"Welcome, cadets, to the fifteenth annual 'Earth Exploration Expedition'!"
The small auditorium was filled with polite clapping, coupled with a few excited whistles. The stocky man at the podium smiled and leaned into his microphone.
"My name is Draco Madden, founder of Scallanos Space And Universal Explorations."
More clapping, though a bit more enthusiastic this time.
"For the past fifteen years, Scallanos Space And Universal Explorations has focused on learning more about other planets that contain life. Mainly, a small planet in Galaxy 8265, a planet the inhabitants call 'Earth'. For the past fifteen years, SSAUE has funded and executed the 'Earth Exploration Expedition'. Seventy-five Scallonians have taken part in this venture, and, to date, all but five have returned unharmed. Today, we are going to choose five lucky Senior Cadets to board our newest starship."
This time, the auditorium erupted with cheers, the front two rows strangely quiet.
These rows were filled with the Senior Cadets. Some were smiling nervously, the pale pastels of their skin flushing darker shades of blue and green. Others were sitting there stoically, the bright neons of their skin burning brighter. They knew they wouldn't be chosen.
Only those whose skin matched the Earthens would be chosen.
Those cadets were wringing their hands and crossing their fingers, whispering prayers and hoping, desperately hoping they would be chosen.
A screen behind Draco flashed on, five smiling faces projected onto it.
"Can Cressida Huxley please come to the front?"
A tall, slender girl with long blonde hair stood from her place in the front row, striding up the stairs and taking her place beside Draco.
"Ms. Huxley, thank you for joining us today."
The girl, Cressida, nodded and smiled.
"Your father, Aries Huxley, was a good friend of mine." Draco gazed out over the crowd, eyes clouding ever so slightly. "We founded SSAUE together. When we decided to hold the first Earth Exploration Expedition, fifteen years ago, he jumped at the chance to visit a new planet." His gaze snapped to Cressida. "Unfortunately, he never returned."
Cressida bit her lip. She'd heard the story a hundred times, but there was always a cold detachment between her and the man everyone called her father.
Beside her, Draco continued his speech.
"Today, Ms. Huxley, I want to uphold your father's legacy." Draco turned to her and took her hands in his. She tried not to flinch away from his cold, clammy touch. "Ms. Huxley, we at SSAUE have chosen you to lead this year's Earth Exploration Expedition."
The auditorium exploded in cheers as she took the podium.
"Thank you, Professor Madden, for this wonderful opportunity," she began, a smile forced onto her lips. "I am thrilled to be able to follow in my late father's footsteps, and hope to accomplish what he could not." With a nod, she stepped away from the podium.
"Well said, Ms. Huxley. Shall we call up the rest of your team?"
She nodded again, but the attention was no longer on Draco Madden. Everyone was now focused on the loud footsteps that were emanating from the hallway that connected the auditorium to the rest of Scallanos Space campus.
The double doors banged open, creaking on their hinges. A tall boy with scruffy black hair, grease-stained skin, and red-rimmed eyes burst into the auditorium.
"Sorry I'm late, Dad! Ophelia Ludwig came into the shop with her beat-up old hover. The gear belt was totally stripped. I told her the shop was closed, but you know how she is when she's in one of her moods..." The boy trailed off and looked around the room, double doors swinging shut behind him. Everybody was staring at him. "Am I interrupting something?"
Draco rubbed his temples. "Elio, please, have a seat. I am trying to announce the team."
"Oh." The unkempt boy slumped into the nearest empty seat. "Sorry, Dad."
The man at the podium waved his hand as Cressida snickered beside him. "It's fine, Elio. As I was saying, shall we call up the team?"
More cheers went up from the cadets, but it was quiet and confused and anything but exciting.
"Juno Whitlock, Pilot!"
A curly-haired girl strode confidently to the podium, standing determinedly beside Cressida. Juno flashed Cressida a cocky smirk, blue curls escaping the ponytail they had been wrangled into.
Cressida rolled her eyes. She hated Juno Whitlock with a seething passion. The blue-haired girl was her greatest academic rival, and the two girls were mortal enemies.
"Atlas Caddel, Co-Pilot!"
Cressida grinned as Atlas climbed the steps. The red-headed eighteen-year-old had a mullet, six ear piercings, a bridge piercing, an eyebrow piercing, a septum piercing, and a self-proclaimed death wish. He'd talked about going on an Earth Exploration mission for as long as she could remember.
"Seren Undergrove, Navigator!"
Cressida let out a cheer as her best friend bounded up the steps. Seren held up her hand for a high five, which Cressida returned with an enthusiastic "Alright!"
The auditorium fell silent while the cadets counted the Seniors on the stage.
There was one spot left.
"Finally, my very own son, Elio Madden, Mechanic!"
Elio trudged up the steps to the sound of clapping and disgruntled whispers.
"He's only going because of his dad."
"This is totally rigged!"
"He doesn't deserve to go."
When he reached the top of the steps, Atlas punched him in the shoulder. "Hey, man, congrats to us!"
Elio smirked and pushed Atlas, taking his place beside Cressida.
Draco congratulated the team, then began waxing on about the accomplishments of each cadet.
"Nice entrance, Elio," Cressida whispered.
"Ophelia was being a total jerk," Elio muttered back, coupled with an eye roll. "I have never seen anyone more annoyed about a stripped gear belt."
"You know how she gets, El."
Elio crossed his arms. "I still don't like her."
Cressida laid an arm across his tense shoulders. "As long as you still like me, I'm okay with that."
Elio sagged into Cressida. "Cheesy, Cress. Real cheesy." A smile flickered across his lips, disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared. "This Expedition is gonna feel more like a vacation than work."
"When do we leave, anyway?"
No sooner had the words left Cressida's mouth than Draco announced, "The cadets will be leaving in three weeks' time. The launch will be broadcast live to every public screen on Scallanos.
"Until then, the cadets will be subjected to training that will equip them for both the journey to Earth and their stay on the planet."
Draco gestured to the wings, and the newly-formed Expedition team walked off the stage.
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