Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2016 21:42:30 -0700
From: Douglas DD DD <thehakaanen@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Survivors (Revised) Chapter 1

In 2003, I wrote and posted my first story for Nifty. It was titled "The
Survivors". In the ensuing years, I have posted many more stories and have
gained Prolific Author status. For the most part, the writing was not
edited and was very rough. Over the last couple of years, with the help of
two friends who are my editors, I revised the story. It is the same story,
but the writing is smoother and some of the holes in the story have been
filled. That means there are some minor changes to the plot in places.

While the story still has its rough spots, I think it is a much better read
than the one that appeared almost 13 years ago. If you haven't read it,
give it a try. A group of young adolescents find themselves alone in space
on a shuttle that was accidently launched from their mother ship.  The boys
suddenly go from indifferent students on board a space transport to having
to learn to survive in the harshest environment known to man.


CHAPTER 1
THE STARKEEPER

This story contains sex between minor boys and teenagers. If such things
offend you, or you are not at least 18 years of age, please don't read
on. This story is not true, but who knows, maybe someday it will be. The
story is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by the author.

The space transport "The Starkeeper" was orbiting Earth as it waited to get
its new load of passengers and cargo for the voyage to Alpha Orion IV. The
transport would be taking new colonists and their families, some visitors
and tourists, businessmen and government officials on business. Captain
Fuller watched as the shuttles from Earth brought up loads of passengers
and cargo to the transport that was over 1000 feet long and had 30 decks.
The Captain noted that his passenger list for this trip included 1,155
persons and a crew of 400 for a total of over 1500 people. Captain Fuller
was very proud of his ship, even though it wasn't the largest or the
fastest in the space fleet. Yet, to him, it was the best ship and had the
best crew.

The shuttles emptied their passengers into the huge transport for the
two-month trip to Alpha Orion IV. As Captain Fuller watched the last of the
arrivals, he was feeling sorry to have missed a stop at Earth, but he knew
he would be coming back. On the other hand, most of the passengers would
never see Earth again as they had decided to move permanently to a new home
in space.

There were fourteen boys, ages ten to fifteen, who were travelers on a new
adventure into space at Alpha Orion IV. Some resented being forced to leave
Earth, some were overjoyed at this new opportunity to start life anew, and
most hoped to find other boys their age and develop new friendships.

One of the first to board the space ship was Douglas, fourteen and 5'3 with
brown hair and eyes. Although he was with his parents, he had a sad look
about him. He didn't want to leave Earth and all his many friends. He
couldn't understand why his parents wanted to go to some planet that was
just getting started as a colony when they had everything on Earth. He
scowled and looked very disconsolate as he followed a crewman and his
parents to their cabin.

As he walked down the corridor he saw a boy his size go the other
way. Douglas said "Hi" and looked at him, thinking he not only looked cute
but that he might become a friend. As Douglas continued walking, he started
thinking of how he could make friends with the boy.

Meanwhile, Travis, thirteen, with dirty blond hair, noticed the boy
carrying his bags and going in the other direction. He noticed that the boy
looked upset and wondered if it was because he was leaving Earth. But, he
liked the appearance and friendliness of the boy, and hoped he might
develop a friendship with him on the trip. Travis just knew he was going to
hate being on what he called a "dumb planet", and wondered if there were
other boys on the trip with whom he might develop friendships.

Sitting in a cabin on a middle deck was a short, blond-haired boy named
Scott. He was thirteen, with a short haircut, and he was traveling with his
father. His father was in the engineering section and had helped install a
new part in the warp drive. It should help take a whole week off the trip
to Alpha Orion IV. Since his father had invented the part, he was going on
the round trip to make sure it worked properly. Because he didn't want to
be separated from his son for four months, he arranged to have Scott come
with him. Scott was really excited to be on his first space trip and happy
to be with his dad.

As the next shuttle docked, Stevie, thirteen, and his brother Alex,
fourteen, got their bags and boarded the space ship. They not only were
brothers but best friends as well and were joining their stepdad and mom on
Alpha Orion IV. Since they were traveling alone, an attendant met them and
explained that she was the person who would be kind of in charge of them
for the trip.  She added that she understood they were both good kids and
that they would enjoy the trip to meet their parents.

Fifteen-year-old Mike followed the brothers off the shuttle. He had been
watching Alex the whole trip up from Earth and thinking that he was a
really cute and hot looking guy. His little brother wasn't bad either. Mike
waited for his brother Brad, who was twelve years older, and who was going
to Alpha Orion IV to start a new job and a new life. Mike didn't have any
reason to stay on Earth and was ready to follow Brad wherever he went. It
looked like it was to a new planet.

Warren boarded the space ship feeling sick and miserable. He felt this way
often, but this time it was worse. Why did he have to leave his estate, his
mansion, his home for some undeveloped planet? His dad claimed he needed
new challenges. But, who needed challenges, Warren thought. His dad had the
best life in the world. Then, too, Ian and Todd, Warren's brothers, were
being left behind until the family's new home was built. His dad took
Warren because he thought roughing it on a new planet would help him to
become tougher and stronger. As he moped around his cabin, the 5'
fourteen-year-old coughed and looked for his medicine. He had already
decided he wasn't going to leave his cabin for the whole two months. There
wasn't anybody worth meeting anyway. He was sure if there were other boys
on board they would only tease him like he had been teased back on Earth.

Ryan, a short, skinny fourteen-year-old with blond hair, was next off the
shuttle. He was quiet and shy, and appeared to be younger than his real
age. He was not excited to go on this trip, didn't really like his parents,
and was traveling alone. He had been living with friends and would have
been happy to keep it that way. Besides, there was nothing for him on a
strange planet with no friends, no relatives, nothing. He was all alone. He
knew he'd have a roommate who would not like him, and especially when he
found out what Ryan was really like.

Ryan noticed a tall boy on the shuttle. This was Jeremy, a twelve-year-old
and an obvious athlete who was both outgoing and daring. He loved showing
himself off any way he could. His parents had gone to Alpha Orion a year
ago, but were unable to afford to take him at the time.  With their farm
doing pretty well, they now could afford to send him the money for the
trip. He was excited that he'd have new places to conquer, new things to
learn, new people to meet and new friends to make. He could hardly wait
until he met his new roommate. He wondered if the cute blond riding the
shuttle with him could be his roommate. He was alone, so maybe he could.

Robert Charles, fourteen and 6'0 tall, was a heavy and muscular young lad
with a little fat on his body. His dad was going to be the new Governor of
Alpha Orion IV representing the Earth government. Robert Charles was used
to moving and meeting new people. He liked being in charge and finding out
quickly who he could trust, who he could use, and who he could bully.

While he knew that some people on this trip wouldn't fit in these
categories, he was eager to leave his cabin and check out the observation
deck. He knew the "Starkeeper" would be leaving orbit soon, and Robert
Charles wanted to see what boys showed up and see who looked vulnerable.


Jordan, who was twelve, was in a cabin in the crew area where his father
was Chief Engineer.  Since his Mother had passed away, he lived on his
father's ship when his dad traveled. He met lots of new boys each trip and
he knew this trip would be no different. He had seen the passenger list and
noticed there would be several boys in his age group. Jordan knew the ship
inside and out, better than a lot of the crew. He also was used to getting
his way with crew members, except for Captain Fuller. Jordan was both a
bright and cute boy with reddish blond hair. But, he was terribly
spoiled. He had a hard time getting along with boys his age because he was
so used to dealing with the crew.

The "Starkeeper" was loaded. Captain Fuller gave the order to leave
orbit. Passengers headed for the observation areas to get a last look at
Earth. Dispersed among the 1,155 passengers on the space ship were eleven
boys, ages twelve to fifteen. None of them, except for Alex and Stevie, had
ever met.

But, before long, their lives, plus those of three younger boys and a boy
who had yet to board the ship, were going to come together in a way they
had never dreamed.

Comments are welcomed. E-mail me at thehakaanen@hotmail.com.

Next: The Boys