WARNING:

This is a story of friendship, commitment, love and trust. It is not a sex story. However, this story deals with love between male teenagers. If you are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, please do not read this story. There may be some sex scenes in this story; however, sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal to read this story where you live, don't read it. Reproducing this story for distribution without the owner's permission is a violation of that copyright.

Author's Message:Okay this is a revised chapter one because the old one was too poorly written for my liking. LOL. If you read the first one i hope you like this one better ;)

LAF,

Sam (sam_lakes@yahoo.com)

Queststar

By Sam Lakes

Chapter One

“Captain, the two Hellion warships are gaining on us – there is no way we can outrun them.”

“Just keep us heading towards Quad-1 at top speed, Navigator Hollings. We’ve got to get the boy out of here. And try to avoid getting hit!”

Captain Jonathan O’Riyan hurried toward the boy’s quarters, knowing that the boy would probably refuse to leave, “MO,” he spoke into his communicator as he hurried along, “Meet me at Doc’s quarters, and bring something to tranquilize the boy. We have to get him off the ship before it’s too late.”

“Aye, Captain, I’m on my way!”

The first volley of torpedoes rocked the ship violently, causing the captain to lose his balance. He went flying forward and slid half way down the corridor. “FUCK!” he yelled as he crashed into the door at the end of the corridor.

The door opened, “Jonathan, are you ok? What’s happening?” asked Dr. Zaron Zaronovski.

“We’re under attack by two Hellion Warships!,” answered the captain. Looking over to the young boy sitting on the floor, “We have to get him off the ship. We can’t let them know he exists. We have less than 15 minutes before they catch us in a tractor beam.”

Dr. Zaronovski turned to the boy. “It’s time.”

“No, I want to stay here, I don’t want to leave you! I’ll hide, they won’t find me.”

“Can’t risk it. I-I love you too much. The whole crew loves you, but we can’t risk them finding you. I’ve already explained this to you. There is no other choice.”

“No, I want to stay on the ship!” argued the boy, with tears glistening in his eyes, “The crystal will protect us.”

“We can’t risk that,” said Doctor Zaronovski as he hugged the boy. “We’ve talked about this before. I’ve told you what the Hellion warmongers do to their prisoners. You need to get to safety – to my brother. Remember the things I’ve told you. You have no choice right now.”

The Medical Officer came into the room and went straight to the doc and boy.

“I have to give you this, son, it will make your trip to the Quadrant more comfortable.”

The boy knew there was no point in arguing, they wouldn’t let him stay. Mentally preparing himself for the injection, he allowed it to happen. Within a few seconds, he closed his eyes as unconsciousness took over his body.

****

Within the Hellion Empire mention of the Quadrant’s existence is publicly equated to some wacky religious cult. The truth of its exitence was kept secret. Only a handful of people aboard the Warship Cadiath were aware that a small star-ship from the Quadrant existed. Their standing orders were to capture and take prisoner any starship from the Quadrant. As their sister ship attempted to capture the Quadrant vessel both the sister ship and the Quadrant vessel were vaporized.

An object, perhaps an escape pod, but too small to hold a full grown man had been ejected from the Quadrant vessel. It appeared to be traveling at near light speed. The commander of the Hellion Warship, fearing that it may be a lure for them to chase and then be vaporized, opted not to give chase, but to return to the safety of their home base at the center of the Hellion Empire, in the star system Hades, with recordings of the encounter so that the data could be analyzed.

****

“Commodore Feder, Zaron Queststar is here,” reported the Cadet Messenger.

The commodore looked up from the mountain of paperwork and smiled, somewhat relieved to take a break from his work.

“Show him in, Cadet Simmons,” replied the commodore.

Traveling to Quad-1 to pick up new recruits, and returning cadets to the Royal Academy of Protectors, was something he hadn’t done for many years.

Although quartered on the same grounds as the Academy, he was now the head of the illustrious group called the Royal Protectors. They were the guardians of peace and the protectors of the Quadrant, which consisted of four diametrical star systems in their galaxy.

This trip was different; this time it was to meet his nephew, who he hoped would join the Academy. Only a few weeks had passed since receiving a communication that his half-brother, Dr. Zaron Zaronovski, had been killed. Less than a year ago, the commodore had received word from his brother that he had a fourteen year old son whom he had named Zaron Queststar.

That news had been a total surprise, mainly because it had been the first time his brother had mentioned a son.

“Queststar,” the commodore chuckled to himself, remembering that Queststar was a mythical place his brother thought really existed. His brother, Dr. Zaron Zaronovski, had changed his career path from being a Royal Protector to being a scientist simply to prove that such a place existed. In all these years of research, he’d never found Queststar.

A few moments later, the door to Commodore Feder’s stateroom and office aboard the star-ship Arclius opened and a solemn-faced fourteen year old boy stepped into the room. He was dressed in the gray with bright-red-collared uniform of an Andromedes Star Explorer officer, but with no rank insignia. Andromedes had been the star-ship the Commodore’s half-brother had been on when it was attacked by a Hellion warship.

The only known survivor from Andromedes had been Zaron Queststar.

Before the Commodore had a chance to greet the young boy, the boy spoke, ”I don’t want to be a Royal Protector, I want to be a scientist. That’s my destiny!”

The Commodore almost laughed. Even though the boy standing in front of him looked nothing like his brother, the attitude coming from the boy was definitely like his brother.

“Welcome, aboard the Arclius, Zaron,” said the Commodore as he reached out his hand in greeting.

Zaron looked at the Commodore’s outstretched hand, then into his eyes.

“You don’t look like your brother,” stated the boy, “You don’t even share the same last name.”

“We were siblings by marriage,” replied the Commodore.

Zaron looked down at the Commodore’s outstretched hand, and finally took it in his own.

Instantly, the Commodore felt a tingling sensation in the back of his neck, and then glimpses of his life flashed through his mind, particularly those which involved his brother.

<My mind is opened to you>, thought the commodore, and he smiled at Zaron. He had heard that only a very few people could mind-read, and this was the first time he had ever experienced it. It was a pleasant feeling for the most part, because the parts of his life that were being scanned were happy times.

Zaron pulled his hand back quickly. He had scanned others before, but only Dr. Zaronovski, the Commodore’s brother, and a few others on Andromedes had detected that he had indeed scanned them. It surprised him that the Commodore had sensed his scanning, and had even mind-talked to him.

Zaron stared at the Commodore for several moments before the Commodore broke the silence, “Your father never mentioned his son was a mind-reader – very rare talent.”

Zaron looked down at the floor, then slowly back up to the Commodore. Tears were filling his emerald green eyes, “He wasn’t my real father, but I wanted him to be. I-I loved him. Why did he make me leave? Why?”

The Commodore, sensing the boy’s loss and grief, reached out and pulled the boy into a hug as the suppressed emotion of loss erupted from the boy. For almost a half hour, the boy cried, until, finally, exhaustion overtook his body, and the Commodore laid him on a couch to sleep.

Zaron’s statement regarding the commodore’s brother had answered a few questions in his mind, like why Zaron looked nothing like his brother. But the biggest question was as yet unanswered. How did Zaron come to be with his brother, and what had happened. Why had the science star-ship Andromedes been vaporized, and why was this boy the only survivor?

Zaron awoke with a start several hours later, looked around the room, and realized where he was. He saw the Commodore working at his desk.

“I really don’t want to be a Royal Protector. I really want to be a scientist like the Doctor. There are things I have to learn; things I have to do,” he stated in a soft voice, after sitting up.

The Commodore looked up at him, smiled, and then moved over to the couch and sat down next to Zaron.

“Ah, you’re awake. A scientist…hummm, things you have to do?” asked the Commodore.

“Yes, I mean yes sir. My dad, uh-well, not my real dad, but Dr. Zaronovski told me that true knowledge is the greatest defense against tyranny and stupidity. He said the quest for knowledge seemed to be inbred in me. It’s part of my uh, what was the word he used, oh yes, DNA. So, as much as you probably want me to become a Royal Protector like yourself, well, I just don’t think it’s part of my DNA,” said the boy, as if he’d been reciting it to himself for hours.

The Commodore smiled. “Zaron, I have no disagreement with that, but there are some things you need to know: First of all, several months ago my brother sent me a communication that he had a son, Zaron Queststar, which was a surprise for several reasons, but mainly because in the last fourteen years he’d never mentioned that to me. Secondly, his statement to me was that he wanted you to attend the Royal Academy of Protectors. That didn’t surprise me because we had both attended the Academy. He opted to become a scientist when he reached sixteen. I think my brother had a reason for wanting you to become a cadet, and even though he may not have been your real father, it is evident that you both loved each other very much.”

Zaron nodded. The sadness on his face was plain to see.

“So, I’m asking you to reconsider, as you can only be a cadet on your determination – not mine – not anyone else’s. My hope is that you will at least give it a go for now. I think that was my brother’s wish too.”

Zaron sighed, and said nothing for a while.

"Ok,” he said in a soft and slightly defeated voice, then added, “but when I’m sixteen I shall decide to be a scientist.”

"Fair enough!” said the Commodore as he gave the boy a hug.

Zaron smiled, the hug reminded him of the hugs Dr. Zaronovski had given him.

Zaron was unable to give the Commodore very much data on how he and the Doctor came to be together, or why he had been jettisoned from the Andromedes before it was vaporized, other than the doctor said it was for his protection and the future of the Quadrant, which Zaron failed to understand.

Before their meeting was concluded, the Commodore gave Zaron credits to purchase personal items and clothing, and perhaps some games locally, before they left for the Academy on Durin-4. The Commodore arranged for transportation and two days accommodation on Quad-1’s surface.

****

"Are you sure it’s safe to drop surveillance of the boy, Commodore Feder?” asked Commander Torgas, the Senior Security Officer.

"Yes, I assure you, Commander, he is not a Hellion android sent to spy on us. I will admit he is different, but I sense no danger from him.”

"I trust you are right, sir. I shall order all surveillance on the boy to cease,” replied Commander Torgas.

"Thank you, but make sure that he is kept safe. All I was able to glean from him was that the crew of the Andromedes wanted him to make it here, and sacrificed their lives to do so.

****

"Hey, you going to RAP?” asked a boy about half a head taller that Zaron.

Zaron nodded.

"First-year, huh?”

Zaron nodded again.

"I’m Morrison, this is my second year. I had a great time my first year, it really helps my family, what with the credits they receive, and it’s better than being a scientist. Man, the poor guys that have to be scientists - did you know they are the lowest paid of all?”

With a look of sadness, Zaron shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe it’s a higher purpose that leads them to being a scientist,” said Zaron.

“You’re not happy to be a Royal Protector?” Morrison stated, more than asked. He was puzzled by the lack of enthusiasm shown by Zaron.

Zaron mumbled, “I don’t have much of a choice in the matter right now, but when I’m sixteen I shall choose another path. I shall become the greatest scientist of all our worlds.”

"A scientist, why?” puzzled Morrison, who had never known anyone that wanted to be a scientist.

Zaron’s face brightened up. “I like learning, exploring, inventing things, and figuring things out,” stated Zaron. “What excites me about going to Durin-4 is the Forbidden Forest.”

“The Forbidden Forest! That is a most dangerous place! No one who has ventured into that place has ever returned!”

“Ah, but that’s what makes it exciting. Perhaps I could be the first to return and explain why others have failed. Such mysteries exist there that are waiting to be discovered and documented.”

Morrison smiled and shook his head, “Perhaps you’ll be another person who never returned. You’re weird, cute but weird. You best keep your mind on your studies as an RP. Venturing into the Forbidden Forest would only result in me losing a friend.”

Zaron shrugged his shoulders, but inside he felt the warmth of Morrison’s comment. For the first time since being on the Quad-1 surface, a small smile crept onto his face – which did not go unnoticed by Morrison.

<Oh, man! I hope we will become close friends. He is so cute!> thought Morrison and blushed slightly, <I just hope he forgets about such foolish adventures.>

As the shuttle arrived to take them back to the star-ship, Zaron attempted to lift his duffel bag. It was far too heavy for him, and eventually he resolved to dragging it along behind him.

“Need some help?” asked Morrison.

Zaron shook his head stubbornly, saying, “I can manage.” A statement completely ignored by Morrison as he grabbed hold of the duffel bag.

“Mother of planets! What have you got in here, Gold?”

Zaron giggled, “Uh-huh, Zaronian gold.”

“Zaronian Gold?”

“Yep, you’d probably call them books, but to me they are more valuable than gold.”

“Books!” laughed Morrison.

“Yes, science books, I am going to be a scientist. It is my destiny.”

Morrison rolled his eyes in disbelief, but he couldn’t help sense that this first-year’s determination to become a scientist might well become a reality someday.

The two boarded the shuttle.

****

“Welcome, aboard the star-ship Arclius. I am Commander Nucomb, headmaster of the Royal Academy of Protectors. The trip will take three weeks to reach Durin-4 and the Academy. Second, third, and fourth-year students can enjoy a one week vacation before beginning their training. First-year students, you should have been issued your uniforms. If not, see the quartermaster after this assembly. You begin your training in three days.”

“You have been given your room assignments. Dinner will be served in the cadet mess hall in two hours. Meanwhile, get yourself situated in your quarters.”

“Morrison!” called two young boys.

“Paulik! Jenic!,” replied Morrison, “You arrived yesterday?”

“Yes, and we’re sharing a room with you,” stated the red-headed boy, Paulik.

“I know, I know. I requested it when my mother told me you two were joining the RAP. Oh, this is Zaron, a friend I just made on the way here. He’s a first year too. Zaron, these two twins are Paulik and Jenic.”

“Hi, Zaron,” the two said.

“Hi,” replied Zaron, rather shyly.

“In three days you start your training,” said Morrison, “You’ll be running the gauntlet. The gauntlet is a special hallway about fifty meters long and you have to run to the end of the hallway. Sounds easy, huh?” Paulik and Jenic nodded. Zaron shrugged his shoulders, suspecting there was more to it than simply running to the end.

“It’s not. In fact, no one has ever made it to the end. You see, they randomly shoot sting blasts at you, and the speed and randomness increase the closer you get to the end. Most never get more than ten meters. My first time, I made it ten meters before I was hit by a sting blast.”

“Does it hurt?” ask Paulik.

“Yeah, it definitely hurts, but you get over it quickly and you’re not damaged like you would be if it were a weapons blast.”

“Why?” asked Zaron.

“Why what?”

“What’s the purpose?”

“To train you to avoid blasts and to keep you aware, as well as, I suppose, speed and body coordination. I can now make it twenty-two meters. A few, like the third-year, Garthon, made it to thirty eight meters in his first year! Once you make it to 25 meters you don’t have to run it anymore”

“What are the properties of a sting blast?” asked Zaron.

“Properties?”

“Yes, electrical, light, laser?”

“Electrical, I guess, but who cares, the idea is to move fast and get to the end. Anyway, it’s free time now, who wants to go to the game hall?”

“I do,” said both Paulik and Jenic.

Morrison looked at Zaron, hoping he would want to go, but Zaron said, “I’ll pass, I need to find my room and I’ve got some reading to do.”

“Reading?” said Paulik.

“Yeah, I’m going to be a scientist one day. I need to study,” replied Zaron.

Three boys shook their heads in disbelief, and then headed towards the game room while Zaron proceeded to find his room. Finally, after what seemed like a few hours to him, but was more like fifteen minutes, Zaron found his room.

He opened the door and was greeted by an older half-naked boy lifting weights in the center of the room.

“Oh, hey! You must be Zaron Queststar, my roommate,” said the older boy as he put the weights down, and stretched out his hand to greet Zaron.

“I’m Trender Nucomb from Lanzrono-5.”

Zaron shook his hand as he stared at his roommate’s body.

“What?”

Zaron blushed. “Uh, well, uh, you've got nice muscles.”

“Yep! I do,” said the boy as he admired himself in the mirror.

Zaron started to drag his duffel bag into the room, but it was grabbed out of his hands by the boy, who effortlessly lifted it and placed it on an unmade bed.

“There you go! Wotcha got in there, anyway?”

“Books.”

Trender nodded then smiled. “Good! Excellent! I am rooming with someone intelligent,” he paused for a moment, as if thinking to himself, then smiled widely, “and cute to boot!”

Zaron blushed again, and muttered, “Thanks.”

“So, are you a second or third-year?” asked Zaron as he put his things away.

“Actually, I’m more like two and a half years. My parents died, and my uncle, well, my uncle got me into the Academy mid-year,” replied Trender.

“I don’t have any parents either, but I did have a guardian. I don’t even remember having parents. They found me when I was uh, uh,” Zaron paused, not knowing if he should tell this boy where he was found, “Well, I’m not sure how old I am; I'm told I’m fourteen now.”

“Well, then, I guess we are in the same boat,” commented Trender.

“Boat? We’re in a star-ship in space,” said Zaron, with a most puzzled look on his face.

Trender laughed, “You are too much! And so cute!.”

Indignantly, Zaron responded, “Too much what? And stop calling me cute!" Zaron was beginning to think it had been a mistake to agree with his uncle. He missed the crew of the Andromedes. He missed the Doctor most of all.

Feeling foolish at his ignorance of what Trender was saying, and knowing that any second he’d start crying, he turned around facing away from Trender. Then as tears filled his eyes he threw himself on his bed face down.

He hated being here now. What was he supposed to say to this boy; what was he allowed to say about himself. The Doctor had cautioned him about revealing anything to anybody about himself. He hide as much as he dared from the Commodore. This boy seemed honest and didn't seem to pose a threat.

Trender was surprised at Zaron’s reaction, but quickly moved to Zaron’s bed and placed his hand on Zaron’s back, softly speaking, “Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll try not to call you cute, but I won’t promise you that, because, I don’t know, when I saw you in person walking through the door, you were <sigh> better looking than the photograph I’d seen of you.“

Still with his face in the pillow, Zaron asked, “You saw a photograph of me?”

“Yeah, my last roommate and I didn’t get along too well. Then Commander Nucomb found out the problems we were having, and well, he showed me a photo of you and said that you were the Commodore’s nephew and, well, asked if I would mind having you as a roommate.”

“Oh. Why?” asked Zaron, turning his head to face Trender.

“Why what?” replied Trender

“Why were you having problems with your roommate?”

“I’d rather not talk about that,” answered Trender.

“Oh, I see. It’s personal, right?” said Zaron with a smile.

“Yeah, personal,” replied Trender.

“Good, I won’t ask you about anything personal and you won’t ask me anything personal. If I ask you anything you think is personal just say ‘personal’ and I’ll understand and leave it and you do the same for me. Agreed?” asked Zaron.

“Sure, that sounds fair enough,” replied Trender.

“Will we be roommates at the Academy?” asked Zaron.

Slightly hesitant, Trender replied, “Only... only if that’s what you want?”

Zaron looked at Trender for a moment, trying to sense him. Then a slight smile appeared on his face and he replied, “I want to be your roommate.”

“Great!” Trender exclaimed happily and blushed, “I mean great... uh, yeah that’s... uh...“

“Nice,” giggled Zaron.

“Zaron, about being in the same boat – it’s a saying – it means we’re in the same situation. You know, neither of us have our real parents anymore and, well, your guardian is the Commodore and mine is the Commander.”

“Okay, then we are in the same boat, and star-ship.”

Zaron got off his bed, continued to put away his things, and make his bed.

“Well, it’s almost time for dinner – you need to change into your cadet uniform and then we will go,” said Trender, hoping he’d get a look at Zaron’s naked, or even half-naked, body.

“Oh, okay,” said Zaron as he got up from his bed and grabbed his uniform out of the closet. “Where’s the bathroom so I can get changed?”

“You can change in here, I won’t look,” said Trender, knowing that he definitely would take a peek.

“No, I won’t do that.”

“Zaron, we’re roommates. You haven’t got anything that I haven’t got.”

“No, I’m not supposed to undress in front of anyone.”

“Why? Has... has someone said you shouldn’t? Who?” asked Trender, getting a bit upset that Zaron might already heard a rumor about him.

Zaron looked at him, “It’s personal. Now, tell me where I can change in private or leave the room.”

Trender looked hurt by what Zaron had said.

Grabbing his uniform top, Trender muttered, “Fine. I’ll leave,” and then left.