Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2021 20:58:00 +0100 From: Andrew Passey Subject: Andromeda Three Part Five (Young Friends) (Science Fiction) "So your parents are crew onboard? Why aren't you already up there?" The security guard asked me sternly. This was stage one of the plan and if it went wrong here then it clearly wasn't much of a plan. I'd been told this entrance gate was the least used and therefore the most likely for me to be able to get in. So I'd walked up casually trying not to limp from my exertions from the past couple of days. Despite my better instincts I'd also spent the previous night in Grant's room. Our bodies had joined together multiple times. If it was to my last fuck on Earth it had definitely been worth it although I was slightly sore now. I'd packed the lube and the cream I had with me though so I was prepared for all eventualities. Although I hoped my days of being fucked were over. "I don't know,," I replied to the guard's question,"I'm just a kid. They were called up early due to some technical problems that needed fixing. They just left me with my grandma and these papers that I needed to show to join them. Is there a problem with them?" I asked handing them over to the guard whilst trying not to look nervous. He didn't look at them at first. "Why isn't your grandma here to make sure you got onboard safely?" I sighed a sad sigh, "She's too old and it was too emotional saying goodbye to her knowing I won't see her again. I can go and get here and see if she can make it here if you need me to?" The man looked at me closely before turning to look behind him. "Is there a problem Frank?" I heard another voice say and looked over to see a tall black guy in uniform striding over. "No sir, just got a boy here wanting to board the shuttle, says his parents are crew and left him here until it was leaving day. It all seems to be in order and I was just about to let him through. Unless you think I shouldn't?" "Ah, I think he's the one that upstairs was talking about. It's fine, he's expected. I'll escort him through. You've done a good job Frank." The barrier opened and I was escorted into the shuttle complex. It was a hub of activity as shuttles took off for the ship orbiting above the planet. Whether the shuttles just carried people or it was last minute supplies or whatever I had no idea. I just wanted to get onboard. "So, Mr Rogers isn't it? Your parents really love space don't they?!" The man asked with a laugh. "Um I guess so." "You don't know? Buck Rogers was an old show back when they had televisions back in the very distant past. I guess you're named after him?" Ah, I thought my name was a bit weird. I don't know if it was Jonas's idea of a joke to use that name or he was just testing the system. Either way I was now in. I assumed this man was one of the guys who Jonas paid off but it wasn't something I could just ask him in case I'd got it totally wrong! "Yes I guess so. Mum and Dad love all that old space shit. So they did tell me the process of getting onboard but I wasn't really listening! They've got my luggage with them so is it just a matter of boarding the shuttle?" The man laughed, "Yes to board a colony ship taking people across the stars all you need is to talk your way through one guard post. No, of course it isn't that simple. But don't worry I've got it under control. Our mutual friend pays well. So first of all you'll need a medical just to check you aren't carrying anything contagious.l "Um if I am, does that mean I stay behind?" "Of course not, we can't be sending parents without their children can we? No, you'd be placed in a quarantine pod and sent up to the ship that way. So first medical, then scanning documents and getting you your pass to get onboard. I'm not going to lie, you'll stick out on board as I haven't been able to procure you a comms band that you're supposed to wear or the sort of spacesuit thing you're expected to wear once you take off. So I suggest once onboard you get yourself out of sight and hide until launch. For now, I'll sort out document scanning and getting you your pass. Much easier if you aren't there to be asked questions. Here's the medical centre, I'll escort you in then leave you to it. I'll be back to pick you up, DON'T leave until I come and collect you." I nodded, it was clear this was the man Jonas had bought off or at least one of them. As we walked into the medical centre I asked him his name but he said it was better I didn't know. So ten minutes later I stood there completely naked as the doctor did various tests on me. Mostly blood tests but he did a full body scan of me hence me having to be naked. He prodded and poked but to my relief didn't look too closely at my still sore rear end! He put a vial of blood into his computer system and then to my surprise he stood up and took an image on his data tablet of me naked. He then said I was fine to get dressed. Once I had my clothes on he looked at my results. "Who are you exactly?" "I'm like my papers say. Buck Rogers. My parents are crew onboard the ship." "Hmm well it's none of my business but your genetics are interesting, I guess you aren't local? Anyway, as I say, it's none of my business. You've got a clean bill of health so you're free to go." "What was the image on the data tablet for? My records?" I asked. The Doctor smiled, "No don't worry, just for my own private records. You're the most attractive boy I've ever had through here. If only I was thirty years younger. You can wait in reception, have a good trip!" I left the room and sat down, not knowing whether to be flattered by his comments or disgusted at his pervy behaviour. The latter I decided in the end. I waited a while until the man came back for me. "Sorry, that took longer than expected. I had some...unexpected problems. Nothing too serious and actually good to iron out these things for next time. However we better get you onboard and out of here before anyone else gets suspicious." At that he led me out through the complex, up lifts and through doors until I stood looking out of an internal window at my shuttle. "Shuttle" seemed to downplay such an impressive ship. It must have been able to transfer tens of people and belongings at a time. I thought I was in the clear until we got to the entrance door. People were queuing in front of us and having themselves scanned by a serious looking man before being allowed onboard. "Stay back until the queue has emptied," the man who was escorting me said. I did as I was told until an alarm went off and an announcement of "Final boarding for shuttle X25384 bound for Andromeda Three." At that the man rushed forward with me, "One last one for you! Parents are onboard already. He's lost some of his ID but his card should work!" The serious looking man tried to scan my card but it didn't work. "Is there a problem?" "It's not working," the serious looking man said. "It should be! The commander himself sorted this out although you know he's not always the most thorough at paperwork. Possibly he made a mistake but I don't want to be the one to tell him that! Give him a call if you want to?" The serious looking man sighed, "it's probably just this scanner playing up. No need to bother the commander. The boy can go onboard." I sighed internally not wanting him to see my relief and then that was it. I was aboard the shuttle. There were no guards here so I just took a spare seat, strapped myself in and waited. With a roar the engines kicked in and the ship started to take off. There were no windows, this shuttle was built to be efficient, not for tourists to visit space and marvel at its beauty. So no last look out the window at the city I called home for me. I didn't care. I was leaving it all behind and that was exactly what I wanted. The trip didn't seem to take long. It felt like we'd only just taken off before we were slowing and an announcement was made that we were docking with Andromeda Three. This moment was the most nervous I'd felt. It was like the final hurdle. I didn't have anyone to escort me here and I suddenly realised it was likely there'd be some sort of scanning onboard. Once we stopped everyone stood up and formed a sort of queue. I was near the back waiting for the doors to open. I saw a boy my age or a bit older standing nervously nearby. He was a bit taller than me and had blond hair and I guess you could say a cute face. I turned away as the doors opened and saw a man checking people off. He wasn't scanning though, just doing a bored cursory check. It was possible that a boy on his own like me might cause a second glance and some uncomfortable questions so I thought fast. I sidled over to the blond boy, "Exciting isn't it!" I said, smiling at him. He turned to look at me, "Is it?" "Well yes! Aren't you excited about going into a new galaxy and exploring strange planets and worlds?" We started to file out and he looked at me as if I was crazy, "I'm thirteen years old. I won't be doing any exploring. Just studying school like always but with no outdoor areas to have fun in. My parents are scientists who helped design the interstellar drive so they're very excited about the trip. They've already rushed off the shuttle forgetting I'm at the back of the queue! As for me, well I'm leaving my friends behind, I'm leaving a fantastic school and worst of all leaving all the fun stuff behind on Earth. I'm Dix by the way." He said, holding out his hand. I could see we were almost at the man and I should stay calm but I couldn't help it, I giggled uncontrollably, "Sorry but your name is Dicks? The favourite part of my body!" He looked at me seriously, "Well my full name is Dixon, Dix for short. I suppose it does sound like the slang word for penis. No one has pointed that out before though." "Really?!" I asked in surprise. "No one makes jokes about that sort of thing at school. It's incredibly immature and childish." Well that was me told I thought. I stayed quiet and close to him as we walked past the guard who didn't give the two of us a second look. I breathed a sigh of relief as I now knew I was onboard safely. Dix turned to look at me, "Well maybe I'll see you around whatever your name is. Oh one last thing..." he started to say as he walked away from me. "We called them cocks at my school!" He flashed me a smile that lit up his face and it made me feel a bit better about my earlier joke. I watched him leave as he headed off to find his parents and then I was left standing there on my own. "Right. What now?" I said out loud. I decided I better explore while there were still people mingling around. I needed a hiding place for when we eventually took off..