Captain Isaac Gampu wondered what the next hundred years had in store, the excitement of new people, new creatures, new civilizations crossing his way was enough to keep his head held up all in the name of providing aid to those in trouble with a soothed, calm, and kind willing hand. All of which were qualities that made life comfortable for him in this welcoming and peaceful era in space.
His future was up in the air as was everything that he held dear in this century. His place of command wasn't going to be the same with this promotion. Gampu took out the slip of paper that read as follows: CAPTAIN GAMPU REPORT TO SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH CONTROL, FOR PROMOTION TO FULL COMMANDER IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIVING.
He folded the letter then tucked it back into the breast pocket of the uniform. The uniform felt as comfortable as he had first put on as it were fine tuned to his figure, it was only a year old as per the new design from the Galactic Uniform Designer, a contract that changed every year, similar to the military design that wasn't always the same in the early centuries of Earth's development.
A year ago the captain had put it on anticipating of another unique but strange year.
Gampu hadn't anticipated of the crew lining the corridors after he exiting his cabin.
That was the most touching moments of his career.
"Ready to go?" the comment shook him out of his train of thought.
Gampu shifted his attention upon the pilot then nodded.
"Affirmative, Lieutenant Dau'dry."
And the seeker departed the hangar bay.
"ETA is forty-three hours and three minutes." Dau'dry announced.
It was quiet aboard the Seeker that had a course heading for Earth. Gampu waited with patience as he tapped his fingers together in his lap looking on feeling numb. Dau'dry turned on the radio then the familiar sounds of space entered the ship so the lieutenant bobbed her head along to the sounds of what sounded to be crickets playing. Gampu looked aside quite fondly at a memory as he rubbed his chin shedding a small smile as the noise reminded him of a memory.
"Where is your assignment?" Dau'dry asked, abruptly.
"I do not know." Gampu noted. "Wasn't in the beam over."
"That is odd." Dau'dry said. "Most commanders know their assignments."
"They are quite aware what they are doing." Gampu said "Hmm.. ." Gampu hummed as he tapped on the arm rest of the red couch. "I wonder what my assignment is."
Dau'dry looked toward the newly minted commander with widened eyes.
"You honestly don't know." Dau'dry said.
"Not at all." he looked on toward the vastness of space watching the views of stars reflect against the prescription of the window.
"Must be frightening not to know."
"A little." Gampu admitted as he tapped on the red barrier in front of him staring on toward the vastness of space. "But it makes me the more excited."
"You're a funny man, Commander."
"Deep space assignment? Top secret? Classified? Colonization overseeing? Perhaps a rehabilitation center for the convicted as a educator? Overseer of a new control center for a different planet? I enjoy a nice challenge."
The lieutenant laughed.
"Commander-"
"I am still a captain as of this moment." Gampu said, sharply.
"Thought you would appreciate it if you started getting used to being called that."
"Commander Gampu. . . . " Gampu repeated, trying to become familiar to the rank that felt so new and superior than he were. "Commander Gampu. . . Commander Gampu."
"Surreal?" Dau'dry offered.
Gampu nodded in agreement, solemnly, but sincerely.
"Of all my years being alive, I hadn't thought of that being a reality." Gampu admitted.
"Why is it that?" Dau'dry asked earning a glance from the commander. "Sir, this is a century that has seen the academy be made after a crippling star war, a time of peace, of exploration, and trust."
"Given my advanced age and knowledge, having someone so experienced with wars and past conflicts making decisions for everyone else that have new first hand experience in the conflict; not many people would accept a immortal to become a person of great power."
"Because your lessons are a little too progressive?"
"Forged by life." Gampu said, and the lieutenant nodded. "And Lieutenant," he looked toward the younger woman then smiled. "I greatly appreciate the olive branch."
"You're welcome, Commander." Dau'dry replied with a grin.
"I must admit," Gampu said. "I feel as though this title doesn't belong to me."
"Why so?"
"There are people who deserve Commander more than I do."
"You have a very decorated career." Came the reminder.
"I have skeletons in my past." The older man admitted. "All my accomplishments came from experiences with those individuals and becoming better because of them." he grimaced at the recollection. "What if they discover I am a fraud? That my talents were not gained by training but by the necessity to survive?" he sighed turning his attention toward the view screen. "I feel very inadequate."
"You had great mentors who made you into the man that you are today, sir." Dau'dry said. "The skeletons in your closet?" she raised her brows with a smirk facing toward Gampu. "They must be proud that you came this far. They must be saying, 'I made that commander'."
"This all feels like I were living a dream where no one is eager to investigate my past and it refuses to end with my realization of logic." Gampu sighed, once more, lowering his head, his hands on the barrier in front of him then closed his eyes quite disturbed as Dau'dry turned her attention back toward the screen. "Close to a never ending nightmare."
"If they have promoted you then that must mean they have done some investigating." Dau'dry suggested.
Gampu looked over back toward the officer with fresh doubt in his eyes.
"Close to three hundred years is a long time when it comes to a paper trail." Gampu said.
Dau'dry slowly shifted attention off the screen toward the man as she grew concerned of the comment.
"Three hundred years is a long time." Dau'dry said with a nod.
"Most of the paperwork from my first two hundred years were not salvageable even from Earth." the older man shifted his attention upon the screen as he twiddled with is fingers in his lap. "What little they have is incomplete. They don't have the full picture."
"Why should that matter?" Dau'dry asked with a lift of her brow. "You're a better man than you were before."
"That much is true. . ." Gampu became silent as he mused.
"And they trust you to be high on the totem pole." Dau'dry said. "That's what matters the most in the Galactic. Trust."
"It helped us get out of the last star war." Gampu agreed. "Trust, faith, love." his fondness was replaced by sorrow then a chuckle. "Those skeletons are so jealous that I get to live in peace when they didn't."
"Sure, they do!" Dau'dry agreed, chipper.
"Thank you, lieutenant." Gampu thanked in gratitude. "You're very kind to discuss this with me."
"The way I see it, sir. . . " Dau'dry started. "I am returning a favor that you may have to return someday."
"Oh?" Gampu raised his brows at once.
"I have my eyes set on Commander." Dau'dry said. "Of something." Inwardly, Gampu smiled at the young woman's announcement. "I don't know really about where but . . . being a commander is the greatest honor in the Galactic for however brief it is."
"Hmmm. . . . Your people are focused on honor."
"Yeah." Dau'dry nodded. "It is the only way that my parents allowed me into the Space Academy."
"Why did you enter?" Gampu asked, intrigued.
"To help people other than my family." Dau'dry said. "And I am going to have a lot of angst about taking a command over possibly thousands of people." then Dau'dry shrugged. "By giving my honest view of being given a promotion; I am just investing."
The captain's stiffness fell off as he started to laugh, his laughter booming at first then echoing, so amused by the comment. It was several minutes of unexpected laughter that the lieutenant joined in until they were all giggling in the room and chuckling. The man who didn't smile often was smiling from ear to ear and the sound of space replaced the silence. The captain closed his eyes, his hands cupped in his lap, then proceeded to snore away.
The hours ticked by until they were back on Earth. The captain departed the seeker fleeing the space port in a uber that waited for him with a sign that read 'Izaac Gamepu' that his brows to raise in unison. The last times that he had attended this ceremony, his name was correctly written.
"Capt-ain Gampi?"
"Captain Gampu."
"Tis wai."
"Sir, did you write this?" Gampu stopped the off worlder. "On this plague?"
"No, sur. Standaurd is perfecet two right."
"Galactic gave this plague to you, then I am to assume?" Gampu asked.
"Yes, sur."
Gampu frowned, something is familiar about this uber. In a moment; it clicked, the accent, the strange appearance, and the clothing the off-worlder wore.
"Ah, Vakadhaha?"
"Vakadhaha!"
Gampu grinned in return with a nod.
"Pleased to meet you."
It was all a arrangement by the Galactic to make this experience the more tolerable and smoother for him going higher up in rank. The trouble that they had to go had to be great lengths researching about standards of promoting from the century in which that he had came from. The bits that they considered important was the hazing ritual for someone who had lived in the era where hazing was ingrained, a sacred tradition that was earmarked with deaths, until society had to eliminate it in order to preserve the lives that lingered from the last Earth war. It was a small but nice touch that eased the surreal nature.
"Ezhio vahi vurhao napturn?" Do you speak Vakadhahavian?"
"I do not speak your language." Gampu apologized as he held his hand up then lowered it. "But, I do-" he motioned toward himself then back to the floor. "- understand it."
The Vakadhahavian understood what Gampu was trying to say in his language with the show of a grin.
"Tis wai."
Gampu followed the whistling Vakadhahavian.
The trip to Earth Control was a rather short lived one changing out of his travel clothes into his dark blue formal clothes with a stop to a changing station. Gampu disembarked the vehicle once at the entrance of the large building cushioned by lovely roses bushes that ranged from different planets ranging in different shade and color. The older man approached the flower bed then stroked his fingers alongside the petals. He withdrew his hand then went on toward the building. It had been a very long time since he had walked into this building but it looked more different than the last time when he had been here. There were more holographic models of starships being emitted from the ceiling.
He followed the line of other officers, whom he recognized were in formal uniform as he were, then walked down a corridor at the back of the line. The door to the auditorium opened letting the men and the women. Gampu was the last of the large crowd to be seated then seated himself down at the corner of the fleet of officers then cupped his hands into his lap. The dark blue uniform felt natural to be in. A slice of a era that he had thrived in, people that he had once known, and his not-quite-so-humble-beginnings.
Gampu watched the Adjutant proceed to the podium.
"ATTENTION."
All the murmurs were silenced by the loud shout and the sound of standing to attention. The dignitaries - including his very old brother, Johnny Sunseed, seemingly disgruntled about being there- entered the chamber followed by a field officer which in this situation was a major who's rank was below Deputy Commander and Commander. A bit of the former ranking of the air force lingered in the space fairing exploration and peace keeping arm belonging to the Federation of Galactic Planets (or for short; Galactic, more fondly known as Star Galactic). Sunseed was the treasury inspector who worked part time as a agriculturist and favored planets that did not heavily feature robots as part of daily life.
The Adjutant stepped aside and the field officer came into line of view. Gampu recognized the officer as soon as she cleared her throat. It was Major Vincentio, a officer that Gampu had met roughly twenty-three years ago after she had exited the academy and moved directly into patrol ships. Gampu smiled, fondly, at the woman's presence if only briefly then it faded.
"Please, be seated." Gampu and the rest of the crowd seated themselves. "Welcome, officers, family members, Federation President, Ambassadors, Governors, Prime Ministers, Mayors."
Vincentio smiled regarding the officers, her hands on the side of the podium, observing the vast crowd of perspective peace keeping explorers.
"Captain Isaac Gampu and Johnny Sunseed please report to the stage."
Gampu stood up from the chair, smoothed out the sides of his uniform, then strayed out of the crowd toward the stage following close behind his brother. The bright white bird, Fracture, flapped their wings at Gampu, repeating, "Report to the stage, awk!" shifting themselves from side to side keeping a strong grip on to the man's shoulder. Gampu looked at the creature with bemusement. His fears and his worries rested in the background.
There were other medals from his past that weren't on the uniform as part of a entirely different identity. He bore new medals that were still as familiar but strange in the design with shapes that were different from the ones that were once worn on his former uniform. Gampu had a new slate with new the medals were given to him by people who trusted the man that he were now just as Dau'dry said. His angst thoughts dissolved into nothingness as confidence and resolve came to the forefront.
Gampu came to a pause to the left of Vincentio so Sunseed came to his left.
"Captain Gampu has proven to be a worthy asset of the Federation, the Galactic, and a note worthy friend to all who has lived for a very long time. Which is this reason, due to input from his colleagues, that he is to be promoted to Commander henceforth by his brother Johnny Sunseed, and I."
Vincentio stepped away from the podium then was handed a new set of shoulder boards by the Adjutant. The crowd watched with interest as Gampu's captain shoulder boards were withdrawn and replaced with new ones that were pinned on to the shoulder. The captain shoulder bands were handed over to the Adjutant then Vincentio shook Sunseed's hand then turned toward the newly minted commander.
"Thank you for your service, Commander. I really look forward to where you go from here."
Gampu grinned as he took the hand of the senior officer.
"As do I, Major." Gampu said.
The clapping started from behind the Senior Officer then the applause erupted across from Gampu as he turned toward the large crowd of people. It was loud and drastic in scope but one that was well earned for someone who managed to thrive and be kind for so long climb the ranks into a high position of power.
Gampu saw specters of those he had left behind as he had marched on in the land of the living while they did not applauding for his success with cheesy smiles and pride. Gampu enjoyed the warmth from the stage feeling as though he were on the top of his career and the highest that he could go as he smiled back at the massive crowd.
Gampu and Sunseed departed from the stage then the major returned to the center of the stage. Officer after officer went to the stage for their promotion - none of whom were members of his previous command - to the next rank. The ceremony of showing off all the promoted officers to the other attendees was done from highest to lowest rank in a long line that curved. Gampu was given many congratulations afterwards and followed the others to the refreshments.
"Gampu, why don't we have a drink for old times sake?" Sunseed approached him
"For old times sake, awk!" Fracture cried.
"As generous and as enticing as your request is, I must decline." Gampu said, sliding ten pieces of fudge and a meat sandwich on to his plate and a vine of berries. "I have something more worthwhile."
"You still cannot hold your liquor, can you?" Sunseed asked.
Gampu lifted his chin up.
"I have a reputation to uphold, brother." Gampu said. "Activity like that will destroy my career."
"Why don't we have blizzards then to commemorate your promotion?" Sunseed asked. "After you indulge yourself."
"Blizzards, yes." Gampu turned his attention upon his brother. "I do have some time allowing for that."
"Allowing for that! Awck! Allowing for that! Awck!"
"Why did you bring Fracture anyway? And how was Fracture so quiet during the proceedings?"
"I put a muzzle on her." Sunseed looked aside toward the bird, ashamed, then back toward Gampu. "She hates it," He waved the small device. "but, it's for her own good so she can be here."
"Ah yes, the dreaded reason." Gampu said, melo-dramatically. "You are a very noisy bird."
"You are a very noisy bird!" Fracture shrieked, shaking their head. "Noisy bird!"
Gampu and Sunseed laughed at the noisy bird.
"Commander Gampu?" A officer approached them
Gampu turned in the direction of the lone officer.
"Yes, I am he." Gampu said.
"Earth Control has decided your new assignment." The envelope was held out for him.
"So soon?" Sunseed asked.
"That is very fast." Gampu said.
"Very fast, ackw, that is very fast, awk!" Fracture cried.
"Sounds to me they decided their assignment before hand." Sunseed noted.
"Ah, thank you." Gampu said.
Gampu took the slip of paper then the officer left him. He slipped open the envelope, took out the folded paper, then slowly sat down into the chair alongside him as his eyes flashed open in shock.
"Gampu, what is it?" Sunseed asked, alarmed, his hand on the back rest of the chair.
Gampu was trembling, shell shocked, as he handed the paper to Sunseed.
"Dear Commander Gampu, you are to report. . ." Sunseed's eyes widened then looked toward the fleeing officer.
DEAR COMMANDER GAMPU:
YOU ARE TO REPORT TO ACADEMY CONTROL AND TAKE COMMAND PER THE AGREEMENT BY THE UNITED NATIONS OF EARTH OF YOUR AUTHORIZATION. THESE DUTIES INCLUDE OVERSEEING BLUE, RED, AND YELLOW TEAMS WORKING WITH DEPUTY COMMANDER OF STAR COMMAND, JASON OF STAR COMMAND.
YOUR DUTIES WILL CONSIST OF SUPERVISING CADETS PERFORMING CLEAN UP WORK ON ROUTES, COLONIST MATTERS, STARMAPPING, TAKING CARE OF SPACE EXTRATERRESTRIAL MATERIAL THAT GETS IN THE WAY OF THE ACADEMY, GATHERING FUEL FOR LIFE SUPPORT BADGES, AND SEARCH AND RESCUE, ETC.
EARTH CONTROL, SAN FRANSISCO, EARTH, SOLAR SYSTEM.
"More one thousand people under my responsibility, brother." Gampu said.
"You handled a thousand people-"
"On a starship!" Gampu exclaimed.
"On a starship, awk!" Fracture interrupted.
"Very well, didn't you?" Sunseed reminded.
"Very well, didn't you? awk, didn't you?" Fracture repeated.
"I did." Gampu conceded but his mood became foul. "But, that wasn't full of cadets."
"Scared of losing a kid?" Sunseed asked.
Gampu gulped, nodding his head, visibly distraught by the thought.
"Very afraid." Gampu admitted.
Sunseed put his hands on the side of Gampu's arms and knelt down to his level.
"These mortals believe in you, little brother." Sunseed said. "They believe that you can keep the kids safe."
Gampu lifted his head up toward Sunseed.
"What if I fail?" Gampu asked. "What if my duties are too much? What if I falter to my unflattering side? What if history repeats itself-"
"You would have done your best." Sunseed's comment silenced his brother. "You're only human, brother."
"You're only human, brother, awk." Fracture repeated as Gampu looked toward the bird. "Only human, awk! Only human, awk!"
"Remember our past glorious failures?" Sunseed asked.
"I do remember that very well."
"And how we rose up from it?" Sunseed nagged.
"It was very trying times." Gampu nodded, somberly.
"And we learned from it." Sunseed became mellow as he pouted as his mood became grave. "The academy is a learning place." he clapped his hands together then smiled. "So is life." the younger brother listened attentively. "You're there to teach those young precious minds and you will do it successfully." the older brother waved his fingers in the air. "Cadets have minds of their own."
"I remember when I used to be a cadet." Gampu said. "How such my existence was simplistic with only my responsibility to my fellow cadets."
"And did you listen to your instructors?"
"I did." Gampu said.
Sunseed lowered his head then pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I did, awk!" Fracture repeated and Gampu smiled back at the bird.
"That was the wrong question to ask." Sunseed smiled with a slight chuckle as he raised his head back up facing his brother.
"You think, Sunseed?" Gampu lifted a brow then proceeded to laugh shaking his head. "You make a terrible life coach."
Sunseed snickered.
"It is their choice to heed your warnings or advice." Sunseed resumed. "You have to hand it to luck that the wind goes in your direction. . ."
"And Earth feels that it will." Gampu finished.
"Exactly." Sunseed said, nodding back. "You've gained more discipline since we became this way. You are just ripe for it! Right for the picking."
"Sometimes," Gampu shook his head. "I don't know about you. Sometimes, you have the wrong things to say and this is just one of those times where you do have the right things to say." his hands were set on his knees as he shook his head looking up toward Sunseed. "Why is it that I am the one thrust with responsibility?"
"Because you do not like injustices, brother." Sunseed said. "You wish to rectify them."
Sunseed pointed a finger into Gampu's chest.
"You're a explorer and a rescuer at heart."
He withdrew his finger from his brother's chest.
"Both of these qualities need a command system."
"You mean a team."
"I do. We made a great team. For however short it was."
"Indeed, we did. . . we did." Gampu frowned as a memory crossed his mind. "You were a lousy repairman of the replicator and that is one part of our team work that I do not miss."
Sunseed chuckled back at his brother's comment.
"Both of these qualities, you excel at." he gestured toward the shoulder board resting on Gampu's shoulder. "You were the natural leader when we were exploring out there."
"Exploring out there, awk, exploring out there, awk."
"Why not you, Sunseed? Why couldn't you join the Federation? It's all your fault that I went to the federation. You chased me off the planet with your anti-progress talk!"
"I rebel against technology." Sunseed said. "And it seems that being me has done some good for the world." he smiled back at the younger brother of them all. "You helped the third star war end and several additional colonies be founded."
"Right. . . I had forgotten about that." Gampu grimaced looking aside then smiled, fondly, rubbing his chin. He turned his attention back on toward Sunseed with a few moments of some consideration. "It seems with a character like that, one is bound to head into the leadership role as some authority."
"Sounds a lot like destiny." Sunseed said. "Still like that blizzard?"
Gampu regarded the letter that was handed back to him by Sunseed then looked back up.
"Doesn't say anything of when I am to be expected." Gampu said. "I can't say no to spending two hours with my dearly beloved brother."
"Great, let's go the dinosaur park and touch the dinosaurs with feathers for starters!" Sunseed announced, cheerfully.
"Feathers for starters!" Fracture repeated. "Awk!"
Sunseed went to the refreshments table as Gampu looked on fondly toward him and shook his head then folded the letter into his pant pocket, picked up a piece of the fudge, and began to eat. And all was well as he looked forward to his first command of the most prestigious academy in space. It was full of faces that he will get to know with a tenure that was certain but with mysteries of what would happen in those intervening years set between his arrival and his departure. And his future wasn't exactly in the air.