tiny pendant he held in his hand. They hadn't taken this away from him - and he would protect it with his life. It was the only thing that connected him to earth-side. Carved from an antler he'd found in Australia when he was only three. His mother had taken it and made it into a pendant. He would always have it - for her sake, for her memory.
"Lookey here. Another loner!"
Hunter's eyes flashed up and his body tensed; it was going to be brutal up here.
"All by 'imself, with no one to save 'im. I say we make use of this, eh boys?"
Everyone was out to make a fool of themselves, Hunter decided, they were all crazy with bloodlust - eager to show what they were made of. "Shut up. You don't know nothin'."
The boy laughed loudly, making sure that his cronies understood his contempt, "I think I knows a lot more than you thinks."
God, he hated this garbled language. He hated the slang. But he had to fit in, blend in. "Again, I says you don't." He stood up, this time glad that he was a few inches taller than the other. Cold eyes glared out and burned each face to memory. "You don't know who to pick on and who not to."
The boy slapped his thigh and laughed the harder, "Oh, we got us a tough guy!"
Hunter hated the laughter, he got it at home all the time. His muscles trembled with hatred and his fisted his hands by his side. "I don't want to hurt you."
The laughter subsided almost immediately and the boy came forward, slowly circling Hunter, assessing him as one would a horse at a fair. "You really are serious. You think you can take me on. You know nothing!"
Hunter lashed out before the boy could react. His fist connected soundly with the other's chin. Surprise showed up on the boy's face, then a grin slowly spread across his face - a sinister one. "Good, I like a good fight."
Quick as lightening, the boy came attacking, pouring out blow after blow upon Hunter. He blocked most of the hits, but it was inevitable that some would snake through and make their connection with his flesh. From all angles too, the kid was good.
"Beat him into the ground Troy!"
"Don't give him a chance!"
"Go Troy!"
Troy. The name suited him. He was like the historical story - the Trojan horse, full of hidden strength. He had the power to hurt this Troy, but he refused to be pulled into the game and continued blocking. They were taunting him, calling him names, but he ignored them. He would not succumb to their level. He was better than them. He would not fight. HE WOULD NOT FIGHT!
"Little girlie won't fight!"
He snapped. He heard his father in those words and he could not let his father follow him up here. He fell into an offensive stance, combining his blocks with attacks now. A vicious blow low and a feint to the right. It was like a dance, both beautiful and ugly. Troy had lost his smug look, it was now bordering on the lines of fear. And still Hunter struck out, striking like a desert snake. Dealing blow after blow. He'd been trained by his father. He'd been trained military fashion. He was not going to lose.
"Enough!"
The voice cut through Hunter's crazed mind, but it wasn't enough to stop him.
Troy backed away, scared to the bone of what Hunter had become, but Hunter still stepped after him, eager to finish him off.
"I said that's ENOUGH!" Hands pulled at Hunter. Hunter's vision had become a tunnel - focused entirely on Troy, nothing else was going to deter him. Nothing!
"Hunter, I told you to stop!"
As suddenly as his craze had come over him, it left him and Hunter collapsed to the floor laughing maniacally. He'd won. And it had been so easy. He didn't have to pick a fight; they were going to come to him. More people tugged at Hunter, pulling him to his feet. A rough hand gripped Hunter's chin, silently demanding that he look the man in the eye.
Hunter looked into the depths of the man's eyes and was at first amazed at what he saw. Not anger, but fear. Am I so terrifying that even an adult is afraid of me? "What are you?" The question surprised Hunter beyond belief, but his crazed mind formed words for him to say, "I am the hunter and you are the prey. Don't forget that." His mind screamed HUMAN.