Haven

Chapter I
Training

Date: July 27th, 2785(MCT)
Location: Centaur system,
Centaur III(Corinna), civilian housing

A loud crash followed by a pair of dull thuds resonated throughout the house,
rousing the young five year old boy from his slumber. The boy, John Keisle by
name, quickly slipped out of bed and ran down the oak stairs to see the cause of
the sound. He shook his long brown hair out of his blue-green eyes, stopping at the
sight of his parents on the floor, the metal door blown apart. He was tall for his age,
standing at almost 4 feet at 8 years old, he stood the tallest in class. A flashlight shined through the destroyed door, blinding him temporarily. Three black clothed men walked in, with nasty looking weapons strapped to their sides.

“Wh...who are you?” he asked in a shaky voice, holding up one hand to block the light.

One of the men pointed at him, silently nodding to the one on his right, who pulled out the weapon on his hip. He spun it, pointing it directly at John, and pulled the trigger. John stumbled back, avoiding a large net by inches. He turned and ran up the stairs two at a time, hearing the men pursue him. He turned the corner that led to his parents room. He reached the door, throwing it open, but before he could enter another net wrapped around him. He struggled for an instant before a jolt ran through him, sending his mind into darkness and he collapsed to the floor. The three men walked quickly to where he lay, one bending down to pick him up while the others walked back down the stairs.

“Target number 101 secure, Captain,” the leader said softly into a small mike, “heading back to Eagle transport now.”

“Ten-four. Proceed as previously instructed, Lieutenant.” a harsh voice said back.

“Affirmative, Captain. Over and out,” he said before switching the comm off and turning to the others as they walked out the broken door, “Hurry up, boys. We have over three thousand more of these to do.”

The other two nodded in agreement as they approached the transport, gently laying the boy on a seat and strapping him in before climbing in themselves. The ship started up with a soft purr, lifting up and turning up to the starry sky.

Π Λ Χ Θ Ω Σ

Date: July 30th, 2785(MCT)
Location: Tris Asteroid Belt
Planet Tris I(Omega), Security Base Scimitar
Magnum Training Sector

Doctor Kelly Jane Roberts sat stiffly on her stool as she waited for her assistant in this operation, Lieutenant General Keith Garner, to arrive. So far he was already fifteen minuets late and Kelly was quickly becoming frustrated. Her long black hair was pulled back into a shiny bun, exposing the two traditional markings of her race, two black lines that wrapped around both eyes then swept down onto her cheeks. Her skin was well tanned, and almost looked to be stretching under the strain of muscles underneath. She was a tall woman, compared to Humans, about 6'6'' and had an air of authority around her that made most people stay away. She shifted her head to the side as the doors slid open to reveal the Lieutenant General striding quickly towards the raised platform in the center of the large briefing room. He slowed to a halt in front of her, his large hand sweeping up in a salute above his piercing blue eyes.

“Lieutenant General, you're late,” she scolded him as he reached her, “we were supposed to start twenty minuets ago.”

“My apologies, Doctor. I was held up by Admiral Frost,” he replied in a rich bass, his hand retuning to his side.

“Please sit. There is something I wish to discuss with you, Lieutenant.” she gestured to a seat next to her.

He sat, pulling his over coat off as he did so. He hung the coat on the back of his chair then turned to her.

“Twelve years ago, when you were still at Central Academy, you and a few other fresh recruits broke into the Computer Central and changed the passwords for the missile complex. When apprehended, you refused to disclose the names of your accomplices,” she began, pulling out a small data panel, “your C.O. at the time, the current Admiral Frost, was pleased with your loyatly while at the same time angered at your obvious lack of discipline. To this day, you still will not say who it was, will you?”

He shook his head slowly, “No I will not.”

“Good. That only makes me trust you more, Keith,” she stated clearly, smiling.

“Why?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“It tells me you can keep a secret,” she smiled again as the main doors slid open, revealing several thousand children and their handlers. She ushered them in with a wave and they piled into the large room sitting down in the many seats, the handlers remaining in case they were needed. She stood, walking up to a hovering microphone, took a deep breath to steady herself and began.

“Good morning, children. I know this will be very difficult for you to understand, but i must tell you any way. You have been brought here to become our greatest soldiers. My name is Doctor Kelly Roberts. This is Lieutenant General Keith Garner,” she waved a hand at the man beside her, “he will be your commanding officer and trainer for the next fifteen years. It will be hard and difficult, but i hope you will make it.”

“What about our parents?!” one small boy called out form the back, his voice shaking.

“You have my dearest sympathies, but you will never again see them. You have been flash cloned and the clones will be shortly returned to your families instead of you,” she said softly, “You will become the Magnums of this military.”

She stepped away, discreetly wiping a small tear from her eye as the Lieutenant stepped up.

“Handlers, report with the children to the barracks,” he ordered, “Make sure they get a good nights rest, we have a long day tomorrow.”

The handlers quietly ushered the terrified children out the door where they entered. Another tear slipped down the doctors cheek as she watched them go.

“Doctor are you all right?” Keith asked, a look of concern coming to his face, a rare show of emotion.

“I am perfectly fine,” she insisted, he voice as shaky as the boys before turning to a computer console, “Bright Spear-304, have you completed your analysis?” she asked the computer.

A small oval shaped pillar about three feet tall rose out of the floor,a silver blue image of a woman appearing on it.

“Yes, Doctor, I have.” the computer said in a humorous voice.

“And your conclusions?” Kelly asked.

“My conclusions are that numbers 101, 207, 359, 2345, 2758, 4982 and 5629 are very well suited for the tasks ahead, looking at their genetic layouts. I believe they will do very well,” Bright Spear replied.

“Excellent. Watch them closely, Bright Spear. Make sure we don't lose them.” Kelly said softly.

“Doctor, the training routines you have planned for them are the best I have ever seen. They will last and become the greatest warriors we have or they will die. Its that simple and you know I can't do anything to adjust that.” Bright Spear replied, shaking her blue digital head.

“Yes, Bright Spear, I do. Lieutenant, you have training to prep for, i believe.” she turned to Keith.

“Yes ma'am. I'll do my best and make 'em work hard.” he promised turning to follow the rest of the children out the door to the barracks, pulling his over coat back on.

“'Out of the frying pan and into the fire' eh?” Kelly repeated to herself a note of sadness creeping into her voice.

“In a literal and metaphorical sense, Doctor.” Bright Spear replied, smiling.

“I have destroyed these children's lives. The least i can do is help build them another,” Kelly whispered brokenly, turning back to the computer console.

They had a lot of work to do before the real training began.